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“Dear Carol, Did I accidentally reject my crush without realizing it?”

reject crush top

Dear Carol,

My friends say the guy I have liked since I was 11 thinks I rejected him. I didn’t!

– Did I Reject My Crush?

Dear Did I Reject My Crush?,

Sometimes friends have good insight. Other times, they create background noise that makes it harder to figure out what’s really going on. First of all, pause and ask yourself if he really is still the boy of your dreams. You’ve probably grown and changed since you were 11. But if you’re worried that he thinks you rejected him when you didn’t, be extra kind, lively, smiley, open…he should get the message. Or could it be that he just wants to be friends? Next time it’s the two of you, make your feelings clearer by looking into his eyes and smiling. Is he meeting your eyes and smiling back? Hallelujah! Is he acting awkward? Hard to decode, but clock that. Is he hurrying off to talk with someone else? Bad sign, sigh, but there’s your clue. It may be time to figure this one out so he doesn’t stay lodged in your brain out of habit.

Carol Weston is the author of 16 books. The first is Girltalk. The latest is Speed of Life, her novel and audiobook about a 14-year-old girl who writes to an advice columnist. Check out carolweston.com and follow her on Instagram @carolwestonnyc.

Want more dating advice? Read Dear Carol here:
💌 "Dear Carol, Should I just ask my crush if he likes me back?"
💌 "Dear Carol, I want this boy to stop bothering me"
💌 "Dear Carol, Why is my crush avoiding me?"

by | Apr 4, 2025

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A teen girl with long dark hair in pigtails wears a colorful striped knit tank top and denim shorts, smiling with one hand on her hip. The cover features magazine headlines about summer, beauty tips, and crush advice.
A smiling young woman with manicured nails poses playfully on the colorful cover of Girls’ Life magazine’s Beauty Issue. Text highlights beauty tips, style ideas, relationship advice, and spring trends.
A smiling young woman with long blonde hair and a red dress is on the cover of Girls’ Life magazine, surrounded by headlines about beauty, spring fashion, self-care, and teen advice.

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