Summer Love: Your Complete Guide

Ahhh, the summer crush. Everyone's had one—a guy or girl you only get to see for 3 months a year when you meet up at camp or when he or she comes into town to stay with their grandparents for the summer. You flirt and hang out and generally your life is like a movie musical (can you hear the chorus now? "Tell me more, tell me more..."). But then September rolls around and you go your separate ways and, well, you completely forget about the person until the spring arrives and....

Yup, it's time to think about how things will go this year. Maybe it ended weird last fall or now you have a significant other and don't know how to tell your summer fling. Fear not, fellow Sparkies— we are here to guide you. Below are some hypothetical situations and courses of action. Here's how it might go:

The sitch: Things were super last summer when you guys hung out, like, every day and went bowling and shared milkshakes and it was all dreamy. But in the fall, after a few obligatory (and awkward) phone calls and texts, you never heard from him again. You were devastated...for, like, a day or two, until you realized that you had an entire school of boys to choose from. You're single again but aren't sure whether you want to spend the entire summer with last year's crush, especially since you felt like he blew you off.
The solution: Inevitably, you guys will run into each other, or he'll give you a call when he gets into town. You could act all annoyed and stand-offish, sort of like a cranky 4-year-old. But it's better to be bold: Ask him straight up why he stopped calling.  He may be honest and tell you he started dating someone at school, which is totally understandable. And after all, you ended up dating people during the year too. If he's attached, you two can be awesome platonic friends this year and he can play your wing-man while you find a new crush. In fact, he always had that cute friend—maybe he could introduce you.

The sitch: Last summer things didn't heat up until just before she had to leave to go home. Then you spent the entire year texting and IMing each other, anticipating your reconnection. But when you see each other, the sparks aren't there. You guys try to pick up where you left off, but it just isn't happening.
The solution: Don't, DON'T, just drop off the face of the earth. That's lame, and since you guys had such a good time together last summer, you know she'll be cool if you tell her the truth. In fact, she'll be relieved, 'cause she wasn't feeling it either and wanted some more freedom this summer. And once things are sorted out, you'll feel better about pursuing someone else.

The sitch: Every year since you were 7, this geeky kid has come into town and refused leave your side all summer. He's nice, but just super nerdy. You always felt bad 'cause he constantly professed his love for you, but you just couldn't reciprocate. But this year, when he shows up at your doorstep, instead of a gangly, skinny kid, you find a super hunk. He blossomed!
The solution: You don't want to seem all superficial, but you can't help but feel more attracted to him now that he's wayyyy hotter. Instead of overreacting and jumping right into a relationship, hang out casually for a while. Even if you two end up together, you'll feel less like you pounced because of his appearance. You'll actually get to know the guy who was always there, beneath the acne and glasses.

Are you looking forward to reconnecting with a summer crush? How are you gonna deal with a weird situation left over from last summer? Spill your beans in the comments!