Canadian Sunset was playing on the jukebox of Eddie's Diner, Andy Williams' vocals nearly drowned out by the sounds of young voices raised in excitement or deep in conversation. The Corny Collins Dance Council kids were holding court on Friday night, as was their custom, and the front section of the small dining room was packed with teens; all of whom were trying to become a part - or at least bask in the glow - of that elite bunch.

In the largest corner booth, the most coveted booth, which was slightly raised up from the floor in a way reminiscent of a throne's dais, sat Link Larkin. Beside him, his girlfriend Amber was giggling with her pack of yes-girls and picking sporadically at a green salad in front of her. Every once in awhile though, she would turn and give him what he was sure she thought was a subtle glare.

Even though he was sitting back against the padded booth, appearing calm and relaxed; under the cover of the table he was harassing her by repeatedly trying to slide his fingers beneath the hem of her skirt. The back of his hand was hot and probably bright red from the slaps she had been doling out; but hell, it was entertaining.

Or it had been up until a few moments ago.

There was a burst of laughter from a nearby table that drew his attention away from the sport. A group of teens were gathered there, laughing and joking, and in the center of their number was one Tracy Turnblad. Of course Tracy had been popular from her first moment on the show, and Link really couldn't blame everyone for gathering around her, begging for her attention. There was just something about her that really drew you in, and though he was incapable of saying what that something was exactly; obviously he wasn't the only one who felt it.

But it wasn't that spark of something that had really captured his attention the last few weeks. It wasn't just her dancing or her amazing voice. No, instead it was just her, and the way she affected everyone around her. She was so different from any girl he had ever known before.

Since the day Tracy had first danced her way onto the Corny Collins show, everything had gotten… better. She never shoved her way to the front or jockeyed to be seen more than the others. It seemed that the competitions between council members were less heated when she was around, and people were dancing better than they ever had before. She worked hard and never complained; helping anyone who asked her and never holding back. She was so genuinely happy to be there, and seemed to love what she was doing so much, that she made everyone happier. Even Corny Collins seemed to be filled with more gusto, and for him that was really saying something.

Link heard a small huff from beside him and gave a sideways look to Amber. She was glaring daggers at the very same table he been quietly studying and it reminded him that Tracy didn't quite make everyone happier. He really wished that Amber and Mrs. Von Tussle would just get over whatever it was they had against the girl and let it be. How could they not see she was the best thing that had ever happened to the show?

He turned back to what seemed, at the moment, to be the most popular table in the room just in time to watch Tracy toss her head back with a rather exuberant laugh. He took note, briefly, of how soft the skin of her neck looked. Secretly he wished he could just get up and go over there, and be in on whatever joke could make her laugh like that. Nevertheless, he was Link Larkin, and this was his booth. His groupies were dutifully seated in a parallel booth on the other side of the room just so they could watch him sit and maybe eat some French fries. He couldn't disappoint them.

This was where people expected him to sit and so here is where he sat. Keeping them all happy was a key part of the plan. So, he was going to continue to sit just where he was until the lot of them decided to move on to wherever this Friday night might lead them.

Still, it was a tempting idea. They looked like they were having fun, and he knew she wouldn't stick around long. After about an hour of hanging around with this group, she'd slip away with her friend – the one sitting next to her, sucking away on her lollipop. He didn't know if they went home or to some other place they preferred more than this, but although he was curious, he never got up to follow.

As if on cue, Tracy rose from her seat, gracefully gathering her things. She said good-bye to Joey, Vicki, and Fender; then shared a quick double hug with Noreen and Doreen. She smiled and waved at everyone else around the table, all of whom were asking her to stay.

Say good-bye to me. The thought flooded his mind unexpectedly as she pulled her sweater off the back of her chair and draped it across her shoulders. He realized he really wanted her to look his way and give him that hundred watt smile of hers. How much he wanted it was some what disturbing, actually.

As if reading his mind, she looked up at him and grinned, waving her fingers at him. He didn't really understand why her actions made his heart beat a little faster, but he managed to give her a perfect wink and a little wave that he hoped appeared as cool as he was going for. It earned him an even broader smile and a longer stretch of eye contact before she turned with her friend to leave.

A sharp pain in his thigh brought his mind reeling back from thoughts about where Tracy was off to, and right back to his seat next to Amber. His girlfriend's sharp nails were cutting into his flesh through the fabric of his chinos. She wasn't even looking at him; she simply increased her death grip slowly as she continued talking to Laura with a tight smile, commenting on how relieved she was that "the roach nest" had finally left.

Link gritted his teeth and pried her hand off with as much savoir faire as he could muster.

Amber turned to him with a saccharine smile and, squeezing his fingers, lifted their joined hands to rest on the table together and in plain view of anyone who cared to look.

"Hey Larkin?" The interruption broke the couple's tense gaze as they both turned to look at the speaker. "Let's go see what's playing at the drive in," Jessie called out, making his way toward their booth. Link just shook his head. He really didn't feel like being trapped in a car with Amber right now.

"I say we head straight to The Point," Mickey announced from his cozy spot in a near by booth, where one of his fans was sidled up beside him looking very affectionate.

Worse idea, Link thought; at least at the drive-in there was a movie to distract him when Amber called a halt to their carefully choreographed make out session, which usually left her feeling powerful and him in pain.

There were several more suggestions from the group at large and Link felt a sudden bout of irritation with them and their need to run it past him. What? They couldn't decide on their own?

Amber was looking at him expectantly but he couldn't think of a single thing he wanted to do.

"Isn't there anything new to do in this town?" he heard himself ask. They all just stared back at him with blank faces. Link sighed. Right, he was the guy in orbit; he was supposed to have those answers, but all he wanted at that moment was to just go home and put all this out of mind… or to find out where Tracy was going…

What he said was, "the drive-in it is then," and watched as everyone happily got up to follow his decision.

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