waiting4: Yeah, the guy from before was really my first romantic experience of any kind, which makes it even harder to know what to do in this new situation since I don't really have any positives to compare to. I still sometimes wonder why he seemed perfectly alright with throwing out a 7 year friendship so suddenly, but whatever. I try not to let it bring me down anymore. And I wasn't planning on straight up telling the new guy I want to date him, nor letting my thoughts of him prevent me from enjoying myself over the summer. I'll probably text him again in a few days, and occasionally over the summer just to maintain the friendship. I'm just wondering if, when it gets closer to school being back in session, it would be appropriate to ask him to hang out? Not necessarily as a "date", but just a chance to catch up after not seeing him all summer?

Parley: Slow and steady is pretty much my exact intent right now. I know better than to straight up tell him I want a relationship right here and now. Texting him from time to time was pretty much my intent, and I suppose the occasional flirting at the appropriate time could ensure that he knows I'm interested, so I can try to incorporate that. And the past experience was devastating indeed. But those kinds of things happen, I suppose. That really is a good way of putting it that the last guy was mostly just one of my own imagination. I do feel like I know the new guy better already, despite not knowing him as long. I've learned my lesson about guys from the internet.