Why did he not answer the question straightforward?

Okay so I had my friend IM this guy I liked...last time I've seen him was months ago and it's been buggin' me to find out if he likes me. I won't show the whole convo but he basically said he does like a girl. When my friend told him who I was, he said I'm a nice girl. Then she asks if he likes me, he says "I'm gay, I don't like girls". Then my friend says "that's a no right?" and he says "yea well I'm gay so we're just friends". I know for a fact he's not gay. So why does he dodge the question and not answer at all? What's that mean? And we're talking college, not middle school people.