Mixed messages from crush? HELP PLS?

[Crystal]

So, I work with this guy. He's 21, I'm 18 and he's kinda like one of the assistant bosses.

Anyway, I have liked him since August '13. For such a long time, I always thought that he just simply did not or wouldn't like me back so I never acted too "keen" but still showed tell-tale signs that I liked him. It was obvious enough that other co-workers have picked up on it. Then he gradually began to show signs of liking me back.

Eg: stared, went out of the way to make conversation, we flirted/joked a lot, apparently he blushes and gets weird whenever I am brought up in conversation, defended me against the boss, his closest work friends started talking to me a lot more

Then there were signs he didn't: ignored me on social media (never liked or commented or messaged me when he is online all the time), he never spoke to me outside of work unless it was for replacing a shift, and whenever we did speak, it was nothing more than small talk.

Whatever signs he showed, I went and showed them back and wasn't subtle about it. When this was happening, it seemed like a 'connection' was getting 'stronger', like as if something was there. Kinda like a vibe thingy.

I had a work friend tell me that they teased him to pry information out of him. They said "you and Crystal, hey?" and apparently he blushed, glanced around the room awkwardly and told them to "fuck off" in a joking way. Other co-workers have backed this up also. I have also been told that they thought we both had a thing for each other.

Then, at the work's christmas party, a drunk co-worker asked me outright if I liked him and me being drunk also, admitted it. The co-worker then told me that he has always known that I have liked him. This co-worker picked on him about me for the rest of the night after I left.

Ever since this Christmas party, he has been cold to me. He ignored, doesn't text me asking me to replace shifts, and generally has been acting strange. Anything he did ever say to me seemed awkward and/or forced. His friends also stopped talking to me as well. From this, I assumed he wasn't interested and backed off as well.

Now he's making an effort to talk to me again at work and the awkwardness has generally gone away. Then he unfollowed me on Instagram. I unliked all his photos. If he initiated conservation with me, I'd continue it. If he ignored me, I ignored him.

Eg: he was talking to another co-worker when I walked up to him to be told what to do for work (since he was in charge) and had his back turned to me. As soon as he knew I was there, he turned around and was like "oh hey Crystal, yeah sorry, we were just talking about pizza, just so you know." I responded with "yes, pizza is fabulous, I wouldn't blame you!" in the same tone he spoke to me in and he laughed. He did not say another word to me for the rest of the day but I did catch him staring at me a few times.

To be honest, I am not comfortable asking/talking to him about it until there's at least some sort of clear mutual-ness so I won't be making an ass of myself in case if the feeling was never mutual. I was so close getting comfortable to talking to him about it before the Christmas party happened, and I think he knew it too.

Was he not interested all along? The Christmas party was over a month ago, so his behaviour has been odd ever since. I was settling for letting the concept of us being together go, but then he seemed "keen" again. Do I just continue to let this go or is there still a chance?

Was I wrong in the way I have been acting this whole time? I honestly don't even know how to approach this. Help please?

[Monica Berner]

Maybe you should just ignore him and see what happens. Good luck