Soph Guy ... Senior Girl ... Realistic?

Dear Dee:
I am a high school sophomore with a major crush on a senior. However, other than the mock trial team and seeing each other in the hallway, we rarely see each other, and her brother is one of my friends (not my best friend, but a friend nonetheless). I don't know if she's taken, but I can't just go up and say, "Hi, are you taken?". How can I go about approaching her, if at all?

No. you most definitely can’t walk up to her and ask if she’s taken. … Because first of all, that sounds stupid. You can however ask her if she has a boyfriend. Secondly, why not just ask her sibling? You’ve said you’re friends …

I don’t want to be the bearer of the harsh truth here, but generally, high school girls don’t date guys who are two years behind them in high school. Remember … girls tend to mature faster than guys. There’s more of a stigma for a girl to date a younger guy than there is for a guy to date a younger girl. Also, if she’s 18, it is actually against the law for her to date a minor … and anyway, it’s just kind of ….eeeeeeewwwwww. Sorry. Had to say it.

If you two were older, I wouldn’t say such things. Your age difference wouldn’t matter. But right now, it kind of does. There’s the social thing, there’s the legal thing and there’s also the fact she’s probably getting way into preparing for college. So from those standpoints alone, this relationship is kind of doomed. Maybe give it a few years and see what transpires. You never know. But right now probably isn’t the right time.

SORRY I CAN’T TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR …. I really am sorry.