Dear Agony Aunt,

I’m 25 and it has been a very long time since I’ve dated a guy. I’ve just began a new course at college and I have become very close friends with a guy the same age as myself. He often flirts with me but I’m confused as I feel I’m getting mixed messages from him.

My feelings for him are quite strong but I’m too afraid to tell him how I feel because I fear rejection and I fear I will lose my beautiful friendship with him. I don’t want to pass on this opportunity because I don’t want to end up thinking ‘what if’ there could have been something. I can’ stop this constant feeling of hurt in my heart. In the pass a similar situation occurred with another guy and I never had the courage to tell him how I felt and I felt hurt for quite a while. But now I don’t want to repeat this again. I need advice.