Why do boys stare at the girl they rejected?

[Qdance890]

we have known each other for four years, and were really good friends, he would always tease me and call me pretty, and loved to mess with me, but since i have told him that i liked him, he has stopped and we have drifted apart. he is also really shy..
its been 9 months since i told him that i liked him, and he told me that he only likes me as friends but every single time he sees me he just stares and does not look away sometimes..
--For example i was walking to class and he was on the other side of sidewalk he saw me, he was about to cross the tree, and he backed up, leaned back and stared at me with no expression for three seconds and went on walking to his class. i saw this all from the corner of my eye..
--- if we ever pass by each other he looks at me from the corner of his eye also...
-- so my question is why do guys stare at the girl they rejected?

[Blacknailpolish]

It's a normal "omg you like me" reaction. He does only see you as a friend he's just wondering how didn't he pick up on the signs of you liking him. Other than shock he's probably flattered no matter how he's acting in public. Also he's giving you some space to get over him while being all shocked and confused from the distance. The friendship you've had with him is ruined because after confessing it will always be awkward when trying to talk to him because it will be like a huge invisible elephant in the room (been there, done that) and the elephant won't dissappear until a while. Anyway, the best thing you can do right now is to take advantage of the distance he's giving you-- get over him. How? Distraction is the key here so you won't get the time to think about him. And simply focusing on yourself. However if he does try to contact you in any way in the near future I suggest you answer him in a nice manner and quickly brush him off by saying you don't have the time to talk or something like that. Just hang in there and let time and distraction do their work.

[dubya1222]

Gosh, I don't know. Maybe he's just afraid that it wouldn't work out and you'd both be broken hearted... if he knows you like him then it's not fear of rejection, it's fear but of what you'd have to ask him... sounds like he likes you and is just to scared to move it forward... i've been in this same situation before and I kicked myself for a long time for not going back to this girl.. almost same scenario you're talking about... i mean I absolutly loved this girl and I know she "liked" me and we were best friends but I just never had the guts to make a serious move... and she was probably hoping I would the whole time...

[Dixontheking]

he might have been shocked at that moment and regrets saying what he said. He might like you!

[Qdance890]

so do you think the example i gave means anything?