Should you ignore her when she pulls away?

Look at how her replies changed, not just how many there are. If she used to ask you questions and now only answers yours, that is a different signal from her replying slower but with the same warmth. A shrinking reply length matters too. Going from paragraphs to single lines usually means she is less invested in the thread, not that she is annoyed with you.

Next, check what happened just before the change. Did you say something heavy, plan something she did not commit to, or move things faster than she did? Sometimes the pulling away is a reaction to a specific moment, and the fix is to acknowledge it lightly. If nothing stands out, she may simply be busy or have less energy this week. Give it a few days before you decide what it means.

There are a few kinds of message that fit this moment. One is a short, low-stakes message that adds something new to the conversation, such as a link, a photo, or a comment about something she mentioned earlier. Its job is to show you are still around without asking her to explain herself. A draft is the right kind when it could be read as a normal update on your day, and it asks for nothing.

Another kind is a message that gives her an easy exit or an easy opening, like saying you have been busy and would like to pick the conversation up in person if she is up for it. Its job is to remove the pressure. Leave out any reference to her replies, any question about her feelings, and any apology for things you did not do.

A third kind is no message at all. Choosing silence is a real option when the last few exchanges were clearly one-sided. What makes it work is that you are not going silent to punish her. You are simply not filling a gap she has left open, and you are ready to answer normally if she comes back.

Send messages during the day and avoid late-night texts, especially ones that sound like you are reacting to her short replies. A late message reads as anxious even when it is friendly. If you have been waiting on her, give it at least a full day before you send anything new. Two days is better if she was clearly busy last time.

If you send something and get no answer, wait before following up. One unanswered message is normal. Two unanswered messages in a row with no reply from her means you should stop initiating for now. Give it a week before you try again, and make the next message lighter than the last one. If she still does not respond, stop. Keep the match or the number if you like, but do not keep sending messages she is not answering. You can always pick things back up later if she reaches out.