What does it mean when your best friend is a teenage girl and she tells you to call her back when another call comes in or when you call and she's already talking to someone else?

Answer 1

It means you are competing with other people for her time and attention. If you guys are very close and chat every day, then calls from other people, particularly boys or other girls with whom she is trying to cultivate relationships, may be more important to her. Having said that, it's bad etiquette to bump the first caller for the second caller. There is no problem with putting the first caller on hold momentarily to answer the second one and telling the second caller that you will call him (or her) back as soon as you get off the phone with the first. Only rarely -- for urgent circumstances and emergencies -- should the second caller take precedence over the first. So, if you call her and she's already on the phone, don't take umbrage if she doesn't want to talk, but I would expect her to call back, not you. You already made the call; it's up to her to return the call, just as she would if you had called and left a voice message. If, however, you are the first caller, she should respect that and not switch to caller number two. If she does and that bugs you, you should talk to her about it. Friends -- especially best friends -- should be able to talk about things that bug them without having a big blow-up over it. Being best friends doesnt mean that you are the only person she is allowed to have communication with. It means that you share lots of stuff, that you are there for one another through thick and thin. That you can depend on one another in times of need. That you stick up for one another. Just chill out and do your thing too.