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1[[quoteright:323:[[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b34a5f96c70f79c64ac3c4e85baf056e.png]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:323:She's his [[WrenchWench mechanic]]! [[BlatantLies Nothing more!]]]]
3%%
4->'''Penny:''' Sheldon has a girlfriend?\
5'''Sheldon:''' She's not my girlfriend.\
6'''Penny:''' How long has this been going on?\
7'''Leonard:''' Four months.\
8'''Sheldon:''' She's not my girlfriend.\
9'''Penny:''' Are you telling me, for the past four months I have been asking you what's new and you never thought to go with ''Sheldon has a girlfriend''??\
10'''Sheldon:''' She's not my girlfriend.\
11[...]\
12'''Sheldon:''' All right, everyone pay attention. Yes, I have a friend named Amy Farrah Fowler. Yes, she is female. Yes, we communicate on a daily basis, but no, ''she is not my girlfriend''.
13-->-- ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', "The Robotic Manipulation"
14
15Yes, she is. If she isn't, she eventually will be. ResistanceIsFutile. [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality Narrative Causality]] compels you.
16
17A standard response in the face of an accusation that two characters are more than JustFriends. Usually said with an exclamation point — or ten — at the end, and emphasis on the "NOT", maybe accompanied by breaking something.
18
19"He is not my boyfriend!" is another version, albeit not as common, probably in a 65/35% ratio. There are also instances when the two accused say it simultaneously.
20
21Is it true? Technically, yes. {{Hilarity|Ensues}} — if not bloodshed — ensues, because:
22# [[EveryoneCanSeeIt Nobody believes them anyway]].
23# The speaker and subject are [[ObliviousToLove long overdue]] for a RelationshipUpgrade.
24# The subject was under the opposite impression.
25
26A common variation, especially in the second case, is when the speaker is asked about the not girlfriend/boyfriend in question, and they [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial respond with the line, even though the accusation was never brought up in the first place]]. Alternately, the accusation ''is'' made, [[INeverSaidItWasPoison but not the name]], which the defendant then gives up. In either case, cue satisfied smirk by the asker.
27
28The number of exclamation marks and how much the characters protest and try to convince people that they ''aren't'' together is usually proportionate to the amount of UnresolvedSexualTension between the characters in question. Presumably, characters who really ''are'' just friends wouldn't feel threatened by the accusation. For extra fun, try saying it about some characters who have BelligerentSexualTension. Sometimes the character ''is'' in love, [[UnknowinglyInLove but doesn't realize it]].
29
30Especially common in shows and on channels ("Teen" Nick goes crazy with this) where kids and/or preteens are the main audience. Quite interesting, as more often than not, most kids aren't ready for that kinda stuff yet, and therefore could use whatever interpretation comes their way. For some, the trope can be coupled with the fact that it allows for both a male and female protagonist in starring roles (thus reaching a wider audience) but is as far as either the {{Media Watchdog}}s or writers will ever go in terms of illustrating romance and relationships in a series.
31
32See also RelativeError, for when the pair involved are relatives of each other; MistakenForRomance, for when the pair involved actually ''aren't'' a pair; and NotThatKindOfPartner, for another way of denying a romantic relationship.
33
34One of the stock phrases for {{Tsundere}}s (both genders), or one/both of a couple who are JustFriends.
35
36An OverdramaticDatingCommotion might force one of the characters involved in the mini dating scandal to come forward and make it clear that the other character isn't their significant other and they're definitely not an item.
37
38[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant This does not result in]] TheNotLoveInterest.
