I don't remember the last time I saw Jessica. I think it was on Fat Tuesday, or wait, was it on Memorial Day? Nah, maybe it was New Years? I'm not sure, maybe all of them, I guess we're holiday friends.
Sentence used to traditionally, gently let down someone that has an unrequited romantic and/or sexual interest in a friend/acquaintance. If they takes badly to this clearly very polite alternative of "I am not really romantically and/or sexually interested in you, but I still find value in you as a person and I'd like you by my side" (i.e., throws a tantrum, claims ownership or a "debt" for all the "nice things they'vedone", etc.), they weren't a friend in the first place and only saw your friendship as purely transactional. Run far away and find better friends.
Girl: I'm sorry, but I'd rather we just be friends.
Nice Guy: WOW AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE FOR YOU? YOU FEMOIDS ARE ALL THE SAME, I DESERVE AT LEAST SOMETHING FOR BEING SUCH A NICE GUY Girl: Wooo, thank you for confirming I dodged a bullet there.
Guy: Let's just be friends.
Nice Girl: HAH AS IF I WASN'T JOKING, I ONLY HANG AROUND YOU OUT OF PITY, YOU'RE FUGLY ANYWAY
Guy: Okay, we won't be friends either.
A phrase used mainly to end a relationship. Once this is said, you will most likely never have contact with the other person despite the meaning of what was said.
Girl: I think we should break up, let's-just-be-friends.
Guy: Alright, i'm okay with that.
*2 months later*
Friend: Have you heard from -- lately?
Guy: Dude we haven't talked since we broke up.
Friend: Didn't she say she wanted to stay friends?
Guy: I guess not, no one ever actually means that.