At this stage I think you will find that row 1 is all reserved for golds, because it is the only row with marginally better legroom. If you want to sit together pick another row, or if you want your friend to have longer legroom then book the one seat in row 1 for yourself and swap seat with him onboard. 1C has marginally more facility for stretching legs.

If I am sitting in row 1 I would swap for any other seat in that row but if you ask me to swap for any row further behind you will not succeed! There are plenty of prior threads about seat poachers etc.