I have a complicated situation. I'm 17 (nearly 18) and my friend is 22. We're really close friends and tell each other almost everything. What drives me crazy is that I have a huge crush on her (she is bi). There are however, a few roadblocks. 1. The age gap. Is it inappropriate to be in a relationship with someone five years your senior at our age? Both of us are very mature. I'll admit, though, that I would find hitting on her awkward unless I knew there was some mutual interest, because I'd be scared of her thinking it was weird. 2. She gets a lot of unwanted attention, all the time. She has that personality that seems to make people want to hit on her. Would I just be one of those annoying people? I don't want to lose her trust in me as a friend, either. 3. We're obviously in total different life stages, and due to the nature of how we met, we share no mutual friends. Despite these hurdles, I'm still seriously keen on her. Should I tell her, or would I risk destroying our rare and wonderful bond as friends?
