I think two things are at work here.

1: Anchoring, you've anchored your old behaviour to you friends so when you are with them all the thought and feelings come back.

So lets say for instance when you're out with them you think of your best pickups and thus anchoring those thoughts and emotions to your mates.

2: you're going in there thinking I gotta be this big pimp, and this is like when you do something cool but when you try to show someone it fucks up. chill out so what if they don't think you a massive pimp.

check this thread I read the other day when looking through the old threads.

http://www.puaforum.co.uk/psychology...ht-effect.html