I'm a 17 year old guy whose had some pretty bad luck with dating over the last year. About a month ago, I started talking to a new girl. She'd been in a relationship for about 6 months, and her boyfriend had dumped her (about 2 months ago) We started hanging out, and I've developed pretty strong feelings for her. I told her how I felt, and took her on a date. Things had been going great since then, moving forward slowly but surely.

The other night, we were talking and she told me that she didn't really want a relationship right now. That she wasn't ready for the stress on top of everything else. I was a little disappointed, but I understood. I told her I'd wait for the day she was. I asked if it was a situation where she'd rather be friends, or she really did just want to wait. She said that it's a mixture of both, that she did have some feelings for me, but also that she didn't want to lose me if things were to go bad.

I guess I'm confused as to what I should think. I'm just confused and disappointed overall, and I don't know what my next move should be. I hate that women place all the decent guys in the friend zone, and then complain about it.

Any advice on the situation?

Be friends but date others. That's what healthy guys do when they get turned down for romance. Why be stuck AND disappointed. Never know, she could be a good hang out buddy, and no telling what happens later, if you don't get yourself to stuck and cannot see and enjoy other options, and opportunities..