Why do men love women that are mean, is this like the women and the bad boy thing?

I see a lot of couples where the woman is mean,pout a lot and fuss and the men just love them. I was told by a man that men like mean women because they have a backbone and no one wants a jellyfish for a wife. Well I'm a jellyfish and I show kindness and love and I never keep a boyfriend they all just walk away for some reason. I would like to be mean, uncaring and show a backbone but people tell me I carry my heart on my coat sleeve. Strange enough I am not ugly; people actually walk up to me in stores to tell me I should be a model and I am a very pretty/beautiful young lady, my boss puts me on front register because he says he makes more money off the men coming into the store when Im on front register. Men flirt with me all the time, my friend told me i need to be mean, play hard to get, never tell a guy I care for him, let him pay for all dates, I offer to pay half or offer that next time I will pay. I have a sick friend and a guy friend told me not to call him, he had surgery so i called to see how he was doing and he never called me back, he's alive.