The narrator confesses a deep, long-standing infatuation with a girl named Daisy Driscoll, whom he has adored since they were four years old after watching her feed hungry squirrels in a schoolyard. For many years, he kept his romantic feelings entirely to himself because he believed a blond-haired, blue-eyed angel with a porcelain complexion could never possibly feel the same way about him.
Recently, however, the dynamic between them has shifted significantly. Daisy now allows him to walk her home, occasionally lets him hold her hand, and gives him a subtle, mysterious smile that makes him feel weak in the knees and leads him to believe she might want him to kiss her. Despite these encouraging signs, he worries constantly about facing rejection, receiving her pity, or losing the privilege of walking her home if he confesses his true feelings.
His greatest terror goes far beyond standard heartbreak or awkward rejection. His absolute worst fear is that Daisy will actually accept his advances and invite him into her bedroom when her parents are away, leaving them alone together. He is haunted by the horrifying compulsion that once they are isolated, he will wrap his fingers around her delicate neck and squeeze until she stops breathing.