Man & Woman Just Friends?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Sometimes being told we can't have something just makes us want it more.

He's made it clear he doesn't want a romance with you- kicking him in the butt is not going to change that. It doesn't sound as though you have really accepted this fact though- and that's where your problems lie.

You must now stop daydreaming about having a romance with him. Dreaming about a one way romance is sometimes addictive in a weird way, but it's not going to make you feel good.
You now need to decide whether you would be happy just having a regular friendship with him. If you care about him, don't put him in an uncomfortable position. You owe it to yourself and to him to be honest and straightforward.
If you decide that you could not be happy as simply his platonic friend, then you'll need to just stop spending time with him and go build other friendships instead. This too shall pass.

[indysteel]

You must now stop daydreaming about having a romance with him. Dreaming about a one way romance is sometimes addictive in a weird way, but it's not going to make you feel good.

I SO agree with you that they can be addictive. And like any "drug," they prevent us from fully engaging in the world. I know I've held onto several crushes long past their "sell by" date as a way to avoid really putting myself out there.

I will admit, too, that most of the guys I've had unreciprocated crushes on were all kinds of wrong for me, and I'm thankful now that my affections were not returned.