also called a pseudo-girl/boy friend

a close friend of the opposite sex that you spend a lot of time with and talk to often much the same as you would with a girl/boyfriend, though they never will become your girl/boyfriend due to factors such as, but not limited to: age difference, the other person being in a relationship, the other person living too far away, fear of ruining the friendship etc.

You will often to "date-like" things with them, such as: go to dinner and a movie, take them to a party to introduce them to your friends, or have them meet your parents. though you will never do other "date-like" things, such as: hold hands while walking, get/give a kiss goodnight, have them to a big family function like Christmas dinner etc.

can be a cause of grief and jealousy if one of the friends is in a relationship and their girl/boyfriend feels threatened by the surrogate friend.

NOT to be mistaken for a friend with benefits, there are no sexual conotations on a surrogate friend.

When you eat dirt for the first time and leave your family to build a shack in the woods