The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word PAL
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
P
A
L
More clues leading to the result PAL
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "friend" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case friend = pal.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PAL mean?
PAL noun- A friend, buddy, mate, cobber; someone to hang around with.
- An informal term of address, often used ironically in a hostile way.
- Be friends with, hang around with.