When I was 16, a quiet boy from my class told me he liked me. I actually liked him too. But my friends found out and started laughing because he was awkward and not considered attractive. The next day, when he asked if we could talk, I acted disgusted and told him to leave me alone.
His face changed instantly. He never bothered me again. We're both in our 30s now, married to other people, and I randomly saw his profile online last month. I don't want him back and this isn't some romantic fantasy. I just wish I could tell that 16-year-old boy that my cruelty had nothing to do with him and everything to do with my weakness.