Free The Mosts by Melissa Senate Page B

that part be confidential?” he asked me. “I mean, it’s no one in this room, if that makes it less weird.” Now his whole face was really red. “Not that you’re all not … I mean … ”
    “Joe, totally confidential,” I said before he spontaneously combusted. “Anything that anyone wants to keep to themselves is okay.”
    I was feeling better about this. I’d forgotten how good it felt to help people. And to have people appreciate me—for doing something good. For doing anything other than walking down the hall.
    “You know, Joe,” Elinor said, “I’ll bet girls have been interested in you. But because you keep to yourself and walk with your head down a lot, you’re kind of unapproachable. Do you think that could be it, Madeline?”
    “Definitely,” I said. “That was really good, Elinor.”
    “Ditto,” Avery said, eyeing me.
    “Okay. Whew,” Joe said. “That wasn’t so bad, then. I guess maybe agreeing to do this was a good idea.”
    I smiled at him and he perked up a little.
    “Okay, now Avery,” I said. I couldn’t wait to read hers. She’d been pretty honest so far.
    Name: Avery Kennar

    What do you most want to change about yourself?
    how people see me
    Why do you want to change?
    make friends, be more popular, get a boyfriend I’m crazy about
    What do you think will be the hardest thing about transforming yourself into the you-est you that you can be?
    Getting people to see me. It’s like I’m invisible. Even when I try to glam up, no one seems to notice. What am I doing wrong? How am I supposed to become more popular if no one knows who I am? I wish I knew the secret .
    “Well, now you will,” Elinor said to Avery. “That’s what Madeline is going to share with us. The secrets. How she did it.”
    “I’m totally ready,” Avery said. “I want to start now so I can have an amazing summer and start my junior year off a brand-new person.”
    They all turned to me expectantly. Waiting for my Most wisdom.
    After reading all their forms and listening to them, I knew what I had to do.
    Return their money.
    First of all, Elinor wanted to enter the Lobster Claw Teen Queen Pageant? That was Caro’s territory. So forget about helping Elinor win or even place. And Joe—what did I know about transforming a guy, anyway? Then there was Avery, who might be the hardest one, because she was actually kind of cute in a bland way. She just clearly had no confidence. How was I supposed to change that ? In four weeks!
    Do you want to get to California or not? I reminded myself.
    “Can I ask you something?” Joe said. He was staring at me with puppy dog eyes and that hopeful smile.
    “Sure.”
    “Just off the top of your head, what would you say is the main thing I’m doing wrong? I mean, just by looking at me. Knowing that alone would give me my money’s worth.”
    I read through his form again, then looked him over. He was very skinny and didn’t have much of a chin, but he had really nice blue eyes. His clothes were dorky—tucked-in striped polo shirt and weird-colored khakis. This was how he dressed on a Saturday? Or ever?
    “Well, actually, Joe, I think we do need to start with the outside of all of you,” I said. “Makeovers change how you look on the outside, so you’ll feel better about yourself on the inside. That’ll give you all more confidence. Confidence is the key.”
    At least, that was what Aunt Darcy had told me in Rome.
    “So, Joe, untuck that shirt,” I said. “That will make a big difference.”
    “But won’t I look sloppy? That’s what my mom says when I walk around the house untucked.”
    “You won’t look sloppy at all. At school tomorrow, look at every guy you see. Tell me how many wear their shirts tucked in.”
    He brightened with his social assignment.
    I suddenly had an idea. “Experiment time,” I said. “Elinor, I’m going to switch outfits with you. Let’s go into the bathroom and change.”
    Behind closed doors, we faced away from each