Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Ed.

Think carefully. WAS the friendship strong enough to withstand a mistake on their part? If it was the first time this has happened and they are genuinely sorry, I would be inclined to forgive and try to salvage something of what was once so good between you.
On the other hand, I am too long in the tooth to bother being a sap and can be quite ruthless these days.
I guess, the friendship can only survive if you are able to let go of the past completely and start over.
If you dont forgive 100% it will come back and bite you on the bum at the first opportunity and you will end up feeling used and your friendship abused.

I am thinking carefully, but its tricky. I'd prefer to be ruthless but that is a bit difficult in the circumstances. I have no doubt that we could be the closest, bestest fwends on the planet for the next few months. What I think might happen is the pressure of uni will be released next year and all the matey-matey stuff will go out the window. Thats pretty much what happened last summer. I got screwed over proper. I've been assured it was a mistake and won't happen again but frankly my trust is fairly thin on the ground. I just don't feel like committing anything to someone who will throw it away again. On the flip side, I might be playing it too cautious and avoiding a potential frindship that will make my life much happier

Maybe continue being freind's, but dont get too close

Even bestest bosum buddy pals shouldn't be joined at the hip. You need to allow one another space for sometimes having something/someone else at the top of their list of priorities.
If you sink everything you;ve got emotionally into one thing, be it a friendship/relationship/job etc. when it moves out of your immediate realm it can leave you feeling cheated and bereft.
Not sure if all that warble applies to what you are saying though?

I think this is another part of it RG - I'm used to being on my own a lot of the time and feel a little swamped at times. It's difficult for some people to understand at times that I enjoy spending a day by myself

unfortunately some people can only be friends when they are 'needy' or the opposite, fairweather friends.
to be best buddies, or even just friends, it has to be a balanced two way street.
Especially if you like your own company at times but the other person expects you to provide them with company when they demand it...thats not an equal partnership.

With certain friends I get "But, you're doing nothing and I'm bored/need you!!" Well, thats what they mean, if I say sorry cant see you today I plan to chill out by myself and read a good book etc.

Thank you for your words RG, and fireinmyheart and red. I'm not too cheery at the moment, for numerous reasons, and thought it would be good to talk this one over

I hear you Red.

The person who I would call my best friend who lives locally she and I understand and accept one another when one of us says "not today".
Yes, I have very few real friends, but they are all like me, relative loners who like their own space.
Luckily, it works. Mostly. When I 'need' a friend but they are not available, yes i do have online friends or just get on with my own life and cope alone.

I get what you're saying Red but I'm well aware of what having no friends is like. I spent my gap year by myself - never met any friends, didn't speak on the phone, nothing. I can survive like that. I'm a little more sociable now, but still need less interaction than the average person probably.