Hiding Behind Being Shy

Dear Dee:
I'm a freshman in high school and I'm very shy. I have trouble expressing my feelings.

There is this kid I like but I don't know what to do. I hang out with him and his friend a lot but if I tell him I like him I might lose our friendship. I don't know what to do. Can you help me?

There is always a risk involved when one friend wants to take a relationship to the next level -- but is unsure of how the other friend will react. So you've got to decide what's more important right now: finding out if he likes you and possibly making your friendship a little awkward, or staying status quo.

If you guys are already great friends, you can probably try to get a sense of how he feels about you -- whether he's thinking friend or date, too. Just try to kinda watch the signs: flirting, maybe sitting closer to you or even touching you when you talk -- anything that seems a little beyond 'friends.'

And hey, you really shouldn't worry about being shy. You magnify the problem when you use it as an excuse for not taking that next step. To overcome shyness you just gotta push yourself forward and muster up every ounce of confidence you can. And seriously, you'll find once you step out, it gets easier and easier each time.

It's fine to be shy. In fact, it's appealing and attractive ... but decide right now you won't let being shy keep you from accomplishing your goals or getting what you want. And while you might think you don't have the self-confidence to overcome it, all you have to do is build up a glimmer of hope and belief in yourself. And if it matters for anything, know that I believe in you and know that when the time is right, you won't let your shyness defeat you.