When it comes to deciphering the meaning of a girl’s words, whether in casual conversation, in an argument, or on a date, it always seems that we gentlemen look forward to next week’s biology exam more than the difficult task of interpreting the other species. However, when the switch is flipped, and girls are left asking themselves if he really meant it when he said, “You make me all tingly on the inside,” the answer tends to be a lot simpler than girls realize.

Save for the exceptional player whose suave and sneaky charm finds a girl’s heart quicker than a pile of food or a box of chocolates, most guys out there are much more harmless than they first seem. That being said, each romantic situation is different. When things start to get intimate, though, and your man candy is willing to meet the future in-laws (one of the sure-fire indicators that he is looking for more than just a couple of good nights), it’s safe to say that everything uttered from his mouth from that point forward can be taken for face value. After all, males have always seemed to lack that uncanny ability that girls think they use to ruin someone’s day with a casual “Whatever” or “You’re right, I’m wrong.”

Girls often find themselves in the midst of the most intense gossip and unsettling thoughts during the initial stages of relationships, where the guys who have realized they have stepped in too far, make a run for it, and the guys who are serious about their feelings, stand strong. Often times, the flames of an initial crush and the fire of a few fun nights die in this phase. This is the breaking point, where the dudes who make the rest of us look bad with shallow compliments and unreal emotions, find a new gig. The beauty of this stage, though, is it clears the path for the rest of the male population; those ready to use their genuine compassion and earnest words to prove that all guys aren’t the promiscuous type.

When a guy truly cares about a girl, he sincerely laughs at her jokes, if for the sole reason to encourage her to keep talking. He will tell her he cares about her with no incentive for doing so. He will take her to new places, having a newfound sense of confidence. The barriers break down, and it becomes evident that guys don’t mean much more than what they are actually saying. In comparison to the complex puzzle of a woman’s words, it is a healthy contrast.

The male species fears women enough. Especially in high school, guys will do anything and everything to avoid being the unlucky victim of a vicious rant that stems more from an untimely part of the month than any actual fault on the guy’s behalf. This is the reason why boys seek to be straightforward and honest with their feelings, and why girls sometime feel a lack of compassion on his behalf. Simply said, guys are programmed to be as simple as girls are unsolvable.

One of the biggest problem faced in high school relationships (the legitimate, longstanding, heartfelt ones, not the week-long reality shows), is the slow ,but sure ease with which we males get comfortable. That’s the undeniable reality. Because of the fact that men are so used to direct ,and sometimes blunt in conversations (that often puts them in the dog house), girls will easily become fed up and not hesitate to voice their opinion. What the girls need to understand, though, is that the straightforward demeanor of the guy does not represent his loss of care for her, but, if anything, a newfound sense of closeness.

A guy who cares about a girl will tease her, test her patience, and play with her. He will get in trouble with her, and clearly want to get out of it. He will be straightforward and playful at the same time. He will get comfortable. As long as this comfort does not come at the expense of fewer acts of kindness, romantic dates and meaningful moments, girls should not worry. Should the fire remain alive through it all, the fact that our frankness and simplicity was given a chance and understood, even when we deserve to be smacked, will go a long way.