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This is a section of text from my [JLPT
textbook](http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E7%B7%8F%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A8%E3%82%81%EF%BC%AE%EF%BC%91-%E8%AA%AD%E8%A7%A3-%E3%80%8C%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E8%83%BD%E5%8A%9B%E8%A9%A6%E9%A8%93%E3%80%8D%E5%AF%BE%E7%AD%96-%E4%BD%90%E3%80%85%E6%9C%A8%E4%BB%81%E5%AD%90/dp/4872177657)
on page 33:

>
> 電話を前にして、彼女に僕の恋心を告げるべきがどうか非常に心が揺れていた。昔の僕だったら、ためらいもせず告白しただろうに。今日ほど断られることが怖いと思うことはない。電話番号を聞く勇気はあったじゃないか、軽く映画にでも誘えばいいじゃないか、と言い聞かせながら、今日もまた時間が過ぎていった。

I think (or hope) that I understand it in general, but I can't quite get the
very last part.

My loose translation would be something like, "Before calling, I'm extremely
nervous about telling her that I'm falling for her. Back in the day, I
wouldn't hesitate to confess my feelings. Now, it's not the case that I'm
afraid she'll reject me. While I ask myself, didn't I have the confidence to
get her number, couldn't I just casually ask her out to a movie or
something..."

And then the last part, `今日もまた時間が過ぎていった`, I'm not sure about.

Is it, "... and still, it's getting late"? As in, the author is not specifying
exactly why he is nervous, he's just saying how it's getting late while he
waffles about calling?

Is it, ".... and still, a lot of time has passed until today"? As in, it's
been a while since the author got her number, and so he's worried she's
forgotten about him or something? My read on this paragraph is that he has not
asked her out yet so this is after his first meeting, and before the first
date.

Is it something else?
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question
grammar jlpt
Why is this guy hesitant to call and ask her out on a date?
He is hesitant because of the fear of being rejected.

> 今日ほど断られることが怖いと思うことはない。  
>  _I did not care this much about the possibility of being rejected back in
> the day_

The guy is talking to himself

> と言い聞かせながら

saying he should just take it easy and just ask her out.

> 電話番号を聞く勇気はあったじゃない、軽く映画にでも誘えばいいじゃないか

And as always

> 今日もまた

he was hesitating, lecturing himself and before he noticed, the day was over
and he did not do shit

> 時間が過ぎていった
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A more colloquial translation.

> 電話を前にして、彼女に僕の恋心を告げるべきがどうか非常に心が揺れていた。

I know I should call her and let her know how I feel but I'm really nervous
for some reason.

> 昔の僕だったら、ためらいもせず告白しただろうに。

In the past I would have just declared my love without hesitation.

> 今日ほど断られることが怖いと思うことはない。

I never used to be so scared of the thought of rejection.

> 電話番号を聞く勇気はあったじゃないか、軽く映画にでも誘えばいいじゃないか、と言い聞かせながら、今日もまた時間が過ぎていった。

I used to have the courage to ask for a phone number, to casually ask someone
out for a movie, but I missed my chance again today.

* * *

Reading between the lines, he really likes the girl and is more scared of her
reaction so he can't muster the nerves to just ask her. As a result
`今日もまた時間が過ぎていった`, he missed his chance to say anything again.
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