I (28M) work with a coworker (22F) who started a little after I did. At first, we didn’t talk much, but after her breakup and lifestyle change, I started noticing her more. She’d walk by me often, sometimes say things like, “We keep running into each other,” and seemed a little flirty. We had one short conversation that was really awkward — both of us stuttered, and we didn’t talk again after that.
Since then, she got a new boyfriend. But when we see each other at work, her body language is strange — she looks down quickly, avoids the aisle I’m in, or seems nervous. Sometimes she stares from a distance, but when I greet her, she either responds quietly or ignores me. She seems completely fine talking to everyone else, just not me.
I tried saying hi casually, hoping it would ease the tension, but her inconsistent responses threw me off. I don’t want to come across the wrong way by trying to talk to someone who isn’t comfortable, but I also can’t tell if this is just lingering awkwardness or something more.
Anyone else experienced something like this? Could this be social anxiety, discomfort, or something else?
TL;DR:
28M coworker had one awkward conversation with 22F coworker. Since then, she seems nervous and avoids me — but also sometimes stares or lingers. She talks easily with everyone else. Unsure if it’s anxiety, discomfort, or just residual awkwardness. Not sure whether to keep casually acknowledging her or leave it be.
Comments
Maybe she had a crush on you while she was single
She is no longer single and doesn’t feel like reopening that crush.
Maybe you missed your shot and you have to respect it.
A lot of maybe and its at work. Better let it die.
Who knows, maybe when she is single again, she’ll open a conversation or will be more open. Maybe she’ll try to evade you until then.