One-Time Flirting Is The Worst 

One-Time Flirting Is The Worst 

I hate one-time flirting. I hate when I hit it off with someone and nothing ever comes off it, it’s just the one day, preserved in time.

Sometimes, it’s my fault for not asking for the person’s number or for their full name so I can search them on social media. Other times, I feel like I’m getting played. Like maybe they only flirted with me for that one night because they were drunk and couldn’t think straight, or because the girl they’re actually interested in wasn’t around to catch them flirting with some stranger.

I realize I should just enjoy those moments, be thankful they happened at all, but it’s hard not to feel like an opportunity was missed, like we were offered a chance at love and tossed it away because neither of us were brave enough to make a move.

I’m not the type who flirts with strangers often, who even speaks to strangers in the first place, so when I meet someone who is easy to talk to I want to keep them around for a while. Of course, it’s not always easy. Asking for someone’s number after talking to them at the bar all night is one thing. It’s completely different to have a two-second, semi-flirtatious conversation at the grocery store and find a way to turn that into a date. Or maybe there’s not much of a difference at all. Maybe I’m not trying hard enough. Maybe I’m being too shy. I really don’t know.

All I do know is that it’s the worst when I meet someone, feel sparks with someone, and never see them again. It’s the worst when our relationship is never even given the chance to get off the ground.

There are some people, who’ve only known me for a night, who have had stronger chemistry with me than some people I’ve known for months.

Sometimes, two people just click. Sometimes, the conversation flows easily. Sometimes, it sucks when a stranger stays a stranger.

One-time flirting is the absolute worst because you’re left with a million what ifs. Maybe they were perfect for you in every way possible — or maybe you would have realized they were a douche after spending one more day together. There’s so many questions left unanswered. There’s never any closure given. There’s never a surefire way to tell whether you just walked away from the love of your life without realizing it or whether you didn’t lose anything special.

One-time flirting is nice in a way, because you can replay the conversation you had in your head. You can get an ego boost by thinking about the way they looked at you. You can daydream about all of the things that could happen if you randomly crossed paths again.

But at the same time, one-time flirting is the worst that can happen. At least if you were in an almost relationship with someone and they disappeared, you could convince yourself it’s good they’re gone since they strung you along for so long. But when you flirt with someone and never see them again, you have no idea whether it’s a good thing they’re gone. You have no idea what you missed out on. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

Holly is the author of Severe(d): A Creepy Poetry Collection.

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