39
40Compare/contrast with StupidSexyFriend, wherein deciding they ''should'' just be friends is contrasted with the thoughts they can't get rid of about being more than friends, InsistentTerminology ("She's not my girlfriend, she's my very close gal pal!"), and RelationshipLabelingProblems, in which they won't outright ''deny'' being romantically involved, but they won't quite declare themselves an official couple either. Compare IsThatCuteKidYours
41
42[[noreallife]]
43
44----
45!!Example subpages:
46[[index]]
47* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/AnimeAndManga
48* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/FanWorks
49* [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/AnimatedFilms Films — Animated]]
50* [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]]
51* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/{{Literature}}
52* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/LiveActionTV
53* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/VideoGames
54* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/WebComics
55* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend/WesternAnimation
56[[/index]]
57
58!!Other Examples:
59
60[[foldercontrol]]
61
62[[folder:Animation]]
63* ''Animation/HappyHeroes'': In episode 9, Smart S. gains legions of fanboys and fangirls after beating a world record. While he's out meeting his fans, one of the fangirls sees Sweet S. with him and runs away in heartbroken tears when she assumes she's his girlfriend. Then a fanboy sees him with Careless S. and assumes he's his boyfriend. Then Happy S. assures the audience that Smart S. has "no friends", not realizing until it's too late that maybe that wasn't the best choice of words as the entire audience breaks down in tears.
64[[/folder]]
65
66[[folder:Comedy]]
67* Creator/MitchHedberg: "I don't have a girlfriend, I just know a girl who would get really angry if she heard me say that."
68[[/folder]]
69
70[[folder:Comic Books]]
71* In ''ComicBook/Batgirl2009,'' Damian is going undercover as [[TykeBomb an actual]] [[AdorablyPrecociousChild child]] and is approached by RecurringExtra Nell.
72-->'''Stephanie:''' Stick with your girlfriend--\
73'''Damian:''' She's not my girlfriend.\
74'''Stephanie:''' You're getting married. Now see if you spot anything out of the ordinary.
75* Interestingly enough, [[WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond Terry]] drops this quote verbatim in the ''[[ComicBook/BatmanBeyond Hush Beyond]]'' comic when Bruce calls Max his girlfriend. It appears to be a mix of ShipTease and EveryoneCanSeeIt, but PlayedForLaughs rather than romantic tension.
76* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'': A running gag involving [[Characters/MarvelComicsSteveRogers Steve Rogers]] and [[Characters/SHIELDDirectors Sharon Carter]] during the Creator/MarkWaid run on Captain America. Played with in that they used to date and have a very strained relationship at present.
77* In the ''WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster'' comics from the ''ComicBook/NintendoComicsSystem'', Princess Lana acknowledges to [[Characters/MetroidSamusAran Samus Aran]] that Kevin is Not Her Boyfriend. The result is your classic BettyAndVeronica LoveTriangle.
78* ''ComicBook/DominicAndClaire'': In their story together, Cousin Rusty teases Dominic about loving Claire which he denies. Dominic returns fire by taunting Rusty over Samantha from ''ComicBook/SunnyvilleStories''; Rusty says she's just a friend, blushing when doing so.
79* ''ComicBook/TheF1rstHero'': [[TheProtagonist Jake Roth]]'s parents think that Ms. Desmond, one of their company's employees, is his girlfriend. He tries to tell them otherwise as they enter the elevator, but the door closes on him before he can finish his sentence.
80* In the ''ComicBook/GravityFallsLostLegends'' story "Face It", after the story's plot is concluded, Pacifica sent a text message telling Dipper that the hug she gave him didn't mean anything. Unfortunately for her, she actually sent the text to Mabel, and unconvincingly claims the text is just a joke.
81* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' has Kyle Rayner and Bleez. While Kyle's identity is a secret, anyone who meets him and Bleez (and who isn't familiar with the history of the Green Lantern Corps) assumes they're a couple because... well, she's hot and they assume Green Lantern would have a hot alien girlfriend.
82* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules'': Amadeus Cho famously denied that he and Herc were romantically involved in any way, saying "I am not his eromenos"[[note]]Eromenos - submissive male partner in homosexual relationships in ancient Greece[[/note]]. Among other funny lines like "The technical term is [[InsistentTerminology adventuring companions]]" and "I've read those Internet postings too, and take it from the source, they're total bull!" Much later in ''Prince of Power'' #1, the Griffin taunted him by saying he heard someone killed his boyfriend and asked if it was [[DudeNotFunny too soon]]. Cho just replied that it was [[DeadpanSnarker right on time]].
83* In the ''ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics'' series, Vector Woman frequently teases Protoman and Quake Woman about their "relationship".
