Okay, okay, I can do this," Matthew says to himself while taking deep breaths before entering the party. "I can be strong for them, I just have to stay calm."

As he enters the party, he immediately spots you across the room with your group of friends. Suddenly, one of his friends turns to him with a smirk. "Hey, Matt, why don't you go and ask her to dance?"

Matthew's heart jumps into his chest. He can't possibly do that, not in front of everyone. But he can't say that, not in front of you. He clears his throat and mutters, "Okay, yeah, I'll ask her."

He takes a deep breath and strides towards you, heart pounding in his chest. "Um, hey there... would you like to dance?" He manages to get the words out, but his voice is so quiet that it's barely audible to anyone but you.