Find something that you feel passionate about, then divert yourself completely with it. Listen to your friends and hang out with them as much as possible.

Hi Khalaji,
I am 15 years old and I study in class nine. I go to a coaching centre and there is a boy there who has become my friend. He has told me that he likes me. But I do not like him and he is now forcing me to be his friend and talk to him. What should I do?
Innocent Girl

Dear ‘Oh-Really?’
Now be honest, are you a little flattered that the guy is paying attention to you? Actually Auntie believes that if a woman is really, truly pissed off by unwanted attention she instinctively puts off the wrong man, with her actions.

Since you’re asking, here’s a lesson that you should remember for life. If something or someone makes you uncomfortable or doesn’t seem right, just say ‘no’. If the guy made you uneasy you should not have become friends with him in the first place. When he confessed that he liked you, you should have told him that you don’t and walked away, not smiled while you said it, nor tagged off with a ‘we-can-still-be-friends’ disclaimer.

It’s like Auntie and her contempt for chickoos. The fruit makes me want to pull out the barf bucket and I refuse it whenever it is offered. I don’t act polite and accept, because before you know it, baskets of the stuff could arrive at my place sent by some well-meaning admirer. You could do without this particular admirer, so don’t sugarcoat it, keep it short and tell him that you don’t want to be friends in so many words. Period.

Hello Auntie
I'm 20 years old and doing ACCA. My problem is that whenever I see a hot girl I have a crush on her. That’s like five or 10 different crushes in a day. I can't go on like this. Help me.
Can’t Stop

Dear Don’t Stop,
You are a hot-blooded male and you are attracted to these girls. There is nothing extraordinary about that, because you are not falling in love with them. There is a difference. As in, your eyes pop out very time you see Jessica Simpson, but you fall in love with Jasmin Samir who walks into college just as you do and makes your heart go boom boom. Who may not look like Jessica Simpson, but means much more to you. The sooner you recognise the distinction, the better for your sanity. Next.

Dear Auntie Agni,
Last year, I went to Malaysia and met my cousin there. We had a good time together and in a very short span we developed feelings for each other. He always praised me and said that he cares for me a lot, that he loves me very much and will never hurt me. He proposed and I accepted it. But I said that if you are really interested in me it would be better if you send your proposal through the proper channel. He said he will talk to his mother. Then I came back to Pakistan. Through email I asked him about the latest development. He replied saying that he talked to his mom but she was not ready. He loved her very much and could not hurt her but at the same time he said that he still loved me a lot and apologised. I knew that it was a lame excuse. I cried a lot because I never expected this from him and then I stopped contact with him.

Later I thought that I should convince him but it didn’t work. I was unable to forget those days that we spent together and the things he said to me.

So again I contacted him but he completely ignored me before replying that I was one of the worst people in his eyes. I have stopped trusting men now.

I keep myself busy by painting and exercising. But when I think of him, it still makes me feel sad. I have become quite bitter and am rude to my parents and siblings.

It has been a year but I am still not over it. My friends say if he were sincere and truly loved you he would never let me cry. Now I regret trusting him, hanging out with him and contacting him again.
Gullible

Dear Smarter,
Don’t regret. Ever. Situations which seem ‘bad’ actually teach us valuable lessons. That’s what the Chinese mean when they say every disaster hides an opportunity. So treat this relationship as Love 101 and learn from it. You trusted someone, now you’ll know better than to jump headlong into a summer romance. You tried to save a dead relationship, next time you’ll know when to give up.

Now give those paint brushes a break. Maybe they aren’t helping, because they really aren’t your thing. Find something else that you feel passionate about, then divert yourself completely with it. Listen to your friends (they are right) and hang out with them as much as possible. Give it time and of course you will get over it.

Dear Aunty,
Will I fall in love this rainy season?
Swoon

Dear Thud
Err, like I have said in the past, Auntie is no soothsayer. So for love I can’t say. However, if you live in Karachi you will surely fall into a roadside trench. Brush up on your swimming skills and always, always carry a mosquito repellant.

Dear Auntie,
Nawaz Sharif or Zardari?
KJ

Dear Karan,
A foreign passport.