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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell him to leave me alone

32 replies

Hypnot · 12/12/2024 16:55

I dated a guy over a year ago, it only lasted about 4 months. It ended over a series of texts. I felt he was pulling away and I told him to finish things if he wasn't interested and gave him his get out - which he took and made an excuse based on nothing very significant. We parted ways, but I never stopped thinking about him. I also felt when we were dating that he wasn't really emotionally available. He's only moved out of his family home 8 months prior to us meeting even though he got his official divorce whilst we were dating.

I've dated other guys in the past for longer, but for some reason he had a bigger impact on me. Anyway over the following 9 months or so we'd text occasionally wishing happy new year, birthday etc. and we started messaging again regularly since early summer, platonically. We went out of drinks late summer, had a lovely evening kissed, he stayed over but i didn't sleep with him because I want more, not a one night stand.

Since then we've remained friends and he's been amazing he's helped me while I've been looking for a new house. I've never done it before and he's been so helpful. He's taken time out of work to meet me for viewings, he's reviewed surveys and been such support. It's been hard for me because although i've been divorced for 7 years, it's been my family/children's home for 20 years. I never ask for help so it's been wonderful knowing he's been there, he made me feel safe. There's huge chemistry and I can tell it's mutual.

Anyway a couple of weeks ago we went our for drinks again and I drank a lot, we kissed it was wonderful. I asked him why we split up and I said jokingly is it because you think i'm chubby and have a big bum. His ex was super fit and I'm a size 10/12, tiny waist and a big(ish) bum... always have had. I did feel self conscious though because I know his ex was fit and slim. For context I'm not fat nor ugly and I get more attention these days than I've ever done before.

Anyway he buried his head in his hands ashamed and said he had a thing about big bums (no liking them) but that's not why he broke up with me. So I said okay so you're not attracted to me and he said he was, he said I was absolutely gorgeous, but he kept his face hidden in his hands. I started phoning for a cab and he asked me not to go. We ended up kissing and I stayed the night and slept with him. I think he said other things to reassure me, but I can't remember as I hadn't eaten much and had drank too much.

The next morning he was really lovely, very affectionate. I had the removal men coming so I had to get home early.

My head was all over the place, after the removal guys left I went back to the empty house - 20 years of memories, children, family, my abusive marriage etc etc I went to a dark place. I started to replay the conversation (I could remember) from the night before. I felt ashamed that I'd slept with him when I wasn't even sure he was attracted to me.

After a day of ignoring him he asked what was the matter and I told him to leave me alone, I wasn't interested in friends with benefits and I had enough to deal with and I wasn't interested in his games. He was shocked and said he didn't know where that had come from and he was sorry thought so badly of him.

I'm away for a week, I don't know where we'll go from here. I loved being friends with him we were building trust, but I feel like it's been ruined now - I wish i'd never slept with him.

I think we could have something special, but I'm hurt by what he said. I want him to reassure me. I feel quite ashamed that i slept with him after what he said. where's my self respect.

OP posts:
MounjaroOnMyMind · 12/12/2024 16:57

Why did you have sex with him after he said that? Was it to reassure yourself that he did fancy you?

ILikeItWhatIsIt · 12/12/2024 17:06

MounjaroOnMyMind · 12/12/2024 16:57

Why did you have sex with him after he said that? Was it to reassure yourself that he did fancy you?

Probably because she wanted to. There doesn't have to be any other reason.

Bohemond23 · 12/12/2024 17:07

It sounds more like you are playing games.

Crazycatlady79 · 12/12/2024 17:09

He's not playing games.

LostittoBostik · 12/12/2024 17:13

You're playing very hot and cold with him.

Take this as a lesson to be upfront. If you wanted to end it in the first place you should have told him straight "not give him an out" to see how he'd react.

MissMoneyFairy · 12/12/2024 17:14

What did he say that upset you

Butchyrestingface · 12/12/2024 17:16

Bohemond23 · 12/12/2024 17:07

It sounds more like you are playing games.

I read it like that too.

FoxtonFoxton · 12/12/2024 17:23

It's an absolute waste of time. If it's game playing and drama and upset at this stage, it's not worth it at all. Block him and move on with dignity and don't let him neg you into sleeping with him again.

Hypnot · 12/12/2024 17:23

I slept with him because I really like him and yes I suppose I wanted reassurance that he liked me, but didn't think about how i'd feel afterwards.

Do you think I am playing games? I honestly wonder if I deliberately sabotaged it. I don't think i'm probably in the best frame of mind at the moment.

