Celina plays an Agony Aunt

Dear Celina,
There's a girl I'm really friendly with at school; and I think I've fallen in love with her and she is aware of it. But I don't know whether she feels the same about me; and the one thing I am paranoid about is whether I should ask her out. Would it ruin our friendship? I don't want to lose her. Please help me out.
— Ashley

Dear Ashley,
Don't ask her out as a date right now. Hang around with her as a friend and know each other better. It's always preferable to know each other's minds, outlook towards life and future plans. If things are meant to work out between you two, then they will.

Dear Celina,
This lad and I have kind of a secret relationship going on. So I told my best friend about it. She said she wouldn't tell anyone, but then she told my other friend, who is very gossipy. Now I don't trust any of my friends and have started maintaining a distance. But they're really good fun to be with and who else would I hang around with, if not them? Please help me.
— Mary

Dear Mary,
Please keep your personal thoughts to yourself, no matter what. If you are of the right age and social status, things will work out between you and this boy. Don't let friends come between your personal lives.

There's a thin line that separates friendship and your personal relationship. With too many people talking about your relationship, there is a possibility of unnecessary confusions. Learn your lesson from this experience and move on. Good luck.

Dear Celina,
I've been going around with a guy at my workplace for the past five years. Both of us are married and have families, but cannot do without each other. We are not ready to break up our families and traumatise our children just to be together. Hence, we are seeing each other secretly. Sex is a strict no-no till the day we get married. I am confused if this is all right and I dread the day our spouses get to know of this. Please advise.
—hitList reader

Dear Reader,
I would say grow up, realise your responsibilities and stop fooling around your respective children and spouses. Only if your marriages had been on the rocks, could you could have given serious thought to it. Considering that you are a mature woman, how can you simply shy away from the responsibilities and get into such a silly affair? For God's sake, stop behaving like a teenager. Now forget about each other and concentrate on your respective families.

Dear Celina,
I've been working in this ad agency for a few months now. One of my colleagues is dating my ex-boyfriend and he drops in to office frequently to pick her up. My ex-boyfriend behaves aggressively whenever I'm close by and I'm at the receiving end of his abuse. Please help.
— Pooja

Dear Pooja,
It's clear that you still have some sort of feelings for your former boyfriend. Hence, his behavior hurt you. I would suggest concentrate your energies on your work and ignore him. The best possible solution is to see through him the next time he lands up at your office.

If you show him that his behaviour affects you, he will continue it. Block him from your mind. If he doesn't exist for you, he cannot affect you. I'm sure you will get over this very soon, if you do that.