New Year's @ the Dive!

[birthright_npc]

The Dive, which was prone to a gritty atmosphere, had been transformed for New Year's festivities. A rotating disco ball hung above the crowd, as well as a web of streamers. Colorful lights lit the stage for its five-band line-up, which began with a local cover band and then transitioned to new wave, punk, synthpop, and glam rock acts, all staples of the year in music.

By 11:15 p.m., the crowd was slap-happy and drunk, thanks to happy hour prices on drinks and $1 Jell-o shots. The patio smelled like barbecuing meat and nacho cheese. Merchandise for the Dive and the bands moved quickly.

The world was halfway through the decade and antsy for the second half to begin.

The Fraying Nerves were wrapping up a five-song set and about to clear the stage for the Death Spirals, a band whose hairstyles were a fire hazard.

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[brian_campo]

Since Theresa had made no move for the bar, it gave Brian an opportunity to take control of the situation. He pried the empty bottle from Mel’s hand and went to lean over the bar, where he flagged down Teddy and got it replaced with an identical drink. He gestured at Mel over his shoulder. The bartender followed his finger and nodded, coming up with a bunch of cocktail napkins from under the counter, too.

Brian came back and held both out to Mel. “Uh…” He wanted to help, but since he didn’t want to grope a stranger, he wasn’t sure where to go with the moment.

“Here.” Maddy took them and started patting the coat to absorb it. “Don’t rub, you’ll just get little bits of napkin all stuck to her. Like your face when you bother shaving.”

Exasperated, Brian gave up.

“What’d you think of the band?” he asked Mel. “If we were terrible, blame the bassist.”

[maddy_ricks]

“Everyone does,” Maddy chimed. “There.” She squeezed moisture from the hem of the coat and dropped the wad of ruined napkins in a trash can. She straightened up and looked at Melody, wondering if she’d go freakishly silent on her again just because a penis was in hand’s reach.

One thing wasn’t lost on her: Theresa hadn’t responded to her attempt to acknowledge the elephant in the room in a lighthearted way. This gave Maddy the personal resolve to go nuclear.

“Oh, Theresa, I think you’ve got something in your teeth.” She bared hers at the brunette and pointed.

[melodymagic]

Melody put her hand loosely into Theresa's briefly and thanked her. She took the drink Brian had brought, and glanced down at where Maddy was cleaning her coat, glad her friend knew how to look after it properly.

"It was great!" she managed to say at last, her voice carrying clearly over the sound of the canned music thumping out of the speakers, and then saw Maddy was pointing to her teeth when looking at Theresa. She looked from one to the other, wondering whether this was some sort of 'secret club signal' that she was oblivious to, never having been to a club before.