84* In ''ComicBook/{{Minimonsters}}'', many people (mostly Victor) teases Frank about his not-so secret crush on Henrietta, and that makes Frank blushing and shout desperately that she's not his girlfriend.
85* In ''ComicBook/PocketGod'', Sun tells Toola that Ooga's not her boyfriend when she asks about their relationship.
86* ''ComicBook/{{Robin|1993}}'': Poor [[Characters/RobinTimDrake Tim]] has to tell people multiple times that he and Steph aren't dating, not helped by the fact that he slowly realizes he likes her but feels like he can't break up with his current girlfriend Ariana because of all the horrible things that had happened to her lately. When Ari breaks up with him he starts dating Steph before the week is up.
87* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: The young merfolk Firra and Renno who live just off Paradise Island have to explain empathically that they are not dating and are just good friends. In this case neither of them have any romantic interest in the other, but ComicBook/WonderGirl has a hard time believing them since Renno was spending so much time at a dance with Firra.
88* ''ComicBook/YTheLastMan'': Yorick frequently has to inform people that his bodyguard Agent 355 is not his girlfriend. Ironically 355 often pretends Yorick is her transgender girlfriend in order to hide that he's the last man on Earth.
89[[/folder]]
90
91[[folder:Comic Strips]]
92* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'': Linus is constantly telling Sally, "I'm not your sweet babboo!" In this case, ''he'' means it, but ''she'' doesn't. The phrase became so [[MemeticMutation popular]] that there's even a strip compilation book entitled ''I'm Not Your Sweet Babboo!''
93-->'''Truffles:''' [[https://peanuts.fandom.com/wiki/Sweet_Babboo?file=19770127.gif "Sweet Babboo"?]]
94[[/folder]]
95
96[[folder:Music]]
97* "I'm Not Your Boyfriend" by 3OH3.
98* 10cc, "I'm Not In Love".
99* The song by Music/MichaelJackson, "Billie Jean", is focused on this trope. In this case, it's PlayedForDrama, since she is also falsely claiming Jackson is her son's father. Billie Jean represents various [[GoldDigger groupies who tried to lure Jackson and his brothers into sex so they could have kids]] and [[ShotgunWedding rope the boys into marrying them]].
100[[/folder]]
101
102[[folder:Radio]]
103* In ''Radio/CabinPressure'', Herc is ''not'' Carolyn's boyfriend; he is ''certainly'' not her partner; he is ... a man she knows.
104[[/folder]]
105
106[[folder:Theatre]]
107* A staple of musical theatre is the "Conditional Love Song," sung by the OfficialCouple before they've had time to fall in love, though they invariably will:
108** "Make Believe" from ''Show Boat'' ("might as well make believe I love you... for to tell the truth, I do!").
109** "People Will Say We're in Love" from ''Theatre/{{Oklahoma}}''.
110** "If I Loved You" from ''Theatre/{{Carousel}}''.
111** In "I'll Know" from ''Theatre/GuysAndDolls'', Sky and Sarah sing about their perfect loves and how unlike each other said love will be. A few scenes later, they start to realise their attraction to each other.
112** "Don't Like You" from ''The Beautiful Game'' (a.k.a. ''The Boys in the Photograph'') by Creator/AndrewLloydWebber and Creator/BenElton.
113** "Not That Kind of Thing" from the ScreenToStageAdaptation of ''Film/TheWeddingSinger''.
114** "The Bro Duet" from ''Moment By Moment''.
115* ''Theatre/{{Anastasia}}'':
116** Just before "My Petersberg", Dmitry and Anastasia arrive on a street where Dmitry's ex-con partners are gathered, drunk and still drinking. Upon seeing the duo, they tease him saying he got a new girlfriend to which he responds with the usual "She's not my girlfriend!", grab's her hand, and tries to walk away from the group, leading to a fight.
117** After "The Press Conference", Marie asks Anastasia where her young man is, referring to Dmitry, as she believes they're together. Anastasia tells her he is not her young man and Marie tries again while Anastasia again claims they're not in a relationship.
