We may still be in the midst of a global pandemic, but that’s not stopping Drake from continuing to be the thirstiest person ever. On July 14, the rapper was photographed spending time in Rihanna’s home country of Barbados. Specifically, the Toronto singer was seen playing basketball with friends and hanging out outside of Rihanna’s childhood home with her friends and family. ICYMI (and, honestly, how could you have?), the two have capital H *history.* Since first meeting in 2005, they have been on and off as friends, lovers and low-key enemies. The pair’s most recent breakup was in 2016, after which Rihanna went on to have an almost-three-year relationship with billionaire Hassan Jameel (the couple reportedly split in January of this year) and Drake became a dad to Adonis, who’s now two and a half. But everyone who’s anyone knows that Drake still holds a candle (probably one of his soon-to-launch Better World Fragrance House candles in “Carby Musk,” tbh) for the Barbadian singer .

So, since the announcement of RiRi’s split from ex Jameel, we all knew it was only a matter of time before Drizzy made a move on his former flame. And it seems like this recent trip to Barbados may have been the start of him putting in the work—by setting up the ultimate thirst trap. While it appears that the “One Dance” singer is on the tropical island for a vacation (and Rihanna seems to be nowhere in sight), the Canadian rapper’s recent vacay has pretty much been a step-by-step guide on how to get your ex to notice you (and potentially rekindle the flame). So pay attention, potential thirst trappers, because Drake is here to give us all a lesson on getting the attention of your crush—whether you’re jet-setting to an international locale or just posting from your couch.

Show off your glow-up

The first step in setting up the perfect thirst trap is showing off your assets. And when it comes to finagling an ex back into the picture, you want to make sure you show them just how much you’ve glowed up in the time since you were last together (thus signalling that, in actuality, your breakup was the best thing). This can mean posting a selfie from the salon, a mirror pic of your uber-cute outfit taken in the bathroom of that chic restaurant everyone’s trying to get in to (pre-pandemic times, of course) or even a photo of yourself post-workout, sweaty and coursing with the endorphins that make you feel great and glow from within. Or, if you’re Drake, you post a pouty-mouthed picture of yourself in a pool, your cute teeny-tiny freckles on display.

Listen, I will be the first to say that the Canadian rapper is very problematic and has exhibited plenty of questionable behaviour. I have written about it several times for FLARE. But he is also objectively very good-looking. And he has objectively gotten *better-looking* since he’s been in the public eye. (Whether this is just nature doing its thing or the hand of a professional—as many people are speculating online—is up for debate.) And he knows it! More importantly, he wants Rihanna to know it. Which is why he’s out here posting photos of his definitely-cut-during-quarantine beard and Proactive-level-clear skin, alongside shots of his grade-A dad bod on a Barbadian beach.

In the words of Saweetie, “that’s my type.” And I absolutely hate it. But Drizzy is probably also low-key hoping this is exactly RiRi’s type too.

Read this next: Why 2019 Is the Year I’m Over Drake

FWIW, “the glow-up” can also refer to the realm of business and career, hence Drizzy’s recent Instagram posts—interspersed with vacation pics—about his impending candle-line launch and his upcoming collab with DJ Khaled.

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Tomorrow!!!! @djkhaled 🔑 🔑

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Get into sports and exercise

Along with showing off the external glow-up, Drake is also making sure to convey that he’s working on a glow-up where it counts—on the inside—by participating in feel-good activities like basketball. On July 14, the rapper played a *very public* game of basketball with some friends on the island before stopping to take photos with fans (wearing a mask, of course).

According to some news outlets, he’s actually pretty good at basketball, which is a bonus when setting said thirst trap. There’s nothing sexier than a potential romantic partner who’s into moving their body in order to feel good. (That sweaty, glistening bod also helps.) And not only does a game of pick-up hoops show off the rapper’s physical prowess, it also further conveys that he’s a down-to-earth guy who just wants to pal around with friends. He doesn’t need that fancy, NBA-level personal basketball court in his Toronto home! He can be just as happy on a regular old schoolyard court. So humble, Drizzy!

Hang out with all your mutual friends in a place your ex will be

Another key factor in the ex-beau thirst trap is setting up the possibility of bumping in to them. While most of us mere plebs would settle for frequenting a grocery store in our ex’s area or perhaps running out for a quick coffee in a new neighbourhood on the off chance they might be walking around the area, for the rich and famous, nothing says low-key run-in like taking your private plane to the small island where your ex flame grew up and has a street named after her! TBQH, it would probably be quite hard for Drake to brush off bumping into Rihanna as anything other than planned (you know, because of that whole international-travel component), but even though it doesn’t appear that the singer is actually back home for said potential “bumping into,” Drake has set up the next best option: hanging out with their mutual friends!

Read this next: Are Celeb Candle Lines a Thing Now?

Among the people Drake was photographed getting up close and friendly with outside RiRi’s childhood home on July 15 was her own brother, Rorry Fenty.

In the best-case scenario, word about just how cool, successful and chill you are will get back to your ex, who’ll wonder: “Have they changed?” “Are they in a better place now?” “Should I maybe give our relationship another shot?”

But also, act like you really don’t care

Similar to Fight Club, the first rule of the thirst trap is that you don’t talk about the thirst trap. Meaning you pretend that nothing’s really going on and you’re just living your life, posting your photos and wearing aqua-blue-lensed sunglasses for you—something Drake *also* excels at.

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🌴

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While one might argue that hanging out outside your former GF’s home when she’s not there is a little transparent, the thing is that Drizzy is at least pretending that this is just a fun bros trip. He could care less whether or not RiRi’s home! He doesn’t obsessively watch his Insta stories to see if she’s clicked through them! He’s on a friends trip!

Read this next: We Got a Look Inside Drake’s Palatial Home

Document it, document it, document it

You know the saying “If a tree falls in a forest but nobody is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?” Well the same goes for thirst traps: If you’re living your best life and having fun but don’t document it and then share for all your 132 followers on Instagram to see, will your crush know you’re a hot ticket? The answer is probably no. The most important rule of setting a thirst trap is that you have to document all the aforementioned steps, almost excessively so. Which, as anyone who follows Drake knows, is not a problem for the rapper. Whether he’s relaxing by the pool at his palatial Toronto home or gallivanting around Barbados with his friends, the rapper is always on his cellphone (he pretty much wrote a song about it) and sharing what he’s up to—and, most importantly, how much fun he’s having…or at least appears to be having.

So, good luck, Drizzy, and thanks for the tips.

The post Drake in Barbados Is a Masterclass in Setting up the Ultimate Thirst Trap appeared first on FLARE.