I would respectfully set some boundaries about topics you don't want to discuss with your friend. This will help avoid arguments. Make sure to remind your friend what you enjoy about them so they don't feel hurt or discouraged.
Platinum is typically mixed with another alloy. So there's platinum-iridium, which tends to be easier to cast and work with. Platinum-iridium is a whiter metal, but it's also softer so...
If you don't want to tell the truth, at least tell the same lie to everyone. Keep your lies non-specific. Say "I went out", rather than "I went to watch...
It's natural that people grow apart over time because everyone changes. It's actually really beneficial to change and grow into yourself over time, and that inevitably leads to some relationships...