Ask Ava Column

“I saw some kid crawl into the air vents at school (let’s call him A). A said he’s got a secret hideout up there somewhere and he told me not to tell anyone. I’m worried he’s going to fall through the ceiling or get caught, what should I do? A won’t listen to any reasoning I’ve given him so far.” Signed, Concerned Citizen – 11th grader

Dear Concerned Citizen,
Most of our ceilings at school are connected to wires, not beams, so it’s very difficult to walk around up there. I would talk to a trusted teacher about it, just to make sure there’s no way for someone to get up there, and ensure A’s safety.

“How do you let a guy down without hurting his feelings?” Signed, One-Sided Crush

Dear One-sided Crush,
Just be honest with your answer. Explain to him how you feel and that you’re not interested. I would have a friend staged to the side just in case something goes awry.

“What do you do when you don’t want a relationship but you miss the affection because your love language is physical touch” Signed, Love

Dear Love,
You can absolutely show and receive affection without being in a relationship. Physical affection doesn’t always have to be romantic, it can be something as simple as giving a hug. You can always Pavlov your friends into hugging you by hugging them every time you see them, so then they associate you with hugs. All jokes aside, love can be expressed in so many different ways, showing affection to the people around you is a great way to receive affection back.