The next chapter and such.

I own nothing you recognize.

Ah nej ah nej ah nej ah nej ah nej!

By the will of the universe, it had happened. She was one of four girls that had been brought in at one time to meet the band. She looked infinitely out of place compared to the other females – she'd simply pulled on a white tank top and some gray shorts under a houndstooth hoodie and thrown her hair up in a topknot. Maybe they'd picked her to poke fun at her.

Adeline pressed the tips of her index fingers together repeatedly, directing her gaze at her hightops and biting her lip nervously. She honestly had no idea what to do with herself and it was forcing a bubble of panic into her chest.

"Are, um, you going to sit down, or what?" The question was followed by girlish giggles. She jumped and looked up, noticing that they'd been invited to sit down on the extensive black leather couch. The other girls had squeezed themselves in among the band, trying to make themselves seem as sexy as possible – Adeline couldn't help but think that they were awfully desperate and she should be the one laughing at them, if she only possessed the guts to say something witty.

"'M sorry," she murmured, briefly hiding her face in her hands as she blushed at her social blunder. Maybe she'd somehow pull off being cute by being a total unintentional dork, and maybe one of them would succumb to the charm of shy girls.

"Why don't yeh have a drink to loosen up?" She'd been in the process of positioning herself on the very edge of a cushion – it was the only spot left, sadly – when hands grabbed her hips and guided her into a lap. She squirmed initially against the touch, accidentally grinding herself against him. "Whoa there." The statement was followed by a chuckle and the smell of alcohol invaded her personal atmosphere. "What can I getcha?"

"Kaffe! I want ka...coffee," she mumbled quickly, biting her lip. Real smooth, she mentally berated herself. Be a Dane and get made fun of. "Um, please and thank you and..."

"Kahlua?"

"N-no. Coffee. Please and thank you..." This socializing thing was hard work.

"Dat's the wrong kind of drink, but if dat's what the lady wants..."

One of them emitted a string of excited Norwegian. Her response was to stare for a few split seconds and shake her head. She could understand him, but once she replied she'd create a communication barrier and be the butt of the Scandinavian joke. She wasn't going to let that happen and have it ruin her night.

"I like yer tattoo. Why does such a sweet girl have it?"

Adeline realized he was running his hands over her thigh piece. It was her band's logo: a brown skinny, scruffy dog snarling and flipping the bird. Of course he would have no idea what it was. Hardly anyone outside Mad Dog Strategy's dwindling fanbase did.

"Oh, um. I don't know. Why not?" Be inconspicuous! Be cute! But she couldn't help but grimace in embarrassment. Any question about that tattoo usually caused her to feel awkward.

"What's yer name?"

"Adeline." A set of hands placed a cup of black coffee into hers. It was cold and smelt burnt. She sipped at it anyway, trying to be nice.

"Anything else yeh want, Adeline?" the drunken voice purred. The gust of his breath on the shell of her ear sent shivers down her spine and caused an involuntary gasp. He chuckled again. "Is that a yes?"

"N...No!" She attempted to wriggle out of the arms wrapped around her waist, sloshing half of the mug's contents down her front and onto the girl sitting next to them. Lort!

"Hey!" the girl half-screeched as Adeline shot up. She pushed the tips of her fingers together and looked at the girl with blue eyes as wide as saucers. "Look what you did! Do you have any idea how expensive this dress is?"

"Jeg beklager," Adeline squeaked. Everything was getting out of hand and she'd never accomplish anything if it continued at this rate. On top of that, she was inches away from spilling buckets of apologies and making a silly fool of herself.

"What is that, Spanish or something?" the girl sneered. "You little shit." The stranger's jingling hand smacked Adeline's cheek. Ouchies! That...that's a little harsh. Do I deserve that? A little knot of anger was fighting with her low self esteem, but it was her off-color thought pattern that won out. Maybe...maybe I'd be mad if someone did that. It'd be a waste of coffee, no matter how terrible it was. And it's not like it was a pretty dress in the first place...Do I look that terrible?

"Hey, hey, hey, hey." The man whom she'd been sitting on stood between them, effectively tearing Adeline away from her inner monologue. "Cut it out. You, c'mere." He led her away from the couch. "Now, why don't I take yeh back to my place and we'll get yeh some dry clothes, eh?" He dusted off her shoulders as if it would somehow help the situation. She pursed her lips and creased her brows, displeased with the contact.

Adeline looked up at his face for the first time. He somehow managed to make dreadlocks and a combover coexist. "Oh, um...ok."

"Thatta girl."

Ah nej - Oh no

Kaffe - coffee

Lort - shit

Jeg beklager - I'm sorry