Messages.
Compliments.
Quick reactions and surface-level curiosity.

It felt good — at first.

But attention is easy to give.
Real interest requires consistency.

Attention shows up when it’s convenient.
Interest shows up regularly, even when it takes effort.

Someone can admire your appearance, enjoy chatting, flirt generously — and still have no intention of truly knowing you.
Interest looks different.
It asks questions.
It remembers details.
It follows through.

I learned to notice how a person behaves over time, not just in the beginning.
Whether they make space for you in their life.
Whether they are present beyond moments of excitement.

Real interest doesn’t rush or disappear suddenly.
It builds gradually.
It respects boundaries.
It stays curious without pressure.

Now, I don’t get distracted by attention alone.
I look for signs of intention.
Of reliability.
Of genuine effort.

Attention can feel flattering.
But real interest feels grounding.

And that’s the difference that matters to me now.