10 Signs He’s Scared Of How Much He Likes You

If you get the feeling he has feelings for you but he’s just not making a move, maybe he’s afraid of just how deeply those feelings go. Is it immature and kinda ridiculous? Yes, but it does happen. Here’s how you know he’s internally freaking out about how much he likes you.

  1. He’s completely changed out of the blue. He used to be warm and friendly, always touching you during conversation and sitting as close to you as possible when you were both out on the town with your friends. Now it’s like he’s put up a wall between you. He’s definitely a bit more distant, and that could be because he’s realized he has feelings for you and he’s afraid to take them further.
  2. He jokes about dating you. You know what they say: you can tell a lot about someone by what they joke about. When this guy cracks jokes about getting into a relationship with you, it could be his way of testing the waters. Maybe he’s so afraid to come out and tell you how he feels that he has to resort to other things.
  3. He backs off just as things get good. This type of behavior is really annoying and confusing because it can also be used by a guy who’s playing with your heart. It refers to when a guy behaves as if he likes you but then pulls back when things feel like they’re getting too real. For example, he might take you out for dinner and kiss you but then cut the date short or not make plans for the next one. What gives?
  4. He hints at previous pain. If he’s afraid to take things with you to a more serious level, keep your ears peeled for any mention of pain he’s experienced in the past, like a bad breakup that’s made him hesitant to give his heart to someone. If he talks about that, it could also be his way of trying to make you understand where he’s at.
  5. He’s vague about the future. Maybe he does talk about the future and even set future dates with you ahead of time, but you can’t help but notice he’s a bit vague when it comes to the future you have as a couple. He might make it clear that he sees you in his life long-term, but just not give you much more than that.
  6. He talks about his feelings but fears labels. This one is another type of behavior that can be super frustrating when you’re on the receiving end of it. While he might talk to you about how he feels for you, he’ll act weird when you bring up relationship labels. Ugh, it’s like he’s giving you breadcrumbs!
  7. He acts jealous. He hasn’t made a move on you, but then when he hears through the grapevine that someone else is interested in you, he acts jealous or gets mad. It’s clear that he can’t fight his feelings for you but he just needs to figure out how to deal with his fear before you move on.
  8. He’s keeping his lips zipped. While you have a pretty strong hunch that the guy’s into you, it always feels like he’s always one step short of actually making it known to you. Why? He might be afraid to express his feelings because he’s not sure if you feel the same!
  9. His ex is still in the picture. He might be afraid to take things further with you because he’s not completely done with his ex, or he still needs to get closure from whatever happened with her. This could hit the brakes on your romance, but if he’s serious about you, he’ll be open about what’s going on.
  10. His friends adore you. Yes, you’ve met his friends and maybe even his folks. That’s a good sign he likes you, even if he doesn’t have the courage to tell you right now. But who knows? Maybe his friends will give you clues that he’s super into you, so keep your eyes peeled. The mere fact that you’re hanging out with them is positive because he’s letting you into his life in a more serious way. Let his actions tell you what you need to know!
Giulia Simolo is a writer from Johannesburg, South Africa with a degree in English Language and Literature. She has been working as a journalist for more than a decade, writing for sites including AskMen, Native Interiors, and Live Eco. You can find out more about her on Facebook and LinkedIn, or follow her on Twitter @GiuliaSimolo.
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