text: I am pathetic. Sitting here, under my favorite tree in the forest behind my house, I deduced that I am a complete coward. The books next to me were mocking me, so I glared even though it made no difference. My mother thought I was studying, hence the books. In reality? I was thinking. I had blown my only chance at actually scoring a date with the dreamiest boy in my senior class. Geeky old me had actually flirted with him, strung him along, poked myself in the eye repeatedly every morning in an attempt at eye liner and when the moment came? I choked. Literally. Note to all the attractive guys out there: don't ask a usually ignored virgin on a date when she's in the middle of finishing off her water at lunch. It screws with us. That was not an intentional pun, by the way. Anyway, here I sat, in the forest stuck with political science books that I had no intention of reading and a phone with too many text messages from a guy I thought would never talk to me again. I unlocked my phone to find a voicemail. To listen or not to listen, that was the question. Debating, I dropped the phone in front of me and stared. What did I want? Why couldn't I just say yes? What the hell was wrong with me? Groaning, I stood up, brushed off my sundress and picked a dandelion weed. With my books tucked into my side, I considered going back inside and consulting my mother. Instead the dandelion inspired me. It's tiny white spindles swayed in the wind and I decided to make a wish. Only a miracle would save me now. 'Give me the courage to say yes next time.' And I blew. I watched as the seeds floated along with the wind away from me. "Will you go out with me now?" I gasped and turned around, seeing the man who I had been plagued with thoughts of all day. I hadn't heard him crunching through the leaves as I had clumsily done. Being caught up in my own head could be all consuming sometimes. How did he get out here? In the distance, I heard my mother talking on the phone on the back porch and got my answer. He had come to my house. He still cared. "Well?" he said, looking awkward for the first since I had known him. His hazel eyes were squinted against the sun and he looked handsome in jeans and boots with a button up shirt. This time I breathed, opening and closing my sweaty hands. Do not choke, you can do this. Just react. Throwing my books behind me, I let modesty go to the wind and ran up to him, straight into his open arms. He twirled me around and laughed. I looked at where I had been standing and smiled secretly. I had my answer. As if in slow motion, the books fell to the ground like gravel, demanding my response. Without choking, I uttered the word my wish had granted me. "Yes.