Is he a real friend or not?

[Anonymous]

We recently became close friends but we've known each other for a while. We have great conversations and we enjoy each others company. We have mutual friends and he confides in me about things he wouldn't to his other friends. His behaviour could be deemed as flirting at times but I don't want to pay attention to it because with me once I call you a friend you're in the friendzone forever.

He likes playing with my hands, hair and weirdly my wrists as I speak. Sometimes he stares deeply at my face and says nothing. He always says I'm what he wants in a girlfriend but in a very subtle way ( he'll say "in a relationship I want someone I can learn something from and I'm always learning from you."). We were walking with our group one time and a friend of ours said they think there's something between us. I'm now analysing my friendship with him and I don't like that. Please help am I thinking about it too much or is there something there?

[Anonymous]

It can be difficult to assess whether someone is a real friend or if there might be something more going on, especially when there are mixed signals involved. Based on what you've shared, it seems like there may be some potential romantic interest from your friend, but it's also possible that he genuinely values your friendship and enjoys spending time with you.

It's important to communicate your boundaries clearly to your friend, especially if you don't want to pursue a romantic relationship with him. You could try having an open and honest conversation with him about your feelings and what you're comfortable with in terms of physical touch and flirtatious behavior. This can help establish clear expectations and boundaries in your friendship.

Ultimately, only you can decide what you want out of this friendship and whether it's worth continuing despite the ambiguity. It's okay to take some time to reflect on your feelings and determine what is best for you.

[spartan55]

No guy wants to be your friend. That should help.