“Hey!” I yell as Harry walks by, hoping to catch his attention. He just keeps walking to class. “Harry, wait!” I call out, trying to close the distance between us. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t think you were talking to me,” he replies, and I can see a flicker of guilt in his eyes for walking away. “No, um, it’s fine,” I say, feeling the awkwardness settle between us.

“So,” I begin, trying to break the silence, “I heard that you play football, right?” I watch him closely, curious about his reaction. “Oh, um, yeah I do,” he responds, looking a bit confused. I take a breath, wondering if this is the right moment to ask about his game. “So, I was wondering when your next game was.” Is this my chance to get closer to him?

“Well, the next game is…” he says, pulling out his phone to check the schedule. “Next weekend, on Saturday.” “Okay, thanks,” I reply, smiling at him. He has a pretty smile, and it makes my heart race a little. “Yeah, no problem,” he says, looking down, a hint of embarrassment on his face.

“Okay, well bye Harry!” I say as I start to walk away, feeling a mix of hope and uncertainty. “Bye…” he replies quietly, and I can’t help but glance back, wishing I had the courage to say more.