Alyssa, 16, from Long Beach, asks:

OK, I took your advice and I still am being PATIENT. But am I being played? This guy seems like a great friend when we're alone but there's this other girl that's practically in love with him but he's not interested and for some reason she doesn't like me. I hung out with them once and she was bored the whole time while me and this guy hung out as if it was just the two of us. And since then, when they hang out she just wants to be alone with him. Now usually we walk together after school or if not he tells me in advance that he won't be there but today I was walking right by him and when I stopped he made a funny face and so I just walked by myself then when we got to a stoplight all of a sudden I felt something behind me and I turned around it was him smiling. Whereas the girl was on the opposite side of me and as he skated in front of us he made an "oh well" face towards the girl. Then right after mouthed the words "walk faster" to her. And so they did leaving me behind, not saying a word to me.

Now did he do this because of the girl or was he seriously trying to get away from me? I assume it was because of HER but why is he allowing that in the first place?

VictorM's advice:

You're not being played because he's getting nothing from you. He's just a teen boy who knows more than one girl is interested in him and he's going to milk it for all it's worth. There's nothing deceitful about that; it's just that the situation is feeding his ego and he likes it.

I think you may be reading too much into his facial expressions. But who knows, maybe he's getting closer to her. At some point he's bound to choose one over the other. But there's not much else you can do other than being friendly and making him feel good around you. And being patient. His mind might change several times. Next week he may be ignoring her.

But maybe you should start paying more attention to other boys -- I'm sure there are some interested in you. No point in putting all your eggs in this one basket. Maybe he feels too secure about you liking him and needs a little jolt of doubt to make him more interested in you. ;)