118--->'''Marie:''' Where is your young man?\
119'''Anastasia:''' He is not my young man.\
120'''Marie:''' If it's not plain to you that he ''loves'' you-\
121'''Anastasia:''' He is '''not''' my young man!\
122'''Marie:''' When he refused my reward for finding you, I thought 'Anastasia has found herself another kind of Prince. One of character, not birth'.
123* ''Theatre/ThePajamaGame'': Babe, in denial that she's attracted to Sid, sings "I'm Not At All In Love," a claim which is met with smirking derision from the girls:
124-->''It's easy to see that her daffy grin\
125 Is the grin she always wears,\
126 And she's breathless because\
127 She ran up a flight of stairs!\
128 Obviously! Naturally! Certainly!''
129* ''Theatre/{{RENT}}'': Benny teases Mimi about their past relationship in front of her new lover Roger: "Does your boyfriend know who your last boyfriend was?' and Roger angrily responds: "I'm not her boyfriend, I don't care what she does!"
130* Diane and Nick from ''Theatre/ComeFromAway'' are mistaken for husband and wife by Claude in the song "Screech In", who is bewildered that they could make their marriage work with him living in England and her in Texas. They then clarify that they've actually just met. [[spoiler:They end up married anyway.]] Interestingly, the specific conversation also happened in RealLife.
131-->'''Claude:''' Alright. Where are you folks from?\
132'''Diane:''' Texas and--\
133'''Claude:''' Texas! ''(to Nick)'' What part of Texas are you from, buddy?\
134'''Nick:''' No, I'm from--\
135'''Diane:''' No, I'm from Texas. He's from England.\
136'''Claude:''' Wait. Now how does that work?\
137'''Nick:''' How does what work?\
138'''Claude:''' Well, how does your marriage work with you being in England and her in Texas?\
139'''Nick and Diane:''' No-- we're not married!\
140'''Claude:''' Oh, I'm sorry-- I just assumed you were married... Well, would you like to be?\
141'''Diane:''' Well, why not?!
142* Trevor in ''Theatre/LizardBoy'' when Siren threatens Cary.
143-->'''Siren:''' [[spoiler:I will become as powerful as that Mount St. Helens monster!]] And then, I will kill your boyfriend!\
144'''Trevor:''' He is ''not'' my boyfriend!... yet. ''[turning to Cary]'' But, I do like you.
145* In ''Theatre/JasperInDeadland'', Jasper says the line word-for-word early on and is adamant that he and Agnes are just close friends, but later on he realizes he does love Agnes romantically.
146[[/folder]]
147
148[[folder:Visual Novels]]
149* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': Gumshoe outright uses this line for defense, as well, with regards to [[CuteClumsyGirl Maggey Byrde]]. Phoenix doesn't buy it for a moment.
150-->'''Phoenix:''' (Note to self: Gossip with Maya about this later!)
151* In ''VisualNovel/CafeEnchante'':
152** Regardless if the player chooses to romance Canus, several locals believe that Kotone and Canus are dating despite their attempts to dispel the rumors.
153** In the beginning of Ignis's route, Dromi flat out asks if Kotone is Ignis's mate, since he often sees them together. Kotone [[ObliviousToLove did not get the implications]] but Ignis clearly did and became very flustered and denied anything.
154* ''VisualNovel/CollarXMalice'':
155** Yoshinari mistakes Okazaki and Ichika as dating early in Okazaki's route since he noticed them spending lots of time together despite their insistence they were not dating.
156** When Enomoto first meets Saeki and Ichika reveals that she has been to Saeki's house plenty of times, Enomoto thinks the two of them are dating. Then it's switched around when the drunk Saeki notices Enomoto and Ichika arguing and thinks ''they'' are the ones dating.
157** Downplayed when Yanagi meets Saeki and Ichika has the option to tell Yanagi that she and Saeki are JustFriends. Yanagi is amused and reminds her that he is not Enomoto who tends to jump to conclusions.
158** In Yanagi's route, when helping a lost little girl, she thinks that Ichika and Yanagi are a couple. Yanagi tries to explain it in simple terms so that the little girl could understand and ends up saying that Ichika and the little girl are like sisters to him. Ichika quietly muses to herself that for some reason, it bothered to hear Yanagi think of her like a sister.
