She wanted to date you. She never said it out loud, but she told you with her body language.

She told you every time she looked at you from across the room and smiled.

She told you every time she texted you back within seconds, even if it took you days to answer her the last time.

She told you every time she initiated a bullshit conversation with you, because she had nothing important to say but just wanted to talk to you.

She told you every time she found an excuse to touch you, whether it was by play fighting with you or tickling you or brushing lint off of you.

She told you every time she dressed her best, just because there was a chance she was going to run into you that day.

She told you when she sat inside of your bedroom, shoulder-to-shoulder, skin-to-skin, even though she could have easily kept her distance and sat across the room from you.

She told you when she lifted up her hand and compared the size to yours, just so she could have a reason to come close to holding your hand.

She told you when she noticed your new shirt or new glasses or new haircut right away and commented on it so that you knew she was paying close attention.

She told you when she started listening to the band or the show or the movie that you mentioned because she had an interest in your interests.

She told you when she surprised you with food, just to show she was thinking about you.

She told you when she still showed up at your house, even when you invited her at the last second and she barely had any time to prepare.

She told you when she gave you another chance (and another and another), even after you kept canceling plans and ignoring her texts.

She told you when she got jealous of the other girls that you were talking to instead of her.

She told you when she liked every single one of your Instagram photos.

She told you when she introduced you to her friends and to her parents.

She told you when she let you see a side of her that most people never see.

She never looked you in the eyes and said, “I want you to be my boyfriend,” because she thought her feelings were obvious. She thought you already knew how she felt.

She didn’t think that she had to say the words aloud. She assumed her actions spoke for themselves. She assumed that you would be able to put two and two together since she always wears her heart on her sleeve.

The truth is, she wouldn’t waste her time with you unless you meant something to her. The only reason why she flirted with you was because she wanted a real relationship with you. Because she wanted something more than an almost.

She wanted to date you — and she hates that it never ended up happening.