Tracy couldn't believe her ears. No, no this couldn't be happening. All the teenagers and Maybelle were standing in front of the small television listening to what the newsreader was saying,
"It has been reported that the Negros in the Corny Collin's show have been trying to blow up the WYTZ station and Tracy Turnblad had been their ring leader. The girl went missing several hours ago; she was last seen viciously beating a police officer with a tall, skinny boy."
Everyone stood still with their mouths hanging open. They really were in a big mess. Tracy felt her stomach tighten and she couldn't move. Then she started to panic.
"That's not true, Mr. Cannon he did all this" shouted Tracy, and just when she said his name, Mr. Cannon appeared on the screen with Tammy and a woman.
"Mr. Cannon the station manager and his family are devastated at all this."
"Tammy is his daughter!" Seaweed said in shock but Tracy couldn't move her eyes from the screen. "Tracy Turnblad was always a suspicious girl, always wondering off with the Negros so it was no surprise when we found this out but who knew one girl could cause all this damage?" said Mr. Cannon in his interview.
Tracy remembered him saying those exact words to her.
"There is now a massive manhunt for the teenager." The reporter said and the subject changed. Tracy sat down everyone crowded round her and she couldn't think straight she needed space. Just like Link had read her mind he spoke up,
"Hey give the girl a bit of room." And he smiled at her.
She couldn't take in what was happening, it was all happening too fast. She needed a second to think, to clear her head and figure out what to do. The old Tracy would have never got herself into a mess like this; she was strong and always knew what to do next. She didn't like this new Tracy, she was insecure and weak. It was time to get the old Tracy back. Link was smiling at her, she'd been a fool to ever give him up. Link had stood by Tracy the whole time even when she was avoiding him. Why hadn't she believed him from the start, she should have knew Tammy was up to something it was all to convenient how it had worked out for her, deep down she knew Link wasn't like that but the rumours and her doubts, they all took over her. Though there he was smiling at her, just looking at her, she smiled brightly back at him, she felt the confidence rush back into her. It was time Mr. Cannon got what he deserved.
Tracy stood up off the couch. Link watched in awe as Tracy's confidence filled her face again. He'd nearly been blown back by the return of it and then she gave him that killer smile. The smile that had won him over. She looked like she was glowing and her eyes were sparkling like diamonds. Then that smile, that perfect smile, it made everything better. The room seemed brighter, the world seemed like a better place and all because she smiled, at him. He'd felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders just because of Tracy. Pushing her hair back out of her face she walked into the centre of everyone. They all glared at her in amazement at how…happy she looked. Link jumped up onto his feet and Tracy began to speak
"Okay, Velma didn't get away with trying to ruin our lives so why should we let Mr. Cannon. I'm not going to stand for it any longer. So we're going to go down to the station and stand up to him!" she said confidently and then everyone in the room burst into cheers. Tracy smiled brightly and did the "Link wink" at Link he actually felt his knees wobble. Once Tracy stopped talking everyone rushed around getting ready to get going. Tracy walked over to Link and she hugged him, and it felt good to be loved again. He held her in his arms not ever wanting to let go. Everyone was bustling about, but Link just ignored it all as Tracy leant her head on his shoulder and he kissed her forehead. He felt a small tap on his shoulder,
"Dude we better get going…" Seaweed said looking sorry for breaking him and Tracy apart but Link knew they had to get going.
Tracy held his hand tightly and they headed out the door. There was a horrible twisted feeling in his stomach and deep down inside he couldn't help thinking what if something bad happened. No, he had to clear that thought out of his head. He was here now, protecting Tracy he'd let nothing harm her now. Especially Cannon. Remembering Tracy tell him that story, it made him feel sick. He knew Cannon was a jerk but that was just too far, what type of man hits a girl, especially Tracy who is the sweetest girl in the world.
"You coming Link?" she said looking a bit worried, she had obviously been thinking about the last time when she had organised the protest. He still felt terrible about that but this time he was going to be their beside her, holding her hand, protecting her.
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Link couldn't believe his eyes, I mean there were hundreds of people of every shape, size and colour standing outside the studio protesting what they thought was right. This was a disaster, how were they going to get it without being recognised at all? He turned round to talk to Penny and Tracy,
"Trace, babe I'm sorry to say but how are we ever going …… wow." He looked at her astounded. She was wearing a dark auburn wig which came down to her shoulders, also she was wearing dark shaded glasses which covered her big beautiful brown eyes and had applied a dark shade of red lipstick to her lips. There was something about it all, she just looked so, hot. He knew he was staring but he couldn't help it.
"Miss Penelope Peterson." She said flirtingly, pulling down the glasses, batting her eyelashes and held out her hand.
