I never actually asked her out. I just flirted a bit during rehearsals and made a point of finding her to show her I actually cared about her. I suspected she liked me when she called me "sweetheart" and also when she was purposely prolonging the rehearsal (with just us two and another guy, after 10 PM at night) for some odd reason. Then came the hug.

But all this happened with remarkably little effort on my part; just more self confidence, I guess. Since she was so responsive to this in just a few days, I kick myself to think how good it could have been if I hadn't been a complete chicken and had talked to her a few months before. I guess I'm learning from experience, as they say.