What to Do... In CrushLand (1)

...if you're one of those kids moving along through high-school that ends up having what seems to be "true" love, a super crush, or at the very least, any kind of requited anything.

Here's something to ponder: if you do like them, and you have your reasons, and said person reciprocates any sort of positive feeling, then you can try to step in and take action, if this is what you really want to do.

1) Try to get the details.
          Typically, when you like a person, you try to find out as much as possible about them. Why not then try to obtain this information directly from the person? If you can learn the more personal details, it'll be easier to find out his/her feelings.
2) Go out of your comfort zone a little.
          It's okay if the two of you just banter and engage like regular friends, but if you really want to know if any of those feelings are going on, push the boundaries a little. Don't be shy. Don't come out with it all at once, of course, but slowly kick up the level of bantering. Ask questions with a subtle romantic connotation. You never know - your instinct could have been right!
3) Notice how he/she interacts with you.
          If there is a teasing undertone for "arguments," if they bring up something funny you both said/heard, if they act funny - calling you by nicknames, addressing you by your full name, seeking you out for small bits of advice, asking you a bit more personal questions - then there are some signs that this reciprocated feeling could have made it into charted territory - a.k.a. CrushLand.

Also, here's an added extra question that could be useful:
How do I know if they're looking at me? This could be a useful bit to know - if they're looking, they're noticing. If they're noticing, they're paying attention. If they're paying attention, they're interested. If- Well, you get the idea. So, how do you know? My main answer is look right back at them. I have come up with a few main ways they could react and what they could mean:

• Their gaze does not at all meet yours. They weren't looking.
• They quickly look away. They were probably shy, and embarrassed to be caught looking.
• They hold your gaze for a few moments before looking away. There is an attraction of some sort there. You know all those cliches about staring into each other's eyes. This person's probably caught up in your gaze, but then they've recomposed themselves before any outsiders take notice.
• You do not catch their eye immediately, but after a moment they look in your direction and return the gaze. They're definitely acknowledging that you've looked their way. This shows that they notice, and care, if just a little little bit. Maybe they've just started thinking of you, just noticed your presence there, and they want you to know they know. If they hold the gaze a moment or so, they are experiencing the results of the previous reaction.

I dedicate this brief self-help post to the sunshine of my life, mutual Harrison lover, and "crazy person," Anonymous, who currently has a crush on whom she calls, "George #2."