Remedy #freeyourbody

[13]

GERRY DID EVERYTHING ANXIOUSLY THAT MORNING.

He slapped the snooze on his alarm clock even though he'd been up for hours, just for the sake of routine. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, applied multiple acne remedies to his face, chose an Addy approved outfit from his new wardrobe, spruced up his hair in the front with some spray, and looked at himself in the mirror, practicing breathing, because he might forget. 

"Okay," he let out a long breath. "I can do this." Gerry smiled at his reflection and then went down the stairs, following the scent of pancakes. 

"Uh, hey, mom?" 

"Yes? Did you have a good night's sleep, Gerry-Berry?" He cringed at the nickname, yet kept a smile on his face. 

"Well, yeah that was what I wanted to talk about, see, I stayed up past my curfew and talked to a random person about my love life and I got advice and now I'm trying to put it into action but nothing's really working and I'm just pretty much rambling and oh yeah, I sort of invited the McAllisters to dinner today except I didn't really because it was Addy who did it but she technically invited herself over yesterday and I don't know what to do but uh by the way they'll be here at six?" He tensed up, awaiting her reaction. He heard the spatula his mom held in her hand clatter on the pan, but sensing this was a bad sign, and preparing to run up the stairs and hide from her fiery wrath...

"Do you think they like chicken?" She asked. Gerry froze. His mom turned to face him, smiling. 

"What?" 

"Oh, that's right, everyone likes chicken. But should I make it Parmesan, rosemary, soup, salad?" She wondered aloud. 

Gerry's jaw dropped in shock. "You-you're not mad that it's so last minute?" 

"Of course not, I've been meaning to invite them over. After all, what kind of neighbors would we be if we didn't establish some kind of connection and then become lifelong friends?" She sighed and clasped her hands joyfully. "I think it'll be great. I just need to run to the store and pick up some groceries." 

Gerry blinked. This was happening, really happening, and after telling Addy, they'd have to come up with a battle strategy, because he can't talk around her, she's just so Cadence. Beautiful, popular, out of his league, among other things, except that he didn't actually know much about her at all to begin with, but he was sure that she was a great person. He just needed to make her see that he's one too. A great person, that is.

Upon arriving at school, he conferred with Addy, and she quickly came up with a plan for Gerry to keep his cool around Cadence. 

"You just need practice talking to girls," Addy said. 

"Are you sure?" Gerry gulped nervously. 

"A gazillion percent sure! Let's go!" She chirped cheerfully.

"A gazillion isn't even a real number," he fretted anxiously as she dragged him by the arm towards a random girl. She looked nice enough, all glasses, blond hair, and smiles. 

"Okay, now just go up to her. It's simple. Say hi, compliment her, and ask her about something she's interested in. How do you know? Just observe. Her backpack has dogs on it, and her binder too. She must like them." 

"But I'm not sure...what if she doesn't want to talk to me?"

"Make her want to talk to you. Always feign interest in things that girls like so they will talk to you and like you. You've got to change yourself for the girl if you want the girl." Addy said matter of factly. "Now go talk up a storm!" She nudged him in the girl's direction and he stumbled over, tripping on someone else's shoelace and falling on his chest, face down, in front of her.