Disclaimer: Hairspray, all characters, places, and related terms are the sole property of Marc Shaiman and New Line Cinema.
Gone with a Kiss
What was she doing?!?!
Though she was in no way acquainted with the short roly-poly girl dancing alone in the cleared dance floor (the same one who'd had the nerve to try out for the Corny Collins Show), Amber couldn't help feeling embarrassed by her. The girl's movements appeared clumsy and unattractive to her. Hardly like the cool, popular dancing performed by her and the other council members on Corny's show. Amber crossed her arms. When will she finish making a fool of herself and let the hop continue in peace? she wondered.
Amber looked around, wondering if everyone was as irritated as she. Straining to watch the performance, the black kids on the right side of the gym were pressing against the rope separating them from the white kids. They were smiling and clapping to the beat of the music, apparently supporting the girl. Amber huffed at this. But she was more than a bit surprised when she noticed a number of boys on her side of the gym seeming to be into the girl's dancing as well. At least most of the girls nearby seemed mildly annoyed.
The blond-haired girl slid a glance towards the stage. Corny looked as though Christmas morning had come early. And Link… He was watching the girl intensely. Body moving slightly to the beat, the corners of his mouth turned up, higher, higher, white teeth flashing.
Puzzled, Amber returned her attention to the girl in time to see her blow a kiss to Link. No, not blow. More like hurl. Not pausing in her dancing, that girl had smacked her hand against her mouth and threw the kiss in Link's direction. It had been terribly, awkwardly done. Amber's eyes filled with horror. She felt for her man. What an insult to be flirted with by that little girl who did not know how to do anything in a tactful manner in front of everyone – and didn't she know Link belonged to Amber? It was the most embarrassing moment of the school year. What must he thi—
In one smooth and swift motion Link stretched out his arm and captured the kiss in his hand. At the same time he let out a long, "Wow!"
Amber's mouth dropped to the floor. What was he doing…? She watched, beyond astonished, when he slid across the stage and held out his hand to the girl. He was now singing directly to her as she danced towards him. Link had never sung to Amber the way he was now to the girl.
"Link!!!" the name burst out of the putout girl. Yet her calling was not loud enough to pierce the bubble surrounding Link. His deep blue eyes were focused on the girl before him. His singing, smiles were all for her.
A strange feeling settled in the pit of the dumbfounded girl's stomach. Inexplicably she – popular, pretty, slim, envied-by-nearly-all-of-the-teenage-girl-population-of-Baltimore Amber Von Tussle – had lost Link Larkin with one kiss to a big-haired, roly-poly little girl.
THE END