I [25F] rejected a friend [40M] and now I’m now longer part of our friend group?
Hi all! Sorry, but I have this issue that I can’t get out of my head, hence my post here.
My friend [40M] confessed to me [25F] about wanting to be more than friends, which I politely declined because I wasn’t interested in being more.
We’ve known each other for 2 years through a gaming group. After this he didn’t want to talk to me anymore and, to keep a long story short, we’re currently completely no-contact and not on speaking terms whatsoever.
Now, we were part of a group of gaming friends that often plays a variety of games together on the weekends. Ever since this happened I haven’t been invited to play any games.
They still speak to me (amicably) when I message them but I feel like I’m always the one taking initiative now even though that was more balanced in the past.
They haven’t contacted me once since I rejected that other friend whilst before we messaged each other on a nearly daily basis. I know that they still play games with the friend (40M) several times a week.
I’m not sure what to do now. I haven’t told my friends about what happened because I didn’t want to start drama, gossip or talk badly behind my ex-friend’s back.
I did talk with one of the friends [30F] about the situation, she said she felt bad for me but hasn’t contacted me since either.
It may sound a bit arrogant, but I have a lot of other friends too and I wonder if maybe I should redirect my focus on my other friends that still invest time and energy in me as well?
It just feels a little unfair that I didn’t ask for this situation whatsoever, didn’t do anything ‘wrong’ but apparently still lose my friends over this.
It may also be worth mentioning that the friend I rejected is one of the main characters in the group, kind of the popular one.
What should I do in this situation? I don’t really want to beg for their attention but maybe I’m misinterpreting the situation.