Did He Friend-Zone me?

[freebirdballin]

I 20F developed a work crush on a coworker that is 37M, I’m going to call his Cheddar for the sake of this story.. So over the past 4 months I developed a crush on Cheddar and about a month ago we just started becoming closer, he always watches me from afar, finds reasons to walk past me at work, and generally just constantly stares at me. Yesterday I expressed to Cheddar that I did have a small crush on him. He proceeded to tell me he has a lot of priorities and doesn’t have time for a relationship since he hardly has time for his best friends (please keep this in mind) he then said that’s why he ended his last relationship. I said okay and moved on about my day, till 2 hours later Cheddar walks up to me and invites me to an observatory event happening that night. I accept, but he made it sound like it was a date. When I get there and meet up with Cheddar, he is with his friend. When he invited me, he never expressed that he would be bringing his friend along.. Did I get friendzoned?

[SueShe]

Yes, it looks like you were friend-zoned and you are going to stay in that ill-famed zone for quite a while.

It is probably hard to be in that place but believe me, being in a friendzone may result being positive for you at the end after all. By having been placed there, he gave you a chance to find someone that is perhaps better suited for you then him. It may not be today but tomorrow or the day after and you might even be thankful one day to have been friend-zoned.

Also, a crush is seldom reciprocated. It is more of a one-way street.

[freebirdballin]

Yeah, I have no problem being rejected. I just expressed to him that I have a small lighthearted crush on him, and I did not expect anything out of it. I just wanted to let him know, he was very kind about it and I expressed that I still enjoy talking to him, but I did not want to make anything weird. I just found it a bit over the top to reject me, and then go out of his way to friend-zone me. When I already knew where he stood with me.

[wynn-ing]

I think he was clear he didn't want to be with you like that when he said he's "too busy" for relationships. Viewing him inviting you to the observatory event as a date was probably wishful thinking.

[freebirdballin]

To be fair he did not communicate that he would be bringing a friend along, when he rejected me he mentioned that he hardly had time for his friends, but showed up with a friend he addressed previously. On my end it’s a lot of poor communication. I went into the hangout aware of how he already felt so I did not feed any delusions that he was gonna change how he felt. If I knew he was bringing a friend along I would’ve brought a friend of mine too, because it felt like I was third wheeling.

[236color]

Not sure, that's kinda odd. I think the truth is, this guy has too many issues to have a relationship with you.

[Nikki1989]

The only zones are the ones you invent in your head.

[wynn-ing]

Being in the friend zone is a way of saying someone (specifically someone you are into) only sees you as their friend and nothing more. You're not getting out of zone without unnecessary effort.

[spartan55]

Cheddar Bob don't have time for that.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it seems so.

[Blueeyes81]

Yep.