Been seeing a lot of advice lately about maintaining eye contact as long as possible, and in practicing this I have had some interactions I am not familiar with.

I'm noticing how many people look away the split second there is eye contact, and if I try to keep looking at their eyes an intense gaze straight forward, or down, is all that seems to come of it.

The times where I look away after that first split second I try to catch myself and look right back, but they're never still looking, and if I try to make eye contact after just a split second of looking away the person almost actively refuses to make eye contact.

Lastly, if eye contact is maintained, is it safe to say that's an indication the person would like to be approached? Smile and say hello with body language? Lately I'll just chicken out or let it get awkward and they look away with an obvious "we're done here" vibe.

Though the other day while riding the bus, someone got on and we instantly locked eyes. We both froze but it wasn't a fearful moment. I eventually looked away first, and they sat down and sat in a way leaning on her hand that perfectly blocked her vision of me. I took it as a typical do not look at me vibe, but I caught them a couple times glimpsing back at me only to look away immediately. We both exited on the last stop and walked opposite directions. I looked back over my shoulder, and she was doing the same. It all felt too surreal.

Reflecting, I should have gone up and said anything to initiate a conversation, it seems pretty cut and dry in hindsight. But I'm so used to after that initial eye contact, when I see someone for the first time and look into their eyes, if I break eye contact first they don't want me to initiate a conversation. It's not my place as the weaker person to talk to them or some shit