Signs a Guy Friend Has Feelings for You

He talks to you, even when all of his friends are around, and gently brushes his hand against your shoulder when you're waiting in line at the campus coffee shop. Does this mean that your buddy likes you -- romantically? If you're not entirely sure whether the boy who's "just a friend" has feelings for you, looking for tell-tale signs in the way he acts towards you or what he says can help you to figure out this romance puzzler.

If your guy friend is suddenly talking about, talking to or looking at other girls right in front of you, it doesn't necessarily mean that he's on the prowl. Making new girl "friends" is sometimes a ploy to create competition and jealousy, asserts doctor of social and personality psychology Jeremy Nicholson in his article "Escape the Friend Zone: From Friend to Girlfriend or Boyfriend," on the "Psychology Today" website. Even though his actions may seem more like the opposite of a sign that he likes you, he may think that making you jealous, or showing you that other girls like him, will eventually attract you.

If you're not 100 percent sure about how your guy friend feels, take a look at his body. This doesn't mean gawking at his biceps, but instead take a gander at how his body changes position or distance when you're around. He may seem to fidget or brush his hair aside with his hands as he talks to you. Body language that signals a romantic interest also includes moving towards the other person or leaning in, closing the personal space between the two of you.

Like body language, your male friend may show his interest in you through other nonverbal signals. Facial gestures provide clues to how he's feeling inside when he's around you. For example, steadily staring at you with a sweet smile on his face is a gesture of romantic interest. If he does look down, but in a coy way, you're also seeing another romantic type of facial gesture. You can also take note of where on your face his eyes move to. Looking at your lips may signal that he's thinking about kissing you. While a one-time stare or a quick look at your lips doesn't necessarily mean that he has romantic feelings for you, when he constantly shows these gestures, chances are that he likes you in more than a platonic way.

Did your friend recently go from treating you like one of the guys to a more-than-friendly style of flirting? If he's less, "Hey, dude" and more, "Hey, girl," it's possible that he's into you. Keep in mind that there isn't just one way of flirting. Some guys playfully flirt in a game-like way, while others get more physical about it. A playful flirt may coyly joke with you or tease you in a sweet way. For example, the two of you are about to finish a pizza and there's only one piece left. He may playfully joke, "Aw, I know you want to give me the last piece because you think I'm the sweetest guy in the world." A physical flirt may brush his hand over yours, give you quick hugs or nudge up against you.