Q: I have a crush on one of my friends, and I want to tell them...

Q: I have a crush on one of my friends, and I want to tell them but at the same time I don’t, and I think I shouldn’t. I don’t want to mess up one of my friendships for no reason, especially because there’s a little-to-no chance they actually like me. What should I do? I feel like it’s driving me a little crazy.

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A: Having a crush and not knowing if it's reciprocated can really drive you crazy! Before you decide to tell your friend, do you have any mutual friends you could talk to about your feelings? Sometimes people who know both of you could have better insight into the situation. They might be able to tell you that your friend does like you after all, or they could confirm that your friend probably wants to stay just friends.

Either way, I don't think telling your friend that you have a crush on them has to ruin the friendship. If telling them face-to-face is too hard, you could think about writing them a letter, and explaining that you don't expect the feelings to be reciprocated, but you want them to know how you feel and give them the time and space to respond when and if they are comfortable. Having a crush can be hard, but it can also be fun, especially when you're a teenager (or pre-teen!) — it shouldn't ruin friendships or make you miserable!