Presenting our ultimate monster (crush) manual

You imagined a fall love story filled with hand-holding, café dates and even a coordinated couple's costume.

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But after the first few weeks of school, your seemingly normal crush started to shapeshift into someone—or, gasp, something—else. If horror flicks have taught us anything (besides to never go into the basement), it’s that every monster has a weakness. So skip the spells and séances: With care, clear communication and, of course, a little help from us, you can bring your not-so-scary bae back.

The Casper Cutie

You two have been texting nonstop, then all of a sudden... they go full ghost. Snaps? Hearts? Nope. It's like they just disappeared into thin air.

FEAR NOT: Before you start spiraling, give them some room to breathe. Sometimes being in touch 24/7 can feel overwhelming, so a break from the messaging marathon might be needed to, you know, actually have something to say to each other.

Once a couple days pass without a peep, try to figure out if there's a legit reason for the silence. Did b-ball season just start? Maybe their mom's been working late so they're stuck watching younger sibs?

If they're all heart eyes when they see you at school, it's possible the pressure to be cute over text was getting exhausting (been there). But if they are distant or ignoring you, it could be a sign they've moved on...and you should, too.

The Sensitive Skelly

Suddenly, every little thing cuts them right to the bone—whether it’s that you made weekend plans without them or paired up with a bestie for the class project. You catch yourself wishing they weren't seeing everything as a slight.