Trust a friend’s “no” as much as their “yes.” Someone who can say no to you is being real with you.

A yes from somebody who cannot say no is worth very little, because you have no way of knowing whether they meant it. Once a person has turned you down once, every agreement afterwards becomes information. The friend who says they are not up for it on Friday is telling you the truth about Friday, which means the Saturday yes is real.

Take the next no without arguing it or asking for a reason. Thank them if you can manage it without being odd about it. Then practice your own, because a friendship where only one person can decline is doing the same thing in reverse.