We’ve all been there – watching your friend in a relationship with someone you don’t think is right for them.
But as a friend how do you navigate this situation? It’s always a tricky dilemma.
On one hand, getting too involved could mean you get burned, but not saying much at all could later leave your friend heartbroken.
There is a fine line - and as a friend, Kaz handled this situation perfectly.
On Sunday night's Love Island – Jake finally said ‘I love you’ to his girlfriend Liberty.
However, with the building confusion inside the villa about how genuine Jake really is - it was not met with all smiles.
To put this into context – Liberty first said ‘I love you’ four weeks ago when Jake asked her to be his girlfriend. Ever since then, Jake has been dodging not only saying it back but also a lot of Liberty's insecurities within their relationship.
Liberty ’stood her ground’ and voiced everything that was bothering her within their relationship. Jake then said he loved her but her in return - but he almost blurted it out in order to take the heat off himself.
As a viewer, I didn’t feel like it was the sincerest confession of his undying love but hey, Liberty felt like it was genuine and accepted it.
Shortly after, the girls gathered around the firepit for ‘girl chat’ and Liberty happily revealed that Jake had finally said ‘ I love you’. She was met with crickets – it was unbelievably awkward. Liberty was so excited to tell them, and no one cracked a smile or entertained it. The girls were not buying Jake’s change of tune - and to be honest, neither was I.
Faye and Chloe walked off from their girl chat after expressing their doubts, and it was clear Kaz could sense that Liberty felt uncomfortable due to the switch in energy. After all, the girls just suggested that Jake was only telling Liberty ‘What she wants to hear’. This was supposed to be a happy moment for Liberty, and it was met with awkwardness.
As a viewer, I do believe all the girls want the best for her – I just don’t think it was handled in the best way by all.
Kaz softened the blow expressing, ‘ I don’t want you to feel like were judging you, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or awkward. She continued, ‘I am sorry that our energy has been flat because it is a big thing when someone tells you they love you.’
From those first few sentences Kaz immediately tried to make Liberty feel a bit more comfortable and at ease.
That moment was awkward - seeing the twinkle fade from Liberty's eyes after she didn't get the response she hoped was horrible. Kaz reiterated that there is no judgement within their friendship, even thought within the girl chat Liberty might have felt judged in that moment.
Kaz concluded, 'We all just hope he’s saying it genuinely because that’s what we want for you. But I think we’re all just worried that he’s said those words to you as a way of getting away from everything else, so he doesn’t have to face it and it’s brushed under the carpet.'
Kaz put her feelings across to Liberty perfectly. She expressed her doubts without invalidating Liberty’s feelings, while simultaneously telling her that Jake’s actions might not have been genuine.
Kaz is the type of friend we all need - she assessed the situation and adjusted her attitude accordingly. The last thing Liberty needed was more awkwardness or tough love.
She also told Liberty what she needed to hear – which was the truth but in a way that was respectful to her feelings.
Ultimately, Kaz put her thoughts and feelings last in the situation, because what she felt in that moment was secondary to Liberty's feelings. I'm sure there was more she wanted to say that might have burst her bubble further, but in that moment that was not what Liberty needed.
You can clearly see Liberty and Kaz have such a special bond. Kaz feels deeply when Liberty is hurt and vice versa.
Can these two just couple and take the 50k? Now THAT I would love to see.