Article: It's an all-too-common tale of woe: someone confesses true love to a best friend only to discover that things aren't really "the same" after. Telling your best friend that you love her forces both of you to re-evaluate the way you look at each other. It's important to weigh the relationship you have now against the one you might have only if everything goes well. If your current relationship is really important to you, you may not want to risk it. The fact that it's almost impossible to go back to "the way things were" after your confession doesn't necessarily mean that you'll ruin your relationship with your best friend. However, it does mean that you'll almost definitely change it. For example, if you used to see movies together in a strictly platonic way, this may become an awkward activity. It's very important not to fool yourself into thinking that you'll live happily ever after with her if you can just tell her how you feel. Doing this is setting yourself up for a huge disappointment if she doesn't feel the same way. You don't have to be a pessimist about your chances, but you do need to be realistic and remember that it's her choice whether things move further not a sure thing. If you can't bear the thought of rejection, you may want to move on. Remember that rejection doesn't always mean that you're not "good enough." There are a number of reasons why someone may not want to date. For instance, she may not want to have a serious relationship with anyone at the moment. There may even be things that you don't know about that prevent her from dating, like work and school commitments that take all of her time. Did your feelings for your best friend arrive suddenly without warning? If so, you may want to give yourself a few weeks or months to see whether the feelings "stick." Feeling attracted to someone today doesn't necessarily mean you'll feel the same way forever. Don't risk a great friendship with a confession of love only to discover that what you really had was a short-term crush (or, as psychologists say, an "infatuation"). Below are just a few signs that these professionals use to identify infatuation: Infatuation comes on almost instantly (rather than gradually). Infatuation is powerful, but short-lived. Infatuation is mainly focused on physical attraction. Infatuation makes you see the other person as "perfect" or "flawless" This is different than seeing someone as perfect for you --that is, someone who has flaws, but you appreciate these flaws because you are able to compensate for them. Infatuation isn't being in love with someone else it's being in love with the feeling of being in love. Though it can be a little awkward to talk with other people about deeply personal feelings, it's often a good idea in situations like this. Having a crush can make it hard to judge situations realistically, so other peoples' advice can be a huge help. If it seems like most of your peers are telling you not to go after someone, you should seriously consider their advice. A few people you may want to consider talking to include: Your other friends Her friends (if you know them well enough) they may even be able to tell you how she feels about you Siblings or parents that you're especially close to A counselor or teacher you trust

What is a summary?
Realize that this can change your friendship permanently. Realize that rejection is a serious possibility. Realize that romantic feelings can change over time. Realize that you don't have to go it alone.