"Oh my god! I'm so excited!"

Sacha screwed her face up with discomfort as Rona's squeal of delight hit a high note the likes of which Sacha hadn't heard since she'd last gone to a 14th birthday party. It was more than a week and a half after Sacha had gone to the office of the 'Word on the Street' to meet with Si. In that time she hadn't heard from Rona at all - and now, early on a Friday evening, Rona had unexpectedly turned up on her doorstep almost giddy with excitement.

"So Si tells me you're starting on Monday!" she said.

"Yeah, apparently" replied Sacha a little cautiously.

"Fantastic!" Rona had been worrying, as she'd made clear to Si, that Sacha would get cold feet - but she'd been too busy reformatting the magazine to accommodate the new column, and nursing the bruised egos of the magazine's other regulars, not to mention making token appearances at job interviews in order to stay on the good side of the dole office, to get in touch with Sacha. Now she was determined to make up for all of that.

"Come on" she said. "We're celebrating."

"'We'?"

"You and me. Well, maybe Hannah as well. Possibly Alain and Mal. Just like old times!""

"'Old times'? I've only known you for four months!"

"Yeah I know, and it's like we're old friends already. Isn't it great?"

Sacha refrained from commenting.

"So have you got anything planned for tonight?" continued Rona.

"No" replied Sacha.

"That's good, 'cause you'd have to cancel it anyway! You're gonna come see a band with me."

"Rona, I'm kinda tired."

Rona laughed. "Don't be silly! All you ever do is stay at home. Come and listen to a crappy band with me instead."

Sacha put a hand on her hip. "Now why on earth would I want to do that?"

Rona grabbed her by the shoulders and looked at her pleadingly. "Because you've got to keep me company! Si asked me to review his friend's band, and I just can't handle another night of third-rate punk by myself! I need someone to make sarcastic comments and be my drinking buddy, and you're never doing anything. Sacha, please?"

"God, all right, all right! Jesus, if I stick a beer bottle in your mouth will you just shut up? Anything but the whining, please!"

Rona brightened up immediately. "Awesome!" she said chirpily. "I am so gonna remember that trick!"