.3.

"I Saw Him Standing There"

Well he was just seventeen / if you know what I mean

And the way he looked / was way beyond compare

Well he looked at me / and I could see

That before too long / I'd fall in love with him…

© 1963 John Lennon, Paul McCartney, & the Beatles

.xxxxx.

Devyn sighed, stirring her straw through her rapidly-melting shake. One glance out the double-glass doors to her right confirmed the weather was still as dreary as it had been that morning, when she and the others had trudged down to the P*lace for one final rehearsal before their first Saturday night concert. The continual lack of sunshine certainly hadn't dampened high spirits, though, as the band and its dancers put the finishing touches on the set.

It was certainly shaping up to be an exciting evening – in addition to opening with what had been her audition piece, each member of the band would sing lead on two songs, highlighting their vocal ranges and preferred styles of music. Ryan had suggested it as a way to 're-introduce' the band to the Saturday evening crowd – the ones who would pay money to see them, instead of merely paying their dues in ice cream – and the others agreed it was an awesome idea.

Still, for Devyn, the newbie, it was also a little nerve-wracking. Even though she and Kenny had been performing with the band for almost a month, it had never felt quite so high stakes as this. As nervous as she was, however, she also couldn't help but feel excited. If someone had told her two years ago, when she first met Kenny on the playground and discovered their mutual interest in music, that she would be a part of the beloved neighborhood band before she graduated from middle school? She would've laughed in their face. And yet, here she was, at twelve years old and in seventh grade, doing exactly that.

She still pinched herself from time to time, to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Kenny was the one who had introduced her to Kids Incorporated, though the band was quite well-known around the neighborhood. Shortly after befriending her, he'd brought her to one of their afternoon sets. She'd been impressed and amazed that such a talented group of kids had found each other – and a stage – for their sound. The two started attending the shows regularly, always interested to see what was old, what was new, and what the Kids would be performing next.

One of the best things about the band was their chemistry – how much they all seemed to just like each other. In some cases, it wasn't that big a leap – Stacy and Renee were siblings, and the Kid was everyone's best friend, sassy and outgoing (and his Lionel Richie covers were among Devyn's favorites). Gloria was the show-stopping lead singer, and Ryan? Well, he was the glue that held them all together. They were as versatile as they were creative, and they had turned Saturday nights at the soda fountain into the place to see and be seen among the middle- and high school set.

In spite of the loss of three of the original members of the band, the audiences crowding into their summer afternoon sets hadn't lessened. That was heartening, indeed, for the newcomers, because being associated with the band in any capacity was highly desirable. Anytime they held auditions – to find dancers, or musicians, or singers – the P*lace became a mob scene. So, it was an extra special feeling for Devyn, not only to be accepted and encouraged by the band, but by the audience.

And, well, it was just fun to be around the others. In addition to Ryan and Stacy, their dance corps included some of the most popular girls from the high school, which was absolutely thrilling. Not that Devyn didn't enjoy her time with Kenny, Richie, and Connie – but she saw them all day, every day, at school. Hanging out with high-schoolers? That was another thing she didn't expect to be doing until she was in high school herself.

She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't realize Kenny had slid into the seat beside her. "Penny for your thoughts," he offered, playfully elbowing her arm.

She smiled. "I'm just feeling a little nervous, I guess," she replied. "You?"

"Same," he agreed, before directing his attention over the counter, towards the stage. "Do you think it ever gets easier?"

Devyn followed his line of vision. Ryan was standing with Riley on the stage, going over production details. Two of the dancers were chatting as they set up the backdrop, while Richie was "helpfully" directing them from his perch on his drum set. Connie was helping the other dancers set up the temporary staging on the floor – it was always a crowd-pleaser for the audience to be within reaching distance of the lead singer, whoever that might be for a song. Nearby, Brian and Dee were going over choreography with Stacy, fairly simple moves she could do while singing full-blast.

Devyn watched her carefully, a mixture of awe and curiosity settling over her. Stacy's numbers would probably be the most popular of the night, if their past performances were any indication. There was just an irresistible, attractive quality about her – when she started to sing, everyone dropped what they were doing and gave her their full attention.

Her eyes traveled up five feet, to where Ryan and Riley were standing. Sometimes those people aren't just in the audience, she thought. She'd been noticing, lately, just how much Ryan and Stacy seemed to gravitate towards one another on stage. Maybe it was merely because they were such good friends, or because they had spent so much time together that they were just naturally more comfortable while in the other's presence, but Devyn couldn't help but wonder….

She glanced at Kenny.

And wonder if the others had noticed the same thing.

Well, there's no better way to find out than to ask, she reasoned. "Hey, Kenny," she said, recapturing her best friend's attention. "Have you noticed anything – different – about Ryan and Stacy?"

He furrowed his brow. "Different? How do you mean?" He glanced over at them again.

"Well, you remember how they acted around the others, before we joined the band, since we used to come to their performances all the time," she mused. "Do you think they're acting any differently now?"

