"Thumbs up" response

You're chatting with a girl that you've known forever and there's always been chemistry, but you only recently reconnected.

She sends a message that's a little flirty.

You reply with something similar.

She replies with a "thumbs up" emoji. No words, no furthering of the conversation, just an icon.

It's now 24 hours later, and she hasn't made any further contact.

Am I correct in assuming that the "thumbs up" was a gentle way of saying "it's all good, but I'm done talking to you now"? Or is she now waiting for me to somehow reply to that?

Yes, it is safe to assume.

As the man, it's usually YOUR job to initiate this kind of thing. Wait another 24 hours and then throw something in there - start small and work your way up

caveat: I post as hetro male and hetro pursuing, I don't know how the flirting logistics work if this is a same sex situation.

Straight, not narrow, for the record

Throw back another vague emoji and let her do the interpreting. Maybe the cat crying, or the smiling turd, or a tree.

I usually do that when I want to approve or acknowledge the last message but don't really know how to respond to it.

I usually do that when I want to approve or acknowledge the last message but don't really know how to respond to it.

Ditto. She was probably "at a loss for words" (and maybe not in a good way - hence no further contact).

I'll play the other side. .seeing I just gave my son a thumbs up and it wasn't meant to be dismissive.

You won't know unless you ask.

No matter how you slice it. . you have two choices. .reach out and see what you get in return

or. . wait. She may be waiting for your response. . or not

I often use the cactus emoji but it is meant to convey a less positive message.

Hmm. Maybe context will help a little.

She sent a message that said she was texting me in the nude. I replied with "Wow, that's hot! I'm wearing soft, cotton boxers. No shirt, no pants, just boxers". I kinda thought that she would reply quickly and that an exchange of pics was coming.

But she replied about 12 hours later with the "thumbs up" icon.

This is a girl that's never been shy about sex (unless something changed since we last connected), so I'd be shocked if she got shy or nervous about the conversation (especially since she's the one that brought up being nude).

I don't want to come accross as eager, but don't want to be dismissive, either. Unless you guys can think of a reason otherwise, I think that I'll follow the advice given; wait until tomorrow afternoon and send her a cactus or something.

I don't want to come accross as eager, but don't want to be dismissive, either. Unless you guys can think of a reason otherwise, I think that I'll follow the advice given; wait until tomorrow afternoon and send her a cactus or something.

Eh I don't know about everyone else but cactus is my code for middle finger...

Really --- all this about an emoticon?

I fear for the generations behind me.

Mhowe in the future wars will be started based on wrong interpretations of emoticons with the way the world is going

FWIW, mhowe, she's 37 and I just turned 40. I guess that technically we're a generation behind you, but it's not like we're kids, either.

Of course, I've chatted with kids, teens, 20-somethings, and 50-somethings that are just as vague. I think it has less to do with age, and more to do with common courtesy and general writing / reading comprehension.

I have a guy friend (my age, married with 3 kids, and to my knowledge, hetero) that constantly sends me messages, and I have no way to reply. His last message (after we hadn't talked in a few weeks) was an out-of-the-blue sticker of a minion dancing. About a week earlier, he sent a sticker of a puppy with hearts popping over its head. How the heck do I reply to that?? LOL

I still haven't replied to the girl I mentioned in the OP, and she hasn't said anything to me, either. The more I think about it, I don't think I'm going to reply. I initiated the last conversation, and I just don't have it in me to have a chat-mance with someone that's unable to keep up their end intelligently, or so disinterested that I have to keep reminding them that I exist.