It would be so much easier just to ask the guy, right? But sometimes it is downright impossible to make that first step as it may very well be the last one you’ll ever make. Nevertheless, if you’re not content with being just friends and/or have some mixed feelings about the signals he’s sending you, there’s still something you can do. Even if you choose not to act, you can observe the guy and make conclusions because usually guys are pretty straightforward about what they feel. The only problem is – they’re really bad at expressing it verbally! Here are 8 sure signs he wants to be friends with you and nothing more.
He talks about his exes a lot
The general rule is – you don’t talk about your ex to the future love-of-your-life sitting right in front of you. That goes for both guys and girls. Just like you wouldn’t be comfortable spilling your past endeavors to him, he shouldn’t be comfortable talking about his past love life in front of you. That, of course, only if he’s romantically interested in you. Friends share all kinds of things because they don’t have that urge to make the best impression on each other. Do you feel like you know too much about his exes? That’s usually not a very good sign.
He never flirts with you
Flirting is something guys do almost subconsciously when they like a woman. Of course, some people manage to become friends first and a couple later, so there’s probably less flirting going on, but it’s still there, just in lighter more comfortable forms. So has he ever flirted with you? If he had, even as a joke, the hope isn’t lost yet. But if he hasn’t, he’s probably more comfortable with you as his friend, not his date.
He doesn’t have time for you
We’re all busy bees, but when two people like each other they manage to find free time not only for texting, but for dating as well. If you feel like you could free up a whole weekend to spend with him, but he’s always too busy to even reply to your texts, not to mention actually meet somewhere privately, then he probably doesn’t like you that much.
He never makes the first step
Most of the guys tend to act as hunters when they see a girl they like. It may be less obvious in the modern era with roles changing all the time, nevertheless, when it comes to dating, it’s still common for guys to make the first step. They see what they like and they want to see more of it – it is as simple as that. If, on the other hand, you’re the one doing all the planning, texting, and obsessing over where to invite him – you’re still in his friend zone. Try going silent for a while and see what happens. If he doesn’t even notice that you’ve magically disappeared from his life – then it’s best to forget all about this guy.
He rarely texts you
Just like you want to spend more time with the person you like, you want to send longer texts as well. If you are usually the one sending messages to him and not vice versa, and your texting is somewhat short and devoid of emoticons, then you should really pay closer attention to your relationships. Friendships also come in a variety of shapes and sizes and this may very well be the one that does you more harm than good!
He doesn’t mind talking about your male friends
If he’s totally okay talking about your exes and other male friends, then it’s not a good sign. Try mentioning a guy that has asked you out or maybe an ex that contacted you and observe his reaction. If he shows any type of discomfort, crosses his hands or averts his gaze, then there’s still a chance that he’s interested in you being more than just his friend. But if not…maybe it’s time to face the truth!
You are always meeting in groups of friends
If the two of you have hardly had any tête-à-tête interactions, you’re in trouble. He might call you and even set up a meeting, but when you show up he’s always surrounded by friends. This means you’re just another friendly face he likes to hang out with and spend great time together, but nothing more. Of course, there’s a small chance that he’s too shy to ask you on an actual date, but if you know the guy well enough you’ve probably already figured out whether that’s true or not by now.
He’s been around forever and never asked you on a date
Yes, we admit that some relationships grow out of long-life friendships, but you should still be ready that it’s not your case. Is he a co-worker you’ve known for years? Or maybe he’s a good friend of yours you’ve known since childhood? If you’ve suddenly realized that you’re feeling something not quite platonic towards the guy, this doesn’t mean that he feels the same way. In fact, if you’ve known each other for years and he still hasn’t at least tried to get closer – it’s a true sign he wants you to remain friends, nothing more.