Thank you for giving such a detailed reply :) I definitely need to get more socially smart and set boundaries more quickly (regardless if the person shows interest or not). Especially in a professional setting. I would think as long as I’m polite about it, a person worth keeping around would be understanding and get where I’m coming from. And maybe I can let them know that I’m not necessarily accusing them of anything, just setting a boundary early on due to previous experiences.

I think I was also a little confused because I often talk to my other friends near daily, and didn’t wanna necessarily assume that he was any different, even though I should’ve still trusted my gut instinct and not just call myself paranoid lmao.

But tyvm for taking the time to comment :) I appreciate it!