1. Whenever you post an attractive picture of yourself on social media, he texts you. He never mentions that he’s seen the picture, but you can tell by his timing that he must have stumbled across it and it made him think of you — and it made him realize how much he lost when you walked away.

2. He texts you during every holiday — and he sends longer messages than he has to send. He doesn’t just say ‘happy birthday.’ He asks you what your plans are for the evening and what gifts you got to keep the conversation going.

3. Whenever you run into his friends or his siblings or his parents, they mention how much they’ve always liked you and how they wish that you two never broke up. They know that he wants you back, so they’re still treating you like part of the family in case you reunite.

4. He has drunk texted you multiple times. Whenever he gets wasted, you’re the first person that he thinks about. You’re the only person that he thinks about.

5. He makes an effort to stay friends with you — but he doesn’t act any differently than he acted when you were dating. He still touches you. He still flirts with you. He still acts like he’s in love with you.

6. He randomly texts you just to bring up old memories, like the time that you kissed under the stars or the time you took a trip overseas. He’s been thinking of the good times you two shared — and he wants you to think of them, too.

7. He likes every single picture that you post on social media two seconds after you post it. Or he likes pictures from months ago that he could have only seen if he was stalking your page and scrolling through all of your photographs.

8. More than once, he has asked you if you’re still single, if there’s anyone that you’ve been thinking about starting a relationship with, if you’re seeing that guy that keeps showing up in your snap stories. He’s clearly jealous, worried that you’re going to move on from him.

9. He always shows up in places where he knows you’re going to be. He’s visited the store where you work more than he ever did when you two were together. He just needs an excuse to talk to you.

10. He still wears that necklace or watch or ring that you gave him. He hasn’t thrown it away or stored it in his closet. It still means the world to him.

11. He hasn’t removed any photos of you from his social media. He hasn’t changed his relationship status, either. He’s trying to hold onto you for as long as possible.

12. He has actually admitted that he still misses you. That he’s still in love with you. That he wants you back. 

Holly Riordan is the author of
Severe(d), A Creepy Poetry Collection.
Pre-order your copy here.