What would you do when someone you don't want to date may be your only option?

[user 139760]

Why would you even want to date out of desperation? It'll end badly and do neither of you a service. Living a lie is never a good idea.

 

[ardour]

...let alone a sense of duty to reciprocate.

Given the current climate a lot of people would probably judge the OP for having any preferences, even in this situation, especially since he's 'forever alone'.  Yet imagine the judgements that would ensue if he were the interested party. 

People go through quite major personality changes from 18-25. On top of that she sounds maybe a bit unstable. He'd be kicked to the curb the moment she's past this.

 

[user 115627]

...let alone a sense of duty to reciprocate.

Given the current climate a lot of people would probably judge the OP for having any preferences, even in this situation, especially since he's 'forever alone'.  Yet imagine the judgements that would ensue if he were the interested party. 

People go through quite major personality changes from 18-25. On top of that she sounds maybe a bit unstable. He'd  be kicked to the curb the moment she's past this.

I'll try not to think too much about it because it'll only depress me. Regardless of what individual success stories may say, a wide age gap is more often an obstacle than it isn't. Even if he faced judgment for having preferences of any kind at his age, physical or mental, he ought to know that the people judging him for that would do a 180 in a different scenario, telling the same person "they are too good for that" - because these are natural meddlers and hypocrites.

And there's this...

She's 'huggy' because she knows I won't tell her to back off out of fear of causing a scene.

Isn't that the scenario that lots of girls supposedly find themselves in? We know what they're told then. OP hasn't said how uncomfortable it makes him though, just that kissing would be the line. In the end you cannot escape judgment.

I'll stick with my "Don't".