“Why don’t you just say something to him?” My best friend Callie asked as I watched my neighbor Jay’s figure disappear inside his home. We were sitting on my porch, watching people pass by, and as soon as Jay’s car pulled up in his driveway and he got out, my eyes followed his every move until his figure disappeared inside.

“What should I say, Callie?” I asked in a very annoyed tone. “You know I am shy to go up to him, yet you say the same thing every time you see me looking at him.”

Rolling her eyes, she said, “You need to say something and stop gawking at...