159* Since ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub'' starts out as a parodied or even played-straight RomanceGame before it gets creative, the [[PlayerCharacter protagonist]] has several dialogues where he denies having a thing with one or the other of the girls. Whether he actually ''is'' courting said girl has no effect on whether he will deny it. The only girl he never has to say this about is Monika.
160* Everyone seems to be under the impression that Toko and Reiji have some kind of relationship in ''VisualNovel/TheShell.'' Rather than being defensive about it, Reiji is mostly bemused.
161* Yamato in ''VisualNovel/MajikoiLoveMeSeriously'' regarding Miyako, repeatedly, as a single indication toward anything remotely different causes Miyako to appear out of nowhere and [[NonStandardGameOver seize the opportunity]].
162* Rin Tohsaka in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' can get like this. Especially prevalent in one scene in "Unlimited Blade Works", where Shirou can warn Lancer to stay away from Tohsaka, to which she keeps desperately denying that she and Shirou are in love, while Shirou just smirks and doesn't deny anything, and Lancer laughs his ass off at Rin's reaction.
163-->'''Rin:''' Why are you not saying anything? This is looking as if we actually are in love!\
164'''Lancer:''' ''[laughing]'' Please. There's no "as if" about it!
165* In ''Higurashi Daybreak'', the ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' fighting game, when you're playing Story Mode as a Keiichi-Rena team, most of the adults will ask if you're a couple. Rena is delighted at the notion, but Keiichi protests. This actually becomes the stakes for the last two battles, thanks to a LoveTriangle with Mion at her most {{Tsundere}}.
166* ''VisualNovel/MinotaurHotel'': After a certain point in the main route, people mistake you for being in a relationship with Asterion, and you have to correct them that you're not in a relationship with him (yet).
167* ''VisualNovel/SablesGrimoire'':
168** In ''Sable's Grimoire: Man and Elf'', the haughty elf Lisha gets flustered and angry whenever someone suggests that she and Sable are more than friends. Unfortunately for her, ''everyone'' they meet makes that assumption.
169** In ''Sable's Grimoire: A Dragon's Treasure'', Sable is the one to get defensive and embarrassed whenever someone suggests that he and Drakan are a couple.
170* ''VisualNovel/ZeroEscape'' Trilogy:
171** ''VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors'': In the cargo room, after Akane's gushing over Junpei's photo starts reaching SickeninglySweethearts levels, Santa tells them to knock it off, to which Akane says that they're not a couple.
172** ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'': When Quark refers to the girl from Tenmyouji's photo as "his [Tenmyouji's] first love", Tenmyouji replies that she's not. Sigma doesn't buy it for a second and calls Tenmyouji a "hopeless romantic". [[spoiler: Tenmyouji is Junpei and the girl is Akane, so Quark and Sigma turn out to be right.]]
173** ''VisualNovel/ZeroTimeDilemma'': When Carlos asks if they're a couple, it's Junpei's turn to say it about Akane. [[ImplausibleDeniability While holding the ring he intends to use to propose to her that very day.]]
174[[/folder]]
175
176[[folder:Web Videos]]
177* ''Website/ChannelAwesome'':
178** In "Thanks for the Feedback: Date with Doug", WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick denies having any attraction to WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic. It was a little too firm to be believed anyway, but lost all credibility when Creator/{{Doug|Walker}} and Creator/{{Lindsay|Ellis}} confirmed later that the characters had already had sex at this point.
179** She does it again (just with the word "ally" instead of "boyfriend") when Creator/MaraWilson wants to kill her to hurt him, but contradicts herself a few minutes later when they both mope about missing him.
180* In ''WebVideo/TheGuild'', Codex insists that "there is no circumstance under which [she and Zaboo] are together in any shape or form". [[StalkerWithACrush Zaboo]] feels differently.
181* ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'': [[SecretRelationship Ozzie and Fizzarolli]] vehemently deny that they are in love. [[ImplausibleDeniability To an assistant who just walked in on them about to have sex in Ozzie's kitchen]]. Nope, [[BlatantLies it's just unemotional sex]], [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial no romance involved]], because love is stupid. The assistant knows better than to not play along and quietly leaves the room.
182[[/folder]]

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