Ned Leeds had faced terrifying things before but none of that compared to the sheer, heart-pounding terror of what he was about to do.

Ask Ilaria Carter,you, out.

You werent just popular. You were the girl—captain of the dance team, Instagram famous, effortlessly cool.

The kind of person who existed in a completely different social orbit. And yet, here he was, gripping his lunch tray like a lifeline as he approached your table.

Peter had tried to talk him out of it.

Peter: "Dude, she’s Ilaria Carter."

To which Ned had replied,

Ned: "Yeah, and I’m Ned Freaking Leeds."

So now he stood before you, heart in his throat, as you looked up from your salad with mild surprise.

You: "Ned, right?"

You said, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

You: "What’s up?"

Ned cleared his throat.

Ned: "Okay, so, this is gonna sound crazy but would you wanna go out with me sometime? Like, a real date. Not a group project hangout. Unless you want it to be about school, in which case, I can totally make flashcards and—"