Would you be friends with someone you rejected?

About two weeks ago this guy at uni confessed to me. I'm aroace and I barely know him so I was caught of guard but I just told him that I'm not interested and he seemed to understand. We did not have any classes for the rest of the week so I didn't meet him again until last Tuesday were I tried acting normal despite feeling akward since I don't think he did anything wrong.
On Wednesday I actually got kind of mad since he asked me to talk about what had happened. I didn't find anything wrong in discussing it but he kept analysing the way I behaved on Tuesday, asking me about things I didn't even do due to feeling uncomfortable. I explained that I always do the things he mentioned and thought that since he obviously also felt uncomfortable I should just rip the bandaid and tell him that I feel akward after what happened. He kept repeating himself, saying stuff I had already explained so I just kept telling him that the situation is akward. I had told him that four times before he asked to keep hanging out as friends and do a project together. I told him that I don't mind simply talking a bit while at uni and tried avoiding agreeing to the project since I don't have a partner but do not feel comfortable doing it with him. That only led to him pressuring me to answer. I should mention that I did not see him as a friend even before everything that happened.
It's Monday again and he sat in a different seat further away from me. I appreciate the fact that he probably realised how uncomfortable I feel hanging out alone with him but I can't help but feel a bit guilty. I was trying to be nice but I wonder if I should have just straight up said that I don't want to be friends