Hairspray

I have a confession to make.

I watched Hairspray today, and while I didn't love it, I did fall a teeny bit in love with the character played by... wait for it... Zac Efron.

It's not Efron himself. I've watching all three High school musicals (come on, the movies were cheesy but they were cute), and most of 17 again, and... well, he's a cute kid.

I think it was more the situation. The main character, Tracy Turnblad (poor girl never stood a chance), is plump, and therefore something of a social outcast. She's always had a huge crush on Efron's character, Link Larkin (I want to know who made up these characters' names — Tracy's best friend is Penny Pingleton), and when one day he brushes up against her accidentally and actually looks and smiles at her, her cup is full to overflowing.

I remember so well being that girl in high school. Rather than being plump, I was all skinny and pimply and knobbly-kneed, but I can remember feeling so unattractive and when my huge crush at the time not only smiled at me but tackled me (for no particular reason) in a field... I was just so happy. So full of joy. So happy I can't describe it.

I guess watching the romance between Link and Tracy just brought me back to that feeling. I never ended up going out with my Link, but I love the character just a little bit for being that boy that gave a girl that same joyful feeling. It doesn't matter that he never knew — but he paid her attention and he smiled at her. He was kind to someone who knew she wasn't seen as attractive; he made her feel special. And for that, I fell a teeny bit in love with him.

(OK, spying on him in the men's toilets is somewhat creepy. But I like the first couple minutes of the song.)