New relationships are fun and exciting, but there are always a few underlying worries. What if he doesn’t actually want a relationship? What if he strings you along only to break your heart in a few months?
Even though it is fun, sometimes you can’t tell whether or not the relationship will go anywhere. Unless you want to just wait around to find out if he’ll break your heart, pay attention to these subtle signs he’s just leading you on:
He won’t say the word “girlfriend”.
You’ve been hanging out, going on dates and maybe you’ve kissed a few times, so why won’t he call you his girlfriend? It’s because he doesn’t want to commit … and he knows you’ll be there for him, whether he calls you his girlfriend or not.
He always needs something.
This one is a little harder to spot because asking favors and giving in return are big steps in relationships – it can show maturity in a budding romance. But, if he’s constantly asking for favors and giving nothing in return, he’s just using you.
He tries to avoid pictures.
Maybe he just doesn’t like pictures, but maybe it’s something else. If he’s constantly posting about everything except you on social media, there might be a problem.
He avoids talking about serious topics.
He avoids the “determine the relationship” (DTR) talk like the plague. He doesn’t want to tell you he’s not in it for the long haul, but he wants to keep you around.
He’s a little too nice.
Every man should be genuinely nice to their girlfriend, but if he’s giving you compliments every five seconds (and it seems fake), he’s a man who loves the thought of being in love, but he doesn’t necessarily love you.
You always text first.
In a perfect world, you’d both share the “texting first” responsibilities in a new relationship. But if you’re always the one starting and keeping up the conversations, he’s probably leading you on.
He won’t introduce you to anyone.
This one is obvious. If he won’t bring you around the people he cares about or he doesn’t tell his family about you, he probably doesn’t see a future with you.
He’s there when he wants to be.
You’ve been waiting for a text or phone call all day to make plans with him, and when he finally gets around to texting you hours later, he’s suddenly available. You should never be anyone’s second choice.
He’s weirdly secretive with his phone.
I’m definitely not saying you should be going through his phone (especially in the early stages of the relationship) but he should feel comfortable letting you take a picture or pick a song on his phone. If he’s weirdly secretive, he could be hiding something.
It seems too good to be true.
There are circumstances where you’ll meet a wonderful man who is practically flawless, and it’s totally genuine. But when you sense he’s acting so charming just to get something he wants, you’re probably right.
Know the signs so this doesn’t happen to you. You don’t deserve to be lead on – you deserve to be loved more than anything. Remember, your worth is far greater than you can imagine.
Image via Thought Catalog