time for MICHELLES PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP ADVICE
if i’m being honest, your girlfriend seems to be putting little to no effort into maintaining and pruning your relationship and you’re doing all the work, even after talking to her about it.
i think you should let her go, simply due to her lack of effort. a relationship requires work on both sides. it’s a furniture box with two person lift printed on the sides with handles.
as for the friend maybe start doin a lil flirty flirty and seeing where that gets you. i wouldn’t jump headlong into it, especially since your gf would probably think you left her for the friend and you don’t want that, trust me.