Growing up can be hard. Exciting. Awkward. Especially when it comes to sex and sexuality. Six people share their experiences with Love Matters. Embarrassing proposalI was attracted to a girl in my class when I was about 14. When my friends found out, they kept pushing me to ask her out.I was finally convinced and walked up to her, but when I stood in front of her, my wits deserted me. I was a very short kid, and she towered over me. A complete lack of knowledge of what to do next left me tongue-tied.So I did the only thing I knew - I blurted out, 'Will you go out with me?'And she laughed. Whatever little courage I had deserted me, and I literally ran away.That little episode kept me awake for the next few months, I was so embarrassed!Simon, 30, advertisingBleeding to deathI come from a fairly conservative family, and no one had really had 'the talk' with me. So, the first time I had my period, I was really scared.I couldn't understand why I was bleeding. I had picked up the term 'internal bleeding' from somewhere and was convinced that I was about to die. I was so terrified that I didn't even leave my bed.Fortunately, at that moment, my elder sister walked in, asked me what was wrong. She then explained what menstruation was. I don't know who had the talk with her, but my mother never did. The only thing she did was to start buying pads for me from the next month.Kate, 35, bankerCopy crushWhat I remember best is the crush I had on this girl in my neighbourhood. In an attempt to attract her towards me, I started listening to the same music, started wearing the male version of whatever she would wear (like a polka dotted shirt if she wore a polka dotted dress). I even started reading the same books, and I am not at all a reader. I never succeeded in getting her to even notice me, but I remember that phase lasted a while. I also remember getting teased mercilessly by my elder sister — she knew exactly why I was doing what I was doing.Luke, 28, software engineerRead more on Love Matters Website