LiveSimplyDude wrote:
*you want to be friends*.. baby steps for now, bro- like I said, don't come off too strong yet..
I disagree. The OP wants to be more than friends. So he should not friendzone himself. That would be self-sabotage.
He should be honest, and say to the girl "I would like to hang out with you, because I really like you".
Saying "I really like you" is suitably ambiguous because it could mean he likes her in a romantic way, or it could just mean he likes her in a platonic way. "Liking" someone is a very vague expression so he is not committing to anything or giving too much away by stating that he likes her.
On the other hand, if he says to her "I want to be friends" he is friendzoning himself.
Men are always complaining about women friendzoning them, and complaining about how much it hurts when that happens. But here you are dishing out advice to the OP telling him to friendzone
himself.
I do not agree that that is a good tactic. Either don't admit to her yet that you like her (if you don't have the courage) or admit to her that you like her, and see how she responds. But do not lie to her and say you only want to be friends, because that would be the coward's approach.
Who knows -- she may secretly like you. If you tell her you just want to be friends, you will be sabotaging it all and might be disappointing her because she might actually return your feelings.
This is my opinion because I like to be straightforward and honest and tell the truth, and I detest mind games.