“You got plans tonight?” I was done chasing this chick. It was time to get straight to the point.

“Um…”

“You say that a lot, babe.”

“What?” she asked, confused.

“You say um a lot.”

“Oh, I guess I never noticed.” She stood there staring at me.

“Plans? You got any tonight?”

“Um.” She realized she said um again and blushed red, as her eyes darted down. “No plans.”

“You ever been to Shake the Lake?”

“Once, when I was seventeen. I didn’t get to see the fireworks, though.”

I reached out to grab my keys but grabbed her hand instead. “Come with me tonight,” I pleaded, our eyes locking.

She tried to jerk her hand out of my grasp, but I tightened my grip. “I can’t,” she insisted.

“Sure you can. You just told me you don’t have plans.”

“Um, I forgot that I have to go to…um…badminton practice,” she stuttered.

“Badminton practice?”

I didn’t think she could blush anymore, but her cheeks turned a dark shade of red, and she nodded yes. “I felt that I needed to broaden my horizons and figured that would be a good place to start.”

“Well, how about you broaden your horizon with me tonight, and you can pick back up with your badminton practice next week?”