I'm running into this problem a lot and I'm beginning to find it a tad ridiculous.

I have these really well defined friends in my life, in my social circle back in Toronto. We're cool with each other, we catch up every so often, and all that. I keep away from gaming them because they're close to me and I shouldn't shit where I work.

So they introduce me to some of their friends every so often and I talk to them. Sometimes I talk friendly to them, sometimes I flirt with them. I need to make this distinction because a lot of the time I actually don't flirt with them - I just act funny and friendly.

Yet the response I receive is typically the same - "are you flirting with my friends?" It's like what I do is against the law. I don't quite understand it. I can picture some of the guys I know if they were in my situation, and some of my girl friends would let these guys off free. Yet for whatever reason, even talking friendly is ill-defined and I have it held against me.

Another thing I noticed is chicks are always trying to cover their friends. Back to the girl friend story, I've been told by her several times not to date so and so, without me even mentioning it. The girl would then make excuses for me not to date them, such as "she's my close friend, don't hit on her" or "you'll regret it." Whut? Is there some writings about this? Are their ways around it?