14 Things You Only Know If You're The Third Wheel

Call yourself a hanger-on, a spare part, or a tripod - every romantic relationship needs that one person who basically qualifies as the third member.

You might get frustrated feeling like a gooseberry when you get ditched for their new partner, but deep down you know they wouldn’t survive without you.

Here are 14 things you only know if you’re the stabilisers on the bicycle of love.

1. Feeling left out when they go on date nights and you’re not invited.

2. Dreading their partner ‘spontaneously dropping in’ on your plans together.

3. Inviting yourself to activities that are definitely couple-only.

4. Trying to get them do to non-couple things so you can be involved.

5. Taking every opportunity to remind their partner you were here first.

6. Being confident you’ll be around long after they are ditched.

7. Resisting temptation to revert to private jokes to stay included.

8. Wanting to let them know you can totally see them holding hands under the table.

9. Becoming their photographer whenever you go out.

10. Realising that sharing food three-ways isn’t that romantic.

11. Spending 90% of your time being pushed off the pavement into the road.

12. Trying to ignore all their attempts to intervene with the state of your love life.

13. Feeling the need to defend single people everywhere from this level of smugness.

14. Knowing you are the real reason their relationship is still on track.