About two weeks ago, my cousin and I were at a bar when we met a woman who was out with her friends. She’s a transfer student at my university and was being pretty social, asking people for their Instagrams and getting to know them.
We started talking, and she asked for my Instagram and LinkedIn, which I gave her. I eventually introduced her to my cousin because he and I were working on a screenplay. We asked whether she’d be interested in joining us, and to our surprise, she enthusiastically agreed.
The next day, the three of us met up and spent about four hours hanging out and working on the screenplay. We got along well and decided to continue collaborating. Our next writing session was over Zoom.
For our most recent session, she reached out to me individually and asked if I wanted to meet her at a coffee shop near our university so we could work together in person while calling my cousin. For context, my cousin attends another university about an hour away.
I agreed, and we met up to work on the screenplay. Toward the end of our session, she asked what I was doing afterward. I told her I needed to take care of something related to a letter of recommendation, and she mentioned that she didn’t have anything else planned. I continued working for a while, and when I eventually got up to leave, she got up as well. We said goodbye and went our separate ways.
Later, I thought it would be fun for the three of us to see a movie together before our next writing session. I invited her while I was still waiting to hear whether my cousin could make it. I initially suggested Sunday because my cousin would be available on the weekend, and she said she was down.
However, Sunday didn’t work out because both she and my cousin ended up being busy and didn’t respond in time.
The following Monday, she reached out on her own and apologized for missing my message. She then suggested going on Tuesday or Thursday instead and had already looked up the movie’s showtimes.
I agreed, and we settled on Tuesday. Since it was a weekday, my cousin couldn’t make the trip from his university, so it ended up being just the two of us.
I bought both tickets because I genuinely enjoy going to the movies and appreciated having someone to go with. She offered to pick me up and drive us there.
We watched the movie together, exchanged a few comments during it, and talked about it afterward. She thanked me for buying the tickets.
After the movie, I asked whether she’d eaten because I hadn’t had dinner yet. She said she’d already eaten but offered to drive me somewhere to pick up food anyway. I didn’t end up taking her up on it.
Before we parted ways, she mentioned that we should work on the screenplay again later in the week and told me to text her about it. We said goodbye, and she dropped me off.
Later that night, she initiated another text conversation about the movie, sharing some of her thoughts and comparing it to other films.
One important detail: Throughout the entire evening, I didn’t really flirt with her. I didn’t compliment her appearance, initiate physical contact, attempt to kiss her, or make any obvious romantic advances. I was friendly, courteous, and honestly a little nervous, but otherwise behaved pretty naturally.
I’m attracted to her, but I’m also completely comfortable being friends and continuing our creative collaboration.
I’m curious how women would interpret this situation. Would you be comfortable suggesting a one-on-one movie outing, offering to drive, and texting afterward with a guy you’d only known for two weeks if your interest were entirely platonic?
Or would those circumstances generally suggest that you’re at least open to getting to know him romantically?