I think people young and old can confuse love with other things, whether its wanting a relationship for other reasons like status or popularity or necessity or whatever. I think young people do this more, which is where the notion of young love not bein real comes about. But I believe in love, at any age. And I have certainly seen plenty of examples the opposite way around, adults who think they are in love or just like the idea of it rather than FEELING it. If you feel it, it probably is. If you think it, maybe it's not. Sounds pretty awesome to me either way mate. Enjoy it while it lasts, cos when it's over it's gonna fucking hurt. You will come out the other side though and be better for it.
I second everything you just said. @ the original poster of this thread: Be careful, and really analyze yourself to figure out WHY you like this girl. If it's just physical, then it's probably just lust, and if your admiring from a distance and she doesn't know you, it's just a crush. True love is hard to identify, but give it a try and keep a cool emotional head whether it's rejection or acception by the said girl. ( in the case of rejection, if you love her you'd let her go) Good luck.
Oh one more thing. You didn't mention your current relationship with the said girl. Is she? Single/dating/in a relationship Your stranger/aquaintence/friend/close friend of the family (aka: almost like family unoffically)/ extended family through marriage only but not by genetics. These are all the categories i can think of. Sorry for the double post.
I think young love is possible yet not probable. Seems like people mostly younger teens have no problem throwing the word love around like it's nothing. Most are too young to handle the intensiveness of the emotion.
I fell in love when I was 18. They were both the best (When we were perfectly in tune) and some of the worst (When we were out of sync) times of my life. I had no expectations. With all the women subsequently, there was always these expectations I would place upon her and she on me. None of them measure up to the heady emotions and experiences I had with Vicky.
I've been with my girlfriend since I was 13 (Long distance) I am 19 now and we are planning on getting married and having kids together. We feel that we have a much higher level of love for each other than other people in relationships. There's a lot of love going around, we want to be together 24/7 and were always touching in some way when were together. You can definitely find young TRUE love at a young age if that's what you're both looking for.