Search Results: giving out my number

This girl and I have been friends for 9 years. We area both 21 and live at home. She knows my entire family. They have mixed opinions on her especially my parents. My parents are never mean to her though, and try to help her if she needs it. We have got in 3 major blowouts in the past, which resulted in us not talking to each other for several months at a time and blocking/changing numbers. Anyways, I try to hang out with my friend at least once a week but she currently does not have a job and her parents stopped giving her money so I’m having to pay for whatever we do that’s why I limit it to once a week unless she wants to take walks which are free. Recently, I started talking to a guy on a dating app and we hung out a bunch and I’m talking to him everyday and call him my boyfriend, I’ve known him for a month. I think my friend is jealous. She’s a pretty blonde girl and guys stare at her in public but she gives them Death looks and then they approach me. I decline. My friend wanted to go to a club tomorrow night but it’s in a bad part of town so I said no. I suggested going to the derby with my aunt and boyfriend and she yelled at me because she knows I have a family reunion on Saturday so I’ll see my aunt then and I care about my boyfriend more than her and she tried to call me but I had to end the call to talk to my boyfriend and she’s like I’m glad our 9 year friendship means nothing to you and I need to get my priorities right and I’m rude af. She’s also been persistent texting me but I was on a date earlier and she went off on me. I told her to try the dating apps and she doesn’t have any luck because she says all guys want is a quick lay or they stop talking to her and yadda yadda. She wants to go to this bar tomorrow night (we were supposed to go to the club) and I said I will see because I plan on going to the derby and she flipped out. And anytime I text or call my boyfriend when she’s around she gets all bitchy towards me and I have to walk away.

This guy and I have been doing this dance for years now, trying to figure out if we should date. Distance was the problem for a long while, but now we're close by again and he told me he wants to give us a shot, but he wants to be sure of what he wants first.

He's never been in a relationship, so I know he's sort of clumsy and often doesn't know what to do (he said it himself when we kissed - it was his first - the last time we met up). He's also 4 years younger than me (I understand I need to be patient with him). Recently he's been distant, although the last time we spoke he said his feelings hadn't changed and promised me he'd let me know the instant he changed his mind about wanting to give us a shot.

He's been distant in the past (we suck at texting) and I've blatantly asked him if we could try harder to communicate. He's said yes on two separate occasions and he's followed through-for a few days/weeks each time, before reverting to distant texting habits again.

The fact that he's distant is stressing me, and I don't feel it's right to ask him to put effort in again. I can't tell if he's doing it on purpose or if it's just the way he is at this point.

I only want him. I've tried to date other people when it seemed hopeless in between long months of no contact with him, but it always felt unfair to them because he's my number one interest. Even if I do try to date someone else right now, the instant he says he wants me I'll run to him.

I don't know what to do. Time will probably be the answer, but quite frankly I'm torn between giving him the benefit of the doubt and giving in to the hurt, stress, and confusion I feel. I won't take it out on him cause that would be unfair (or maybe I'm making up excuses for him now, idk) but I'm tempted just to stop putting effort in.

I've been very clear with him and he knows I want to be with him. Should I just not respond to him for a while and see if I matter enough for him to call?