We all know the general rule. Most women are not going to walk up, tap a guy on the shoulder, and ask for his number point-blank the way guys are expected to.

​So if you find a guy attractive and want him to talk to you, strike up a conversation, or ask you out... what is your actual game plan ?

There is a unique kind of pain and beauty in one-sided love. It is a space where you love someone so intensely, yet you expect absolutely nothing in return. You convince yourself that just catching a glimpse of them from a distance is more than enough to get through the day. Their mere presence fills your entire world with happiness, even if you remain completely invisible to them.

But the reality inside is a constant storm.

Whenever they walk past you, an overwhelming rush of nervousness and anxiety takes over. Your heart races, your hands tremble, yet you put on this mask of absolute indifference. You act like you don’t care, while inside, you are drowning in immense longing, desire, and pure love. And when you see them talking to someone else? This sudden, terrifying fear grips you—a fear of losing someone who was never even yours to begin with.

You want to go up and talk to them, but fear paralyzes you. Eye contact feels impossible. An unexplainable force holds you back, and when you are an introvert, this silent torture becomes ten times worse.

So, you choose to live in an illusion. For years.

No matter how many people cross your path, your mind only registers one face. You subconsciously avoid everyone else because, in your eyes, they are the most beautiful person to exist in this entire world. You look at them from afar and silently ache inside, thinking, "If only you knew how deeply someone in this world loves you."

Whether it’s a man or a woman, true unrequited love is perhaps the purest, most selfless form of love. It asks for nothing, it expects nothing, yet it gives everything. It is just one soul, quietly carrying the weight of an entire universe of love, all by itself.

This girl at my gym was staring at me when I was wiping down my equipment and getting up/walking around to grab the antibacterial spray.

She was staring at me the whole time and was poking her cheek with her tongue while her lips were pushed to the other side of her mouth

We had been playing eye tags for months, and we always catch each other staring at each. Wanted to know if this means anything body language wise or am I just overthinking things

I have signs that are adding up except when I message him sometimes he doesn’t answer and leaves me on read so it makes me second guess this

I cannot for the life of me pick up when I’m being checked out. I down play it. But what happened yesterday made me question.

There’s this guy at the gym I see a few times a week. Unbelievably tall and good looking man with a football players body build. He’s confident in a humble way of that makes any sense? Sometimes we’re in the cardio section at the same time. I check him out a lot when he’s not looking. Mainly admiring his dedication and hard work. He’s definitely my gym crush. He’s nice to look at while I’m at the gym.

I’ve never noticed him checking me out until yesterday. He was on the stair master and I was on the treadmill, I was warming up and had to pass behind him in order to go through. There’s a giant mirror behind the stair masters and I did a quick check up before leaving. Anyways I saw him in the mirror turn back twice for a few seconds.

Was this him checking me out??

A girl gave me a high five then proceeded to interlock her fingers with mine and held it for a few seconds.

For context this girl is very touchy feely. She is very. She always find reasons to talk to me or be near me.

Around a month ago I was going home from gym in a very empty area, it was only me until a woman appeared coming from the other direction. While we passed each other she looked at my chest, smiled, then turned away, then looked at my chest again, turned away and back again multiple times until we passed each other completely. I was wearing a normal tshirt and jeans, so it's not like I was walking with my man boobs out. Was she interested in me? Doubt it. Did she try not to look? Yes. Did she succeed? No. Even a month later I still find this encounter hilarious. "WOMEN ARE NO BETTER THAN MEN".

Anyone else got funny body language encounters like this?

He is sending really mixed signals - it’s like i can’t read him as a person , usually i can tell straight away if someone likes me or not but not him.

the thing is, i moved to another country few years ago and we have been classmates for almost ten years but we were never really close. then he would sometimes text me and be very dry - why bother texting me if you are so dry?
last summer was the first time in three years when i visited my home country - he knew that but didn’t approach, text etc. this time, however , he asked to meet me to “catch up”. we were hanging out almost the entire night till sunrise - so i would assume he likes me, surely he wouldn’t spend that long with me if he didn’t enjoy my company. his friend, our mutual classmate called him multiple times asking where he was and he never said that he is out with me - which i assume is not a friendly hangout if he is being so secretive. later when he walked me home he hugged me and we were just standing there for a minute - but he didn’t kiss me or anything, just told me i smelt nice.. so my question is , am i being delusional or does he really like me? when we were talking i didn’t get any hints, but the body language tho..

I've noticed a specific type of handshake that I don't see discussed very often. I have experienced it in both professional and casual interactions. I've included a visual example of the hand position/ grip that I'm referring to.

Keep in mind, there is no pumping or shaking motion during this particular "handshake".

For those familiar with body language, what might this type of handshake communicate? Is there any difference between this and a standard professional handshake? Do the differences typically carry any meaning or could it simply be an individuals personal handshake style? Do any of you shake hands like this and is there a reason why? Is there a name for this type of shake?

