Confused about it all…..

So maybe I should start off by saying that I have never been in a relationship. Ever. During my senior year of high school I thought I would finally have a boyfriend when I met this guy. I was totally in "love" with him. Apparently I didn't know what love was. Long story short the guy was a complete jerk and just wanted one thing. But a while after high school we got back in touch and I thought it was the answers to my plea. That he changed and wanted to be with me. He asked me out and like any naive teenager I was in love again. But we didn't have any connection or common interests…Leading that I wasn't the girl he wanted. So one night he never talked to me again. I was heartbroken I was devastated I thought I could never be happy. I was 18. It's weird I look back now that i'm 20 in my head I think it's stupid. But i'm 20 and i'm writing about it because it bothers me. I tried dating someone else but he was more into me then I was. I didn't like him I wanted the other guy not him. It saddens me . So after that I decided to "not look for love but let it find me". I made friends and kept myself open to maybe meeting someone. After my second year in college I got close to one of my guy friends. That I developed a crush for him. I was scared to like someone because I didn't want to get hurt. So now I like this guy we have so many common things and just a good time together. But since we're friends he talks to me about his ex girlfriend that he is madly in love with her and cannot get over her….Sooo now my question is am I normal? I'm friends with my crush we're really nice to each other. But we don't mention being more then friends between us. I try not to overreact.. I listen when he laments about his ex I try to help him get over her that he's wasting his time. But i'm confused if i'm doing that just to get him to notice me. And if one day he does is it healthy?

All of it is completely within the range of normal for your age.

I did not understand the last line, though. Would it be healthy if he finally notices you? What do you mean by "healthy"? As in kale chips instead of potato chips healthy or what?

Your story sounds MORE than normal - it sounds ideal.

When "friends" become lovers is so much more ideal then when lovers have to learn to be friends.

That is completely normal! It can be hard though listening to your friend's feelings about his ex, but in the end you are being a good friend to him. I'd suggest to not let him lean on you too much about it though so you don't turn into only the girl he talks to about his other relationships, eventually it will be hurting to you and you deserve to feel happy when you're with this person.

My husband and I started our relationship as friends. One of our frequent topics of conversations was why he would never get married. I just kept doing things with him and enjoying our time together. I graduated a year before he did and moved 1000 miles away for grad school. He came to see me at Thanksgiving and things exploded. We were married the following June and have been together 37 years. Our friendship is what keeps us together when our love for each other is not as strong as it could be. Marrying your best friend, in my opinion, is the surest way of having a lasting marriage. Give it time.

I think you need to change how you are with him. Stop acting like a friend. He may only see you as a friend and think you are off limits.