"Stand up straight."

"Don't giggle too much."

"Don't be rude."

"Don't act all artsy."

"Don't act all intelligent."

"Don't-,"

"Got it!" Cody exclaimed, pushing Tanis and Adena away as they fussed with her hair. "He likes girls who don't slouch, never laugh, are polite, have no personality, and are dumb."

"Exactly," Adena chirped, barely listening as she pulled a red sweater out of Cody's closet and helped her in.

"Guys," Cody sighed, stepping out of their grasps, "I've been on a date before!"

"But this is different!"

"Yeah," Tanis added, "this is a make my ex jealous date! This needs to be the best date of his life!"

"Squib's?" Cody asked, confused.

"Taylor's," Adena corrected her, handing over her purse. "Now, make sure you keep your cell on and call us if you have a chance!"

"Fine," Cody conceded, "but unless someone is dead or bleeding their liver out their ear, I don't want you two calling me! Understood?"

"Yes, Cody," the two girls nodded dutifully.

"Did you hear?" Tanis asked as the three left Cody's room and moved to wait on the living room couch, "Squib's going out with Jenna!"

"Jenna the Tramp?" Cody asked incredulously.

"The very one," Tanis nodded.

"What a little mothe-,"

"Calm down!" Adena cut Cody off, "As if he even has a chance with her. I'm sure Cameron had to pull some strings. Who cares, anyways? Let's focus on you!"

"Yeah. You need to make a good first impression," Tanis nodded, "everything is decided during the pre-date."

"…The what?"

"The pre-date," Adena sighed, "honestly, Cody!"

"What's a…pre-date?"

"The pre-date," Tanis explained, "is everything that happens from the moment the door is opened to the moment you arrive at your main destination; in your case, the restaurant."

Cody shook her head, "Whatever."

"No! It's very important!" Adena exclaimed. "The pre-date is everything! It determines the whole course of the date date!"

"…Date date."

"The rest of the date," Adena sighed, exasperated, "geez, Cody, get in the loop!" Cody was about to retort when Tanis grabbed her hand.

"Come on! You're going to be late! That will ruin the pre-date!"

"Tanis! You're a poet!" Adena cried.

"Not the time," Cody reminded them as the three headed out her door and toward the school.

"Well, how do I look?" Squib exited the bathroom.

"Those pants make you look fat," Cameron didn't look up from his magazine.

"You're hilarious," Squib deadpanned. "But seriously?"

"That's fine," Cameron glanced at Squib's casual attire. "It's not like it'll matter; Jenna's not exactly…"

"Smart?" Squib offered.

Cameron shrugged, "That works."

"Okay, I've gotta go. I don't wanna mess up the pre-date."

"The what?"

"Dude, the pre-date! It means everything! It's from the time the door opens to-," Squib paused, "I've been spending too much time with Tanis and Adena," he shuddered, moving towards the door.

"Good luck, man," Cameron said as his friend left. The door clicked shut. "You're gonna need it…"

"Jenna?" Squib called. The girl turned around, looking rather exhausted.

"Hey, Squib," she said in what one could construe as a whine.

"You ready to go?"

She shrugged, "I guess."

"So, you, uh, look really nice."

"Thanks," she replied in the same monotone voice.

"Everything alright? You're usually so giggly, I-,"

"Didn't Cameron tell you not to talk?"

"Well, yeah, but-,"

"Maybe you should take his advice."

"Sorry about those two," Cody laughed lightly as she and her date made their way off the grounds, "they can be a little…"

"It's no problem," Taylor laughed as she trailed off.

"So…" the two spoke at the same time after a short pause.

"Sorry," Cody laughed.

"First date jitters," he shrugged.

"So," he tried, again, "you're into photography, right?"

Cody paused, remembering Adena and Tanis' advice, "Well, I mean, it's a hobby…" she trailed off, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Really? Well, I mean, you must know a lot of stuff…"

"Not really," she shrugged again, "I just click around with the camera when I get bored…"

"Oh," he said, sounding somewhat disheartened, "that sucks. I'm really interested in that kind of thing."

Crap, crap, crap. "Well, what are your hobbies?"

Taylor laughed, "Well, I suppose tennis wouldn't count. Uh, I don't know…Swimming, video games," he chuckled self-consciously. "What about you? How does a girl keep herself entertained in a school full of jocks?"

"I knit!" Cody exclaimed quickly. She instantly froze. Knitting? She had already ruled out photography, and couldn't think of anything not arty.

"Knitting?" He repeated at length.

"Yes."

"Well, that must be…lots of fun." Cody groaned inwardly. Just how important was this pre-date thing, again?

"So, Jenna," Squib simply couldn't take the silence anymore. "How's…life?"

She sighed, "Life's okay."

"Just okay?"

"Yeah."

"…Okay."

"That's what I said!" She snapped.

"No, I meant…" Squib sighed. "Never mind."

"Seen any good movies lately?" Squib asked after another lengthy pause.

"Yeah."

"…What ones?"

"This one…with this guy…he did stuff…"

"Fascinating," it was all Squib could do not to roll his eyes.

"Read any good-,"

"No."

"Hear any-,"

"Nope."

Squib sighed, "Well, did you see-,"

"Remember that not talking thing? That was good."

"So, here we are," Taylor said as the two approached the restaurant. Cody had managed to keep the conversation afloat after the knitting fiasco, but still felt rather stupid.

"Awesome. I really like…food," now she felt really stupid.

"Uh, that's great," he chuckled. "Come on," he held the door open.

"Oh no," Cody froze in her tracks.

There, at a small table against the wall, were Squib and Jenna the Tramp.

…Who looked kind of…dead. She was resting her head on her hand, eyes glazed over and unblinking as Squib said something (presumably stupid, Cody thought).

"What?" Taylor turned back.

"Uh…" she toyed with the idea of telling her date that her ex was here, but was unsure if the pre-date was technically over. "Nothing, it's, uh, I forgot to feed my…fish!"

"Your fish?"

"Yeah, but, it's fine. I'm sure Tanis and Adena will do it."

"Alright, then," Taylor smiled, "let's go," he nodded in the direction the Maitre D' had walked off. Cody glared as they walked passed Squib and Jenna.

Oh, he was going to pay.

…I have nothing to say here.