Step Wise Step

We've been best friends for years and vowed to be so forever more, but he suddenly said, "I don't want to be your friend any more!" I said, "Does that mean we can't be together forever?" To which he replied, "Well, there *is* another way.." But what is this other way? "I don't get it, but as long as he stays by my side, it's all good!" Or so I naively thought.