Why does this shy/introverted woman that I like stare at me all day but seems like she hates me when I talk to her?

I have a very shy and awkward co-worker who I’m attracted to (physically at least, as I can’t seem to get to know her) but her behaviour towards me is so strange that I can’t figure it out. All my longest and best relationships started at work, so have no problem dating co-workers, but I won’t start flirting with a colleague unless I’m confident that they feel the same way.

She stares at me all day every day when she thinks I can’t tell, and then quickly looks away and blushes when I look back. But then whenever we’re near each other in the office, she either acts like I’m not there, actively avoids me or is super cold, rude, quiet and dismissive when I try to talk to her. And then she’s right back to staring at me again from a distance.

Here are a few examples of her behaviour from the last few weeks.

As I was leaving the office I bumped into her and we walked to the station. I tried talking to her but she folded her arms, glared at me coldly, gave one-word answers and did nothing to engage in conversation. I’m well-liked by all my other colleagues, so I took it as a sign she dislikes me and I said “Dammit, I forgot something I was meant to do. I have to go. Have a good evening” and she looked devastated as if I’d just rejected her. I noticed and quickly said “but I’ll see you again tomorrow, okay” and she gave me a huge smile and said “yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then I saw her the next day and she walked right by me as if she didn’t know me but kept staring at me from her desk.

Another day I saw her in the lunchroom and tried to start a conversation as I was getting my food and again she folded her arms, glared at me and gave one-word answers, so once again I took the hint, made my excuses and left. Right after lunch I was working at my desk and felt like someone was watching me so I looked up only to see her gazing at me from her desk with a sad longing look on her face. We made eye contact and she didn’t look away. She just stared back at me with this sad look. Then I saw her later in the office and again she walked right by me like I wasn’t there.

And another time I was at the coffee machine and she walked around the corner, saw me and froze like a deer in headlights. I looked at her, waiting for her to say or do something but she just stood there frozen looking at me so I smiled and said “hi” and she said “hi” back to me. I asked how her day was going and she just said “fine” and then I turned to pick up my coffee and when I turned back she was gone. She just got the hell out of there rather than talk to me. And then when I got back to my desk, you guessed it, she was right back to staring at me all over again.

I’ve always had a good dating life and never had trouble with women that I like, but I’ve also never dated or flirted with a shy person, so is this normal behaviour for shy women with a crush, or does it seem like she just really dislikes me? Other women on her team also stare at me all the time, but they’re friendly and flirty when I talk to them, albeit quite nervously, plus all my female co-workers on my team always tell me how much they love working with me, so I don’t appear to be a creepy guy or anything, but clearly something’s up. What do you think?