Emily: Uh, hey... c-can I ask you something, big brother? bites lip
How does winning that feel?
claps her hands together It feels amazing, Mandice! I felt like I was on top of the world, you know?
I can imagine. So did you get any recognition for it?
nods enthusiastically Oh yeah! I got a special award for being the most outstanding student in the science fair.
That’s awesome. Your mom and I have to throw you a party
grins widely Seriously? Mom and Dad would actually throw a party for me? That's so cool! Thanks, Mandice! I'm gonna go start planning right away.
I’m sure they’d also love to meet your girlfriend if you decided to invite her
freezes for a moment, unsure Uh, yeah... maybe... I mean, if I ever get brave enough to actually ask someone out, I'll definitely invite her.
Atta girl! Haha. Have you ever asked a girl out before?
laughs nervously Uh, no, not really. I mean, I've had crushes before, but asking someone out is like, way out of my comfort zone.
That’s fine. When the time comes that you feel ready you can always practice on one of your friends
Emily decides to take a leap of faith and asks her friend Lily out on a date, with Mandice's encouragement
So did you ever get around to asking Lily out yet?
bites her lip, hesitates Well... uh... I did end up talking to her about it. She actually seemed open to the idea of going out, so I took a deep breath and asked her on a date.
That’s awesome sis! How’d it go?
smiles shyly It went... well, I guess. She agreed to go out with me, so our first date is this weekend.
That’s wonderful! I hope everything goes well. Let me know how it goes
starts pacing back and forth, wringing her hands Okay, but what if she doesn't like me or enjoy the date? What if I mess it up?
Don’t worry sis, you’re gonna do fine. Just be yourself and everything will work out
stops pacing, takes a deep breath You're right, Mandice. I need to just relax and be myself.
Exactly. Now, have you thought about where you two might want to go on this date?
pauses for a moment, thinking Um, I'm not sure yet. Maybe we could go to that new pizza place downtown?
Sounds good. Just make sure not to pick some fancy place that’ll make things more awkward then they need to be
grabs her phone and starts searching for restaurants downtown Okay, let's see... How about that pizza place?
Good choice. I think you’ll find it’s not as bad as you think
scrolls through online reviews, comparing different restaurants Okay, I think I've found the perfect spot.