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  Holding her drumsticks high over her head, Tina clicked them together four times to give the girls the beat. Then they started to play.

  Finally hit the weekend

  Hanging with my best friend

  Listenin’ to the radio

  Talking fast and cruisin’ slow

  Doesn’t matter where we go!

  ’Cause you’re my best frie . . . hend!

  You’re my best . . .

  They started out all right. But something was wrong. Nancy’s bass sounded off, and Betty quickly realized she was on the wrong fret.

  Nervous about the public performance, Tina played faster and faster, making the other girls hurry to catch up to her. When she finally realized what was happening, she abruptly slowed down. But the other girls couldn’t slow down as quickly. Everyone was hopelessly lost.

  When they launched into the second verse, Betty’s microphone went dead and Veronica’s singing quickly petered out after that. Everyone stopped playing except Tina, who played a few extra measures before she noticed that no one else was playing.

  The Candy Hearts all looked at one another in dismay. This was worse than any of them had anticipated. From the audience, there was a loud laugh that sounded suspiciously like Reggie.

  Betty was so embarrassed she felt her nose starting to burn and her eyes brimming with tears. She half thought about running away, but she also felt frozen to the stage. None of the girls knew what to do.

  “Come on, Candy Hearts!” someone called from the crowd. Veronica looked up, trying to place the voice. She saw Archie’s red hair shining in the sun. He smiled and waved.

  Kevin was sitting next to Archie. Cupping his hands around his mouth to project his voice toward the stage, he yelled, “Let’s see some of that frosting!”

  Veronica couldn’t help it, Kevin’s comment made her giggle. The whole situation was just too bizarre. They’d formed their band six days ago and now there they were flopping in front of the entire town. A person had to either laugh or cry, and Veronica chose to laugh. It was just too funny. She glanced over at Betty, then paused. Her best friend looked like she was on the verge of tears. “Betty!” she called to her.

  Betty looked up to see that Veronica was smiling at her. Actually smiling! She waved Betty over to join her. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen,” Veronica said into the microphone. Betty walked across the stage to stand next to her. “We’re experiencing some technical difficulties and I’m afraid we’re going to have to call a do-over.” A light chuckle from the audience wafted across the lawn.

  “How can you be so calm?” Betty whispered. “Aren’t you embarrassed?”

  “Mortified,” Veronica assured her. “But hey, if I’m going to make a total idiot out of myself with anyone, I’m glad it’s you.”

  “Gee, thanks,” Betty said with a wry smile. “You really know how to cheer a girl up.”

  “Oh, come on. Share this microphone with me. Let’s just get this thing over with.”

  “Okay,” Betty agreed. She still felt embarrassed, but with her friends standing beside her, Betty knew she could try again.

  Veronica leaned over and whispered to Nancy, “You were on the wrong fret.” Nancy quickly adjusted her bass.

  Then Veronica nodded at Tina. “Let’s do this,” Ronnie said as Tina counted off the song again.

  Betty immediately felt a lot better. Making a goof out of herself in front of the entire population of Riverdale wasn’t that big of a deal. She might as well try to enjoy herself. And just like that, she actually was enjoying herself. Strumming her guitar, she leaned over to share Veronica’s microphone and sang:Finally hit the weekend

  Hanging with my best friend

  Listenin’ to the radio

  Talking fast and cruisin’ slow

  Doesn’t matter where we go!

  Cause you’re my best frie . . . hend!

  You’re my best frie . . . hend!

  You’re my best friend!

  Suddenly everything clicked into place. Betty and Veronica’s harmonies were pitch-perfect. Nancy was hitting every note. Tina held the rhythm strong and steady. The Candy Hearts actually sounded good. In fact, they sounded so good that a few teens got up and started dancing.

  A few seconds later, more teens were dancing. Then, to the girls’ surprise, some parents even hit the lawn, happily dancing to the beat of The Candy Hearts. None of the girls could believe their eyes. “We’ve got a hit!” Tina shouted.

  As The Candy Hearts played two more songs, “Wonder Girl” and “Keep Dancing,” the crowd kept dancing.

  “This was a blast!” Betty called across the stage to Veronica as they finished their set.

