As stated in the summary, this is my first attempt at a Hairspray fic, and I'm hoping it won't be my last. The poem or whatever you want to call it in the story was written by me. The poem, which doesn't rhyme, I wrote mostly based on what one of my guy friends said when he was describing his 'dream girl' to me, the first two parts at least. Anyway, I'll stop rambling now so you all can read the story.

Disclaimer: Hairspray nor it's characters belong to me...this includes Link unfortunatley...

Tracy Turnblad sighed and turned in her bed for seemingly the millionth time that night. Restless nights have been an issue for her lately, and the lack of sleep had been taking its toll. Was it the dark circles under her eyes or the constant nodding off in class that gave it away? She wasn't sure.

It all started on the first day of the new school year. After having the best summer of her life with her boyfriend, her best friend and her boyfriend, Tracy returned to school only to find out that almost every female in the student body was against her.

Tracy didn't understand. She helped integrate the Corny Collins Show, she out-danced Amber Von Tussle at the Miss Hairspray pageant, and almost everyone didn't seem to mind that, but it was the fact that she was dating Link Larkin, the most popular guy in school, that sent nearly every girl into a rage.

Most girls in school claimed that Link should be with someone from his status click, and, to them, Tracy wasn't 'up to par'. She wasn't thin, and she wasn't pretty enough to be with him. Since when do they chose who he dates, she thought scornfully. She had inner beauty, didn't that count for anything?

Inner Beauty:
Is too often overlooked.
Those who have it are often underestimated.
The ones who don't have it put down those who do.
Beauty from within doesn't matter.

Picking up a picture from the nightstand beside her, Tracy could barely make out what it was in the dimly-lit home but she knew it was or her and Link. Smiling sadly, Tracy, let a small tear fall onto the frame. They were right. She wasn't good enough for him.

Tracy found it strange that Link had this effect on her. Before he entered her life, she never felt insecure; she was happy with who she was. She used to just brush away and forget their comments but she found it nearly impossible to do so now. When she looked in the mirror, she used to see a young teenaged-girl with a good heart; now, all she saw was an ugly, obese teen who would amount to nothing. Of course, she couldn't tell Link what she was going through; she was secretly afraid of what he would say or do if he knew. She feared he would do as they say and leave her.

'No,' Tracy thought. 'Link's not like that. He loves me.' Tracy had been telling herself this for days but the doubt was still there. Even when she was around him she still had her doubts. Only her best friend, Penny Pingleton, knew about her insecurities, and she had tried to help her but it proved to be useless.

Glancing at the clock, Tracy groaned. It was three and she hadn't slept at all. Suddenly, she stood up, her legs having a mind of their own. She found herself heading down the hall, finally stopping in front of the phone.

'Call him,' a voice inside her told her.

"He's in bed," she told herself.

As if on que, the phone started ringing. Partially afraid, Tracy answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, Darlin', it's me." Tracy recognized this voice anywhere; it was the closest thing to comfort she had all week.

"Um, hi, Link. Shouldn't you be in bed?" Tracy asked him.

"Apparently you weren't either or else you wouldn't have answered on the first ring," Link pointed out. "I just called because I'm worried about you."

"There's nothing to worry about," she lied.

"Trace, I know about what you've been going through. I hear similar things everyday," he explained.

"Why are they doing this, Link?" Tracy asked, forcing herself not to cry. She was hoping they would leave him alone; she was afraid of him giving into peer pressure due to his popularity.

"I don't know, but I do know we can get through it," he replied.

"Easy for you to say. At least people aren't calling you fat and ugly, and, worst of all, unworthy of you," she told him.

"It kills me to have to stand there and listen to them saying that about you. I hate it when they treat you like that, and when they ask me things like 'why are you dating that fat chick?' I tell them to knock it off and that I'm allowed to be with whoever I want, but they won't listen," Link explained. "I would fight but that would get me kicked off the show, but if they continue to hurt you, I will."

"No, don't do that. The show means everything to you," Tracy said.

"Did mean everything to me," he corrected. "Trace, you're more important to me than that show, you know that."

"So does this mean you'll never leave me? Not even for someone thinner than me?" she asked him.

"Trace, babe, of course not. You're the best there is to me, so I couldn't possibly leave you for someone better, and I certainly wouldn't settle for less than the very best," Link assured her. "I told you many times that I'm yours forever."

Smiling brightly, Tracy wondered why she was ever worried in the first place. He would never lie to her, so she had nothing to worry about.

"Is there anything else you want to talk to me about?" he asked her, already knowing the answer.

"Link, what do you see when you look at me?" Tracy asked him, anxious for an answer to the question that she had always secretly worried about.

"I see a girl who has a heart of gold," he answered honestly.

Tracy's heart fell in disappointment. She wanted to know what he saw on the outside, not the inside. "What about on the outside?"

"The outside doesn't matter," Link replied.

"I don't care. Link, I want to know the truth," she stated.

"I see a beautiful girl who happens to weigh more than most, but, Darlin', that just means there's more of you to love," Link said sweetly. "Weight means nothing to me. After meeting you, I've learned that, in the end, heart is what really matters. Take Amber for example. She's thin and pretty but she's cold-hearted."

"True," Tracy agreed. "But, no one else thinks that. They can't get past my size."

"Who cares? Trace, they don't amount to anything. All that matters is you're opinion about yourself. They can't control how you see yourself, only you can," he told her.

Tracy nodded, forgetting Link couldn't see her. "I guess that's true…."

"It is. I could stand here and tell you a million times that you're beautiful, but all that matters is how you see yourself. Do you want to think you're ugly and be miserable or would you rather believe you're beautiful and be happy?" Link asked her.

Tracy hesitated before answering, "I'd rather be happy with myself."

"Then you need to love yourself for who you are," Link stated.

"Thanks, Link," she said softly. "How did you become an expert on this?"

"To be honest, I don't know," he replied. "I just don't want you to be upset so I just said whatever came to mind."

"Well I feel a whole lot better now," she said, her usual cheerful attitude coming back.

"You have nothing to worry about, Darlin'," Link assured her. "You just have something very rare and people are jealous of that."

"A perfect boyfriend?" Tracy teased.

Chuckling, Link spoke, "That, plus you have inner and outer beauty. That's something I don't think many other people have, at least I haven't seen it."

"So that's a good thing?" she presumed.

"Of course," he replied.

"Tracy Edna Turnblad, who are you talking to at this hour?"

"Uh oh, gotta go. My mom woke up," Tracy said.

"Love you, Trace. I'll see you tomorrow," he told her. "And, remember our discussion."

"I will. I love you, too. Bye." With that said, the couple hung up.

"Tracy, what are you doing up on the phone at this hour? You have school in the morning!" Edna interrogated.

"It was just Link, mom. I really needed to talk to him. If I didn't, I would never get to sleep, but I really need sleep so I'm going back to bed." Tracy went in her room and closed the door before Edna could respond. Her phone conversation with Link provided her with the inner strength she needed. She would follow his advice and not care about what others thought about her or her relationship with Link. He loved her for who she was, and that's all that mattered to her.

Growing Up:
Outer beauty is what is looked at when a teenage male is choosing a girlfriend.
Inner beauty is what is carefully examined by a man searching for a potential wife.
Outer beauty is skin deep and is only temporary.
Inner beauty is as deep as the human soul and is a permanent trait.
Tell me now, which one is better?