The boys had all ended up coming over to Link's to work on perfecting the Peyton Place, and Link wasn't sure if he was thrilled or horrified, because Tracy had been the main topic of conversation from the moment the bus had dropped them off.
Sketch kicked it off by saying dramatically, "Miss Baltimore Crabs was right!" After a moment of waiting for comments or questions that didn't come, he continued with, "Seeing a girl dance like that really did give me all the wrong ideas... But they feel oh so right!"
"Fat girls are easy, you shouldn't have any problems." Jesse shrugged. "Don't see the appeal, personally, but she'd probably go all the way just out of gratitude for someone looking at her."
Link was, for a moment, grateful at IQ's obvious crush on Tracy as the boy said hotly, "She's not like that!"
"How would you know, egghead?" Brad flicked a finger on IQ's forehead as they all trooped into the empty two car garage, where a record player was already set up in the corner for whenever the guys wanted to practice.
Everyone looked at IQ as he blushed slightly, and Link took back every thought he'd ever had about liking the boy as he wondered just what caused it. "Shelley told me the girls grilled her in the bathroom before the show."
That got everyone's attention, so no one noticed how Link froze as he reached for a record. Stupid! He should've known what she'd have to face, not just dropped her off because he always needed to go just before a show. But, since he'd already done it...
IQ looked around at the intently listening crowd and sighed. "You guys aren't going to leave me alone about this, are you?"
Amidst the nodding, Sketch said, "There may be Indian burns involved. Just so you know."
"She's gone as far as kissing, but she's not going steady with anyone right now. And she's got a crush on Corny." IQ stopped to grimace, but went on, "Shelley said she thought that part might've been just because she met him and he was nice."
Link chewed over the information as he put the record to play and everyone started dancing. They stopped again when Sketch said, "Could you believe when she put her hands on Vicky's hips? Girl on girl, man – outta sight!"
"Girls... Together?" This whole thing of letting other people say what he wanted to was fairly new, but it was working out really well for Link. This time it was Joey and not IQ, who was just standing there with his jaw slightly open.
Throwing his arm around Joey's shoulders, Sketch said expansively, "Old son, there's a whole wide world of nudie mags in my dad's den that I need to introduce you to. Yes, naked girls, kissing each other, in glorious life-like color."
"We have to practice," Link said, his voice cracking as unwholesome images flooded his mind.
"Come on, Link!" Jesse whined. "Just because your balls haven't dropped yet, doesn't mean the rest of us have the same problem."
"They're probably just hiding from Amber," was Brad's witty retort, followed closely by IQ saying, "Don't talk about a lady like that."
"That chick's no lady," Sketch said with a snort. "Forget this, I'm done practicing. Who wants to go to my house and read some magazines?"
He led the charge and shortly it was just IQ and Link remaining. They looked at each other and shrugged. "I think I'll head out, too, unless you need some help with the dance."
"Nah, I'm all right. I think I got it now." The other boy left, and Link went through about half of the routine before shutting off the record player and bounding up the stairs as well as he was able. He had time and privacy now, and thinking of the way she'd demonstrated the dance had taken its toll.