Check out Part 1 here.

You’ve already realized that dating your friends’ exes comes with its own complications. But dating your exes’ friends isn’t any easier. High school can be a bubble that’s hard to break out of. This means branching out romantically might not always be a viable option. But once you start pursuing multiple people from a friend group you’re laying the foundation for awkward times in the near future. This decision will put a stress on your relationship, the whole social circle, and especially on your boyfriend’s or girlfriend’s friendship. So before you swap partners like you’re learning to square dance think about the consequences.

• It makes it hard for you. Nobody likes drama but dating different BFFs is a gossip goldmine. It’s no fun knowing there is talk of your relationship behind your back.
• It makes it harder for the friend group. What’s great about a group of buddies in high school is how much fun you have when everyone’s together. You’re there to help each other through the madness of being a teenager. But when a boy or girl comes between two friends it causes tension for the whole group. The decision goes beyond the love triangle and affects the whole circle of friends.
• It makes it hardest for your new partner and their BFF. Nobody likes who their ex dates next—its hard not to feel jealous toward or untrusting of them. And when an ex’s new beaux is a former-bestie it’s easy to feel betrayed.

Sometimes, however, love works in mysterious ways and we don’t always have a choice in who we’re attracted to. If the two of you are truly feeling struck by Cupid’s arrow, there are ways to make this less awkward than it is. 

• Be honest about this with everyone. Maybe you and your ex are still friends or maybe you can’t stand each other. Whatever the current status between you two is you should tell them about your feelings for their friend. It’s not your job to seek permission but it’s better they find out from you than through the grapevine.
• Behave around your buddies. This can only get weirder for everyone if the two of you are constantly together or go overboard with the PDA. Allow for time apart and cool it with the lovey-doveyness while with the rest of your friends—they definitely already got the message that you two are dating. 
• Encourage a conversation between your new partner and their ex. Even if you are head over heels for someone, you still want them to have their own friends. They can’t burn bridges every time they have a new sweetheart. Not everyone has to be happy with this new relationship but everyone should feel respected—face-to-face conversations can help with this.

Relationships can get messy in high school and no one expects you not to make mistakes. But when you start mixing relationships (dating and friendships) it’s worth it to be extra careful for the feelings of everyone involved.