I'm just a teenager, but I think I'm falling in love.

There's this amazing girl that I rally met about 3-4 weeks ago, but we've really distantly known each other for about 1 ½ years. We met at school one period, and by the end of that period, we were chatting up a storm. We're both naturally pretty social, so we kind of clicked.

Anyway, as of Friday (this is Monday evening), we exchanged numbers. Her best friend told her that I like her. Apparently, on Thursday, her friend asked if she likes me and she told her friend, “Maybe.” On Friday, after we exchanged numbers, I told her friend that I like her. She, in turn, went and told the girl that I like that I like her.

On Friday night, we didn't text each other. Saturday night, she texted me and we had a semi-flirty, relatively short conversation. Nothing special. Sunday morning, she texted me again and our conversation was going similarly to Saturday's, when all of a sudden, she switched our conversation topic to religion. She asked me some questions about what I think, believe, and do, and I told her. Suddenly, she opened up to me and we had a three hour conversation about religion, personal problems, and life in general. We are going through similar personal problems in our lives and we agreed to help each other out. Our conversation ended really well.

About two hours later, she texted me a picture of a note she wrote to me. She said that it took her 6 tries, but she finally got it right and didn't want to wait to give it to me. It was the sweetest note I've ever received. In it, she thanked me for helping her out and said that she would always be there for me, which is something we had promised each other earlier.

We kept talking and I finally figured it would be a good time to ask her if she liked me. She responded 10 minutes later, telling me that she had been busy jumping up and down in front of the mirror, making faces at herself, and debating in her mind. She never gave me a definite answer, but there are a few specific reasons that I think she has a crush on me:
- Last night (Sunday night), she told me that when she can't sleep every night, she imagines that I'm there with her.
- She hasn't explicitly said that she doesn't like me, which leaves some room for the possibility that she does.
- What girl would talk to a lame guy like me for three hours unless she liked me?
- When we talk at school, she always looks straight into my eyes. She has the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen, so it's hard to look back sometimes, but I try to.
- She laughs at all my corny, stupid jokes.

Moving on, this morning she texted me at 10:00. I didn't get it until 1:00, but we texted for about three hours, on and off, and tried to plan something that we could do together soon and we just talked some more. By the way, we're both off school this entire week. We're doing something together tomorrow, with a few other friends, and I'm getting super nervous.

That's my entire story with her. My family are all teasing me that I got a girlfriend before my older brother did (he's 16), but I just don't know.

Here's the deal: I think I'm in love with her. I've only thought about here sexually once, and that very briefly, which is quite an achievement for a teenage boy. I admire her physically, I think she's just lovely, but there's something more there. She's a deeper, kinder, and more caring girl than any other I have ever met. She cares about me for who I am and I care about her for who she is. Although we flirt some, we are really amazing friends who can just sit down and talk. We both look forward to seeing each other at school everyday and, according to what she told me, I am a huge motivator to why she wakes up and keeps going every day. Last night, I slept really poorly because I couldn't stop seeing her face and dreaming about her. Like she told me last night, she feels like she's in a dream. I do too.

Last night, she was so sweet to me and so good to me, she made me start crying twice. No girl has ever made me cry, especially not twice in one day. I haven't talked to her in a few hours and I miss her. I know that that's ridiculous, but it's true. My dad asked me if I was OK last night because I couldn't get her out of my head. I've been thinking about her all day.

So here's my assortment of questions:
1. Does she like me?
2. Do I sound mature enough to take this relationship further than just friends?
3. Is this normal or healthy?
4. Am I in love, or at least, does it sound like I am?

Thank you so much for your time. This is super important to me right now and I can't get her or this out of my head or heart. I have to ask you to keep this personal and private. I will be deleting this soon and it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again!!

First, this is a public question & answer site. We do not keep things "personal and private" and we do not allow questions to be deleted.

Second, how old are you?

Third, it sounds like you are good friends. Why not focus on getting to know her in person and worry about deeper feelings later? Like when you can both ask each other instead of having a friend do the asking? It is perfectly okay to do things with a friend without giving the relationship a title such as boyfriend/girlfriend.

Fourth, stop putting yourself down. I doubt you are "lame" or any other negative adjective you use to describe yourself. Look for the positives and focus on them. Build up your confidence instead of destroying it.

Family and friends tease and joke, and make fun of new things happening in your life.

I also agree, why worry about titles, become friends, do things with your friend, and just see how it happens.

I will assume you are young, (friend asked if they like you, ** or something like that) is more middle school, so I will assume a much younger teen.

So here's my assortment of questions:
1. Does she like me?
Probably

2. Do I sound mature enough to take this relationship further than just friends?
Its your first experience into the very intense world of YOUNG attraction.

3. Is this normal or healthy?
For your ages, its VERY COMMON, so normal and healthy

4. Am I in love, or at least, does it sound like I am?
Its your first experience in having an intense crush and attraction. It could be love, but like all young people it's subject to change and you will learn through this first experience how to handle your own emotions and feelings and those of others without getting so carried away by them.

Enjoy this first experience while it lasts as this is but the first many of your young life. Understandable you are on Cloud 9 right now.

I want to thank everyone who responded for their quick and sincere answers.

I had a few questions-comments about my age. I'm 14 years old, almost 15. So is she. We're in ninth grade, so Freshmen in High School.

I realized after my original post that this website does not allow deleting of posts, which made me regret posting, but it is what it is.

Also, thank you for the sage advice of just becoming better friends. I thought about this a lot last night and realized that that is really good advice. Neither of our parents will let us date for religious reasons, so it's pointless to try to "date" anyway.

Specifically, I want to thank talaniman for specfically answering my last question. They realized that this is my first time ever having an experience like this, so their advice was especially helpful.

Again, thanks to everyone who answered. You've helped a ton!