COURTSIDE HEARTS

meone. We have known each other for al

her face. “Ooh, details please!” she said, leani

ed their exchanges, and how easy and natural it felt to talk to him. She told Rihanna about how he seem

en Ava was finished, Rhianna leaned back in her chair and said, “W

ace. “I don’t know. I mean, we’ve only been talking onli

it’s always best to meet sooner rather than later, otherwise you run the risk of building up the idea of him in your head, and then the r

d before by meeting someone in person who didn’t live up to her expectations. But there was something abo

ot going well. Plus, coffee shops are usually pretty busy, so it’s not as awkward as being alone in a restaurant. And i

’s convenient for both of us. And if it goes well, we could walk over to the park across the street and enjoy the weather,” she suggested. “It’s

ervous about the idea of meeting in person. “Should I gi

e question. “I think you should give him your

want to be texting or calling 24/7. Just let him know that you want to take thing

don’t want him to get the wrong idea. I just want to see if we’re c

“I think you’ve

Rihanna said. “It’s a great way to meet new people and make conn

he happy hour. “Maybe I’ll even meet someone new

. “You want to look your best and feel confident. That way, y

million bucks,” Rihanna said. “And don’t forget to smile! A

Ava said, smiling. “I feel like I’m get

be the best version of yourself. You’re already a great person

ghing. “You’re going all out. I love your confidenc

inute. “I’m going to go home and figure out the perfect outf

. “I can’t wait to see you at the

he importance of looking and feeling good from head to toe. “Face” meant having flawless makeup and glowing skin, while “body” meant wearing a killer outfit tha

cited to help her prepare for the happy hour. “Let’s make s

, taking extra care to ensure that she looked and felt her best. She chose a chic outfit that made her feel confident and st

ered her things. She was excited and nervous, but r

r advice, she had a flask in her hand. She wanted

She hoped that Ava had taken her advice and put together an outfit that would make her feel confident and pow

tted her friend in the corner, looking stunning. Ava’s makeup was flawless, and he

amazing!” she said, hugging Ava. “I’m so proud of you for puttin

ent. “Thank you so much,” she said. “You look amazi

hat in. As they caught up, they realized how much they

oached them. He was tall and handsome, and he had a friendly s

rised by the interruption. But they both smiled

did for a living. They told him all about their careers and their

looks at him a

nd me of

just started

on his face. “Oh, really?” he said. “You

meanor made her feel at ease. “Well,” she said. “I met this man online, and we started talking. But

. “That’s a real bummer. Did

stop mess

ry. I had thought we were hitting it off, but then he just s

eal with rejection, especially when it comes out of nowhere. You start to wonde

ieved to have someone wh

an ex from her teens who ghosted her. She

sed and hurt she had felt when it happened to her. She remembered blaming herself, thinking that she must have done something

at they were talking about. She felt a sense of connection and understa

ng that happened more often than she realized. She started to think about all the stories she had heard from friend

?” she asked, interrupting the conversation between Ava and Andrew.

u mean?” An

don’t get ghosted?” Rihanna clarified. “Like, is there a way to tell if so

don’t know if there’s a surefire way to prevent ghosting,” Ava said th

be any surprises down the line. But sometimes people change their minds, or they’re just not as inter

rue,” she said. “It can be really hard to pred

w we react to their actions. If someone does ghost you, it’s important to remember that it’s

ng too personally when it’s just a sign that the other person isn’t right for us.

We should focus on the people who make us feel good about ourselves and add value to our lives, rath

me of dating, like how many dates we’ve been on or how many matches we have on an app. Bu

go on or how many people you meet. It’s about finding

aking through her blouse. She looked up at the woman, her expression a mixtu

an said, a nervous