When my best friend first met her now-girlfriend she realised they were completely compatible; this girl was the pearl to her oyster, the Mac to her Cheese. There was just one problem: she couldn’t tell if this girl was into her. Was the girl straight and looking for friendship? Was she interested in something more? For weeks we pored over these questions together, trying to decipher the difference between ‘banter’ and ‘flanter’.
Finally, my best friend made her move and, lo and behold, they are now the happiest couple since Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi. So take a leaf out of her book and follow these four steps to see if the girl you fancy likes you back:
1. Get her number.
Unsurprisingly, getting the 11 digits that could open the door to the greatest relationship of your life is no simple task. We suggest that you attempt to be casual – after having talked to this girl for 2 weeks, casually drop in “Oh my god, I just realised I don’t have your number.” Simple and effective.
2. Turn the banter into flanter.
There’s no way to know if you’ll ever be more than friends if you don’t get some flirtation in there. Instead of texting “Can’t wait to see you later :)” you should turn that smiley into an ever-so-sexual ‘;)’ If she likes you then she’ll flirt back and if not then you can blame autocorrect. It’s a win-win.
3. Go on a date.
Group meet-ups are an option to start out with, but are also popular with Just Friends. We suggest a classic cinema date. Talk to her about a film that you know she wants to see and then ask her out. Once at the cinema, a Large Popcorn Bucket to share is essential. This means there will be opportunities for accidental hand-grazing. If she moves her hand away then she’s probably not interested. If she doesn’t move then you may have a chance. If you’re feeling confident, you could even try putting your arm around her in the classic yawn-oh-wait-my-arm-is-around-you fashion.
4. Come right out and ask.
My best friend was lucky that she found out her now-girlfriend liked her from a rumour, but usually we aren’t this fortunate. The easiest way to find out if this girl is into you is to just say those three simple words: “I like you”. Then see what happens.
Finding out if a girl likes you back is a nerve-wracking experience. The biggest fear is that she will pull a Regina George on you and morph into a homophobic bitch. The reality is usually different: if she doesn’t like you back, then things could be awkward for a few days, but if she is a true friend then she will get over it. It’s important not to be a Debbie Downer, however, because she may well like you back. The stakes may be high, but there’s a potentially fabulous relationship at the end of the tunnel. So go for it.