  The girls all set down their instruments and walked to the front of the stage. Clasping hands, The Candy Hearts took a bow. The audience applauded enthusiastically.

  “And you were thinking about running away,” Ronnie said with a smirk.

  Betty did a double take. “How did you know that?”

  Veronica laughed. “Oh, come on, Betty. We’ve been best friends forever. I think I can tell when you’re going to make a break for it by now.”

  The Fourth of July crowd was in such a good mood that they kept dancing all through The Archies’ performance as well. Betty and Veronica did feel a pang of nostalgia as they watched the boys play. But they were both so thrilled about The Candy Hearts’ that they didn’t worry too much about it.

  After the show, as they were packing up, Archie walked over to them. “You girls were great!” he said. “I have to admit, I didn’t know if you could get it together in only a few days, but you really pulled it off.”

  “Yeah, you didn’t stink,” Reggie said over Archie’s shoulder. “Nice job.”

  “Well thanks, Reggie,” Betty replied. “You guys weren’t horrible, either.”

  “Told you,” Reggie smirked. “Cake can get by without frosting.”

  A woman in a blazer and skirt approached the group. She was wearing a pair of stiletto heels and her curly, dark brown hair was piled in a loose bun on the top of her head. She looked totally out of place at a Fourth of July barbecue. “Excuse me,” she said. “Are you girls The Candy Hearts?”

  “Uh, yes, we are,” Betty told her.

  “Hello.” The woman stuck out her hand in a very businesslike manner. “I’m Wanda Marcos. I’m the Central Town Mall manager.”

  “Oh . . . hi!” Betty said and shook her hand awkwardly.

  “I’m sure you girls are probably aware that the Central Town Mall is planning a grand reopening in six weeks,” Wanda continued.

  “Sure,” Veronica said. “I hear Central’s getting a Shoe Haven. I love that store. Now I won’t have to order my shoes from New York.”

  “Well we’re throwing a big party for the reopening and I’d like The Candy Hearts to perform. What do you think?” Ms. Marcos smiled wide.

  Veronica wasn’t too sure. “You do know that Central High is our school’s rival?” she said slowly. “I mean, are people really going to want to hear a band from Riverdale?”

  “Well I don’t think that should be a problem,” Ms. Marcos started to say, but she was immediately interrupted.

  “We’ll do it!” Tina yelled. She pushed her way to the center of the crowd.

  Ms. Marcos pulled back slightly, alarmed by Tina’s enthusiasm.

  “Hi, I’m Tina Starling,” the girl continued, grabbing Ms. Marcos’s hand for a vigorous handshake. “The Candy Hearts would love to play at your mall.” With her free hand, Tina reached into the pocket of her outfit and handed something to Ms. Marcos. “Here’s my card. Give me a call and we’ll arrange everything. But yes, we definitely want the gig.”

  “Card?” Betty shot Veronica a questioning look. Veronica just shrugged.

  By the time they turned their attention back to Tina and Ms. Marcos, Tina was promising that The Candy Hearts would play a full set at the mall. The other girls smiled tightly as Ms. Marcos shook their hands.

  After Ms.
Marcos left, Veronica turned to face the band’s drummer. “Thanks for speaking for all of us, Tina,” she said dryly. “But did it ever occur to you that we, as a band, should decide if we want to play a show?”

  “Oh, come on!” Tina brushed Veronica’s comment off with a wave of her hand. “Tell me you don’t want to play the grand opening at a mall. This is a huge opportunity for The Candy Hearts! There’s no way we’re not doing it!”

  “Hey, girls, congratulations,” Archie said. “A mall opening is a really big show.”

  “Thanks!” Tina said. She was so excited she couldn’t stand still. She kept hopping from foot to foot.

  “Don’t forget about your friends. I mean, if you need anyone to open for you or anything,” Archie said hopefully.

  “Yeah,” Reggie added. “And besides, you owe us after this gig.”

  “Well, well, well.” Veronica shot Reggie a triumphant look. “I guess it turns out that the frosting is the best part of the cake after all.” She couldn’t help but smile at Reggie’s sour look.

