How To Be Friends When They Want More?

[USWNT_11]

I had a coworker that was recently fired. So I was trying to be nice and messaged them on LinkedIn saying sorry and that they're gonna do so much better without this company. 3 weeks later they responded and mentioned how they wanted to ask me out since we were flirting at work. They also gave me their number and said if I ever wanted to hang out then to just text them. The thing is that I just recently started dating someone but I really liked my coworker and she seemed like a cool friend. So I texted her a couple of days later and basically said that I did have a crush on them and that I used to look forward to seeing them at work but that i recently started dating someone. But I also told them that I would love to be friends and hang out sometimes. They never responded. I did text them on their first day at their new job saying I hope you had a good first day. But again they never texted me back. I guess I just don't know what to do because I would really like to be their friend but they just aren't replying to me. I know I should just let this go but it kind of sucks that they were only talking to me because they wanted to date me. What should I do?

[andy-hughes]

I think you have to put this down to experience. 

 

Friendships where one person wants more from the relationship rarely work out. There is always that 'elephant in the room ' atmosphere making things difficult. 

It's a shame your ex-colleague doesn't want to be friends, but if the friendship would be awkward, and it would, you are better devoting your time to someone who is happy to be friends, and not always looking for a relationship that is not going to happen.

[barry1010]

How did you know she had started a new job?

[Ringlet]

You just have to let it go.  clearly the person has decided the relationship is not worth pursuing. 

You cannot change this, and must accept it.