THAT Friend

Do you remember that friend? Everyone had one. The friend that would be nice to you only when you where alone, then be a completely different person in front of a group? I had one of those friends. He dated a lot of my friends and would ask me questions about them, I even remember one time he asked me a question about sex as we where walking home. It amazing though how when we where in a group I was the butt of his jokes. And even though he made me angry and embarrassed I never told anyone about what we would talk about on our walks home from school. Do you remember that friend? Everyone had one.

It's a funny thing though, because even though we know spending time alone with THAT friend will be fun, we also know things will never change, you will always be hurt when other people are around. All of the sudden you become just another "friend" or "girl" or "joke" yet we still go back to the same person, to that same friend.

There is never an apology, its almost like its an unwritten rule of life. You be sweet to me when we are alone and I'll allow you to treat me like nothing when we are in front of people. It hurts yes, but maybe this is our way of punishing ourselves for all the times we do it to others.

I thought about this last night. How people change people. How one moment your sweet and kind and the next when there is an audience you become cool, smooth and slick. We all do it, so don't deny it. We all have these different personas we need to show to fit in. But my question is which is the real one.. your authentic self?
I'll try if you will.