How do i know if my ball python doesn't want me to touch him? was he going to strike at me?

well first of all...i have a small baby ball python that i just got like a week ago at a pet shop...its more than a foot but less than 2 ft long...idk if its a he/she yet...but i was checking up on him a few mins ago to see how he was doing, i lifted up his hidin and petted him smoothly and so after that i tried setting down the hidin on top of him/her again and i accidentally layed one of the edge of his hidin on his boddy and he moved his head as he was laying there like a ball....so i raised it up and checked if it was ok and it was and so he moved away and i tried petting it again and it moved his body in a way like pushing my hand off him and so i was like wtf??...and i was scared it might strike...and it just started flickering his tounge rapidly and stood still and strong...and so my question is..WAS IT TRYING TO BITE ME? OR WAS IT GIVING ME A SIGN TO *** OFF OR HE'L BITE ME?....i left it alone now and let it hide again even though its not a very active bby..(its always hiding in the same cold side)...if he is mad and would of bit me...then how long should it take for him/her to cool off...it looked as if it was going to attack..ANY HELP PLEASE??....WAT SHOULD I DO? I DONT WANT IT TO BECOME AN AGGRESIVE SNAKE..THE PET STORE LADY SAID IT NEVER STRIKED AT ANYONE AND EVER SINCE IVE HAD IT, IT HASN'T STRIKED EITHER..ITS NOT HUNGRY I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I FED IT A RAT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN A HOPPER I THINK LIKE 3 AND A HALF DAYS AGO....IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ITS GOING TO SHED...AND I DON'T THINK IT EVER HAS (THE LADY TOLD ME SO)...HIS EYES AREN'T GRAYISH....