I act like I hate my crush, but I just made her cry and I feel like a monster
I’m in a really tough spot. I have a huge crush on this girl in my class who isn’t very popular. Because I go to a really strict school and I’m terrified of people starting rumors, I’ve been overcompensating by acting like I hate her.
Today, things got out of hand. She squirted water in my friend's eye, and because I’m always "acting" like I can't stand her, I confronted her pretty harshly. The teacher overheard and called her out, and she ended up breaking down and crying right there.
There was a lot of other drama involved, but the bottom line is that the girl I daydream about constantly now thinks I’m a jerk who wants to get her in trouble. I feel terrible seeing her cry and knowing I’m part of the reason why.
Has anyone ever accidentally hurt their crush because they were trying to hide their feelings? How do I even look her in the eye tomorrow without making it obvious I actually like her?