I'm afraid to admit that I've recently gotten over the whole dating games thing. Turns out I was really bad at them (LOL). And as far as I was concerned, being myself was a little easier of a play.
But this is not to say that I did not spend the large majority of my (admittedly short) dating career trying to master GAMES. So now, here I am with a comprehensive guide to help you poor, lost men decipher what the f*ck is going through the head of the girl you're seeing.
Odds are she's playing some sort of game with you. And odds are she's doing it for two reasons: 1. She likes you, and she doesn't want to lose you; or 2. She likes the attention you give her, and she doesn't want to lose that.
Read through to figure out what game she's playing and why she's playing it.
1. The one where she's all talk
Over text, she is ALL ABOUT IT. Maybe she even goes into some ~detail~ about what she wants to do with you when she finally gets you all to herself.
But the thing is, you're pretty available. She knows you're pretty available. And no matter how badly she wants to see you, something always seems to come up. No matter what the situation, she always has some sort of excuse for why she can't hang out/hook up.
So what the f*ck is she doing? I'll tell you what she's doing. She's keeping you on the back burner. She wants you around for attention. She knows you're into her and doesn't want that to change, so she gives you just enough attention to keep you on the hook while she focuses on the guy she's actually into.
2. The one where you're making all the first moves
You had to muster up the courage to come up to her at the bar. Then you had to text her the next day. Then you had to keep the conversation going for long enough to finally ask her out. Then you had to initiate every subsequent conversation and date for the rest of time.
It's not that she ever rejects you. Whenever you reach out, she's there, all smiley and attentive. But you can't help but wonder, if you stopped making all the moves, would there just be radio silence? Does she even really like you, or is she just humoring you?
This one's tough. Either she really likes you, or she's bored.
Here's how to tell. If you're constantly rescheduling with her, odds are she's bored. She keeps you around as an option for when she's feeling lonely. If she's good about sticking to the plans she makes with you, she really could be into you ... so into you, in fact, that she waits for you to make the move just to ensure that you feel the same.
3. The one where you wait an eternity for her response
SHE texted YOU, and now she suddenly takes 47 years to respond?! This is f*cking ridiculous. What kind of torture is she trying to put you through?!
You've heard that girls play this game where they ~wait~ to text you back, but this? This feels like some sort of cruel and unusual torture.
OK, so here's the deal. Is she taking forever to respond, or is she just straight-up not responding? That, my friend, is the key difference.
If she's not into you, this is not a game at all. SHE IS NOT INTO YOU. If she responds after what seems like an eternity, rest assured that it felt like twice as long to her as she tortured herself waiting for the appropriately cool time to respond to you ... because she REALLY likes you.
4. The one where she holds out
Gotta be clear here for a second: If a girl isn't having sex with you, that is her prerogative. Doesn't matter what her reasoning is. She said no, and that's the end of discussion.
That being said, what's up with the girl who you have off-the-charts sexual tension with, the one you've been on a bunch of dates with, but who still isn't quite DTF?
Well, odds are she really likes you. I know it's counter-intuitive, but bear with me here. You are an investment, and she wants to make absolutely certain that it's going to be worth it before she goes all in. She likes you enough to want to make sure that this is the real deal before she gives it all up. Be patient.
5. The one where she's just a giant bitch
There's really only one way to put it: This girl is straight-up mean to you. She barely acknowledges your presence, and on the off chance that she does, it's just to say something mean. And it's not just casually mean, either. No, this girl knows how to PUSH your buttons.
But ... it still kind of turns you on. Are you a masochist? What's your deal?
No matter what your deal is, the fact of the matter remains: This girl likes you. She's like that little kid in your fifth grade art class who would throw paint at your face for no reason other than the fact that she had a big crush on you.
A little immature, sure. But hey, I'M not the one who's into her here.
6. The one where she acts like she doesn't care
DOES SHE EVEN CARE ABOUT YOUR EXISTENCE AT ALL? LIKE, IF SHE SAW YOU WITH ANOTHER GIRL RIGHT NOW, WOULD SHE EVEN FLINCH?
Her nonchalant attitude is driving you up a wall. You never have any f*cking idea what is going through her head, and sometimes you wonder if she knows the hell she's putting you through.
This girl is really f*cking cool. You know what else she is? She's also really f*cking into you.
She doesn't want to let her guard down and reveal all her cards too soon, so she's keeping them close to her chest. Be patient with her, but also keep in mind that you'll probably have to do a lot of the initiating when it comes to any serious conversations.
7. The one where there's dudes all over her social media
Does she even like you? Are you just one of her eight million guys? Who are all these dudes in all of her snap stories? She can't possibly be f*cking all of them.
But are they all in love with her? Probably. And why does she look so hot in all of them?! This is some evil form of torture that you just can't even begin to comprehend.
Hey, dipsh*t: She's doing this to make you jealous. Buck up, and don't let her get to you.
Obviously, games aren't ideal. But for one reason or another, you're into this girl. So hang in there, and maybe work on making her feel comfortable enough to stop playing these games.
