A/N- This is chapter 1. I've been working on this one for a while, but I still can't decide whether to make it a twoshot or a story. Reviews make me very happy ;-)

Amber Von Tussle was supposed to be perfect.

That's what her mother told her. That's what Corny told her. What else could be expected of the lead girl on the Corny Collins Show? She lived in a cocoon of hairspray and makeup, and she was always expected to smile or dance on cue. But her perfection only existed on the outside.

Amber Von Tussle was a slut.

That's what she heard the other girls whispering backstage and at school. This, of course, was true; her first time was when she was fourteen. The boy was three years older, and she was afraid to say no. That was when she started sleeping with any boy who would look at her. She tried to blame it on stress, or her mother, but the truth was that Amber wasn't as perfect as she was on camera. She was broken and couldn't be fixed.

Amber Von Tussle was stupid.

That's what her teacher said. Amber's grades started falling when her mother began making her stay up late at night practicing the latest dance or learning how to improve her posture, or her smile, or her voice. Homework and studying were disregarded; all that mattered was winning. Winning pageants, and dance contests, and, most importantly, winning her mother's approval.

It was May of 1962. Amber was sixteen, and her reign as the star of the Corny Collins Show had reached its peak. Link Larkin pretended to love her, but she knew he hated her. Hated her sleeping around, her nasty attitude, and her false perfection. Amber didn't care; she knew that almost everyone disliked her. And why not? She was cruel and a shameless whore. That's what she saw when she looked in the mirror, and that's what others saw, too.

Amber met Penny Pingleton in History on a Thursday. Her hair was in two shiny pigtails, and she wore a dress that looked suspiciously like recycled drapes. She was almost constantly chewing, whether it was gum or a lollipop or her own fingernails. There was something tensely energetic about her, even though she seemed very shy. Amber noticed her, more than the other girls, because she was, well, different. She didn't say mean things about Amber behind her back, and she didn't seem to care what people said about her.

Amber had disliked Penny's best friend Tracy Turnblad from the first second she saw her. It wasn't her weight; it was her enthusiasm, her compassion, her openness. She was more perfect than Amber was, and that frightened her.

Penny wasn't perfect. Everyone knew her father was an alcoholic who committed suicide eight years ago. Everyone knew her mother was a freak who tied Penny up to keep her away from boys. Penny hung out with the colored kids, and there were even rumors that she was going out with Seaweed Stubbs. When Amber heard them, she felt hollow inside, but she couldn't figure out why.

After class, Penny stayed behind. Amber was still gathering her books when Penny bounced up to her.

"Hi," Penny said shyly.

Amber's mouth grew dry. She could feel her heart begin to pound in her ears. She had never felt this way before, not even when she had first met Link.

Penny's wide blue eyes blinked twice. She smiled expectantly.

"What do you want?" Amber snapped, pushing the other girl aside.

"Well, you failed the history test. I-I mean, you didn't…" Penny faltered, unsure of what she wanted to say and how she wanted to say it.

"I already know I'm stupid. Beats being ugly." Amber fired words like they were flaming arrows, and each one pierced Penny's heart.

"I was just, uh, thinking that you might want some help with-with studying a-and…" Penny once again trailed off, unable to concentrate on anything but Amber's eyes. They were beautiful, but filled with anger and sadness. Penny wished she could help Amber. After all, Penny was broken too.

Amber seemed to relax for a moment. Then she tensed up again. "N-no. I don't have time for people who wear—who wear tablecloths to school." Amber fired once more and walked out of the classroom, leaving Penny standing with tears filling her glassy eyes.