For some context, I'm quite introverted and probably a bit socially awkward, though I think I would be considered conventionally attractive. Well, I (26M) went ahead and introduced myself to the barista (21 or 22F?) at my workplace that I found quite attractive (not just my judgement by the way). Prior to this, I guessed at some signs of interest (fairly frequent and seemingly intentional eye contact) since I prefer not to take complete risks. I know the "don't shit where you eat" deal in terms of workplaces, but this is not a long term job and losing it in the worst case scenario would not be a disaster.

Well, I would say my interaction went fine, but it had some awkward hiccups. After acknowledging her name (which she just gave a quiet nod) and my own, my order didn't go through the first time. I guess it's possible, but I can't recall the last time one of my transactions failed. Afterwards, I was told my coffee was taking longer than usual to brew. Okay (I got the most basic one)? I didn't think much of these at the time, but they kind of feel like BS in hindsight maybe. Also, the responses she gave me to some of my introductory questions were quite short, and I think she almost hid away a bit. To be clear, she is normally quite extroverted and sociable from what I have seen.

Anything I should make of this and how to proceed? I don't want to appear inadvertently overbearing, bothering, or desperately-apparent (to be clear, I'm not actually desperate) in future interactions I may have with her. I'm totally new to this stuff and while it's not really in my control, I don't want to commit an outright blunder.

He’s so nice and kind with other girls but when it comes to me he’s always commenting on something or the other and teasing me - sometimes it’s annoying asf but is there an underlying reason?? Does he think of me as not attractive at all and just a homie or he likes me and is trying to hide it? Even in group settings he teases me quite a bit. But we barely talk on text, we never hang out one on one either. So I personally think he just sees me as not attractive at all but idk if that’s true. The teasing isn’t about anything specific - it can range from what I’m wearing to what I said or anything of the sort 😭

How do some people claim that others are staring at them, whether on the street, at the grocery store, at school, or anywhere else? Doesn't noticing that someone is looking at you require you to look at them as well? And if you look at them, couldn't they make the exact same claim about you?

Unless you make direct eye contact, it's difficult to tell exactly where someone is looking based solely on peripheral vision, aside from noticing a slight movement of their head. The only times I'm certain someone is staring at me are either when I look back at them or when a friend points it out.

So how does the claim, "They're staring at me," make sense?

I’m looking for some outside perspective because I feel like I’m overthinking this situation.There’s someone I see regularly. At first, before I was even attracted to them, I noticed them looking at me from a distance multiple times. I would catch them looking and they would quickly look away. That made me wonder if maybe they were curious about me or wanted to connect.

Over time, I started becoming interested and tried to be friendly. Nothing intense, just simple greetings, small conversations, and being respectful. The confusing part is that sometimes the energy feels warm. There have been moments where they’ve laughed at things I’ve said while speaking to other people, smiled, engaged when we actually talk, and I feel like there’s some kind of chemistry or tension when we’re around each other.

One interaction that stood out was when I made eye contact and gestured asking if we could talk, and she immediately came over without hesitation. While we spoke, she looked directly into my eyes with a slight half-smile and seemed very focused on me. When I offered to help replace something, I noticed her looking me over, which felt like she might have been checking me out.

A majority of times it feels completely opposite. I’ll see them and they won’t say anything, even when we’re the only people around. I’ve greeted them before and gotten a pause or a look like they weren’t expecting me to talk to them. Honestly they have RBF. They don’t really initiate conversations with me, and I find myself wondering if they’re avoiding me, uninterested, shy, or just trying to keep things professional.

Recently, I decided to stop being the one to initiate and give them space to approach me if they wanted. We crossed paths multiple times and nothing happened. I wasn’t angry, but it did make me reflect that I don’t want to be the only person putting effort into getting to know someone. I’m not trying to force anything or assume they owe me attention. I’m just confused because the moments we do have feel positive.

Would you take this as a sign to move on, or would you stay open and see if things naturally develop?

I'm in a college class with this guy and we've had several conversations about assignments, but I can't tell if it's just friendly. Half of our classes are on Zoom and the other half is in person. In one of our first Zoom classes, we were put in a breakout room with someone else, but the other person kept their camera and mic off. This guy and I had our cameras on to discuss the assignment and we kept talking until we had to return to the main room. We were put into the same breakout room a few other times and we always have our cameras on when we talk. One thing I noticed is that he says hi to everyone in the breakout room with their name, and when I say hi back to him, his entire demeanor changes and he suddenly seems very hyper and excited. When we had class in person for the first time, he sat across from me coincidentally and never changed seats since. He would try to start conversations with me in class, but I would get shy and give short answers if we're not on Zoom. One time, our table was talking about musicians and I had no idea who they were talking about. I think I heard him ask me who I listen to, but I wasn't sure if I heard correctly so I didn't answer. And finally, the other day, I was at my desk, looking down, when I heard a camera click so I snapped my head up to see his phone pointed in my direction. He kept holding his phone up and started fixing his hair, so I assumed he was probably just taking a selfie. Then, he started typing and his ringer was still on. I'm not sure if he took a picture of me or himself and if he was texting someone after that. I'm just confused about all of this. Obviously, I'm very attracted to him, but I can't tell if he's just being friendly and he's like this to everyone.

