She looked me in the eye the whole time we talked

People look away when they're bored, nervous, or thinking about something else. They maintain eye contact when they're locked in. If she held your gaze for the bulk of your conversation, she wasn't just tolerating you. She was tracking your expressions, your mouth, your reactions. That's attraction or at minimum real interest.

This wasn't a text where she could be multitasking. This was real time, in person. She chose to keep looking at you instead of letting her attention drift. That's hard to fake and it matters. Don't downgrade this signal by second-guessing it.

A generic 'hey, nice to meet you' message wastes what you just built. She'll assume you text everyone the same way. Instead, your message should show you remember the conversation itself. Pull out a specific thing she said or a topic you both got into. This does two things: it proves you were actually present too, not just enjoying being looked at, and it creates a hook she can reply to without guessing what you want.

Your message should also feel like a continuation of the vibe you had in person. If the conversation was light and funny, the message is light. If it went deeper, the message can match that tone. Don't suddenly shift into formal or try-hard mode.

Text within 24 hours while the interaction is fresh and she's still thinking about the conversation. Don't wait a week trying to look cool. That just kills momentum.

After you send it, give her at least three to five days to reply. She might be busy. She might want to seem interested but not too keen. A response could come on day two or day four. Don't double-text if she doesn't reply quickly. If five days pass with nothing, send one more message that's actually different, maybe proposing a specific plan to see each other. If that gets no response, stop. You've done the work.