HEY MIKE! I have this major crush on a girl at school, but I'm afraid to ask her out. I've asked out other girls and they've ignored me or said no. I don't think I can handle being rejected again?
— M.O., Concord, Calif.
You've discovered a tough secret about us guys: We'd rather be flogged, quartered and burned at the stake than risk being rejected by the opposite sex. Yet there's no guarantee that someone you have a crush on won't end up crushing you.
The fact is, asking a girl out always involves a risk. You can, however, avoid situations that could set you up for a fall. How? Consider "nondating."
A nondate takes place in a group setting and is less formal. It doesn't involve a romantic atmosphere and, most of all, it takes away a lot of pressure. In other words, you've got a better chance of being yourself.
It's also easier to ask someone out on a nondate. Here's an example of what you could say to this girl: "A bunch of us are getting together for some volleyball at the park this Saturday. Want to come?"
If she turns you down — no biggy, because you weren't asking her out on a date anyway. And you can walk away with your self-esteem intact. 