Hi,

I have a crush on a coworker. We talk sometimes and there seems to be nervous energy from both of us sometimes. He approaches me less than I do but he’s usually reserved anyways with everybody. He’s always smiling when we do talk though.

I won’t go into details but I’m pretty good at reading people, and even though I didn’t include specific instances, I can tell he’s interested to some degree.

I’d like to mention that he probably still thinks I have a boyfriend, so maybe this is just him being respectful? What to do? I can’t just casually spring it on him that I’m single

Thanks!

Ok so if I spend a night with a girl talking all night till morning walking outside arms enlaced, then when we get home she invites me in her bed to watch a movie, can that really only be friendship?

Cause my roommate (24f) did that to me (24m), but i was so scared to act because as we share the same living space, it can be very risky. The day after, i asked her directly and told her that i felt an ambiguity and wanted to know her intentions, then she told me i was "like a brother" to her. Since then shes been kinda cold and uncomfortable. Its been many months now and i believed her after she told me that, but as i think about it i think i was just a dumbass, and she wanted me to just do something and then "make love happen", and by wording the situation i just ruined everything, and maybe she told me i was like a brother to keep her dignity, like she obviously wouldnt word her intentions like that i was fkin acoustic. The worst part is that i actually love her and i desire her intensly she drove me crazy, even when i try to date other girls i just wish so badly i had my roomate instead. Also i just feel a sexual tension whenever were together.

How to reescalate with her? She used to be very tactile with me but stopped since i had that talk with her.

I (33F) met a guy (29M) at my gym through group exercise classes. Our first interaction was him helping me with my form. Later on, I think I mixed up his name since I was new and still learning everyone’s names it got a little awkward.

Since then, even when we’re not in the same class, I’ve noticed him looking at me from across the gym. The strangest moment was when I passed him on the street. I didn’t recognize him at first, but once I realized it might be him, I turned around and he was already looking at me. It wasn’t a flirty look or a dirty look, just a blank stare. He has these big round eyes, so it’s hard to read anything into it.

I’ll admit, he’s my gym crush and I do like him. But he’s an established member of the group and I’m still new, so I don’t want to create an awkward dynamic. My main focus at the gym is bodybuilding, and I’d rather not stir up drama.

Also, I think I’m decent-looking, but when I work out, I make a real suffering face. Like UFC female fighter mid fight, not cute or demure at all. My workout is nowhere near that intense, but that’s honestly the closest comparison I can make for the face I pull.

So with that being said, what does it mean when a guy keeps staring at me?

So i (m23) have a work colleague (f22), she tend to get quiet touchy with me, we are usually not that close. But every time she comes to my table for a question on my computer, she leans in and presses her shoulder against mine (my table is plenty big enough for the both of us), this happened multiple times. Also when i have a crumb on my shirt she takes it off.

By my observations, she doesn’t get this touchy with other people, she always keeps her distance.

So my question is : is it possible she gets this close from purely platonically?
Or is there a romantic intend in her behaviour??

My female friend who I have a massive crush on has given a few subtle body language signs here and there that she may be interested in me, but I’m wondering if this one is particularly significant:

Last night while we were hanging out and she seemed to be in good spirits, she started quite vigorously playing with her hair in front of me - pulling it back like she was going to put it in a ponytail (I’ve never seen it tied back!), then letting it go again etc. It was adorable!

Anyway, could this be interpreted as a positive sign?

I’ve literally never once seen her touch her hair before in anyone’s company, even to fix it, and have know her over a year.

I’ve got this coworker that’s hard to read, not even on some interest shit just in general.

She’s super extroverted and energetic, especially with me for some reason. Seems like everytime I’m in the area she’s super focused on me.

She’ll go from polite and sweet to excessive teasing, insulting, etc randomly. Sometimes I can’t tell if it’s playful of if she’s genuinely fucking with me. Doesn’t offend me just confuses me.

Idk I just get a weird mixed vibe from her. Like she’s a bit… off?

im on holiday rn and there's a cute guy who works on the beach, he takes the sunbed and umbrella fees and he's friends with the other guys that work there. we've talked for a while and chatted and i told him that i have no friends here and he said if you see me and my friends out while in the city center you can approach us and i was like ok yea cool. anyways we haven't talked much besides hello welcome and stuff he doesn't approach me anymore but sits really close to our sunbeds when he wants to rest. i can't say if he liked me or not he's really mysterious but i just did something i would never ever ever do if i had thought about it. he was playing football at the beach and i was walking around the shore. he just scored a goal and i clapped and said congrats and he smiled and said thanks but all his friends were there and i felt so embarrassed afterwards like why did i even do that i feel so so bad rn now that i think about it. can yall pls tell me did i mess up? i'd also appreciate how this situation looks from a guy's perspective. we also joked around before soo idk how i currently look