Link grasped onto it "Well Miss Penelope, I hope we can get to know each other a lot better" he said teasingly, gave her his signature wink and kissed her hand gently. She giggled and said,
"Emm, Link you're not exactly disguised." She said and pushed her dark shades over her eyes again.
"Don't worry I've got him all sorted" said Penny giggling and she threw a bag full of stuff at him. He didn't like the way she was laughing with Seaweed…
Link pulled at the ridiculous wig he was wearing. It was brown and fluffy, didn't have any shape what so ever and was itching him like crazy, the nerdy glasses he was wearing kept slipping down his nose and the woollen jumper he was wearing was far too tight. The only good thing about it all was he had been allowed to wear the same trousers and shoes. They were sneaking past the crowds and no one had seemed to recognise Tracy and Link, then one small little girl tugged at her mummy's jacket and said excitedly,
"Look mummy it's Link and Tracy!" The mother turned around swiftly, she didn't look much older than Link and Tracy and she was chewing her chewing gum quite loudly.
"Courtney don't be silly that's not Link and Tracy it's just some geek and a fat girl" she whispered spitefully and glared at the two of them and then turned back round and started protesting again. The little girl narrowed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Link. Link felt really angry, so this is what it was like to be treated like you were different. How did Tracy put up with it?
"Like mother like daughter." Scowled Penny and Tracy giggled.
Penny and Seaweed walked on forward and Link and Tracy followed behind. They had got some funny stares and Link was starting to feel quite self conscious.
"Emm Trace," he whispered and she looked up at him and smiled contently,
"Why do you let people talk to you like that?" he said and her smile faded and she sighed loudly.
"Lin... I mean John," she said quickly as she noticed there were a couple of people in earshot, "Some people are just ignorant, they don't look for the person on the inside, the just judge what they look like on the outside." Link smiled at her, she was so brave. There was a strong wind and the trees were swaying back and forth. A small strand of Tracy's brown hair fell onto her face and before she could push it back Link said sweetly "Here babe." and tucked it back into her wig. She smiled brightly up at him and he felt his heart flip, they stood there for a moment gazing into each to hers eyes. Seaweed thumped Link's arm impatiently to get him to come back to planet earth.
"Ahh!" groaned Link.
"Will you stop your whinging Cracker boy and get a move on; you can stare into Trac… Penelope's eyes later." He scolded, Seaweed and Penny started to laugh and Tracy giggled a bit. Link pushed her slightly,
"Your supposed to be on my side!" he said pretending to huff. She gave him a sympathetic smile.
"Oh come on Mr. Sensitive." She said laughing and linked hands with him. When they got to the back door of the studio after pushing through all the crowds Link pulled the handle down but it was locked. Seaweed pushed past him and took the knife out of his back pocket and started to fidget about with the lock. Then with one satisfying click, the door opened like magic.
Link looked at Seaweed strangely "I'm not even going to ask were you got that or were you learnt to do that." The tow girls burst into fits of laughter and then the tow boys joined in.
"Wait a minute, what's the plan again?" said Penny looking completely clueless and she popped another lolly in her mouth. Tracy and Link sighed loudly, it must have been the fifth time Penny had asked them but Seaweed just chuckled and said,
"Baby it's simple, you and me are going to be watching out for any funny business while beauty and the geek here are going to be looking for some evidence against Mr. Cannon."
"Hey!" yelled Link and he checked his reflection again and tried his best to make himself look a bit less geeky and wimp but it didn't work.
"I still think you look cute, however dorky you look." Grinned Tracy cheekily.
"Well it's good to know … what do you mean by dorky." He said trying to sound offended but he just laughed instead.
"Okay can we go in here sometime today?" said Seaweed started to get impatient on having to wait on Tracy and Link flirting, so the four teenagers ran into the studio.
Tammy paced up and down her father's office. What was she doing? Why had she got herself into the mess? Yes, maybe it would help her career to get rid of some of the competition but to be honest she wasn't the greatest dancer. She never had anything against Tracy, maybe she was a tiny bit jealous that she was going out with the school heartthrob but it wasn't as if he was interested in her in the first place. The only reason she was in all this was because of her manipulative father, he'd turned her into some sort of monster. First that note, then kissing Link and the worst of all was blackmailing Corny about him getting Brenda pregnant. Brenda was her friend and she had trusted her with that secret but Tammy had just wanted to please her father so much. He had always looked down on her, even when she was little. Nothing was ever good enough for him. So now Corny was practically in hiding praying that she wouldn't say anything, it would cost him his career. He'd agree to stay out of the way as long as Tammy didn't say anything. It made her feel sick. It was all spiralling out of control and her father was on some sort of rampage. This needs to stop now, before it's too late. She needs to find her father, fast.