Things might be a little more complicated if you need to tell her you’re not romantically interested in her or you need some time to think about how you feel. Avoid the temptation to drag it out though—go ahead and respond to her text as honestly as possible.

Try saying something like, “Oh yeah? As a friend or. . . ?” You can do this even if you’re pretty sure what she means as a playful way of getting her to tell you more about her feelings.

For instance, you could say something like, “I like you, too! Let’s go grab some coffee or a drink this weekend. Are you free Saturday night?” She went out on a limb and took a risk to tell you how she feels, don’t let her down if you feel the same way. Ask her out![4] X Research source

For instance, you could text back, “Thank you!” and then follow up with something like, “I really like you too” or something like “You’re such a great friend” if you don’t have romantic feelings for them. Additionally, saying “Thank you” is a great response for a platonic relationship. If she’s just a friend or even a relative, thanking them is the polite thing to do.

You could shoot back a simple, “I like you too” or something more energetic like, “Wow! I really like you too!”

You might send a gif of a cat with flashing heart eyes, or you could send a clip of Bashful, the shy dwarf from Snow White. Then, follow up with a simple, “I like you too!” Emojis can work, too, but gifs are more expressive. It’s probably best not to send a gif to tell her you don’t like her—it might seem callous and unkind.

Keep it simple. Something like, “Hey, I need a moment to think about this. ” It may not be the response she wanted, but it’s better that you respond honestly. If you need some time to figure out how you feel, take it.

You could say something firm but considerate like, “I think you’re really great, but I like you as a friend. ”

For instance, if she says, “I like you,” you could say, “Thanks, I like me too” or “You like to do what to me?” A little playful flirting never hurt anybody, and it could make her like you more!

For example, if you say, “I like you too!” And 5 minutes later she hasn’t texted anything, don’t follow up with a question mark or something like, “well?”

For example, don’t say things like, “Do you really like me?” or “Are you sure you like me?”