Do I Just Let This Go?

[dolcedolore]

For those of you who just want to skip to the point, just scroll to the bottom.

 

I'm an 18 year old college student back home for the summer. I started working a few weeks ago and became instantly attracted to a co-worker. We started talking and flirting a bit for about a week and then I find out that he's in my brother's class! This means that he is 16 years old. So for awhile, I tried to think of him as just a co-worker, a friend, or even my brother's friend. Obviously, it didn't work--I'm more attracted to him than ever. I didn't set out to find a 16 year old, I didn't even set out to find any romance this summer since I'm working so much. It just happened and I'm pretty sure that the feelings are mutal.

 

So what do I do? Just ignore my feelings? Become suddenly indifferent to him? It's not what I want to do. It's perfectly "normal" and common for girls to date older guys (that's all I've ever dated) but society seems to put some sort of double-standard on older girls with younger guys. Some people have told me that they just can't "see what I would have in common with a 16 yr-old boy." Hey, maybe I don't have much in common with him, all I know is that he's easy to talk to, there's great chemistry, and I love his smile. So what next?

 

****I'm an 18 year old college student who became attracted to a 16 year old highschool student, is this strange?

[Russ]

It's two years. Not a big deal. He should be congratulated on having a bit more maturity than most 16 year olds. I say go for it. Just make sure to let him know that you just want to have fun, since you're going back to school soon enough, so as not to hurt him when the time comes.

[MushroomGod]

I dated older girls no big deal, however, technically I think its illegal if ur 18 and he's 16 as it would be if a man was 18 and the girl was 16.

[big greg]

My "first love" was 19 when I was 16, it's no biggie.

[dolcedolore]

Thanks for the responses.

 

So... what now? I spoke to a friend who told me not to expect him to ask me out or to do anything because he would be too afraid, especially since I'm older. Is it likely that I will have to initiate something? And if so, what? I'm living in a very small town at the moment with no place to hang out. I don't know where to begin. I was bold enough to offer my number to a guy a couple months ago, but that was different, he was different.

 

Again, thanks for the input.

[Russ]

Thanks for the responses.

 

So... what now? I spoke to a friend who told me not to expect him to ask me out or to do anything because he would be too afraid, especially since I'm older. Is it likely that I will have to initiate something? And if so, what? I'm living in a very small town at the moment with no place to hang out. I don't know where to begin. I was bold enough to offer my number to a guy a couple months ago, but that was different, he was different.

 

Again, thanks for the input.

 

There's two ways to go about that. You can ask him tactfully, or you can offer him the choice to ask you out. The first one would consist of simply saying something along the lines of, "If you're not doing anything on [day], I've got [something to do], and could use some company." That thing can be anything, even just going shopping [if it's really that little to do in that sort of town]. This doesn't make you seem overly eager, since it's a chore you'll have to do anyway, but you do ask him out. Or you can leave it open-ended, hinting that you need someone to go with, and he can pipe up to go with you. The ball is in his court at that point. But, if you said he won't directly ask you out, I doubt he'll have the balls to ask you out even if you give him the leeway. So I'd go with my first suggestion