Chapter 1: A Perfect Bubble

Link sat in his chair, his gaze fixed on a meaningless simple piece of paper before him. As he stared at the white color of the sheet, he felt a pressured air on his hair; obviously, hairspray. It was five minutes until the show went on, but he wasn't in the best mood to dance. He had been reassured by various people that everything would be fine and things would be the same as they always were but he knew that they were all lying. They lied to comfort him, but it only made it worse. It was false hope that made him feel so terrible.

He remembered it clearly. Link had come home after the show, exhausted from dancing and singing, but he was still happy. He opened the door to his house to find his mother in tears, a letter in her hand. His father, a built man which Link heavily resembled, put a hand on his mother's shoulder and rubbed her back.

"It'll be okay." He had said repeatedly. Link looked at the situation questioningly and his father sighed.

"What's wrong, dad?" he said, placing his tie on the dining room table; it had been choking him.

"Son, I don't know how to tell you this but…." He paused as his mother sobbed harder. "I've been drafted and I leave in two days." His father said quietly.

Link's jaw dropped as he realized what was going on. His father had always been a healthy man who had taken care of his family efficiently. He was now almost forty three years old; Link had been born when he was 26.

There wasn't a question of why they would draft his father. It was very self-explanatory. But he couldn't help but be shocked. His father, his only father, was going off to war where his return would not be guaranteed. He couldn't bare the thought of losing his father. He had always been there to encourage him and stand by his side and he could possibly be gone forever.

Now, he sat in the make up department lost in thought, wondering how his father was thousands of miles away. He had left yesterday, his mother hadn't quite recuperated from his departure and neither had Link.

"Linky, baby!" Amber wrapped her arms around his neck but Link didn't bother looking up. "Come on; the show's going to start and we need you to sing." She persuaded and Link simply got up and went for his microphone.

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"Penny, look! They're having auditions tomorrow!" Tracey, a chubby girl with tall hair, told her best friend. "I have to go. We have to go." She corrected. Penny looked at Tracey with a troublesome face. She licked her lollipop nervously and Tracey looked at the T.V. hopefully. "I could be with him; with Link."

Ever since Penny could remember, Tracey had been obsessed with Link Larkin, a singer and dancer on the Corny Collins show. He was attractive, she had to admit. But all the singing and dancing made her sick. It seemed as if he was almost too perfect. After all, it wasn't like her mother would let her have a boyfriend. Link Larkin would never even look at her anyway.

"We'll see you in 9 months, Janet." Corny said as the black-haired girl exited the studio and they cut to a commercial break.

"Can you imagine that, Penny? Me and Link? Mrs. Link Larkin? It's just too wonderful!" Tracey said excitedly jumping up and down. Penny just followed suit and tried to keep her lollipop from falling out of her mouth.

"I'm sure they'll love you, Trace!" Penny encouraged.

Tracey frowned as she saw Amber, a blond girl on the show, kiss her beloved Link. There was a certain empty look in his face as he did so. "If I could only get rid of her."

"Alright let's stop having cynical murderous thoughts, now." Penny joked and a smile appeared on Tracey's face. Tomorrow would be a great day and she would surely get that vacant slot on the Corny Collins show alongside Link.

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Link watched as Velma Von Tussle gave instructions to the auditioning ladies. They were all the same to him, even though in reality they were much different from one another. Big or small, they were just here to be on the Corny Collins show to be 'famous'. It sickened him to think about it, but at the same time he was one of the Nicest Kids In Town.

"Link!!" Velma called and Link snapped out of his trance. He approached her quickly. "I need you and some of the other fellows to pair up with these….dancers and do a simple dance with them to get them going." She flashed them all a fake smile. The other boys immediately grabbed someone, even the big girl. If he didn't pair up with someone, Velma would yell at him. He scanned the room searching for a feminine figure and found one near the back of the room.

She had dirty blonde hair that was half up and a pink polka dot strapless dress with white flats to accompany it. He had gotten lucky; this girl seemed coordinated. Link made his way towards the girl and she looked at him with a confused expression.

"May I have this dance?" Link asked holding out his hand. The girl took the red lollipop that tainted her lips out of her mouth. "Let's get rid of that, first." He said tossing it to the nearest garbage can.

Penny was lost for words as Link Larkin spoke to her. It must've been a dream. As he touched her hand she felt a shock go down her body that paralyzed her even more. "I-I'm not auditioning." She managed to say.

"Well now you are." Link smiled. She couldn't help to give in as he placed his hand on her waist. She felt the warmth and thought she was about to melt. Link moved her hips from side to side and then Penny smiled. She was having fun with the dancing; something that she thought she would never do. "What's your name?"

"Pe—"

"Alright! Break it up. Boys go put some hairspray in their and tighten it up please." Velma yelled above all the noise. The boys knew better than to argue and so they left immediately each with their own bottle of Ultra Crunch at hand.

Penny looked as he left the room. It had been such a perfect moment and now he would disappear without ever knowing her name. At school, he had seemed distant and in his own perfect little bubble and Penny would never be chosen to dance on the Corny Collins show; the situation was hopeless. But she never expected much so it was easier to just let it go.

THAT'S THE FIRST CHAPTER! Please please please please pleasssssssssssse REVIEW!