If you like him, Elizabeth, that should be all that matters — but it can be hard to believe that when your friends are saying things that make you doubt him and yourself. So ask your friends what they find odd about him. Is he really shy? Does he use big words? Is it just his hair? You can look past those things. But if they say things like “He cuts us down and calls us stupid,” or reveal some other serious downside about his character, think twice about pursuing him. Sometimes friends can see what you can’t. If you are going to make a move, tell your friends what you like about this guy. Maybe they don’t see that side of him yet. And have him hang out with all of you, so they can get to know him a little better — and start seeing things your way!

My parents are always nagging me and taking away my cell phone for stupid things, like having a messy room. Don’t they understand how much stress I’ve been going through, dealing with school, boys, friends and extracurricular activities? How do I explain to them that they need to cut me a little slack? — Faith, 15, Millinocket, Maine

We know life can have lots of stress, and sometimes it doesn’t seem fair that your parents add more to it. But they are your parents, and while it seems like they’re doing these things to be annoying, they’re actually doing them to help you. (We know what you’re thinking — and, no, we weren’t paid to say that!) Think of yourself in training for life outside your parents’ house: One day, no one’s going to be there to tell you to clean your room, go to bed on time, stay safe, etc. So the more you practice right now, the more prepared you’ll be later on. With that in mind, you should still talk to them about how you feel. Say: “I know I’ve been getting in trouble a lot lately, and I wanted to talk to you about what we can do to cut back on that. I’m really busy with school, so it’s hard for me to clean my room all the time. Could we agree that if I keep it somewhat manageable, I can keep my cell phone?” Work with them to set up guidelines, so that you know exactly why you get nagged or punished. (Then make sure it never goes that far!) And Faith, if you’re ever feeling too overwhelmed with everything going on in your life, talk to your school guidance counselor or another trusted adult. They can help you manage your stress. Sometimes just opening up to someone about the things you’re struggling with can be a big help.

I finally got the courage to ask out the guy I liked. He said he would call me, but he didn’t! I called him, but he didn’t answer! Why didn’t he call me? — Lilly, 17, Roswell, Ga.

Congrats for taking a huge step in asking him out! Your stomach is probably in knots wondering why he didn’t call, and we have possible explanations: 1) He doesn’t like you like that. But don’t let that discourage you; other boys out there do and will, and it’s better to be with those guys anyway! 2) He’s really shy. He might be looking at the phone and hitting himself because he can’t pick it up. Don’t call him again, though — he needs to make the next move if he likes you. 3) He could just be really busy. But again, don’t call him. If he wants to move forward with this, he’ll make the next move! In the meantime, start focusing on meeting other guys, and be sure you’re not pining away for this one. There are lots of other great guys out there — go out and meet them!

Questions may be sent directly to Seventeen magazine at: dearseventeen@hearst.com. Seventeen is today’s best-selling magazine for young women, reaching more than 13 million readers every month.