Saturday, April 4, 2026, 9:27 p.m.
I remember being 17.
An awkward memory came back to me.
Why?
Why would a girl approach me?
That question lived in my head that entire summer.
I was in summer school, making up two F’s from my all-boys high school.
Every summer was the same ritual:
Fail classes.
Get the letter.
Panic.
Go to summer school.
Somehow get A’s and B’s.
It never made sense.
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Anyway…
that moment.
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It was a warm summer day.
I was sitting in the yard of the school, talking to my friend.
Then I noticed his gaze shift.
Not at me.
Over my shoulder.
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Tap, tap.
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I turned around.
There she was.
And there I was…
just sitting there.
Silent.
Awkward.
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“So, what’s your name?”
She was Hispanic. Slim. Pretty face. A few blemishes—but still pretty.
I froze.
“Roberto,” I said.
“Nice name. I was wondering…”
Fuck.
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“Would you ever want to go out on a date?”
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Oh my God.
She just asked me out.
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I felt my body shake a little.
Cold sweat.
My mind went blank.
My friend was just sitting there, watching.
Waiting.
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And without thinking, I said:
“No, thank you. If you want, you can go out with my friend.”
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Then I got up…
and walked away.
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I fucked up.
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I remember replaying it immediately.
Why did you just do that?
Why did you just fuck that up?
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Looking back…
the answer is simple.
At 17, I didn’t know how to believe a girl could actually want me.
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💬 Reader question
What’s something you said no to… because it scared you more than it should have?
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If this felt familiar, I write moments like this.
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