I also have been thinking about other things, to put into a perspective for myself, especially where Friendship stands and falls in the following ladder (bottom to top). Acquaintance, *Friendship, Relationship, Love, Sex. Perhaps your input into the quandry may help.
Friendship (2) leads to Relationship (3); 3 leads to Love (4), and 4 leads to Sex (5). Yet I have before heard of 5 destroying 2; Acquaintance (1) skipping 2 towards any of 3 to 5; 5 without 4; 4 without the foundation of either 3 or 2. Also, I feel 5 breaking 2 is rediculous, because 2 is the stronger foundation towards 5, with 3 and 4 in between. Most adults currently have 3 and up in mind without the foundation of 2, which leaves them too cautious, scared, paranoid and so on in Social Situations.