Princess Lessons by Meg Cabot Read Free Book Online

so that the two of you can quiz each
other for your World Civ exam. Group dates are also an excellent way to get to
know someone. Going ice skating, out to eat, or to the movies in a large group
is fun and less intimidating than one-on-one dating when you are just
beginning to get acquainted with someone.

    2. Ask the guy out to a
specific event scheduled for a specific date. Don’t say, “Do you want to hang
out sometime?” This is bad because there is no polite way he can get out of it
if in fact he likes someone else. Instead, ask, “Would you like to attend my
coronation with me on Saturday night?” This way, if he likes you, but he is
busy Saturday night, he can say, “Sorry, I can’t. But I can go Sunday.” Or, if
he doesn’t like you, he can just say, “Sorry, I can’t.”
    3. Generally you should ask someone out
two to three days before the event—at least a week or more in advance if it is
a special event, like the Prom. It is rude to call someone on Saturday night
and ask them out for that evening, unless it is for a casual group thing. To
wait until the last minute to ask someone out implies that you assumed he or
she did not have other plans.
    4. Ask him out in person, over the phone, or through e-mail.
Don’t have someone else ask him out for you because you’re too chicken to ask
him yourself! No one likes a scaredy-cat. Besides, if he says no, all these
other people will know about it, and you will be mortified.
    5. Ask when he is alone, not hanging out with
a group of friends. Most guys are pretty immature, and give each other a hard
time about these things. Spare him—and yourself—the agony. And if you are
calling, call at a decent hour, like before nine in the evening. No need to get
his parents upset before they’ve even met you!
    6. Generally, the person who does the
asking is the person who does the paying. Never ask a guy out and expect HIM to
pay your way! If you are not prepared to pay his way, make sure he knows that
in advance, so he brings enough money. For instance, you might say, “Want to go
bowling at Chelsea Piers on Friday Night? I’ll pay for the pizza if you pay for
the shoes and games.”

Tina says: If HE Asks YOU
Out…
    You lucky girl! He asked! He finally
asked! Now don’t blow it by jumping around, pumping your fist in the air. Be
enthusiastic, but be cool.
    [If you are like me, and your father, the prince of a small
European country won’t allow you to go out with a boy he hasn’t met, you must
confess this IMMEDIATELY to any boy who asks you out. It is not fair to the boy
just to spring it on him at the last minute. He needs time to prepare mentally,
because meeting monarchs can be very intimidating.]

Tina’s Five Possible Answers to the Big
Question:
    1. If you have to check with
your parents before accepting a date, say, “Oh, I’d love to go to the
planetarium with you on Saturday, but I have to check with my mom first. May I
call you back when I know for sure?” Then be sure to call him back
promptly.
    2. Once you
have said yes to a date, it would be very unprincesslike to change your mind
and cancel at the last minute because: a) someone you like better has asked you
out, or b) you decide you do not like the boy as much as you
thought.
    You HAVE to go on the date. Canceling is only
acceptable if you become ill or there is an unavoidable family emergency, like
a coup in your kingdom. If either of these things happens, you must call your
date at once to let him know. Never, ever just fail to show up on a date. Think
how you would feel if someone did that to you!
    3. If someone you don’t particularly like asks you out, think
before you say no. Sometimes people don’t make very good first impressions, or
act differently around other people than they do when they are just with one
other person. That boy in your Lit class who cracks all the jokes may not be