MADE IN ESSEX. Laura Ziepe

his way through and Adele couldn’t help but approach him immediately. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t handle the thought that he didn’t like her. She’d been his girlfriend once upon a time, but now he looked at her like dirt on his shoes and it didn’t feel good.

      ‘Hi Sam,’ she said, kissing his cheek. She could tell he wasn’t pleased to see her standing there.

      ‘Alright?’ he said vacantly, about to walk away.

      ‘How have you been?’ she asked quickly, before he disappeared. ‘I haven’t seen you since Marbs. Weird, because I bumped into Jade today as well. Are things going well with you two? How come she’s not here?’

      Sam glared at her. ‘Adele, with all due respect, that really has nothing to do with you. Don’t pretend to care about me, or even Jade for that matter. Please, I’m just really not in the mood tonight. Enjoy your evening,’ he brushed her off.

      As Sam walked away, Adele felt her face go hot with fury. Did he have to be so rude to her? Did she really deserve to be spoken to like that? It made her even happier to be copying his darling Jade’s bikini business. She couldn’t wait to wipe the smiles off their faces when they realised her plan. Money was no object to her so she could make her business ten times bigger and better than Jade’s and so she would! They both deserved each other as far as she was concerned. A pair of complete idiots! They wouldn’t last either; she’d lay money on it.

      An hour and a half later, Adele and Donna were seated on their table. She ordered a bottle of champagne and felt extremely smug and superior to the girls on the table next to them drinking pikey Smirnoff Ices. Did people still drink those awful sugar-laden drinks? How chavvy, she decided, turning her nose up at their cheap dresses, which looked like they’d been purchased from Romford market.

      Adele sighed, feeling pretty bored. She liked Donna, but sometimes she could be quite dull. Donna was so lucky to be out with someone like her, why couldn’t Donna be more fun? The night wasn’t going well. Sam had been rude to her twice, the only bloke she fancied who was standing at the bar had now disappeared and she was stuck with Donna. Where were all the fit men?

      A short while later when Adele was in the ladies toilet in a cubicle, she heard a big argument between two girls outside.

      ‘You’ve been giving me dirty looks all night, you tramp. Have you got a problem or something?’ she heard one girl snap, aggressively.

      There was a timid response from the girl she was addressing. ‘I haven’t even seen you before. I certainly haven’t been giving you dirty looks.’ She sounded terrified.

      ‘Don’t lie. I saw you with my own eyes. Who the hell do you think you are?’ the angry girl countered.

      Eager to get a better look and excited by the drama, Adele left the cubicle as soon as possible. She couldn’t have been more shocked as she was faced with Chloe, Sam’s younger sister, almost in tears because of the girl confronting her. Adele saw the relief in her eyes when Chloe recognised Adele. A look that begged for help. The poor thing was petrified. Adele couldn’t believe the change in her! The last time she’d seen Chloe she’d been around fourteen with a cute blonde bob, freckles peppered on her nose, a fixed brace, looking every bit the young teenager she was. Now she looked like a woman! Much older than eighteen, which she guessed she was now. She had beautiful long wavy blonde hair, a stunning golden complexion, the most captivating green eyes like Sam’s and the best figure she’d seen in a long time. Her slim legs seemed to never end and her natural bust was full and curvy. If Adele didn’t know what a lovely girl she was, she too, like the girl before her would have hated Chloe. Adele knew as well as she knew her own name that Chloe hadn’t so much as glanced at the furious-looking girl in front of her. It was clear that this girl didn’t like her and never would. But it wasn’t Chloe’s fault and it wasn’t because she’d done anything wrong. The girl was simply jealous.

      ‘Are you okay, Chloe?’ Adele butted in; making sure the dark-haired girl heard her loud voice.

      Chloe’s chin wobbled and she looked as though she was going to burst into tears. Adele had always been fond of Chloe. Of course, when she’d been going out with Sam, Chloe had only been a young girl, but often she’d sit in Chloe’s room giving her advice on boys in school, curling her hair and doing her make-up. Chloe had always looked up to her and adored her and Adele had felt like she was the little sister she never had.

      ‘Sorry, is there a problem here?’ Adele asked the bully, sternly marching towards her.

      The girl eyed her up and down, weighing her up and looking uncertain whether to carry on with her fabricated story. Her confidence was clearly evaporating by the second since Adele had showed up, and even her friend beside her edged away, as though to state she wasn’t part of it.

      ‘She’s been giving me dirty looks and I was just asking her about it,’ the girl retorted, attempting to keep up the bravado. The change in her once-authoritative voice wasn’t lost on either of them.

      ‘I didn’t give you any dirty looks, I swear. Why would I?’ Chloe said, looking frustrated. She turned to Adele with a tormented expression. ‘She won’t leave me alone.’

      ‘Oh, I think she will,’ Adele asserted, her head held high as she stared at the girl domineeringly. ‘I think you’re done here. And before you go, if I see or hear you ever speaking to Chloe like that again, you’ll have me to deal with and there will be trouble. Understand?’

      The girl merely nodded, backing away. ‘Whatever.’

      ‘Where do you think you’re going?’ Adele scowled, her voice abrasive.

      ‘Back to the club,’ the girl mumbled, trying to get away quickly.

      ‘Not before you say sorry to Chloe,’ Adele demanded, folding her arms across her chest and looking down at the bully.

      ‘Really, it’s fine, Adele,’ Chloe said shakily, her large green eyes glistening.

      ‘No, it’s not fine.’ Adele’s eyes flicked back to the bully. ‘Say you’re sorry now.’

      There was now a crowd in the toilets and girls were pretending to do their make-up so they could watch and listen. The dark-haired girl looked embarrassed and very regretful for ever starting anything now.

      ‘Sorry,’ she said shamefacedly. She visibly shrunk and turned to walk away after her friends, who had already deserted her.

      ‘Good, now piss off,’ Adele added in her direction for good measure.

      Chloe sighed in relief. ‘Oh my God, Adele! Thanks so much. I thought she was going to beat me up!’

      Adele shrugged, ‘No problem. You need to stand up for yourself against bitches like her.’

      ‘I was scared,’ Chloe said, embarrassed.

      ‘Never mind, it’s over now, you can relax. How are you? I haven’t seen you for ages.’

      ‘I’m good. How are you?’

      ‘I’m fine,’ Adele said washing her hands. ‘I can’t believe how much you’ve grown up. You look lovely.’

      Chloe blushed, clearly uncomfortable with compliments. She was still as shy as she ever was and completely unaware of the extent of her beauty.

      ‘Thanks. You look gorgeous too. I love your long hair.’

      Adele smiled. ‘Extensions. I get them done in London where Victoria Beckham used to go. It’s one of the best places,’ she boasted. She remembered how she’d had her awful, natural thin hair when she’d been with Sam back then. How completely clueless she’d been! ‘Where are your friends?’ Adele asked, looking round.

      ‘In the club on the dance floor,’ Chloe explained.

      ‘You can come and sit with us, babes. I’m here with my friend Donna who works for Mulberry.’

      Chloe looked amazed. ‘Oh really? She works for Mulberry?