How do I get out of the friend zone???

I’m a guy, and I’ve been in the same situation as your friend. From what you said, he obviously likes you. When he said, “That was really low of him, he knows you and I talk a lot,” he was implying that the guy that asked you out knew that your friend liked you, but asked you out anyways. He was obviously not pleased with that. Same with the hugs, and saying “I love you.”

I had a close friend that I acted the same way towards. We were best friends, I’d often walk her home from school, we held hands, said “I love you” to each other, and talked to each other constantly. I was deeply in love with her, but she saw other people (and had a whole string of boyfriends) and I’d always assumed nothing would ever come with it. And quite honestly, I was happy to be such a close friend with her.

Now, years later, I’ve found out that she had always loved me just as much. She’s now married, to a guy that reminds her of me, and has told me that she’s still as in love with me as she was back then. Our friendship was so close, and so wonderful, we were both too afraid of ruining it by trying to be more than friends.

Your situation sounds very, very similar. ;)

My advice? Go for it. Seriously. It sounds like he cherishes you enough that he’d rather keep what he has with you now than risk losing you completely if a full-blown relationship works out. Trust me on this: guys like that are very rare indeed. If a relationship doesn’t work out and your friendship is as solid as it sounds, it will last a very long time. And if it does work out… there’s always the chance that he’ll be the love of your life.

Do you really want to risk missing out on that?