First Impressions

Disclaimer: If I owned this, I'd be off somewhere with Zac Efron. But, instead, I'm just writing fanfiction on my computer. So, no, I don't own Hairspray or any of its characters.

AN: This is my first Hairspray fanfic, and my first fanfic in a LONG time!! This is my take on a first meeting between Tracy and Link. Because with the way Tracy is obsessed with Link, I have a feeling there must be a back story somewhere.

Meandering through long hallways, each connecting to many other hallways that all looked the same except for a few subtle differences that she was too frantic to remember, Tracy Turnblad was absolutely, decidedly lost. Clutching a strap of her backpack in one of her hands and a schedule and a map in the other, Tracy began to look for landmarks, anything to help her get to her last period algebra class. According to her map, she had passed by the class many times, but couldn't seem to find it. And now she was over five minutes late to class.

Tracy sighed, found an empty wall, and slumped against it, crestfallen. Now she was going to be very late to her class, and would get a detention on the first day. It wasn't the way she had imagined starting her first day of high school. Granted, Tracy Turnblad wasn't known for being smart or studious, but she didn't want to be known as a slacker, as she undoubtedly would after this incident. Unconsciously moving to rub a hand on her stiff hair, she realized that her hairdo that she had spent so long perfecting this morning was almost completely deflated, leaving a mess on her head. This caused Tracy to sigh more. Could my day get any worse?

"Hey, do you need some help?"

Surprised at the sudden intrusion into her thoughts, Tracy looked up at the owner of the smooth, attractive voice. He had dark hair molded into place with a large amount of hairspray, the only thing escaping the hair was a curl that rested on his forehead above his piercing blue eyes. Instantly, Tracy was smitten.

Finally realizing that she should answer the question, Tracy stammered, still taken by his good looks, "I'm lost. I guess, and I don't know how to find my class. Do you know where this is?" She asked, holding out her schedule and map.

Looking it over, the boy chuckled and handed it back to her. "Oh, Mr. Richard's algebra class. I think everyone's having trouble finding that. I had to get a friend of mine show me where it was this morning, and I was five minutes late myself. I can show you how to get there."

Tracy looked as the boy held out his hand to her. She stared at it for a few seconds before realizing that this boy, this attractive kind boy, was going to help her up. She took his hand, and he gently pulled her up. He then gently took her map, and pointed at various hallways. "The trick," he said, gesturing to the map, "to getting to this class is to go through this hallway instead of the one you'd think would get there more quickly. That hallway is a dead-end. You instead go through this hall to get to the other side of the room, and you should get there."

Tracy mentally followed the path in her mind, and realized that is where she should have been going all along. "Thank you!" she said, with a wide grin on her face. "Everyone I've asked's been pointing me in that direction, but I never got any actual directions." She looked at the clock. It was ten minutes since the start of class. "Oh, I'm awful sorry that I've kept you! You'll get in trouble with your teacher!"

With a smile, the boy rubbed a hand in his hair, and said, "Don't worry about that, darlin'. I've got to hurry, though. It's my first day on the Corny Collins show, seen it?"

Tracy shook her head. She had heard of the local show, but she preferred the larger dance shows on national TV to the local shows. "I've heard of it, though," she stated, in a feeble attempt to sound interesting to this boy who she was by now completely enamored with.

"It's really swell. It's on every day after school," he said, still smiling. "You should watch it. Now I gotta go, though."

As the two of them walked in opposite directions, the boy called back, and she turned to look back at him. "You shouldn't get in trouble with Richards; he's used to people being late. I'll be seeing you around, Tracy." With that, he gave her a wink, and went on his way.

After Tracy had turned the next corner into the next hallway on her long trek to finding her algebra classroom, she clutched her papers to her fast-beating heart.

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Frantically flipping through the channels of the TV, Tracy was looking for the one TV show that she'd been imagining all through her last period algebra class. Finally, she saw what she had been waiting for: The Corny Collins show.

Holding her knees to her chest, Tracy looked at the people dancing what appeared to be the introductory dance. Finally, they all got into the 'roll call.' Outrageously attractive people danced, doing a move for their name. Tracy looked and watched to see if this boy was on it yet, and she didn't see him until…

"And I'm… Link."

Link. Tracy's heart fluttered as she watched him through the end of the dance and his introduction with the host. His name was Link Larkin.

Holding her knees tighter, she looked on as he finished his introduction and began to sing the first song. He was perfect.

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As the show finally came to a close, Link walked to the bus that would take him home, amid many congratulations from the other council members wishing him well. He thanked them all, but was glad as he was finally able to get home, fully exhausted from the day at school and dancing on the show.

Later that night, when he was finally tired enough to go to sleep, Link expected to have visions of success and stardom running through his head. But, for some reason, he just couldn't forget the face of that girl, Tracy, earlier that day.

End

AN: Reviews and Constructive criticism are much appreciated!! They're what keep me motivated and writing more fanfics!