Much of our formative years were spent in schools, studying the opposite sex (or same sex, for some) as much as — or perhaps even more than — our textbooks.

These five stories from Singaporean Redditors, by turns wistful and evocative, will get you all pensive about your own crushes, requited or not:

1) The one who got called "ugly" outright:

Had a crush on this guy in sec 2. I used to sit in front of him and would always try my best to make a joke as a means of conversing. One day, we were talking about our siblings so I asked him what his sister was like. He replied with "ugly, like you." ... yeah... I never had any crushes from then on.

2) The one who had possibly met his soulmate, but waited five years too long to ask her out:

I met this girl whom I just clicked astonishingly well with. It was like we could read each other's minds, and she was the only one who could get my word plays, puns, etc. However, both our families believe in different religions, and so I didn't ask her out. I actually think the feeling was mutual too, because we spent a lot of time together in school as we were part of the same group of friends. I was also spending a lot of time studying, because I had been brainwashed to believe that's the only way to success.

Fast forward about more than half a decade and I was ready to ask her out. Then I found out she got a boyfriend. I told myself if they don't work out, I'm going in.

I find out they're planning on getting a house together.

I'm actually still beating myself a little today because she is just perfect. The silver lining is that we are still best friends though.

We had a bare-all session a few years back when she wasn't around, and every friend that was present commented it was obvious I had a major crush on her. I said that I'm not in that place anymore, but I'm not so sure.

It's actually very sad because I'm now thinking of asking someone who has a very similar lifestyle (and the same religion) as me, but with whom I have very little in common with.

Don't be stupid, people. Go for what you want.

3) The one who finally gathered his courage to confess, but ended up enduring the worst lift ride ever:

rly liked this girl for 2 years, one day decided to bite the bullet and try for it cus I knew some other guy liked her too.

sooo I skipped cca and went to her void deck to wait for her to end school, when she finally got to the void deck I pussied out for like awhile (she hadn't seen me yet) and wanted to run home but decided to try anyway, so I approached her from the back and she was quite surprised to see me (obviously). went into the lift with her and confessed, turns out she alrd knew but didn't like me that way, she stayed at a pretty high floor so worst. lift ride. ever.

[related_story]

4) The one who realised the exact moment he f*cked up:

Had a crush on this girl in secondary school. I had a bad break up with my girlfriend then, and she had a bad break too. We used to flirt often, and she knew that I liked her but I wasn't ready. Months later, she was ready to be in another relationship while I was still hung up on my ex.

She told me about this guy who was trying to go for her, and me being the very supportive friend, told her to go ahead. I knew that moment I fucked up. I've regretted that decision ever since. She's now together with the same guy for 2 years while I'm here still supporting her.

Well, if she's happy then I won't say anything about it.

5) This guy who had a present returned to him, which is still sitting in his drawer more than a decade later:

Had a crush on a girl who hated me (because I like her, girls "hate" guys who like them). Found out that she is into horoscope and decided to go to Perlini's Silver to buy her a necklace with a small horoscope of hers attached to the end. I even paid extra for a solid velvety heart-shaped box to store the necklace.

She liked stars as well, so I asked another female friend to teach me how to fold stars using coloured straws and we did like 10 for her. I bought a beautiful box with stars all over it and dumped everything inside and got someone to put it on her desk during V Day.

She was elated when she saw the box on her desk and refused to touch it for the entire day until recess.

She thought the box was given to her by another guy whom she didn't like but was ok with him liking her.

She found out it was me, approached me in the canteen beside me during recess and handed it back to me saying that she is sorry but didn't think she should keep it.

I looked at her, looked back in front where I was originally looking and stuck out my hand/palm. She placed the box on my palm and walked off.

I continued looking in front sipping on my grass jelly while slowly lowering my arm and hid the box beside me on the bench.

That box is still sitting in my drawer after more than a decade.

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Top image from Sammyboy Forum.