Knee Deep

Bam sat at the table in Duffers, it was five to three and everyone but Dunn and Nika were there.

"Who's this chick Dunn's picking up?" Deron asked him with a beer in hand.

"Some girl we met at the bar last night." Bam shrugged, glancing down at his phone, looking up her name. "Veronika Vsevolod." He said, although horribly butchering her name. "Russian chick. She's a really big fan. That's who I got the ticket for." He was probably explaining more than actually needed but it kept him from obsessively thinking of her.

"She's hot as fuck." Novak said, after downing his own drink. "Total fucking babe. And she like kicked this guys ass last night at The Note."

"You're over exaggerating. I just elbowed him in the face." Interrupted a female's voice. Nika had just walked in with Dunn, and was quite unnerved at the looks she was getting. She had dressed down in a simple white t-shirt, black tight fitting jeans, black flip flops, with a couple accessories, and done her make up simply, she didn't want to over due it. Nika even took out her contacts and replaced them with her glasses. It was really the first time she had hung out with any guys besides her brothers without being wasted or high.

"Want a beer?" Ryan offered, on his way over to the bar.

"No, I don't drink." She said, taking the available seat next to Bam.

"You don't drink?" Bam questioned as she sat down.

"No." Nika answered swiftly. "I'm Veronika Vsevolod by the way." She introduced herself to everyone at the table. "Nika is good though." She smiled at Dico who was on the other side of her. "It's really nice to meet you all."

"Why don't you drink?" Her reaction to the question had piqued his interest.

"I have an issue with alcohol."

"Why?"

"Is this twenty fucking questions or some shit?" Nika let out a laugh. "Maybe instead of imposing on my personal life, you could introduce me to everyone?"

"You already know who everyone is." Bam countered, taking the beer that Dunn had handed him. "You said you were a fan."

"You should at least introduce me. It's the proper thing to do ya know. It's considered dickish not to do so." Nika said playfully before snatching a french fry off of the plate Dico brought back.

"Nika, this is everyone." Bam was quick to answer. "Good enough?" He quirked his eyebrow.

"I suppose so." She shrugged her shoulders, before getting up from the table. "I'm getting a water. Anyone else need something?"

"Another beer would be good!" Novak said, holding his empty bottle above his head.

"Anyone else?" Veronika offered but when no one else spoke up, she turned and walked away.

"She's certainly something." Jess snorted, looking at Bam. "She could probably kick your ass."

"Shut up faggot." Bam said throwing a spoon at his brother. He didn't want to admit it, but the thought of a girl who would be able to put him in his place kinda turned him own. No other girl he had ever been with had been able too. Especially not Missy. She was just happy if he came home in one piece, and didn't even try to stop his stunts now.

"Here." Nika returned tossing Novak his beer. She leaned back in her chair, looking over the group. "Is this what you guys do? Just sit here and stare at each other?" She questioned, laughing herself. She might have been the newest at the table, but she didn't feel the least bit awkward. "Shit, you guys are more interesting on tv."

"They are too busy checking you out." Ryan joked.

"Surprisingly I get that a lot." Nika said before unscrewing her water bottle.

"So why don't you drink again?" It was Rake who asked her this time. She sighed, this was usually the first topic that came up.

"I used to drink a lot. I don't know when to stop, so I just don't do it anyhow." She shrugged. At first this conversation made her uncomfortable, now she was okay talking about her sobriety, but she did wish it didn't interest people nearly as much as it did. "I also used to do a shit load of drugs too, just to save the awkward questions about that too."

"So that explains your ex boyfriend." Bam scoffed.

"Basically. That was a while ago." Everyone was staring at her, chewing noiselessly. She turned to Bam. "Thanks again for getting me the tickets. It was really cool of you to get them for me." Nika decided to change the topic. Alcoholics and former drug addicts usually didn't make good table talk.

"No problem. It was Jess that got the tickets, but I don't mind taking the credit."

"I revoke my thank you then." She said, giving him a playful glare before turning the other way, looking past Dico. "Thanks Jess. I'm a really big fan." Nika said grinning.

Deron started to open his mouth before Jess whacked him in the back of the head. "She was thanking me, not you shit head." He shook his head. "And you're welcome. Anything for fans."

Veronika laughed, and after that, the conversation picked up. And everyone seemed to forget that they had just met Nika and treated her as if they knew her their whole lives.