how do i make and keep friends???

I also struggle to make and keep friends. I have many acquaintances from my volunteering work, and I meet people at an Asperger social group, but I just do not understand what constitutes a friend and how to keep friendships going. I found it slightly easier to make friends as a child, but I only made a friend with someone in my class when I was 8-9 years old, and even then I struggled to maintain this friendship. I mainly played with children who were a lot younger than me, and often spent long periods of time amusing myself. Once I entered secondary school, friendship became more about sharing interests and feelings, and this 'small-talk' evaded my grasp. I have got a lot better with the basics of small talk since I have become an adult, but it is the subtleties of friendship that is the hardest thing to understand. You know who your friends are as a child because it is stated in black and white, but adult friendships follow an unspoken understanding. I can't 'do' unspoken understandings, I need things spelled out. Moreover I do not enjoy large social gatherings and socialising for the pure sake of socialising - I always feel like I am acting a part, and it is too much effort. I also struggle with the 'give and take' of friendships.

I also struggle to make and keep friends. I have many acquaintances from my volunteering work, and I meet people at an Asperger social group, but I just do not understand what constitutes a friend and how to keep friendships going. I found it slightly easier to make friends as a child, but I only made a friend with someone in my class when I was 8-9 years old, and even then I struggled to maintain this friendship. I mainly played with children who were a lot younger than me, and often spent long periods of time amusing myself. Once I entered secondary school, friendship became more about sharing interests and feelings, and this 'small-talk' evaded my grasp. I have got a lot better with the basics of small talk since I have become an adult, but it is the subtleties of friendship that is the hardest thing to understand. You know who your friends are as a child because it is stated in black and white, but adult friendships follow an unspoken understanding. I can't 'do' unspoken understandings, I need things spelled out. Moreover I do not enjoy large social gatherings and socialising for the pure sake of socialising - I always feel like I am acting a part, and it is too much effort. I also struggle with the 'give and take' of friendships.