Hey hopelessdreamer (you’re only 23, nothing is hopeless! lol…not meant to critique, just saying that you have a lot of time on your side) 🙂

I don’t know if this story is of any use, but I will share on the chance that it might be. I am 43, have been married for 18 years but have been with my husband since I was 16, so that means 27 years together. When we met, we went out for a bike ride a couple of times as friends (although I knew already that I liked him as more). Anyway, to make a long story short, he asked me at least three times if he could kiss me (being the gentleman I suppose) and each time I froze up and got that weird feeling in my chest that you described. I think it was the third time when I finally realized that if I didn’t do something fast, I was going to seriously send the wrong signal and blow everything. He asked, I hesitated and finally I blurted out “Just do it!”. He did, it was amazing and it was basically ‘happily ever after’ from that moment on. I still don’t know why I was so hesitant, (I think his mustache and my limited kissing experience had something to do with it…lol).

Anyway, the point of my story was that despite my panic stricken state, I pushed past it and seized the opportunity…an opportunity that eventually produced a relatively happy life shared together, common goals and dreams and 3 beautiful children to nurture together. Sure I can stop to wonder what might have happened if I hadn’t pushed through that moment…but really, why would I want to?

Start with the guy whose cell phone number you have. Send him a brief message and confess to him that you think he’s cute but you are super shy (I may be wrong here, but I see nothing wrong with putting a gentler label on your insecurities). Ask him if there’s any chance that he might be interested in helping you, as a friend, to come out of your shell a bit. See where that goes.

Yes, I confess it will require a particularly large leap of faith on your part into that scary place, but if he doesn’t respond, pick yourself up and try again (he wasn’t worth the effort in the first place), but whatever you do, don’t give up…keep moving forward even when it’s scary. You have nothing to lose by asking others to help you a little bit. Once you have had a little bit of practice, it will get easier.

Oh, and just a word of advice, if you meet a gentleman who asks you if he can kiss you, leap hard again and then hold on!