Baltimore, one in the afternoon. Rain was falling out side of the second floor window that Tracy was gazing out of. It was a week after the events at the Corny Collins Show, a week after her and Link starting 'going steady'. But yet, Tracy wasn't happy. Her closet and drawers were open to show the new clothing that she received from Mr. Pinky. Link's class ring hung around her neck.
'I need something..-' Edna's polite yelling got Tracy out of her trance.
"Tracy, Link's on the phone." Edna said, with placing the phone on the table as waiting for Tracy to pick it up. Edna made her way back to the kitchen preparing the early supper of ham for Tracy and Wilbur.
"Ok, mom." Tracy let out a sigh and quickly as she could, Tracy made her way into the kitchen with the aroma of the supper tainting her senses. She picked up the old black rotary phone from the counter. "Hey Link."
"Hi Darlin'." Link's charming' voice almost made Tracy faint. His voice was smooth and excited. "How are you?"
"Well mom, saids I was 'struck by the love bug.' And something else..-" Tracy seemed to just trail off, yet Link didn't seem to notice. Her voice seemed to get quite as she spoke.
"I'm going into the station later to talk with Corny about some new dance moves for the show on Monday." Link seemed a little too excited about talking with Corny. "Darlin' is something wrong?" His voice did a complete 180, it had concern and worrying in it.
"Yeah, Link there is. I want to change and I want something." Tracy was very vague with what she actually meant. She was the type of girl not to just come out and say something. Tracy didn't want to make Link worried this early in the relationship. Yet, this had nothing to do with him.
"Trace, you don't need to change, though." Link asked the first question that came to his mind. "Is this because me? Because darlin' you don't need to change. "His charming voice was gone, and was replaced by concern that he was messing with the relationship.
"No, no, no, Link." Tracy heard Link let a sigh of relief. "Link could you come over ?" The way that Tracy sounded, she had an idea. Yet, she rarely asked Link over, usually he asked to come over.
"Ummm.. Let me ask my daddy." Quickly Link placed down the receiver on the ebony wood table at the Larkin's. As quickly as he could, Link asked his father. "Dad, can I go to Trace's." Link's father gave him an look hard look, and his father nodded. Link quickly made his way back to the phone. "Dad, said yes." Tracy let out a slight squeal, for what she wanted to do, Tracy would need his help.
"Well, Link I'll let you get ready. Alright?" Tracy actually need to get supplies together for the what she wanted to do.
"Trace, I love you doll." Link's charming heartthrob was replacing the worried tone that he had. Tracy giggle, as she always did when he said that.
"Love you, too." Tracy placed the phone back on its cradle. She concocted a mental list of everything she needed; scissors, a sewing needle, rubbing alcohol, an apple, and a towel. Tracy didn't want to make Link worry; this was something she wanted to do. She walked to the bathroom adjacent to the kitchen, to start looking for her supplies. Looking in the mirror, Tracy saw her normally stiff hair lying flat and normal looking. She pushed her natural hair back behind her ears, and gazed at it.
'This will make me more beautiful, I want to be beautiful for him.' Tracy seemed to fall back into her trance-like state. The moment finally hit Tracy that she was going to do something with Link and without Edna's permission. Touching her brittle dried out hair, Tracy was thinking. 'I can't have that. Not for Link Larkin.' Her hands started to tremble, with all the thoughts that were going through her head that she could control. What sounded like a soft knocked at her apartment's front door interrupted her thoughts.
"Mom, can you answer.-" Tracy was cut off midsentence, with her Edna calling out to her.
"Tracy, Link's here to see you!" Edna called out, as she shuffled her house slippers across the apartment's pale milk white carpet. Tracy poked her head out side of the bathroom.
"Link, come here." She yelled, and then headed back into the bathroom. Tracy started to tremble, as Link started to walk closer. He still gave her the giggles, yet Tracy was slightly embarrassed to admit that though.
"Darlin'?" Link asked into the seemly empty hallway at the Turnblad's apartment. Again Tracy poked her out of the bathroom.
"Right here." Tracy said, she was two door down from where Link was. He followed her voice to the two doors down. She had all of her "supplies" out, for what she wanted to do. "Do you trust me and yourself?" Tracy wanted to be completely serious when she asked that question, but Link gave the cute confused look at she was used to.
"Yes, I do darlin'. Why?" Link took two steps and looked around. The bathroom was pastel yellow, with blue trimming, the room was quite spacious. Taking another look around, Link saw Tracy's "supplies". "Trace, what are those for?" He saw the scissors and the needle that was lying on a beige colored face towel.
"Link, Link, please don't get mad." Tracy slightly pushed Link on the toilet. "Baby, I need.." She thought for a moment. "…I need change. I don't-" Tracy felt her own hair. "Don't want this dry brittle mass for hair. And…-" She placed her hair behind her ears. " I want to get them pierced." Link looked up at his plus-sized gal. He leaned forward, and brushed Trace with a kiss on the lips. "You inspire me to look glamorous…" What Tracy said made her head sink down for a moment. Link cupped her chin with his hand, and tilted it toward him.
"Trace, I love you. I'd do anything for you. "Getting up Link looked for the supplies needed for piercing Tracy's ear, the needle was glistening in the light of the bathroom. He got up, and picked up a piece of ice out of the cup, that Tracy brought in earlier. Lightly placing Tracy's hair behind her ears, Link was trying to numb her ear for her. "Darlin' this might take awhile." He brought up Tracy's arm, to continue numbing her own left ear.
"Baby, thank you." Tracy graciously said, to her own heartthrob. Looking to his deep sea blue eyes, she noticed that he seemed worried. 'Why is worried?' She asked herself. But just shrugged it off, as nothing. Few moments later, Tracy was finally starting numb her own ear. She removed the ice cube, to see if the ear was really numb. Reaching up to feel her own ear, she couldn't feel it. "Link, the left ear in numb." Tracy sounded almost scared. Link starting to do what he thought to make this virtually painless for his gal. He place the ice cube he had in hand, in the sink and picked the needle and apple.
"Trace, I'm about to do it, ok?" Giving her this vague warning, Tracy was a bit worried. Link with his left hand, held the apple behind her ear. Quickly she closed her eyes, for Tracy knew the needle was going to be place within her ear shortly. Link started counting, "One , two-" Suddenly he placed the needle within her ear, and heard a popping sound. He fumbled with the sliver stud, Link had in his pocket. Quickly he replaced the needle with the stud. His girl was bleeding a bit from the back of her ear.
"Link, I really do need to thank you." Tracy said while still having her eyes close. Her boy went through the process again, with the ice cube and needle. After the event, Link started to shake or atleast his hands were. Slowly his girl opened her eyes. Making sure it was her house, she embraced Link in a hug. "Thank you!" And after the embrace, Tracy returned the kisses that Link gave her earlier. He remember the scissor that still laid untouched.
"I think those should be used by a professional." Link said, kissing his gal. Tracy and him laughed a brief moment.
"Yes, I think it should." Tracy said wrapping her fingers around Link's.