Why Would a Guy Bring His Friend Along on a First Date?

He's had his eye on you, you've had your eye on him or you've both been crushing on each other. He finally asked you out and you're more than psyched for your first date. You imagine a romantic night alone with him, dining and dancing or spending the evening engaged in a close conversation. When "date night" rolls around he shows up -- with his friend.

During the younger years of dating, it's common for relationships to revolve around simple socialization or "fun," according to the article "Love and Romance" on the TeensHealth website. This may include group dates or more of a hang-out type of situation. If your date shows up to take you out with his best bud in tow, it's possible that he is looking at your night out as more of a group social function. Instead of delving deep into each other's thoughts and feelings, he may have thought that the two of you -- and his friends -- were going on a light-hearted evening out.

Just because he got up the nerve to ask you out doesn't mean that he is feeling stress-free. While it's common to feel nervous butterflies on a first date, for some people the anxiety can stop them from actually experiencing a relationship. If your date is feeling super-stressed, he may have asked his friend to come along for support. For example, he may feel like he's just not comfortable enough around a girl alone to carry on a conversation. With his friend there, he can relax and speak to you without worrying.

It's possible that your date's friend is already jealous of you, even at date number one. When the guy's best bud is used to the two of them spending every Saturday night together, he might make a fuss when date night rolls around. If your date doesn't want to offend or hurt his pal, he might ask him to tag along. Even though this isn't likely his first choice, making the offer to his friend is one way that he can balance his platonic and romantic relationships.

Even if your date doesn't need the emotional support or stress-relief that bringing a pal along provides, he might still choose to ask his BFF along as an ego-inflating wingman. If the guy wants to impress you beyond compare, he may have his friend trail after the two of you and provide compliments galore. This doesn't mean that his wingman will compliment you. The idea here is for the friend to compliment your date or tell stories that speak to what an amazingly awesome catch he is.