I usually find that the easiest way to step away from those people is to just have something that keeps you busy when they come up with something to do or a time when they want to get together.

LOL....I am so busy in my life that sometimes this happens with people I really want to get together with. After asking so many times, they do tend to give up & it's easy to comment if they say something is that you are just really busy right at this time.

Sometimes I'm on the go so much that I need home time to get things done around the house.....that doesn't mean that I'm free to go do things because I need time to be responsible to myself & I hold to that when I feel things piling up & I express this also.

You can use these things on people you don't want to be with also even if it may not always be true, sometimes it's just a good excuse to not be around them & if you do it long enough, they will give up though they might be persistent until they finally do give up.

Honestly when I first get to know people, I keep them at a distance & don't just jump into a relationship with them.....I keep a distance there at first so that as I get to know them, I can either draw closer or farther away without it being very obvious to them.