This guy was a good friend of mine. But recently I felt he liked me because he once said that I’m more important to him and he prioritize me over his other friends. Also, he asked me to go out with him. I brushed it off and acted like a fool for understanding what e really meant. Since then I have been avoiding his texts, sending him late replies so that he can figure out that I don’t like him romantically and eventually stop so that we can keep our friendship. But now he has become distant, I am happy that he figured it out but now I don’t think he wants to be friends with me anymore. I didn’t want any awkwardness between us that’s why I did all that. AITA?
it is hard to be direct with someone that you are not interested in them. soft YTA for not explicitly saying thank you but i am only interested in you as a friend since he clearly expressed his interest by asking you out. he was a friend, you could have just explained your feelings instead of partially ghosting him. that can feel hard to do maybe be awkward at first but more kind in the end.
Be an adult have a conversation, if you are only into him platonically thats fine communicate it with words. If he is only interested with you romantically that can be discovered via a conversation. Passively communicating leads to filling in the blanks and unnecessary miscommunication. Be brave, have a conversation aand if you both want different things, go your seperate ways
You went distant to avoid having an awkward conversation with him and now you’re annoyed that he’s taken the hint? Slightly YTA.
“… think wanted to be more than friends.” “Also, he asked me to go out with him.” uh … doesn’t that sort of solidify he does? Anyway.
YTA. You basically started ghosting him and now you’re surprised he’s being distant? Whether he’s realized you’re not interested in him romantically or not, you started pulling away from him after he asked you out. *You* made it awkward instead of communicating.
I understand why you did that – in the past I’ve had to do that when honesty didn’t work. So many guys I’ve turned down but they think I don’t mean it because I keep being their friend afterwards so I’m going to say NTA but you should still be honest with him just so that you can have a clear conscience and explain why you acted this way. He also might be one of the men who actually takes no for an answer.
Also NTA because I’ve found myself instinctively acting distant towards men who hit on me, so I think it could be an instinct thing.