DEAR ABBY: I really like this guy named "Gary." He's super sweet, funny, cute and just incredible. He's my brother's friend.
I'm in sixth grade and he's in fifth. I think he might like me back. He asked me to follow his new Instagram account, and when I told him to tell my brother hi, he stared at me for a few seconds longer (plus he was smiling the whole time). One of my girlfriends sort of likes him, too.
What do I do? How do I tell him I like him? Is it OK for me to ask him to go to the park? His brother and my brother could go, too. Please help me. What do I do? -- GIRL IN EL PASO, TEXAS
DEAR GIRL: If Gary wants you to follow his Instagram account, it's a pretty good sign that he has positive feelings for you. If you want to ask him to go to the park, and your parents don't mind, go ahead and do it. But let me offer a couple of suggestions:
If you ask him, DO include your brother and his brother because being with others will make it more fun. And, everybody loves a compliment. The compliment doesn't have to be as blatant as "I like you," which could embarrass some boys his age. A simple, "I think you're great because (you're really smart, you're good at sports, you're fun to be around, etc.)" should do the trick.