You’ve known each other for the longest. He makes you laugh. She understands. He’s always there for you. She’s great to hang out with. 

You have everything in common. So why not go from being “just friends” to a “couple”? You can. Sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it doesn’t. But either way, being friends first is the best way to start a relationship. 

Claudia Ruano and Luis Rodriguez

Take Claudia and Luis. 

They met in second period music class. He knew some of her friends. They spent two months just getting to know each other — talking in class and chatting online. Then, they decided to go out. 

“We’ve been going out for a year now,” says Claudia, 17, of New Jersey. “We decided to get to know each other more, before we officially got together.” 

Stephen Treat, director of the Penn Council for Relationships at the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, says couples that start as friends and take it slow have a better chance of sticking together. 

“The rule of thumb is the quicker the relationship grows, the quicker it ends,” says Treat. “Relationships should have honesty, monogamy (that means no cheating), good communication.” 

Two people should also feel safe together and feel like it’s OK to be themselves. They should listen to and respect each other’s opinions. All that adds up to friendship. 

“Without friendship, it will often become just a sexual relationship,” says Treat. 

Lauren, 17, from Pennsylvania, can relate. “It seems that every time I’ve ever hooked up with a guy I liked, I liked him even more after hooking up,” she says. 

“Then I ended up getting hurt because all he wanted to do was hook up. I think you should definitely be friends and date for awhile before you kiss,” she adds. “If you can wait to kiss, then that means you really like each other.” 

So how long should two people know each other before they get romantic? 

Treat says it’s different for different people. But, he gives some general guidelines. 

“An 18-year-old should be friends with the person for at least three or four months, while a 30-year-old should know the person one or two months,” he advises. 

Being friends first is no guarantee that things will work out. Sometimes, even the best of friends are no good as a couple. 

Walter and Claudia, (who now goes out with Luis), knew each other ever since they were in first grade. 

“Claudia asked me out one day and we went out for about a month,” says Walter, 17. “But it just didn’t work out. I saw her and loved her as my sister.” 

They’re still great friends, but Walter says close friends shouldn’t date because it could ruin the friendship. 

“If something happens between the two people, the friendship goes down the drain,” he says. 

That’s possible, Treat says. And it’s something to think about if you’re considering dating a long-time friend. 

Best Friends 

Liana, 17, and Iggy, 19, really took their time getting to know each other. They were friends for three years before they finally got together. 

“It’s complicated between me and Iggy,” Liana said. “We met while I was in a long-term relationship and something drew me to him. So I ended my relationship and we went out for about a month, but we weren’t ready and it just didn’t work out. 

“Months passed and quickly turned into years. Iggy and me still kept in touch. We got to know each other so much better. It wasn’t until four months ago that we decided to go out again. We’ve been happy together ever since. Now he’s more than just my boyfriend. He’s my best friend.” 

And here’s one more friends-first love story. Marissa, 18, met her boyfriend, Pete, while shooting a story for her video production class. They exchanged e-mail addresses that same day. 

After about two months of chatting through e-mails and long conversations over the phone, the two found they had a lot in common. 

“When you meet a person, you’re wearing a mask,” says Marissa. “And as time goes by, little by little, you both start taking off your masks. That’s the beauty of becoming friends first and then falling in love.” 

National Correspondent Lindsey Armstrong, of Media, PA, contributed to this article.