It really makes sense…

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1. They trade your secrets for social points
We’ve all gone through this, I guess. You confide in a friend about something private – perhaps about an issue at home or your secret crush – but then, a week down the line, an acquaintance brings it up as if everyone knows about it.

A true friend is akin to a vault. They will protect your honor even in your absence. But a fake friend will consider your private life as “content.” They can use your issues to gain favor with others and be seen as interesting by other groups of people.

When you discover that your personal conversations are being whispered about by others, this is a grave violation of your trust. Mostly, it happens when they seek attention or try to please someone else. They leave you feeling exposed and unprotected, which is what a good friendship isn’t meant to do. Your best friend will never put you down publicly just to have some gossiping material at parties.

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2. They disappear the second things get real
It’s not really that hard to be a friend when things are going great, when the drinks flow, and everyone’s happy. It’s the “trench test” that helps the fakes get weeded out. Genuine friendships thrive amid chaos. Fake friends, on the other hand, seem to mysteriously disappear once you start needing anything from them.

They will go silent when you’re going through difficult times or become super busy, but it gets even more frustrating if they are in front of you and choose not to say a single thing. Just imagine that they trash-talk you in front of a whole bunch of people while your best friend does nothing but sit quietly, lest they damage their social status.

Such silence can be deafening. A true friend need not agree with every move you make, but they will stand by you when others are trying to get their way. People remember who stayed when it was dark, not just who showed up for the after-party.