Just Being Friendly

Signal strength — Warm, but warm with everybody

What's probably going on — She's genuinely nice to you. She's also genuinely nice to her lab partner, the kid who sits alone at lunch, and the substitute teacher. That's the tricky part: what you noticed is real, but it's something she does with lots of people, so on its own it doesn't point at you. She might see you as a friend and nothing more, or she might not have thought about it at all. Friendly isn't the same as flirting, and it isn't the same as a no either.

Signs pointing yes

· She's happy to see you, and it shows

· She includes you when the group makes plans

· She texts back quickly and cheerfully

· She's comfortable around you, which is a good starting point for anything

Signs pointing the other way

· She acts the same way with almost everyone

· She talks to you about someone else she likes, or asks your advice about them

· Plans with her are always group plans

· She hugs everybody hello, not just you

What to do next — Enjoy the friendship for what it is. If you want a real answer, ask her privately and simply, and let whatever she says be the answer.

What not to do — Don't treat her kindness as a promise. If she tells you she sees you as a friend, respect that, don't keep pushing, and don't make her feel bad for being nice.

One line for you — Her being kind to everyone doesn't make you less special, and if it's only friendship, that's not a verdict on your worth.