I tend to be verbose when I describe my situation, so I'll try not to write too much.
I met a girl (Let's call her Susan) more than a month ago on a blind date set up by some mutual friends. Susan and I hit things off well, and we ended up having a lot in common. Later that day, we met up at a party and both got a little drunk. One thing led to another and we ended up having a more intimate encounter.
I was determined to not just let this be a one night stand. The very next week, I took Susan to a fancy restaurant, and we got to know each other even more. We continued seeing each other fairly often. We would meet up, go somewhere like the park or the mall, hold hands, kiss, and part ways. I met her friends, and she met mine, and our lives were no longer parallel. I thought everything was going perfectly.
About a month into our dating, Susan tells me that she needs to talk. She tells me that she "likes me as a friend," but she just doesn't feel attracted to me. I asked Susan about that first night we met, and she said that initially she "really liked me a lot, but it just changed." Then I asked her what I did wrong, and she gave me a cryptic response. Susan told me that I did nothing wrong. She said I'm such a nice and amazing person. She said I'm too perfect for her. Susan said she still wants to be friends. I guess you all can imagine how I felt. I didn't want to just be friends with her. I wanted to be in a relationship with her.
About a week passed by, and Susan messaged me on Facebook. She said she was wondering how I'm doing and that she meant it when she said we should still be friends. I said I felt the same way, but I'm still very much hurt. I've hooked up with girls before, but I've never really had someone tell me that I matter to them or that they think I'm special. Susan was the closest thing I ever had to a real girlfriend. I got to know pretty much everything about her. I know her favorite color, her hobbies, what kind of music she likes, and all of that stuff. And Susan is a special person. We have a lot in common, and I think she's really pretty too. Susan has beautiful red hair, and it only makes things worse because redheads are so rare. So now that she tells me she only sees me as a friend, what does that say about me? Now I have nobody to hold, nobody to talk to, and I've been hiding how miserable I am since that day.
I'm faced with two options. I can keep my distance and simply try to continue flirting with her as time goes on. I can try to get out of this friend zone by staying out of her life until I change myself. I'll get a new haircut, start going to the gym more, and change the way she perceives me. My other option is to become her friend. And we'll talk and we'll hang out, but I'll always feel that pit of sadness knowing she will never see me as anything more than a friend. And I already dread that day when I'll see some guy with his arm around her, and she'll be telling me about how great her new boyfriend is. I miss Susan and I still want her in my life, but at the same time it hurts me so much to think about her. Every time I see her pass by, I feel such a strong sinking feeling in my chest. I don't know what to do.