  Chapter 5

  A few days later, Tina burst into the pool house. Betty and Nancy were going over their set list while Veronica was attempting to open a bottle of sparkling water. “Guess what!” she cried.

  Veronica spun around to see what was going on. The bottle of sparkling water exploded in her hands, spraying bubbles all over her.

  “This had better be either an alien invasion or a celebrity sighting because if it’s anything less, I’m going to be mad,” Veronica stated while dabbing at her water-stained red silk skirt with a towel.

  “It’s better,” Tina said, ignoring Veronica’s remark. “I booked us a gig!”

  “But we just had a gig two days ago,” Nancy said as she popped open a soda can. “The Fourth of July picnic. Remember?”

  “Of course I remember,” Tina said. “It was fantastic! That’s why I figured we had to strike while the iron was hot. I spoke to Mrs. Tarnell. She owns Tarnell’s Gallery over on Fifth Street. Well, they’re having kind of a pop art exhibition opening tomorrow night and she said The Candy Hearts could play.”

  “We can’t play at a gallery tomorrow night,” Betty said in a surprised voice.

  “Why not?” Tina said with a pout. “She said she’d give us twenty bucks each.”

  “But we only know three songs,” Betty insisted.

  “Oh, that,” Tina said. She waved her hand, as though that would make the problem disappear. “We can just learn a couple of covers and we’ll be fine. I mean, the show isn’t until five o’clock tomorrow.”

  “Tina! What did we say about taking gigs without everyone agreeing?” Veronica reminded her.

  “Why wouldn’t I say yes to this? It’s a gig at a nice gallery and we’re getting paid.” Tina shook her head. “It’s nothing like the gig I set up for us on Friday. That’s just for tips.”

  “What?!” Veronica yelled.

  “Yeah, at Café Luna,” Tina continued, ignoring Veronica’s outburst. “The regular house band is on vacation. The owner heard us at the beach party and said we have the gig. I’m just so excited. Isn’t it great?”

  “Sure, it’s great,” Betty assured her. “But you really need to ask us about this stuff first.”

  “But why?” Tina looked confused. “I mean, we’re in a band, right? And the whole point of being in a band is to play music in front of people, right? So what’s the big deal?”

  “Well for one thing . . .” Veronica began losing momentum and then just sighed. “Well . . . it’s really just the principle of the thing. I mean, we’re all in this band together and you shouldn’t go booking a bunch of gigs without telling us first.”

  “I’m sorry,” Tina said. “But it turns out I’m really good at getting us gigs. I mean, I already landed us two, right? So, why don’t we just agree that I’ll function kind of like the band’s manager? All you guys have to do is tell me when you’re too busy to play a gig, and I’ll make sure I don’t schedule us a show then.”

  “I don’t know . . .” Veronica was hesitant to put her social schedule in someone else’s hands.

  “Oh, come on,” Tina pleaded. “Let’s just try it and if it doesn’t work out we’ll think of something else.”

  Tina looked so excited that Veronica couldn’t help but cave. “Oh all right,” she said. “But don’t book us too many gigs too close together. I’d like to do more with my summer than have band practice.”

  Betty and Nancy nodded their agreement.

  “Hooray!” Tina cried as she twirled around. “Oh! We’d better start practicing. We’re only playing at the gallery for twenty minutes, but still, we’ve got some songs to learn!”

  XOXO

  The show at the gallery went very well given the circumstances. The band had only been able to learn two more songs that they felt comfortable playing in public, but the owners of the gallery were happily surprised when quite a few teenagers turned up for the show.

  “I’ve never had so many young people attend an opening,” Mrs. Tarnell told them. “You girls are really infusing a youthful vibe to this show.” She was even more surprised that all the kids started dancing when The Candy Hearts played “BFF.”

  “I’ve definitely never had dancing before,” Mrs. Tarnell commented in an amused voice. “That was certainly a first.”

  All in all, the evening was a success.

  “That was so fun! I can’t believe so many kids figured out we were here and showed up to see us play,” Betty marveled as they loaded their instruments into their cars.

  “I know!” Nancy agreed. “It was wild. I even saw a girl wearing a pin that looked like a giant candy heart and it had the letters BFF on it in glitter.”