Kenny still appeared confused. "Because we're around?" he asked skeptically. "Not really – they've always been nice to me." He turned back to her suddenly, his eyes wide. "Why? Have they been treating you differently or something?"

"No, no, nothing like that," she assured him. "I just wonder about them sometimes. They seem so close."

He shrugged. "They've been performing together the longest," he said. "Is it really a surprise that they're closer to each other than they are to the rest of us?"

She huffed a sigh, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "That's not exactly what I mean," she said. Boys can be so dense sometimes, she amended silently.

Kenny looked at her, glanced back at the others, and then back to his friend once more. "I think you've been reading too many of those Sweet Valley High books," he suggested. "Boys and girls can just be friends, you know – I mean, look at us!"

"That's true," she hedged, "but I can't help but wonder. They're always together, even off-stage."

A new voice entered the fray. "What're you talking about, guys?"

The two turned to see the youngest member of the band, Connie, standing next to their table, soda in hand. Oh, good, Devyn thought, another girl might understand! Even though she was only eleven, Connie was incredibly smart and perceptive for her age.

Kenny beat her to the punch. "Devyn here thinks Ryan and Stacy are more than just friends," he explained, his tone making it clear he thought she was totally off base.

Connie clapped her hand on Devyn's shoulder, and a huge grin lit up her face. "Really?" she breathed, absolutely enchanted by the idea. "What makes you think so?"

Devyn's expression mirrored hers. "Well," she began excitedly, "have you ever noticed how much they are together, on stage and off? Like, always standing next to one another, or picking songs to play together, or holding conversations just with each other?"

Kenny stared at them, a mixture of surprise and mild disgust sweeping across his features. "Girls," he sighed dismissively with a roll of his eyes, standing up and moving away, obviously glad to be free of conversation about the hidden meanings of looks, sly glances, and hand-holding.

They were all saved from continuing speculation when Ryan called out, waving them over to the stage, apparently finally satisfied with whatever plans he and Riley had worked out for that evening's show. "Everything looks great, guys," he announced, nodding his approval to the backdrop and temporary staging. "Let's run through these last couple of songs, so we can get out of here early!"

This proclamation was met with much cheering. Considering how late they'd be there that evening, the prospect of an afternoon off, even in dreary weather, was invigorating.

Ryan turned his attention to his bandmates. "Let's meet backstage at six-thirty," he advised, "so we can make sure everything's good to go tonight, yeah?" When he was met with nods of agreement, he smiled, pointing to Stacy.

" 'Tell It to My Heart'?" he suggested.

Devyn elbowed Connie in the ribs, and Kenny could only shake his head when he noticed both striving to suppress smiles.

She nodded. "Sure," she replied. "Brian just finished teaching me the dance moves, so I'm ready to try it out."

"Awesome," he said, turning his attention to the others. "Let's go!"

They climbed the stairs to the stage, taking up their starting positions. Kenny, Connie, and Devyn grabbed tambourines and mics, heading stage right, where they would be singing backup as a group. Ryan went left, picking up his guitar, while Stacy was center stage with two dancers flanking her. The others headed for instruments, and, as Richie counted them off, Kenny heard Devyn whisper "just watch" to Connie.

The band whisked through the performance. Stacy completely owned Taylor Dayne's dance-pop hit, her vocals aggressive over the up-tempo beat, her movement across stage fluid and focused as she worked through the pre-set choreography that accompanied the verses. Devyn watched her from the corner of her eye, careful to keep her concentration on her own cues, and noticed how much the older girl seemed to drift stage left as the song moved into the chorus – and how, anytime she got close, Ryan seemed to instantly know, shifting the entire orientation of his body towards her and smiling.

Any post-performance discussion to be had between the younger girls, however, was interrupted when Riley rounded the counter, bearing a gigantic cardboard box. "Delivery for you guys," he called, setting the box down on one of the pieces of staging. "And, uh, it's a big one."

Devyn squealed, racing down off stage. Kenny, Connie, and Richie were fast on her heels, while the others lingered, uncertain of what was going on.

"I can't believe they're already here!" Connie enthused.

"Me either," Kenny agreed, pulling the lid open.

As the younger kids dug through the box, Riley appeared with another one, of equal size.

"What's going on, guys?" Ryan called, strumming a chord. He shot a glance to Stacy, who was busy setting up her own guitar, in preparation to run through her other number.

Devyn looked back at him and grinned. "It's a surprise," she replied.

That caught Stacy's attention. "A surprise?" she echoed. "For us?"

Richie nodded. "One of my brilliant ideas," he proclaimed, his voice full of indulgent modesty.

"Why do I not find that reassuring in the least?" Ryan deadpanned.

Richie pulled away from the box, putting up his hands defensively. "Hey, even you said we needed new performance outfits for Saturday nights," he protested. "We just took the liberty of picking out a design and ordering them – enough for the whole band, dancers included!"