He upset me because he basically said he thought I had a big bum when we first started dating a year ago and I did feel insecure, but I didn't know why at the time I wasn't sure if it was because he wasn't emotionally available or because I had big bum. Which makes sense now.

I think after sleeping with him I started to convince myself that he would regret it and still not be attracted to me so I gave him a way out again. Okay, if that's the case then at least I can address it as being my issue that I need to deal with.

OP posts:
MounjaroOnMyMind · 12/12/2024 17:25

ILikeItWhatIsIt · 12/12/2024 17:06

Probably because she wanted to. There doesn't have to be any other reason.

But most women wouldn't want to have sex with a man who said he didn't fancy them.

GivingYourHeadAWobble · 12/12/2024 17:28

I asked him why we split up and I said jokingly is it because you think i'm chubby and have a big bum.

Oh you 'jokingly' said it, did you? 🙄

Look, however he feels or doesn't feel about your arse, it didn't stop you wanting to shag him.

If he'd only left his family home 8 months prior to your first 'relationship', then he was very probably still on the rebound.

But I agree with others in that you come across as though you're game playing.

Suzuki76 · 12/12/2024 17:29

I don't think this has got off to a good enough start to be long term. If you really like each other and you've built a friendship I'm sure he doesn't give a shit about your waist to hip ratio by now or he'd have moved on ages ago. If anything you're yanking his chain!

Hatty65 · 12/12/2024 17:30

I think you sound very hard work, to be honest.

You'll overthink whatever he says/does until he can't win.

Agix · 12/12/2024 17:30

OP you've been the one messing about here. Poor lad probably doesn't known whether he's coming or going.

He said you're gorgeous and attractive. He made one comment about big behinds and you conpletely ignore the comments about you being gorgeous. At size 10/12, you probably don't really have that big of a bum, so he might not have thought it applied to you.

You're blowing hot and cold with him, trying to get him to say the perfect words to you. Or, were, since it seems things are over now.

picklepotage · 12/12/2024 17:32

Speak with him. Have an honest conversation without the alcohol

mumuseli · 12/12/2024 17:38

I don’t understand your concern, as it sounds to me like he does like you!

itsmylife7 · 12/12/2024 17:48

MissMoneyFairy · 12/12/2024 17:14

What did he say that upset you

he doesn't like big bums and OP has a naturaly big bum (that women are paying money to have )

picklepotage · 12/12/2024 17:54

Looks like your self doubt is the issue

TwigletsAndRadishes · 12/12/2024 18:01

Bloody hell.

No wonder men say they don't understand what women want. I am a woman, and I don't understand what you want here, either.

ChaosHol1 · 12/12/2024 18:10

Are you sure when he put his head in his hands and said he had thing about big bums, he didn't mean as in he liked them. He also reiterated it wasn't anything to do with your bum he stopped seeing you and he said he thought you were gorgeous.

I think it's you who is coming across badly in this. He'd only left the family home 8 months previously to the first time you were dating. He's been supportive and reached out to you after you ignored him after sleeping with him then you were rude and dismissive.

ItGhoul · 12/12/2024 18:12

Both of you sound like a pair of game-playing twats.

choccytime · 12/12/2024 18:18

Anybody else confused ?

Catza · 12/12/2024 18:19

Yeah, this is 100% your issue and always has been.
You don't give someone "an out". You just break up with them if you no longer want to be with them. Doing anything else is either massively insecure or massively manipulative.
You then rekindled the relationship but as soon as he showed you he was attracted to you, you started playing hard to get.

And I have never met any man who would break up with someone over an arse (and then sleep with someone he was supposedly not attracted to...). Get a grip, mate.

MiddleagedBeachbum · 12/12/2024 18:24

I think you read him totally wrong and he said he has a thing for big bums, as in likes them!!!

Sassybooklover · 12/12/2024 18:40

If this man truly didn't like you, then he wouldn't have bothered to have stuck around to build up a friendship with you. Men, as a rule don't give two hoots about the size of our arse, boobs, stomach, hips etc, if they fancy you, they fancy you, regardless of proportions!! The man said you are gorgeous, that's one massive compliment! Even if he doesn't normally go for women with a bigger arse, on this occasion he has! You have over analysed, and read into the conversation way too much. To the point you've convinced yourself he's used you for sex, doesn't actually fancy you and must have regretted having sex with you. These negative thoughts are in your head; he hasn't told you this at all. In fact he seemed shocked and surprised by your sudden change in mood. You are the one blowing hot/cold and playing with his emotions. Honestly, you need a conversation with him, to explain your attitude, because you haven't behaved very well. The poor bloke is probably wondering what the bloody hell went wrong.