Someone please give me some advice here

Ok, this is going to be pretty long, but here it goes. I started to like a girl back in high school. She was quiet and very intelligent for so i thought. She caught my interest and i really started to like her, so I eventually my friend told her (stupid I know) at the end of the school year. She rejected me of course, but I still had feelings for her. So the next coming school year (senior year) I would catch her just staring, but not staring (if you know what I mean) so me being the dumbass that I am started to ignore her. In my head I was thinking (why chase after someone who isn't interested). I couldn't get her out my mind, and mind you this never happened to me before, so I was confused myself. Eventually I told her my feelings myself, shot down again. she told me to not be shy and speak sometimes....I was really confused then. Why stare at me if you don't think nothing of me? She continued to stare and i really started to ignore her then. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty upset. We went to prom with different people and everything. She has a boyfriend now; sadly it isn't me, but he's the total opposite of what i would expect her to like. He smokes, he drinks, he is basically an asshole with an ego. I just need to know why are my feelings still here. I don't want them to be. even when I was dating other girls, she was always in the back of my mind. I don't want her to be there anymore. Why is she there when I know deep down we'll never happen. I try to avoid her on social networks (facebook and twitter) i deleted her on facebook to try to get over her......Can some please reply and give me some advice......did I fall in love? Oh yeah she hung around the popular girls. she was quiet and smart though....I was the mysterious quiet guy.

The first time a person falls in love can be the most painful time, and it's natural for you to be going through a grieving process.
relationship/topic84035.html

The link above will tell you all about the stages of grief that you may go through, as you come to terms with this. It can be intensely painful, and seem as if the pain will never end, but it will,and you WILL come through this, even though it doesn't feel that way now. Talking about this to a school counsellor can help you to process these emotions.

It's important that you enlist the help of your friends, and work upon rebuilding your self esteem. If you can get out and about, whilst also allowing yourself time to grieve, this should help. In time, the pain will become less, and you'll find a way of moving forward, and one day you'll be ready to love again, even though you may not believe that at this moment.

Please let us know how you get on.