Need some perspective on where this relationship is actually going
So I’ve been talking to this girl let’s call her Arsh, for around a month+ now, and honestly I’m a little confused about what I should do from here.
We initially started talking on Instagram/Snapchat and slowly got pretty close. She was one year senior in college although age difference is 2 months only. We’ve met in person 4-5 times, and the vibe between us has definitely felt different from a normal friendship. We talk every day, send each other reels/snaps, say good morning/good night, and have fairly regular calls that can go hour or 2. We’ve also made plans to hang out again, including things like a spiritual trip and a trampoline park,etc etc
There are also little things that make me think there’s some mutual attraction. She’s told me I’m sweet and that I have a cute smile. When we’re together, she sometimes gets shy about eye contact and has literally said things like “please don’t look at me like that” and “mujhe sharam si aati hai.” There’s a lot of teasing and flirting from both sides, although neither of us has explicitly said we like each other romantically.
The complicated part is her past. She was previously in a 3-year relationship where, according to her, they barely met and she didn’t really receive the effort/attention she deserved. It turned out to be pretty fake and she feels like she wasted those years. Because of that, she’s told me she has trouble trusting people and isn’t really ready for a relationship right now.
I really like her, but I don’t want to rush her or force a relationship label. My original thought was basically become close friends then closest friends then best friends then see if something naturally develops.
At the same time, I don’t want to accidentally end up in a situation where I’m giving boyfriend-level effort while she only sees me as a friend.
What to do from here?