Dear John,

I've known a lad for over a year. We slept with each other on and off and met up several times. He was going through a hard time in the past couple of months, but now he won't talk to me or reply to any texts - and when I saw him on Saturday he would hardly talk and wouldn't even look me in the eye. Why would a guy start avoiding me, and what does it mean when they won't even look me in the eye? Does it mean he hates me now?

Dear John writes:

Ah, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it reply to any of your texts. Or something.

The good news is that he probably doesn't hate you, seeing as though he can stand to be in the same room as you without foaming at the mouth. However, the bad news is that he probably doesn't like you very much – and he certainly doesn't have a lot of respect for you if he's treating you so discourteously.

If he wants to de-friend you, then frankly it's hard luck. Chances are it's not your fault. But right now you should take the hint and bow out with good grace, rather than embarrass yourself by pestering him about his reasons why any further. I'm sorry to say it, but it boils down to the fact that some people are just not that nice – and you're better off spending your time finding somebody who is.

Next question: Will I ever find a man who meets my standards?