Asuna sighed and fiddled with her hair in the mirror again. She felt sick with nerves. Groaning, she leaned over and gripped the sides of the basin, hanging her head and closing her eyes.

"You can do this" she said to herself. "They'll love you" she said half heartedly staring into her own eyes through the mirror. For a second she almost believed herself. Almost. Asuna groaned and pushed off the basin, leaning against the tiled bathroom wall. Her eyes scanned her mirrored reflection for the hundredth time that night.

This morning she was so confident that tonight would go well. She'd meet Kirito's parents, have dinner and everything would be fine. But now, as the time loomed closer to eight. Asuna was begging to see the flaws in her plan. For example, the way the dress she wore defined her pudgy hips and the way her shoes made her ankles seem fat.

"You look fine" she tried again. She almost believed that too. Almost.

She sighed in defeat and leaned against the bathroom door. Feeling depressed was certainly not how she planned this going. Her mother knocked on her bathroom door.

"Asuna? Are you ready? Kirito's here to pick you up" Asuna sighed quietly.

"yeah, I'll be right out" she called back.

Fidgeting with her dress for the last time she bravely opened the door.

"Oh darling you look gorgeous" her mother said. Asuna just smiled back weakly. She almost believed that. Almost.

When she finally exited the front door to her house Kirito was there to greet her looking absolutely perfect. Her nerves increased and Asuna suddenly felt like curling up on her bed with a teddy bear and watching chick flicks.

"h-hey" she stuttered weakly

"hello" Kirito replied with a smile. He handed her a gorgeous bouquet of roses and opened up her car door for her before quickly entering himself. Shutting the door he spared a glance over at Asuna to see her eyes staring intently at her flowers, her fingers twisting with the stems. Kirito smiled fondly and reached across to take her hand.

Feeling his fingers intertwine with hers, Asuna looked up biting her lip.

"Hey" Kirito said gracing her with that stunning smile that she'd fallen so in love with.

"It'll be okay, okay?" He said, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb before bringing her hand up to place a gentle kiss on her palm. Asuna smiled.

"yeah, I believe you"

And this time she did.