"Oh, and Seaweed," Tracy heard Corny say. "We don't, uh, need you today. Tracy and Link will take over as head couple. Go ahead and go out for dinner or something. You get the day off."

Link looked over at Tracy and winked. Her heart melted.

"Hey, thanks," Seaweed beamed, running off to fetch Penny.

"Looks like everything worked out," Link smiled. "And your mom's plan to switch out dancers seems pretty successful." He looked around the room. "I heard today's kind of a slow day. Slow dancing." He waltzed in a circle around her, taking hold of her hand romantically and giving it a light kiss. "Mademoiselle, may I have this dance?"

"Oui," Tracy smiled.

Tracy felt especially pretty – Mary had done some extra work today – as she laid her head on Link's chest and danced with him. She sighed, moving slowly and rhythmically in sync with Link and the music.

"What do you think?" she asked, twirling.

"I like it," Link grinned, his eyes sparkling playfully. "A move like that could…'

"I meant how I look, silly," Tracy admonished him.

Even though they were in a mischievous mood, it was easy to tell how both of them felt about each other. The lights in the studio had been turned down slightly, and slow, soft music had replaced the normally upbeat melodies. Everyone in the studio could feel the change.

On the other side of town, Seaweed also treated Penny to a nice, slow dance.

"Everyone's staring," Penny whispered.

"Shh, baby, I know," Seaweed murmured, never taking his eyes from hers. "But it's just us, here on this floor, right now. No one else matters."

A few other teen couples filled the restaurant, as well as some adults and a family or two. Most of the other people in the booths were white, and almost all of the waiters were black, Penny saw with disappointment.

As they sat down to order, Penny saw that the waiter approaching them looked rather familiar.

"Seaweed? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Taking me baby out for an anniversary dinner," Seaweed said, putting his arm around Penny. "Penny, this is my friend and fellow dancer, Jamal."

"Were you dancing with Amber at the pageant?" Penny asked, suspicious.

"That's me."
"Man, I cannot tell you how weird of a look her mama was givin' you," Seaweed chuckled, shaking his head at the memory of Velma von Tussle's facial expressions when she watched Amber dancing with a black boy.

"Oh, here comes the boss. I'll talk to y'all later," said Jamal.

Seaweed sighed.

"It's hard enough for me to be with you. I can't imagine what it's like to have to go through the likes of Velma von Tussle," he said, shuddering for the Jamal's sake. "And for Amber to go along with it… there really must be something there. Maybe she's not as bad as we thought."

"Oh, she is," Penny grumbled.

Seaweed pulled her closer and crooned to her, "Wanna dance?"

Penny knew she wasn't anything like Tracy when it came to dancing, but she felt invincible when with Seaweed.

The two returned to the floor, dancing even slower this time. Penny laid her head on Seaweed's shoulder but was struggling to focus. So much had happened in the short month that they had been together. She could only wonder what lay ahead.

"Here comes trouble," Seaweed muttered suddenly, glancing at the restaurant's entrance.

Brad and Amber stood in the doorway.

"Poor Jamal," Penny said knowingly.

At their side, Jamal looked frustrated, but he had known that Amber couldn't override her mother's strict rules.

"You guys better split," Jamal suggested.

"Thanks, brother," Seaweed said. "Later."

Penny cast him a sympathetic look before Seaweed pulled her out the back door Jamal was showing them to.

Sitting out back, Penny breathed, "Think they saw us?"

Seaweed shrugged. "Sorry this didn't go as planned."

"I had fun," Penny quipped.

"Let's go back to my house. We can have something to eat there, and just as good of a party," Seaweed promised. "With, uh, better company."

Penny nodded sleepily, getting into the car.

"Happy anniversary, baby," Seaweed said, giving Penny a kiss.

"Happy anniversary." She kissed him back.