"Hey Sacha, come over here!" Rona called Sacha over to where she was standing at the bar.

"Sacha, this is Hannah. Hannah, this is Sacha. New friend, old friend. Old friend, meet new friend."

"Less of the old from you, shorty!" grinned Hannah, baring her teeth at Rona in a strange kind of grin. She turned to Sacha. After a moment she raised her eyebrow. "Bottoms up!" she said and knocked back another shot.

"Hey, if it isn't the Queen of the Night!" somebody shouted out from behind them.

"Oh great" said Hannah sarcastically, widening her eyes conspiratorially at Rona. "Here comes the party!"

Alain came over to where they were, and put a hand on one each of Hannah's and Rona's shoulders.

Hannah turned in her seat. "And are you having fun, young man?"

"Not as much fun as you two, I bet" said Alain lasciviously.

"Where's our friend Malcolm then?"

Alain nodded towards the stage. "Second set."

Rona turned to look for him. Hannah put away another shot, and gnashed her teeth again, her mouth turned up at the corners and her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Well, that's my money down the drain then. Gotta go, sweet thing" she said to Rona. She turned to Sacha. "Any friend of Rona's . . ." she said. She leant over and whispered something in Rona ear. Rona giggled. "'Bye then, Frenchy" Hannah said to Alain, and left them.

"Bye-bye, Hannah-boo" said Alain in a childish voice. He turned back to Rona, as if to say something. "Aw, no, I've given you enough shit for one night. I'm going out on the floor. Anyone? Sacha?" He held his hand out.

"Not fucking likely" replied Sacha.

"Aw, you're just playing hard to get." He left Rona and Sacha alone.

"So that was Hannah" said Rona.

"Yeah, I picked that much up. What did she say to you?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." Nonetheless, Rona giggled again. Up on stage the drummer struck a cymbal and the band started again.