*Using my sister’s account* There’s this girl that I really like. She and I are both student workers at a restaurant on our university campus. She’s so cute. She’s really shy, but I’ve always liked shy girls, and she’s so pretty. But even though I like her, I haven’t pursued her because I’m the assistant manager. By the time I got promoted, I already really liked her.

She’s been having some trouble counting the registers at the end of the shift. I’ve helped her like three times in the past. It’s not a big deal, but I told the other two assistant managers that she needs help. Not that I don’t want to help her, but in case I’m not working they know to help her. 

That was a mistake. The two others were not discreet at all. One of them purposefully locked the register so that way they wouldn’t have to count. Another day, the other one literally followed my crush to the back and physically watched her count the money. In hindsight, she knew. 

Then, today, I was talking to the male assistant manager “Jerry”. He’s my work nestle. My crush was cleaning tables, so we were talking about plans for work. I told him that I was going to send my crush to count the money in a few minutes. Jerry said “you’re right. (Her name) is slow”. 

At that moment, my crush popped out from behind the counter. Some trash had fallen and she was picking it up. She heard everything. She started crying. I followed her. She got really mad at me. She told me that she looked up to me as a coworker and a friend. And it hurts her that I think she’s stupid. And that I told everyone. 

I told her my reasoning. I tried to be as tactful as possible, especially since she was falling apart. I explained to her that I don’t think she’s stupid. That I told the other assistant managers in hopes of helping her. 

She seemed to understand, but she was still really shaken, so the manager sent her home. I haven’t seen or spoken to her since. I’m so worried. Should I text her? Meet up with her for coffee? We’re social media friends and we have each other’s phone numbers, but we don’t talk to each other like that. I just feel so bad. I genuinely didn’t mean to hurt her.