True Love, Jealousy, and the Perils of Retail

Dear Ms. Meniscus,

I have been dating my current boyfriend for more than a year now. We met before I got JRA, and he stayed by my side all through my 48-day hospital stay. He says that he is in love with me, but I'm not sure if I feel the same way. After all, we are both only 14 years old. I really like him, but how do I explain MY feelings without hurting HIS feelings?

-PG-13 Love

Dear PG,

Is it possible for 14-year-olds to experience true love? Most would say no, but then again, most newlyweds become divorcees, so who is to say that love comes only with age? Still, intuition tells me that your boyfriend is, shall we say, a little premature. Sure, he's stuck with you through the bad times and laughed with you through the good times, but such a formula does not equate love. My advice is this: the next time your boyfriend professes his love for you, toy with semantics by saying, "I'm not in love with you, but I love spending time with you!" That should get you off the hook. Good luck!

Dear Ms. Meniscus,

There is this guy in school that I like, and I think he knows because he looks at me weirdly when I see him in the halls. What is even more weird is that when he sees me with my guy friends, he looks at me with an angry face that makes me nervous. Is he just playing with me, or does he really like me?

-Gazed and Confused

Dear Gazed,

Any guy that gives you "angry" faces doesn't seem like a prize to me. If he is envious of your platonic boy friends now, just imagine what he will be like when you are actually dating. Don't waste your time with him; he does not play well with others.

Dear Ms. Meniscus,

I'm a 19-year-old teenager who graduated from high school last year. I'm home from college for the summer, working at a retail store in the mall. I like the job itself, but what I've come to dread are the scores of former high school classmates that enter the store on a daily basis. I didn't get along with most of these people in high school, so it is very awkward to see them again. The worst is when someone approaches me and says, "I haven't seen you in so long, we should get together soon!" What can I do to avoid these insincere exchanges, and how can I stop feeling so uncomfortable around these people?

-2cool4u

Dear 2cool,

High school alumni are pesky creatures that drag you back to your regrettable years as a Chess Club dork just as you are about to take a bow from that stage of life. That said, it is awfully tempting to give the one-fingered salute to those that made your adolescence a living hell. As a rule, though, I often advise people not to burn bridges, but to merely find another means of crossing the river. In this case, look your fellow alum in the eye, give her a hearty wave, and continue folding those linen pants. No one expects you to host a high school reunion in the middle of Express. Best of luck!

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