It’s okay to have feelings—you can’t toggle them on and off. But recognize that acting on them usually leads to a "lose-lose" situation for your social circle.
: The protagonist must balance their loyalty to their best friend with their undeniable feelings for that friend's mother. The Growth
Elena was "the cool mom" in our circle, but to me, she was just… magnetic. She was a landscape architect who smelled like cedarwood and expensive espresso. She spoke to me like an adult, asking questions about my sketches that my own parents dismissed as a hobby.
That is over one in three young men who have at least skirted the edge of this experience. Women experience it too, though less frequently reported—usually toward a friend’s father.