If The Guy You Like Does Any Of These Things, Run Away Fast

Ever since you were little, you’ve been told that boys being mean to you secretly meant that they liked you. Well, it’s time to stop accepting men who push you on the playground and pull your hair. Even though some of his mean behaviors mean that he likes you, it doesn’t mean you should stick around. Any guy who treats you poorly shouldn’t get the pleasure of your company.

  1. Won’t take no for an answer. It’s not romantic for him to ask you out again and again, even though you told him you weren’t interested the first time. His persistence might be flattering, but it should also be a major red flag.
  2. Badmouths other men. If he needs to belittle other guys to feel better about himself, then he has some growing up to do. Pointing out how much acne another man has isn’t going to make you fall in love with him and his perfect skin.
  3. Flirts with other girls in front of you. There are a million other ways to get your attention. He shouldn’t resort to making you feel like crap by flirting with all of your friends, just to make himself look hotter.
  4. Pressures you into having sex. You know what? If he really wanted your body as badly as he says he does, he’d be willing to wait for it.
  5. Insults you. 2016 is the year to stop accepting backhanded compliments. If he subtly insults the way you dress or act, then don’t bother to respond to him, unless you’re tossing a drink in his face.
  6. Waits way too long to text back. There’s no reason for him to wait hours to text you back when he has his phone in his hand. If he likes playing those types of mind games, then you don’t want to stick around to find out what other types of games he plays.
  7. Roughhouses with you. There’s a difference between tickling you until you pee yourself, and grabbing you so hard that he leaves bruises. If he hurts you, and doesn’t seem to care about it, then you need to get as far away from him as possible as quickly as possible.
  8. Pretends he doesn’t care. If he likes you, he should scream it from the rooftops. If he pretends that he doesn’t even care if you text him back, then give him what he’s pretending to want and ignore him.
  9. Sexualizes you. It’s not a compliment when he talks about how badly he wants to see your boobs and begs for nudes. You’re more than a body, and he should know that.
  10. Gets angry in an instant. There are men that will call you beautiful, and then take it back if you’re ballsy enough to accept their compliment. Of course, that’s ridiculous, because any guy worth your time will be happy you have confidence.
Holly Riordan is a writer from Long Island, New York who has authored several science fiction and horror books. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she has spent nearly a decade writing for publications including Thought Catalog, Huffington Post, Teen Vogue, and more. You can find her on Instagram @hollyrio and Twitter @hollyyrio.
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