What should my next plan of action be?

Hello,

My ex and I broke up for about 8 months now. I spent the first month begging for him back, tried to talk to him several times over the next few months with him being cold and acting cold because he didn’t want either of us to be lead on and later implemented the no contact period beginning April. I took the time to better myself physically and mentally and made new friends. He ends up contacting me in June due to the fact that we were both going to attend a mutual friend’s wedding in the same month and wanted to “clear the air”.

When we met up to talk, it really appeared that he wanted to get back together (holding hands, leaning close to each other) but wasn’t sure, so I told him to really think about his answer. We both went to the wedding, it was awkward at first but we both had fun regardless, with him complimenting my dress. Because I was very drunk and he was buzzed, although bad, he ends up driving both of us back to his house (it wasn’t that far from the reception) with him holding my hand the entire way. I ended up staying the night. The next day, I asked him to think about that answer and we ended up going no contact again for the next 3 months. I continued to better myself during this period.

After the 3 months, he contacts me again to talk. He ends up telling me that although he wants to get back together, he doesn’t see himself doing it. He says that he can’t stand the little quirks I have and do as the reason why he doesn’t want to be with me anymore. It was a heated talk between the both of us with me pointing out issues that he has as a person and it made him open his eyes. At the end of it all, he says that he will start “looking around” but quickly apologized when he saw how upset that made me feel. He ended up hugging me and asks he would “see me around” and I just ended the conversation with, “I’m disappointed with your choice” but left the door open for him. I returned some photos we took together and one from our friend’s wedding. We haven’t spoken since.

I feel as though he is lying to me and just doesn’t want to admit the truth. Apparently our mutual friends have been bugging him about getting back together with me, and from what my friends have said, he doesn’t want to get back with me because it seems like an obligation and not something that he wants to do. I’m wondering what I should do next, how I should contact him, if I should go no contact for a little longer, etc. Any advice would be helpful, thank you.