I’m a 24M in a postgraduate program, and there’s a 25F batchmate I’ve grown very close to. We clicked from the beginning and naturally ended up spending a lot of time together, going out, drinking, small trips, late-night talks. We both say we're just "good friends," but sometimes our behavior feels different.
We hold hands (a lot), hug, sit close, and there’s a level of comfort and warmth that feels more intimate than a normal friendship. I can feel myself getting attached, maybe more than I intended to.
The problem is: I don’t know what direction this is going. We’ve never talked about anything romantic, but the way we act makes me wonder if there’s something unspoken or if I’m reading too much into it. It’s starting to mess with my head a little, I catch myself thinking about her constantly and feeling restless when things are unclear.
I’m worried I’m developing feelings while she might just see this as friendship. I don’t want to push her away, but I also don’t want to get blindsided and hurt later because I ignored the signs.
So my question is: does this sound like a close friendship, or something more? And am I setting myself up to get hurt if I don’t figure this out soon?
Would appreciate any honest advice or similar experiences.