Murmurs of appreciation arose from that crowd, who had been looking on with interest at the proceedings.

"Hey, Richie, these are awesome!" Kenny said, pulling a black jacket from the box. "Even better than we thought they'd be!" He held it up for them all to see. The Kids Incorporated logo was emblazoned on the back, over a star field of twinkling white rhinestones. A twist of colors rose up from the bottom of the logo over the right shoulder – red, green, and blue, in jewel tones, accented by sparkling silver sequins laid out in an intricate design.

The buzz of the crowd grew louder as the jackets were passed around and admired.

"And we had special ones made for the two of you," Connie added, as Ryan and Stacy joined them. She handed them each a jacket, identical in every respect, save the color scheme on the shoulder – Stacy's was purple over pink, while Ryan's was teal over blue.

"Thanks, you guys," Ryan said, blinking in surprise as he accepted his. "These are really, really great!"

Stacy nodded in agreement, sliding her arms into hers. "You didn't have to do this," she added. "We're all in this together, as equals."

Devyn shrugged. "But you guys are special," she explained. "You've been here the longest, and done the most to make this group what it is today."

"Do I feel a group hug coming on?" Connie asked from her spot in the middle. The others laughed and complied, folding their arms around one another in a moment of group solidarity. It didn't escape Devyn's notice that the two oldest members had managed to stand next to one another, even though they'd approached the group from opposite sides to receive their jackets.

"Wait a minute," Ryan piped up after a moment, pulling away from the lovefest. "Richie, you said this was your idea?"

The younger boy nodded, a self-satisfied smile creasing his face. "That's right," he replied.

Ryan's eyes fell closed, albeit momentarily. "Do I even want to know how you paid for these?" he asked warily as he eyed his friend once more. Richie, the consummate showman, was always the first to offer an off-the-wall marketing or fundraising idea. Though he certainly had the charisma to charm others into giving him what he wanted, he didn't always have the brains to get himself out of any resultant jams.

And he had a bad habit of involving his friends in his schemes without telling them.

"Well, technically, we're still paying for them," Richie said, his confidence faltering just a bit.

The smile eased from Stacy's face. "'We're'?" she echoed. "I don't like the sound of that."

"Well," Richie hedged, "since we still don't have a band fund with which to pay for our extras, I took the liberty of securing a small advance from Riley, so that we might order these in time for the first Saturday show of the year." His eyes bulged out of their sockets as Ryan advanced on him, and he quickly added, "Riley was very amenable to our terms, and agreed to let us pay him back!"

"Richie! How could you!" Stacy cried. The jackets were not inexpensive, and he'd ordered so many…!

Ryan nodded. "Come on, Rich, not all of us have this kind of money right now," he said. "And if you have another one of your hare-brained schemes up your sleeve to fix this – "

"All you have to do is eat ice cream," Richie interrupted. "Lots and…lots of ice cream."

"Riley agreed to let the profits of one of his ice cream flavors be payback for the loan," Kenny jumped in, sensing the drummer on the verge of flailing. Ryan was a nice guy, but he could be intimidating as hell when he wanted to be.

Ryan and Stacy exchanged a puzzled glance. "Which one?" Ryan finally asked, unsure how any of them could ever eat enough – or even just pay enough – to repay the cut in profits their friendly soda jerk was taking on this deal.

"Rocky Rahsaan Ripple," Connie supplied, finally finding her voice.

"It's going to be the featured flavor all next month," Devyn added.

Stacy bit her lip, her indignation deflating. "You guys are really sweet," she finally said, a soft smile curving over her lips. "I think the Kid would appreciate knowing how much a part of the band he still is, even from so far away."

"Are you kidding?" Ryan snorted. "His head would inflate so much we'd be lucky to see any of the rest of him."

The two shared a knowing look over the others' heads before Ryan spoke again. "All right, guys, let's break for the afternoon." He struggled to make himself heard over the re-explosion of cheers and renewed excitement over the band's jackets. "Make sure you take a set list before you leave – see you tonight!"

As the others streamed out of the P*lace, Devyn hung back, shooting a long, speculative gaze at Ryan, Stacy, and Riley, who lingered behind, ostensibly to discuss payment for the jackets. Why does no one else see it? she wondered silently to herself. Or do they just not want to?

The second thought brought her up short. No matter how exciting the prospect of burgeoning romance between her friends, there was still the very real way it would affect the rest of the band. Even though the others were fairly easygoing, what brought them together was a love and desire to perform. As it stood, duties were split evenly – everyone had their fair share of time in the spotlight, be it in singing lead, playing lead, or dancing lead, while the others backed them up. The older, more experienced members made it a point to play fair – but if they became wrapped up exclusively with each other, would that change?

How could it not?

Devyn shook herself from her thoughts. Nobody wants to rock the boat, she reminded herself. I'm sure they'll keep what's best for the band in mind, just like the rest of us do.