After a short drive across town, Corny and Amber pulled up outside Cornys house. They got out of the car and he led her inside.

"Do you want a drink of anything, or some food?" he asked, nervously. He was unsure of how to act around her, he felt slightly awkward after the embrace they'd shared earlier, and Amber could be unpredictable. He wasn't entirely sure how she felt about the situation, never mind himself.

"Um, I'll just have a glass of water if that's okay?" Amber replied. She was pretty hungry as well, but she didn't want him making a fuss. She didn't know how long she'd be here, and she wanted to enjoy spending time with him, rather than her being her usual bratty self.

Corny returned from the kitchen with a glass of water for her, and a glass of some sort of fruit juice for him. They sat on the couch for a while, it was awkward at first but the conversation soon flowed, they found themselves talking about the show, who they liked, who they hated. An hour or so went by, unnoticed by them, when suddenly the phone rang. Corny picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" he said.

"Corny, is Amber there?" It was Velma. "I've been ringing round looking for her for ages, I rang Link, and he said you were one of the last people left at the station." Amber could hear her mothers piercing voice coming through the receiver.

"Yeah, she is. Where the hell are you Velma? I drove Amber home but you weren't in and she had no key, so I had no choice but to bring her back here"

"She's lost her key? Oh, that's just great, seriously. Corny, she's going to have to stay at your house until tomorrow because I won't be coming home" Velma sneered.

"What? Velma, no –"

"So what, you'd rather see her out on the street? Drop her off at school in the morning, I'll pick her up from the station after the show."

Corny sighed, and slammed down the receiver. Amber jumped, she'd never really seen him angry before.

"Is everything okay? I-I could try and get hold of Link, stay at his instead… although my mother would kill me if she found out" Amber said, hoping he would disagree.

"No, if your mother found out, she'd kill me, too. You'll have to stay here, I've got a spare room, unfortunately though I don't have any female clothes" he chuckled.

"I have spare clothes in my locker at school, I'll go in earlier and change there… if you don't mind driving me earlier?"

"Of course I don't" Corny said with a smile. It was the first time he'd seemed entirely at ease since they'd been at his house, and Amber returned the smile, making his heart flutter a little.

"I, err, I'm just gonna go change, I won't be long. Make yourself at home… not that there's really anything that interests you I presume" he laughed. "I'll make us some dinner in a while" he said, before heading upstairs.

Amber waited until he'd reached the top of the stairs before she stood up. She walked around his living room, looking at the various framed pictures scattered around the room. There was one of Corny as a young boy, sat on his mother's knee. He had slightly blonder hair, but anyone who knew him would be able to tell it was him instantly, who could mistake that smile? Amber smiled as she touched the edge of the frame. Corny was pretty secretive about his private life, and she felt somewhat voyeuristic looking at his pictures, although they were out in the open for anyone to look at. She turned, and her eyes caught a golden frame across the other side of the room. She walked over to it, and saw it was a picture of Corny and the show's council, Mr Spritzer, and Velma. He loved his job, and he loved the kids, and Amber felt a hint of guilt, due to her mothers behaviour towards Corny. She never allowed him to have any say in the show, and dismissed his thoughts and opinions constantly. He didn't care though, the show was his life, he lived and breathed WYZT.

She studied the photo, and saw that she was stood at the front in the middle, taking center stage with Corny. Her hand was on his shoulder, and his arm was round her waist. She smiled, she was physically close with him most of the time on the show, without even noticing it, yet in the privacy of his own home she was scared in case she sat too close to him on the sofa. She was the same person as she was on the show, why was she feeling so nervous around him all of a sudden? She took a deep breath and placed the photo back. As she did so, Corny reappeared at the entrance to the living room. He was dressed in a pair of grey lounge trousers, and a plain white cotton top. He looked incredibly attractive, and she all of a sudden felt overdressed.

"The amount of times I've contemplated cutting your mother off of that picture" he laughed, sitting on the sofa and running his hand through his hair. Amber giggled nervously, and sat next to him, a bit closer than she had before.

"Other times, I look at that photograph and realise how blessed I am", he continued, turning to look at Amber. "I wake up in the morning sometimes and would give anything to be able to turn back over and go to sleep, but I come in here and look at that picture, and realise how lucky I am. There are millions of guys who would kill to be in my position, doing what they love as a job". He stood up, and opened the door to the kitchen. His muscles flexed noticeably under his thin white t-shirt, and Amber felt weak. She'd imagined on more than one occasion what he'd look like underneath his sharp suits and immaculate hairdo, and now she knew. Well, almost.

Corny was used to eating on the go, he was always dashing between his house and the studio, and didn't really have any cooking skills. Miraculously, however. he managed to make a pretty appetising salad for him and Amber to eat at dinner. They both sat down at the table, chatting in between mouthfuls. Eventually, the conversation turned to Amber and her relationship with Link, and she felt so at ease talking to Corny that she opened up completely to him.

"I like him, he's a really nice guy but, I dunno, he's at that stage where he just wants to… you know…" she trailed off, embarrassed.

"I know what you mean, it's frustrating for you I guess, but he's a seventeen year old guy, I was the same at his age" Corny said.

"Yeah, I guess it's normal but I dunno, I just don't want to… I'm not… it's just weird" Amber stuttered. She could hardly believe she was basically openly discussing her sex life with Corny Collins, but when she looked up at him he was smiling sympathetically.

"I… just want it to be with the right person" she sighed.

"Is Link not the right person? I thought you were really into him?" Corny questioned.

"If we weren't on the show together, we wouldn't be together full stop. My mother just expects it of me, he's the heartthrob of the show I guess, and she wants me to be up there with him."

Amber paused, and took another mouthful of salad. She studied Corny, his perfect jawline, flexing everytime he chewed his food. His hair, no longer in the immaculate smooth hairdo he had on the show, was sexily ruffled, and she suddenly felt a mixture of attraction and new found confidence sweep over her.

"Put it this way, if I had my pick of anyone on the show, it wouldn't be Link I was with"

Corny shot her a questioning look. "Why, who else do you have your eye on? I've always thought Brad seemed an okay guy… or there's Joey…"

Amber took a deep breath, mustered up every last bit of Von Tussle she had in her, and leaned across the small table, pressing her lips against his. She expected him to pull back, but he returned the kiss. A few seconds passed, and he broke away.

"Amber, I'm sorry… I can't…" he stuttered, his head whirring with a thousand different emotions.

Amber stood up rapidly, knocking her chair over in the process. "Oh my god, I'm sorry," she gasped, and turned and ran upstairs.