  “Hey! Candy Hearts!” someone called from the parking lot. The girls looked up to see a group of guys walking to their car.

  “Woo-hoo!” one of the boys cheered when he realized he had caught their attention.

  “What’s that all about?” Betty wondered.

  Tina smiled. “I think that means he’s a fan.”

  With eyebrows raised, Nancy gave an amazed look to the rest of the band. “We have a fan?” she said in disbelief. “Who knew?” This made all the girls giggle.

  “Okay, Candy Hearts,” Tina said, getting back to business, “we have the café gig on Friday, so I think we should learn a few more songs. Betty, got anything original left?”

  “Well,” Betty said, biting her lip, “maybe. I’ll have to look through some of my old stuff and see if there’s anything good in there.”

  “Tell you what,” Tina said. “Why don’t I come by before practice and help you look? I mean, it might be good to get another person’s opinion.”

  “Okay.” Betty shrugged. She actually preferred working with someone on songs. It was what she missed most about playing with The Archies.

  “Great!” Tina beamed. “Well I think we’d all better head home and get to bed.”

  “What?” Veronica was caught by surprise. “Why?”

  “Because we have a long day of practicing tomorrow and then we have the gig Friday,” Tina said, completely serious. “We have to stay well rested so we’ll sound fresh.”

  “Well you can go to bed any time you want,” Veronica told her, “but it’s only seven thirty and I’m meeting Archie in thirty minutes.”

  “I’m meeting Chuck,” Nancy added.

  Tina turned to look at Betty. “Are you meeting anyone?”

  “Um . . . yeah,” Betty admitted.

  “Who?!”

  “A boy I met at the gallery. He asked me out for a soda,” she confessed.

  Tina looked alarmed. “You can’t date a fan,” she said in a very commanding voice.

  Betty stepped back from Tina, a look of pure shock on her face. “Why not?”

  Shaking her head, Tina explained, “Because a boy will come to the shows if he thinks you’re single and there’s a chance he might date you.”

  “There is a chance he might date me,” Bett
y replied. “That’s why we’re getting a soda.”

  “Yeah, but what happens if you date and then you break up, and then he’s hurt or angry or something?” Tina said. “Then we might actually lose a fan. We’re just building our base right now. We can’t afford to lose anyone just because you want to go on a date.”

  “There, there.” Betty patted Tina on the head. “I won’t lose us any fans and I won’t stay out too late. I promise.” Then, after a moment, she added, “Hey, why don’t you come with me? We’re only meeting at Pop’s and he’ll probably have a couple of friends with him.”

  Tina hesitated, but then agreed. “Well, okay. If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

  “Of course I don’t mind. It’ll be fun,” Betty assured her. “Besides, I think you’re taking this whole band thing way too seriously. You need to relax a little more.”

  “Sorry.” Tina looked a bit sheepish. “My mom does always tell me that I get wound up about stuff too easily.”

  “Hey, guys,” Veronica interjected. “I’m meeting Archie at Pop’s.”

  “Me too,” Nancy added. “But with Chuck, I mean.”

  “Cool!” Betty shouted. “Band date!”

  The girls all laughed. Then they climbed in their cars and headed off to their next band gathering—at Pop’s Chocklit Shoppe with their friends.

  XOXO

  On Friday night, Café Luna was packed even before The Candy Hearts arrived.

  “What are all these kids doing here?” Veronica wondered as the band started setting up. “I mean, do we actually have fans?”

  “That’s so weird,” Nancy agreed. “How do they keep finding out where we’re playing?”

  Tina was grinning from ear to ear. “Now, aren’t you glad we put in the time to learn a few extra songs?”

  “Sure,” Betty agreed. “And thanks for helping me finish up ‘Surfer Boys.’ I think it’s really cute now. I can’t wait to play it.”

  “My pleasure,” Tina beamed.

  “Excuse me, girls,” a Café Luna waitress in a green apron approached them. “There’s some . . . um . . . young gentlemen over there who would like to buy you ladies drinks. May I suggest our house cappuccino? Or we have Italian sodas if you want something a little more thirst quenching.”