I can't stress this enough to people that eye contact can change the entire flow of an encounter, be it sexual or not. It's worked amazingly well for me in my college career, professional career, with girls, friends; whatever.

A few nights ago I went out with a coworker and his friends to a little circus our uni was holding. Got feeling good from them and then went out with a bud of mine I hadn't seen in a while. We just went to get drinks and shoot the shit, no big deal. While out, I saw this girl I had a tiny crush on my Freshman year (I'm a Senior now) but I never expressed anything to her since she had a BF of 4 years at the time. I saw her with some other girls getting drinks, so I went over to say hi.

Conversation was pretty standard catching up. Turns out she graduated last year and lives about 45 minutes away with her new job. She dumped her BF because he cheated on her. Currently single. Told her my major and all of that shit and what I have planned for after I graduate in a month. I want to break her off from her friends, so I take the opportunity of them being preoccupied with the bartender to kind of step back away with her to afford a little privacy.

We talk a bit more, whole time was eye contact with just a few breaks to not look like serial killers, but there was one moment that changed the entire tone of the conversation. I don't remember whatever bullshit we were discussing, but there was a lull in the conversation and instead of looking away I just kept my eyes locked on hers and smiled while neither of us talked. Almost like a switch went on in her head, she changed her entire demeanor and started blushing and broke eye contact and asked "why are you looking at me like that?" I just laughed a bit and told her I wanted to. She just smiles and goes back to making eye contact with me (now the tone has switched from friendly to intimate) while I say it was great seeing her again. She smiles and hugs me (first time we've had any physical touch ever) and asks if I heard about a party going on around the corner. I tell her no and she asks if I plan on going. I'm not bailing on my bud so I politely declined. She frowns a little (I know, but my bro comes first) and says she might not go. I tell her we should grab some drinks later tonight. She just says "oh, I don't know. I might go out with my girl who I haven't seen in a while... Well... Where did you plan on going?" I just told her "I prefer to go wherever my heart takes me in the moment". She laughs and then hugs me again really tight. I tell her I hope to see her around and let my hand run down her back slowly as we break contact. I turn around and she's looking back at me, so I just smile at her.

Go back to my bro, talk some bullshit, hours pass; all is good. Girl and her friends left a long time ago. We were posted up just watching the game and talking about fuck all. Some drinks in, I get a text from her (we worked on a class project way back when and apparently she kept my number) saying she wasn't feeling the party and asking what I'm up to. Tell her still at the bar watching the game with my bud and she should come see me again before she leaves. She says she wants to see me again. I text her back saying I'll be free in a bit and the offer to get drinks is still on the table if someone else doesn't steal me first. She jokingly says no one could possibly want me. I just text her back saying she clearly does if she's texting me to see me again so soon. We banter a bit and I tell her to meet me at a local bar at 11.

She met me there, we shared drinks for a bit. Went pretty well, kino was so incredibly natural with her it was almost weird. We kissed pretty soon in to it. The whole time now you could feel the sexual tension when we locked eyes for long periods of time. Spent maybe an hour there and walked around the town a bit and ended up making out by some apartments (classy, I know, but iso is iso). She was staying with her friends and I live far away (25 minutes opposite direction from her 45 in) so logistics failed me as far as complete isolation goes. We went back to my car and the rest is high-school-esque history.

If it wasn't for that moment where we held that gaze early in, this would have just been a hi/bye between friends. The people here who tell you eye contact is one of your strongest tools are 100% correct. Even if not used in a sexual way, eye contact is an amazing thing to use. Make sure to use it as often as possible.

TL;DR: Met a classmate from a long time ago. Talking bullshit, lull in conversation, kept long/strong eye contact with her and the tone swapped form friendly to sexual almost immediately. Ended up F-closing her that night. If it wasn't for that moment, it would have stayed at a friendly exchange. Eye contact is your friend.