Hello Helen. I can tell from reading what you wrote to C that you try your best to be kind, approachable, and fair. Perhaps C is a great guy, and for whatever reason he is very hurt right now and cannot try out a relationship when he is wounded, even if it is with someone so clearly as wonderful as you. This is a good opportunity for you to cultivate your compassion and ability to forgive and let go. No one is perfect, and we are all a product of various factors that accumulated during our lifetimes. His hurt however misplaced is very real for him. My advice is to approach him with only compassion and let him go gently. Only pursue the friendship right now if it doesn’t have the ability to reopen healing wounds for you. Maybe years from now he will look back on how you treated him and call on you to be a friend. Maybe he won’t, but it doesn’t matter, because you did what was right for both of you. You could say that you understand right now both your wounds are too fresh for pursuing anything and you do not want to cause anymore suffering. Bid him love, apologies, and forgiveness. I know it’s incredibly hard to walk away from someone you love so dearly, I am familiar with the hole it can leave in you. But it is worse to break your own heart by disrespecting yourself. It sounds like he is unwilling to reciprocate your feelings, don’t hurt yourself by trying to get something he is unwilling to give. Please do what is right for you Helen, you’ll do no one good if you are not good to yourself. These are my humble thoughts on your situation, I hope I have helped some and have not come across as preachy! Much love!