The other night I was running classic Mystery Method on a set, ignoring my target, talking to her friend and negging the target for interrupting, etc. It was going great, she was hugging me and apologizing, begging for my attention, etc.

Later when I tried to escalate with my target, she resisted, saying "you wanted my friend first, now you just want me because you found out she has a boyfriend". I tried telling her I liked her more from the start and was just teasing her, but it didn't work.

How do you prevent your target from feeling like she was the second choice?

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"I'd tell her to go shove her face in the pig pen, and go out and find another one who'll kiss you without askin for the earth. You're bound to find one. You can hardly throw half a brick back in the lands you come from without hittin one."
Stardust

1) you either ignored the target too much (like she never existed) or ignored her for a long period of time.
2) or you showed too much interest in the obstacle. I would usually avoid this by friend-zoning the obstacle.

she has giving you IOIs and she is shit testing you saying "you liked her friend first but because she has a bf...etc". you coulda turned it around from there smoothly. She clearly liked you, but she wanted to know for sure that its not her friend that you like.

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Inner game is ALL you need, then create your own routine

you were enjoying the chase...

if she already showed at least two ioi's reward her..

Just don't neg if she gives you IOI.

Give IOI's to your target so that she knows its on.

Keep eye-contact with the whole group.

Don't ignore her for too long.

If she says something like that-tease her or just use 60's shittest ignoring...(smile, looks around, look back into her eyes and continue as if she never said it.)