I vote with the part of you that says, “You are young. Try other things.”

I would add that you can be honest with your friend about this. You can say, “You are away for a year, we have different religious backgrounds, and while there are some romantic feelings here, the timing isn’t right.” Let your crush focus on his mission. You can pay attention to your own life.

This seems like a no-brainer, but I can understand why it feels strange to walk away from a high school crush who is finally showing interest. I can also understand why a courtship over email is attractive. It’s very old-school and involves more than thoughtless texts. There’s little risk with it, because this man is going to email every week, no matter what, it seems. Real dating is less predictable. People come and go, and sometimes they text, “u up?,” which is not poetry.

Still, your gut is steering you in the right direction here. Say a polite “good luck,” and then get back to the world in front of you. 

– Meredith

Readers? Thoughts on an email courtship? Is it worth getting into important conversations over email?

Send your own anonymous questions about dating, friendship, breakups, crushes, etc. to [email protected] – or use the anonymous form.