I just assume everyone is being nice because that's what I'm doing. I no longer attempt to flirt because the two times I tried resulted in absolute confusion or with them laughing at me. So it's confusing when multiple times in the past where people just start to kiss me. How long were they flirting with me? When did I flirt back? What's even happening? I thought I was just being friendly...

More confusing is ending up in someone else's bed without realizing you were brought there for sex until it starts happening. Even more confusing still is ending up in my own bed with someone who had plans of sex before I ever had a clue.

I've generally lived most my life in conservative areas or have been around conservative types of people so this isn't a common occurrence for me. When I travelled and lived abroad or enter spaces where people are comfortable being and expressing themselves is when I start to feel visible to the world again.

Regardless of the situations I find myself in, still can't read a person's behaviour while I'm there in the moment. I'm only able to see what's happened when I have time to reflect on the experiences in a quiet space. I always tell people they would have more success flirting with a wall because a wall won't rationalize flirting into niceness.