You could try touching the person’s shoulder if they say something funny or playful. You could also try touching their arm or hand to get their attention if you’re talking to each other in a crowd. [2] X Research source Be careful of touching the other person too much, especially if you’re at school. Everyone has different boundaries for personal space, and you should be cautious, especially if you don’t know the person well.

Look at the person’s face when you’re listening. When you’re talking, feel free to look around the room a little bit more. Keep making short bursts of eye contact with the person, rather than one long continuous bout of eye contact. [3] X Research source

Face your body in an open way towards the person. Nod (or say things like “mm-hmm”) when they speak, especially when they want reassurance. Smile, or give the appropriate facial cue (shock, surprise, laughter) for the situation. Lean towards the person. [5] X Research source

For example, you could give your crush an endearing or dorky nickname. You could say, “Oh, you horseback ride? I think I’ll call you Saddle Club!” You can also challenge your crush to a contest, like a race or arm wrestling. Some type of competition gives you the opportunity for flirty “trash talk. ” You could also pretend to be angry or annoyed with them. If your crush loves football, say, in a clearly joking manner, something like, “Ugh, another football fan? I’m not sure I can talk to you anymore!”[8] X Research source

For example, say, “I love your jersey. Are you a soccer player, or just a fan?” Or you could try, “I liked your article in the school newspaper! Have you always been interested in organic food?” Or say, “I love your outfit today. Who’s your style inspiration?”

“How was your day today?” This one shows that you care about how the person is feeling. “How did you feel about that movie?” This question demonstrates your interest in the other person’s opinion.

For example, if the person you’re flirting with starts talking about how moving in the sixth grade was really hard, you can talk about how switching from middle school to high school was a tough transition, too. However, if the person you’re flirting with is talking about the weather, don’t go into the details of your parents’ divorce. [12] X Research source

If you need something to say, try talking about something you have in common, like a class you have together. Try, “This physics lab is taking me forever. . . how’s yours going?” Or text, “I saw you guys had a game this afternoon! How did it go?” You could also write something like, “Are you watching Grey’s Anatomy tonight? I can’t wait until 9…”

If you take a few hours to respond, tell your crush what you were doing. Say, “Just got back from an awesome water skiing session!” or “Have you ever gone to that new restaurant in town? My parents just took me there, and it was SO yummy!”

For example, if your crush asks you what you’re doing this weekend, don’t give them your entire itinerary. Instead, say something like, “Dinner with my family, seeing some friends on Saturday, but no plans on Sunday. You?” This way, you leave your crush some room to make plans with you if they want to. Or, if your crush asks how your lacrosse game went, say “We won, but you really have to be there to get the full experience.  :)”

For example, try texting, “Loved talking about baseball with you earlier! I have two tickets to a Sox game this Saturday. Want to go? :)” Or, you could write, “Our convo about pasta earlier made me so hungry. Want to grab some Italian food tonight?”[17] X Research source If the person says no, make one of your friends go with you instead! You’ll still have something fun to do, regardless of whether or not your crush wants to go with you.

You could say, “So my friends and I usually hang out on Sunday nights and watch the game. Would you be down for that?” Or, “Bobby, Jackie, and I were thinking about going to lazer tag on Saturday afternoon. Do you want to come?”

You could say, “Hey! I don’t know if you’ve heard about the dance on Friday, but I was planning on going and was hoping that you would go with me. Would you like to do that?” Or try, “Do you want to go to the home football game with me on Saturday afternoon? We could get ice cream afterwards, if you want to!”

Have a specific date and time in mind. Don’t just ask, “Want to go out with me?” Instead, ask, “Would you like to go see the new James Bond movie with me on Saturday night?” However, you should also be willing to move around the date and time. People can have really busy schedules, and you should think of a couple dates and times that would be convenient for you. The person might say, “I would love to, but I have plans on Saturday!” If that happens, you should have a couple of other times lined up. Don’t take a “maybe” as a “no. ” Sometimes, people have to check their schedules or check with their parents about whether or not they can go out on a date. Don’t get discouraged yet! If the person says no, don’t sweat it! There are so many people in high school (and beyond!) that will make you happy. It also might have nothing to do with you personally.

If the person has positive body language around you, such as smiling at you, standing or sitting close to you, or makes a lot of eye contact with you, they might be ready for physical affection. [18] X Research source It’s always better to ask, “Can I hold your hand?” or “Can I kiss you?” than to not do so. This will make sure that you don’t make your crush uncomfortable and that any advance you make on your crush will be well-received.