Hey! Sorry it's taken a while---behind on school work and such. Also been writing a lot lately, but not posting anything...anyway, glad people are enjoying this, and thanks for the reviews and such!
Episode 22---What's My Line?
"Come on," Katie said, putting her hand on his shoulder and giving him an encouraging little push; he remained seated, staring across the pool area in terror. "Just go ask her!"
"I---can't," he choked out, rubbing his hands together and looking nervous.
"Oh, Coody, doon't be a chicken," Ezekiel said, frowning at him from the chair beside Katie. "If you like Sadie, just goo and ask her to the dance, eh?"
Cody turned around to glare at him. He briefly considered asking him if he'd actually managed to ask Katie to the dance yet, but, deciding to be nice---and avoid another "eh"-filled, red-faced stammering fit---he turned around to stare at Sadie in terror again. "I---I can't," he said, shaking his head and looking away in shame.
"You never had this kind of problem talking to Gwen," Ezekiel observed, frowning in confusion.
"Well, that's because he really likes Sadie," Katie said, grinning mischievously.
"No," Cody said. Then, "Well---I don't know. It's just---how am I supposed to compete with that?" he cried, motioning to the soda bar where Sadie was talking to a shirtless Justin. "He's probably already asked her!"
"Nope," Katie said, shaking her head. "I know for a fact that Justin's decided to go to the dance without a date."
"Really?!" both boys said, spinning around in astonishment.
"Yeah…me and Sadie already asked him," she sighed, melting down onto the table with a dreamy look on her face.
Both Cody and Ezekiel exchanged a look of annoyance at that fact before turning back around. "Yeah---but still---I mean, I can't just go and ask her right when she's talking to him. I don't know how to ask her--- I mean, what do I say?"
"'Sadie, would you like to go to the dance with me' sounds pretty good, eh?" Ezekiel said, raising a finger. His tone made it clear he had not detected one iota of rhetoricalness in Cody's question.
"But I---just---no," Cody said simply, frowning and looking down at his lap.
Katie and Ezekiel exchanged a look. Katie sighed. "Plan B, Zeke?" He nodded.
"Plan B?" Cody said, looking up. "What's Plan---HEY!"
Katie and Ezekiel each grabbed Cody under one arm and lifted him out of his chair. His eyes went wide. "No! Let me down! Stop it! HELP!"
He struggled futilely, but the two were lifting him just high enough that his sneakers were unable to touch the ground and bring a stop to their dastardly plan. They dragged him across the pool area, reaching Sadie at the soda bar just as Justin was walking away. She stared back at him dreamily for a moment, then snapped out of it enough to notice as they plopped Cody down, soaking his shoes and the cuffs of his pants.
"Oh, hey, guys!" Sadie squealed, grinning at them.
Cody stood paralyzed. Katie motioned to him. "Sadie, Cody would like to ask you something."
She looked confused. "Oh, okay. What?"
"Cody," Katie said, turning to him and nodding to indicate he could speak.
He couldn't really, though. He jabbed his fingers together for a moment, then managed to barely sputter out, "Would---like---go---dance---me?" He gave a very nervous smile---it looked more like a grimace, really---and then threw in what he hoped to be a suave-looking eyebrow wriggle for good measure.
Sadie gasped. "Ohmygosh, that would be so great! I'd love to go with you, Cody!"
He blinked, snapping out of his trance. "Really?!"
She nodded, clapping. "Sure! Oh, and you know what, you and I can go together with Katie and Zeke!"
"Oh, yeah, that would be fun!" Katie agreed, as Ezekiel's eyes went wide and his pale skin turned pink.
Cody straightened up, puffing out his chest and looking very pleased with himself. "Alrighty, then."
The three left Sadie, heading back to their table. Cody grinned. "See? Piece of cake," he said, as Katie and a still-blushing Ezekiel looked at each other and rolled their eyes.