Bottom line: Friendships that are real and lasting aren't full of this kind of drama.

It doesn't sound like they are interested in any kind of deep friendship, and you seem to want what they aren't interested in giving.

I'd just right it off as these people, upon further review, are not going to be people I'm that interested in spending much time with (which may have been why they are backing away - they've already decided that for themselves.) It isn't really a comment on any of us individually; sometimes we just don't mesh the way we thought we would. It happens.