Shy but Interested

Signal strength — Moderate to strong: quiet, but pointed right at you

What's probably going on — This looks like someone who likes you and hasn't figured out what to do about it. The interest is consistent, it just comes out small: he's near your locker a lot, he remembers what you said, he watches your stories and never comments, he gets quieter and a little red when you walk up. Shy people don't send big signals. They send lots of little ones. The catch is that shyness can look a lot like not caring, so it's easy to give up right before he works up the nerve.

Signs pointing yes

· He remembers small things you told him, then gets embarrassed that he did

· His friends react when you walk up

· He's around you more often than chance explains

· He does quiet favors and doesn't make a thing of it

Signs pointing the other way

· He rarely starts a real conversation himself

· He hasn't asked you to do anything, just the two of you

· Some of this could just be how he is with everyone

· Quiet signals are easy to over-read when you're hoping

What to do next — Make it easy for him to say yes. Start the conversation, keep it light, and invite him to something low-key, like sitting together at the game, so he doesn't have to do the scary part alone.

What not to do — Don't put him on the spot in front of his friends. Shy people freeze when there's an audience, and that can look like a no when it isn't.

One line for you — Quiet isn't the same as not interested. Sometimes it's the opposite.