Crushes are fun, fleeting, and uplifting. I'm extraordinarily obvious when I'm crushing on someone because I suffocate them with my attention - flooding them with text messages, calling them constantly (you know, just to check if they've read my messages), and camping outside their house until they give in and come out to see me. I'm positive that I scared off all of my previous crushes; those poor buggers didn't know what hit them. It didn't bother me if they detected that I had a crush on them. In fact, in some cases, I admitted it to them, and for some reason, the common reaction was laughter. The nerve! Actually, I was amused as well because I didn't take the serious approach when broadcasting my affection.
/Flashback
"Hey, guess what?"
"What?"
"I think I like you. I have a crush on you."
"Hahaha, what did you say?!"
"You heard me. What's so funny?"
"You are."
"I'm serious!"
"Oh, okay."
"I know that you don't like me in THAT way (I can be so modest sometimes), but I just wanted to let you know!"
"Err. Yeah, but you know that I just want to be friends, right?"
/End Flashback
You'd think I'd feel awkward after the confrontation, right? Nope. Crushes are insignificant to me, and usually, after admitting to them, I get over them quickly. It's easy to tell someone that you have a crush on them because those feelings are not deep, so the caring factor is minimal. It's a totally different story when you feel yourself falling for someone because that's when it really matters. Some people struggle to show how they feel in fear of rejection because when you actually like someone and they don't like you back, it can hurt. So, you pack away all your girlie tricks of trying to snag his attention, and you become more mature. People act strangely when they're developing feelings for someone - not because they are playing mind games, but because they don't know how to behave around the person, so they end up giving off mixed signals unintentionally.
When you're a smitten kitten, your head is in the clouds, and you daydream about what it'd be like to be his girlfriend. Then reality slaps you across the face when he tells you about the girl he got with over the weekend. I actually don't mind at all when someone I like is liking someone else. I'm twisted like that. Sure, it hurts a little (thinking to myself, "I'm prettier than her, so why aren't you hitting on me?" Just kidding - maybe it's just the ego that gets bruised a little). You can sort of tell when someone likes you; you can't be positive, but you'll at least have a hunch. However, if it's heading in the opposite direction, then you can definitely count on your instincts when they're screaming that the person isn't interested in you.
It's natural to have feelings for more than one person. You have that one special person in the back of your mind, even if you're not dating them (they don't even have to be aware of the fact that you hold them on a pedestal). You can be interested in and date other people along the way, but you'll never really get over that ONE person. It's not love because you've never been in a relationship with them to develop such feelings. It's more about the mystery - you'll always wonder "what if." This person gives you constant butterflies, and when you're at a party and they happen to walk into the room, it's as if a bright light is shining on them and holy music starts playing in the background, drowning out the rest of the world. The "What If" guy is the one who stands out from the rest and intrigues you the most. He's the boy who came close to kissing you but never did - like as though the two of you have sped down the runway twice but never taken off.
It's possible to gradually see someone in a romantic light after being acquaintances with them for years. It has never happened to me, though. I know exactly what I want, so when I meet someone with those merits, I know from day one that they're special. I lack the patience to wait around for the day when my "What If" guy starts to notice me. As far as I know, he was never interested in me, and it was probably the alcohol working its magic. Now that we're friends, he probably thinks of me as a guy (note to self: wear skirts and dresses around him more often to strongly remind him that you're a girl). Having his friendship is awesome - maybe not entirely satisfying but genuinely comfortable.
It's extremely rare for me to like someone more than a crush, so the event of my admitting to someone that I LIKE them is close to extinction. I really don't see the point because if you have that connection with someone, you both should feel the tension. If he's not feeling it, then there is no point in you verbally conveying it to him. It'll just complicate the friendship as he'll understandably treat you differently due to paranoia of hurting your feelings, giving you the wrong impression, or giving you false hope that it might eventuate into something. You have to be honest with yourself - when you know that the person doesn't feel that way about you, you shouldn't bother pursuing them because if it didn't happen six months ago when you first met, then it ain't ever going to happen. Perhaps the initial attraction was mutual, but that ship has sailed, and the only other option floating about is friendship.