How to Act Around a Girl That Likes You

Expressing Interest Back

Strike up a conversation if you want to get to know her better. If you and the girl who likes you aren’t close but it’s clear that she likes you, start small and bring up a common interest. This will break the ice, make things less awkward, and establish a bond that you can progress from. If you’re on the soccer team and she’s on the volleyball team at school, consider starting a conversation about sports. Start a conversation about a class you have together by saying something like, “I’m so glad that last chapter is over with. What did you think about last night’s reading?”

Compliment her from time to time. A unique, tasteful compliment can go a long way. Whether you’re referencing a physical characteristic or personality trait, giving a girl a compliment is a great way to express your affection, especially if you remain composed and relaxed when you do this. Complimenting her here and there is better because too often might make her annoyed or uneasy. (Why? Because she might think you're buttering her up.) If she tells you that she did well on a test that she got back today, you might say, “That’s great! It doesn’t surprise me at all; you’re very smart and hard-working.” If she has particularly attractive blue eyes, you might say, “I really like your eyes. They’re a very pretty blue.”

Smile often and make eye contact. Smiling a lot and looking her in the eye at appropriate moments communicate that you’re confident and interested. This is a good first step in beginning to flirt with her. Be careful not to stare, because excessive eye contact often seems creepy. Acknowledge her in the hallway by giving a casual wave, smiling, and making brief eye contact. Be careful not to smile excessively—you want things to feel natural, not forced.

Mirror her body language. Since she likes you, she might lean in closer when talking to you or turn her hips, torso, and feet to face your direction. Mirror movements like these to show her that you like her too.

Be chivalrous, but don’t overdo it. Holding a door open for someone is always a nice gesture, but doing it every time seems a little over-the-top, even to someone who likes you. Avoid big gestures like giving her flowers because this might be off-putting and overwhelming. It isn’t an appropriate time in your barely budding relationship to give a gift like this. Wait until you’ve been dating someone for a while.

Communicate with less pressure via social media. If you’re shy, liking one of her statuses on Facebook, leaving her a sweet comment on an Instagram photo, or even just friending or following her on social media are easier ways to show that you like her and are paying attention to her.

Text her frequently, but not too eagerly. Especially since you like her back, it might be tough to not text her several times in a row, write long passages, or confront her about not responding.This usually comes off as clingy, so as a good rule of thumb, stay relaxed and text her as much as she texts you.

Be bold and give her a call. In today’s world, texting has become the norm and calling a love interest is seen by many women as an act of courage. If your conversations in person and via text are long, comfortable, and natural, calling is the next step to take. If you want to ask her out, be bold and phrase it as a statement, not a question. For example, instead of asking, "Do you want to get coffee sometime?" you could say "We should get coffee sometime."

Communicating Disinterest

Ignore her advances if you aren’t interested. The best way to show that you don’t like her as more than a friend is by acting like it isn’t happening. If you just act normal while she’s making her feelings obvious, she will probably eventually realize why.

Drop hints before you tell her you don’t like her. Exhaust all other options before you tell a girl directly that you aren’t interested in her. Since she has feelings for you, she will most likely be hurt and embarrassed if you reject her so harshly. Keep your conversations with her relatively brief and don’t deviate too much from small talk. If this doesn’t do the trick, try hinting in one or more of the following ways to insinuate that you aren’t interested in a more subtle way: Be unreceptive when she tries to make plans to meet up in the future. Tell her that you’re in a relationship with someone else. Tell her you’re really busy and don’t have time for a relationship right now.

Counter her body language. She will probably make small movements and position her body in a way that is welcoming. To show that you don’t feel the way she does, counter her movements. If she sits a little too close to you, scoot away from her a little bit. Also consider crossing your arms sometimes when she approaches you. This is a natural sign of resistance.

Be honest, kind and clear if she’s not getting the hint. If you’ve tried to be clear in other ways and she’s still being forward, it’s probably time to be direct. Remember to speak to her the way you’d like to be spoken to if you were in her position. Try using “I” statements to keep the conversation more about you. Listing reasons why you don’t like her is rude and will damage her confidence, so don’t do that. Instead, try saying one of these statements: “I’m really sorry, but I don’t see you that way.” “I think you’re great, but I’m looking for something else right now.” “I’ve enjoyed talking with you, but I’m not really feeling a romantic connection between us.”

Text her in a kind but minimal manner. Since you don’t like her as more than a friend, keep your texts friendly, but short and relatively infrequent. Texting her too much can give her the wrong idea, which could get her hopes up and make her feel more disappointed later on.