When a girl stops replying, 90% of guys do one of two things: send a paragraph apologizing for nothing, or pretend it didn't happen and send "hey." Both signal you've been waiting.
The move is a low-stakes, callback message that gives her something easy to react to. Use this template:
"[Specific thing she'd recognize from your last convo] just happened, thought of you."
Examples: - "Just saw a guy walk a chihuahua wearing a leather jacket. I owe you that photo from Tuesday." - "That coffee place you mentioned, finally went. You were right, it's stupid expensive."
Why it works: it's not about the silence, it's not needy, and it implicitly says "I'm doing things, you crossed my mind, no pressure."
Rules: - One message. Not two. If she doesn't reply within 48 hours, move on. - No questions about why she went quiet. Ever. - Never lead with "hey" or "what's up" again, they earned nothing the first time.
If she replies, do NOT mention the silence. Just continue like the gap didn't exist and pivot to a plan within 3-4 messages.