I'm sorry that this chapter is so late. I hate to say it, but that may become a trend as the school year kicks off on Thursday for me. I will try to update as often as I can, but you know how school is. Especially junior year...I've been assured that this year will be hell for me. Isn't that reassuring??


Tracy entered the hop with Penny, who had insisted they be fashionably late. "It looks pretty tight." Tracy said nervously. The plan had been for Tracy to get to the front, where Corny was sure to see her. As she observed the dance floor, she noticed something odd. Thought there was no rope, there were two separate crowds dancing, a crowd of white kids (mostly from the Council) to the left and a crowd of Latin kids (mostly from detention) to the right. Upon closer inspection, Tracy saw that they were performing the same dance, though radically differently. The Latin kids were moving their hips more, taking advantage of the beat. The white kids seemed stiffer, though their smiles were brighter. Only a few of them were moving their hips as they danced.

"Okay, so I'm gonna go through first and push people, and you follow behind me, and we'll-"

"I got a better idea, Penny." Tracy said, interrupting her friend.

"Well, all right, if you think so, but I'm not sure what you've got in…" Penny trailed off, realizing that her friend was long gone.

"Hey Seaweed!" Tracy said, approaching him "What do you say about us doing Peyton Place for Corny?"

"Did you huff that hairspray of yours?" Seaweed asked in disbelief.

"No." Tracy shook her head. Seaweed rolled his eyes.

"We can't, Trace." He said. "I gotta dance with my crowd and you gotta dance with yours."

"But that's not fair." Tracy said.

"That's how it is." Seaweed said. "You can do it alone, Trace."

"You think so?" She asked.

"I'm sure of it." He said. "Go on, girl, show them!" He paused, looking behind Tracy at something, then said. "Wait a minute." He whistled, and started pointing frantically at Tracy. She turned and saw that he was trying to catch the attention of a dark-haired girl Tracy recognized from her audition. She nodded, then Seaweed said "Go to Shelley. She'll get you to the front."

Tracy nodded and headed out across the floor. As she passed Amber she intentionally walked into her, making the blond girl furious.

"Bump into me." Shelley said as she approached.

"But why?" Tracy asked. "You didn't do anything to me."

"Just do it!" Shelley hissed. Tracy did. Shelley let out an angry squeal, then turned to find Tracy dancing her spot. She covered her smile with her hand, but gave Tracy a small wink to let her know that it was part of a plan. Playing up her anger, Shelley turned on her heel and stomped off. She stormed around for a moment, then climbed the steps up to Corny's side of the stage. He saw her approach the podium from the corner of his eye, but gave the fullest focus to the plump girl now dancing right in front of Link.

"Corny!" Shelley whined in a dead on impression of Amber. "Did you see what that two-ton terror did to me?!?"

"I sure did." Corny said, grinning. He glanced down at Shelley with one eyebrow raised. "And don't you try to pass it off like you didn't let her have your spot. I've seen you fight harder, Shells."

"Was it that obvious?" Shelley said, losing her Ambertude immediately.

"I don't think anyone else was really paying attention." Corny admitted. "Link's going over really well."

"You can say that again." She said, looking at the boy in question. "Don't." She reprimanded, as Corny opened his mouth.

"You know me too well." He said, shaking his head.

Shelley allowed him a moment to think, then asked. "So, are you gonna put her on?"

Corny didn't answer right away. He clapped along on autopilot, watching Tracy. "She's gonna have a lot to deal with." He finally said. "The rest of the Council isn't going to be too happy with her."

"If you want me to look out for her, just say the word." Shelley said.

"You're going to be targeted too, Shells." Corny warned her. "You already are on the fringes of the group."

"Who says?" Shelley asked defiantly.

"It's pretty obvious." He said, his voice gentler, more sympathetic. "The other girls think you're odd. The boys think you're a…" he couldn't find the right word. "flirt, or the other girls wouldn't outcast you." He looked at Shelley, who looked away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"You're right, though." She said. She wiped away her tears before returning his gaze. "The other girls don't like me because Amber doesn't like me. The boys like me well enough, but they're not much help against the royal pain in the ass."

"Don't let her get you down, Shelley." He said. She looked up at him, but he didn't give her a chance to speak. "She's just a mean girl. But she'll realize someday that the world isn't going to respond to that. She'll see. Just wait it out, Shelley."

"Thanks, Corny." She said softly.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"I'll be fine." She said, smiling now. "You just go get that girl on the show. I'll look out for her."

"You sure?" He asked once more, straighten his tie and checking his hair.

"I'm sure." She said, her attitude back. "Now you get going, before I have to get her myself." Corny gave her one last wink, then jumped from the stage and headed over to Tracy. Shelley smiled, glad that something went right today.