My guy friend just got into a prestigious grad program and I bought him a shirt I knew he really wanted but would never buy for himself. Since I have been pretty in love with him for quite some time, I decided to just make this the moment that I'd be a little more apparent about my feelings. I asked him out to a fancy restaurant and he agreed.
When I got there, things seemed pretty normal until I told him I bought him a congratulations gift for getting into his program. He made a face as if I were strange to do that and thanked me the way you would thank your aunt who just knitted you a sweater you'll never wear. When he opened the gift, he was ecstatic and very thankful but I couldn't quite get over that initial reaction as if my buying him a gift was over the line for friends or something?
The rest of the night, I felt like something was off between us... as if he suddenly figured out I was into him and was sticking around to be polite. I gave him two very obvious ways out of the night (I told him I knew he was busy and had to go really far to get home) but he didn't take them and stayed and we ended up having a four hour dinner but the whole time there was this strange feeling looming over me that made me feel like he was just throwing me a bone.
The night ended with him hugging me with like a foot between us as he dropped me off at my door and he says, "I had fun. That was nice" and I haven't heard from him since...
How should I take this? Why did a gift change the way we relate? Did I totally mess up? Has he figured me out?
When I got there, things seemed pretty normal until I told him I bought him a congratulations gift for getting into his program. He made a face as if I were strange to do that and thanked me the way you would thank your aunt who just knitted you a sweater you'll never wear. When he opened the gift, he was ecstatic and very thankful but I couldn't quite get over that initial reaction as if my buying him a gift was over the line for friends or something?
The rest of the night, I felt like something was off between us... as if he suddenly figured out I was into him and was sticking around to be polite. I gave him two very obvious ways out of the night (I told him I knew he was busy and had to go really far to get home) but he didn't take them and stayed and we ended up having a four hour dinner but the whole time there was this strange feeling looming over me that made me feel like he was just throwing me a bone.
The night ended with him hugging me with like a foot between us as he dropped me off at my door and he says, "I had fun. That was nice" and I haven't heard from him since...
How should I take this? Why did a gift change the way we relate? Did I totally mess up? Has he figured me out?