This Is What Strong Sexual Tension Feels Like Between ‘Friends’

Sexual tension is when you feel a spark, just from grazing your hand against their hand. Just from an innocent, accidental touch.

Sexual tension is looking them in the eyes for a moment too long. Smiling for a moment too long. Hugging for a moment too long.

Sexual tension is coming up with any excuse that you can to touch them, even if it means you have to revert back to elementary school tactics. Tickling. Grabbing their hat, their phone, their food. You tease them, because you have no other outlet for your affection. Because you don’t want to be too obvious, too forward, by holding their hand, so you find another way to get close to them.

Sexual tension is choosing to sit side-by-side with them when you could have easily sat on the other side of the bench or bed or couch. It’s letting your bodies blend together, letting your legs and arms graze, instead of flinching and creating more personal space. It’s wanting to be as physically close to each other as possible.

Sexual tension is lingering during your hugs goodbye, because you don’t want your bodies to separate. Because you feel warm, safe, snug in their arms. Because you want to breathe in the scent of their cologne and ingrain it in your mind. Because the last thing you want to do is leave them.

Sexual tension is saying something that sounds harmless, but having so much meaning layered beneath it. It’s telling them that they’re an idiot in a way that suggests they’re actually your favorite person to be around. It’s telling them that they look nice in a way that suggests they look fucking beautiful.

Sexual tension is not minding when the conversation winds down and the room is filled with silence, because even when you two aren’t talking, you feel like you’re saying everything. You feel like you’re both thinking the same things, even though you’d never say them aloud. Even though you would never admit how strongly you want each other.

Sexual tension is sharing an intense moment with them that you couldn’t possibly explain to your friends. You could try, but would never find the right words. Would never be able to accurately represent the way that you were looking at each other, the feeling that tinged the air between you.

Sexual tension is looking at their lips while they talk, inching closer and closer as the night progresses, dreaming about the kiss that is inevitably going to happen. Fantasizing about how good their hands will feel against your skin.

Sexual tension is enjoying every second that you spend together, even if you’re not doing anything. Not saying anything.

Sexual tension is when just the thought of that person, or the sight of a text from that person, makes your heart twist, your stomach leap — and when you just know they feel the same way about you.