You may have started out as pals, but now your feelings have changed. Trying to figure how to get your best friend to like you? Here’s what you need to do.

Now, when you became friends with someone, maybe you thought about them in a sexual sense at least once or twice. We’re only human. So, it’s normal to have this thought cross your mind. But, of course, you don’t really take those thoughts too seriously and usually push past trying to figure how to get your best friend to like you and focus on the friendship instead.

Now, the way you see your friend isn’t with the same eyes. Maybe deep down you’ve always had feelings for them or recently you started to think about them in a romantic sense.

How to get your best friend to like you

So, now you want to change the friendship into something more intimate. You know, taking the relationship to the next level. Bow chicka wow wow. But like most people, you have no idea how to go about it without feeling awkward and nervous about ruining the relationship.

Well, don’t stress, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. And I’m going to show you what you need to do in order to see if there’s a chance for you to be together. Don’t you wanna be more than friends?

#1 You have the emotional connection down. Now the one thing you don’t need to focus on is the emotional connection between you. If you are genuinely best friends, there’s already a sense of trust and safety in the relationship. This isn’t the issue. Now avert your attention to moving from someone they see as a trusted friend to someone they can be passionate with. [Read: 15 signs you have an emotional connection with someone]

#2 Set boundaries. This isn’t what you thought you’d be needing to do, right? Most people think that removing the boundaries will make the person into you, but that’s not the case. You need boundaries showing them that you’re not going to be there for every single emotional need they have. If they talk to you about other people, stop it. You don’t have to be rude, but don’t reply to those texts or take those calls. [Read: Crucial steps to setting healthy boundaries]

#3 Don’t be clingy. When insecure, we become clingy and needy towards the person we have feelings for. We don’t want to lose the person. It totally makes sense. However, if you want to know how to get your best friend to like you, you should remember that it doesn’t work in the way that you think it will. Rather, your clingy behavior gives the person a red flag, alerting them that even if they did have feelings for you, you’re annoying.

#4 Become flirty. Now you don’t want to go heavy with them on the moves, but you change the dynamics of the relationship into a more flirtatious one. Be more playful, joke around with them, create a light and positive atmosphere. Now don’t get too touchy. You need to feel the situation and see how they react to your moves. [Read: How to flirt with a girl and seduce her the friend way]

#5 Confidence is key. If you move the friendship into a romantic relationship, this person will need to see you as someone they can be intimate with. Work on your confidence. Show them you’re worthy and worth it.

If you act like this person’s doormat rather than standing your ground, you won’t get anywhere. It’s easy to throw your confidence to the side when you like someone as you obviously want them to be into you as well.

#6 You know what they want. This is the big advantage that you have in the palm in your hand, you know what they’re looking for in a partner. It’s not easy to transition genuine friendship to an intimate relationship. But, you know what this person is looking for in a partner. It’s up to you to use your knowledge about that in order to showcase those attributes. [Read: 13 friend-zone hacks to get your friend to like you more]

#7 Leave them some mystery. Of course, they know everything about you, but you can still add some mystery to the friendship. What makes people curious about others? When you’re not an open book. Hang out with them but for shorter periods of time. Don’t invest your entire day with them. Don’t always tell them what you’re doing or who you’re seeing.

#8 Don’t try to become an asshole. You don’t want to be friends with them, I get it. But this doesn’t mean you treat them poorly because you’re not getting what you want. Don’t become an asshole. If you feel resentment towards them, it’s time to tell them how you feel.

#9 Tell them how you feel. Eventually, you’re going to have to talk about how you feel. Maybe your friend will get the hint and act upon it, but if not, discuss it with them. You can’t be making these moves forever, at some point, you need to be aware of how they truly feel and where you stand with them. [Read: 13 naughty ways to get out of the friend zone in no time]

#10 Create competition. There may not be actual competition but it doesn’t matter. You need to create competition, show them that other people want you. This makes a person evaluate their decision and think about you in a different light. Maybe they won’t like seeing you with another person and will make a move. Sure, it’s a little sneaky but it works.

#11 Pay attention to their response. Now, be sure you pay attention to their response or you’re wasting your time. If you’re stuck in la-la land and not paying attention to the signs then what’s the point?

See how they react when you flirt with them or when you touch them playfully. Do they pull back? Do they flirt back? This is crucial to see if it’s worth pushing the friendship forward or not. [Read: How to kiss a friend accidentally and get away with it]

#12 Determine if this is what you want. Sometimes, the image we have of someone we like is because we think we can’t have them. Then, when we get them, the sizzle goes away. We realize this isn’t what we wanted but rather something we wanted to conquer. So, before you make any moves, be sure this isn’t something ego driven but because you truly have feelings for them.

I’ve told you everything you need to know about how to get your best friend to like you. Now all you have to do is use these tips and move the relationship forward.