MADE IN ESSEX. Laura Ziepe

are you girls living now? Not at home with your parents still, surely?’ Adele smirked.

      ‘Me and Kelly are, yes,’ Jade answered indignantly. ‘At least this way we can save money as luckily our parents don’t charge us too much rent.’

      Adele looked as though she’d tasted something bitter. ‘Your parents make you pay rent?’

      Jade and Kelly nodded.

      ‘Oh right,’ Adele remarked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. ‘My dad has taken care of everything for me, luckily. He’s bought me all new furniture too. What about you?’ she asked, her eyes flicking to Lisa.

      ‘I’m moving in with a friend,’ Lisa replied, ‘and will be paying my own rent and buying my own furniture. I could never just sponge off my parents without contributing, even if it was an option. No offence,’ Lisa grinned caustically.

      ‘None taken,’ Adele retorted, with one of her fake smiles that Jade knew so well.

      ‘Anyway Adele, nice seeing you. We really better hurry up though, we’ve loads to buy,’ Kelly said, as she turned and picked up a tiny white frilly dress.

      ‘Okay girls, have fun shopping. I’ll add you on Facebook and we can go out soon, yeah?’

      ‘Yeah, though I don’t go on my Facebook much,’ Jade lied.

      ‘No problem. Give me your phone, babe,’ Adele demanded, holding out her hand.

      ‘Why?’ Jade said, trying to think of a good reason why she wouldn’t have it on her without it looking too obvious.

      ‘I’ll put my number in,’ Adele told her firmly.

      Seeing no way out, Jade passed her the phone and Adele put her number in and called it so she had Jade’s number on her own. How annoying? Jade thought, hoping she wouldn’t keep texting and calling. Why couldn’t she just get the picture? They didn’t, and would never like Adele; she was bad news.

      ‘Cheers, hun,’ Adele turned to leave, ‘oh, and Kelly?’

      ‘Yes?’ Kelly replied, warily.

      ‘I really wouldn’t go for that white dress for Cupcake. It’ll do nothing for her figure,’ Adele remarked and then waved dismissively and left.

      *

      Later on that day Jade and Kelly were on their way to the meeting with Tony.

      ‘I still can’t believe that Adele suggested our gorgeous little Cupcake was podgy,’ Kelly huffed moodily, shaking her head; her thick, blonde, freshly blow-dried luscious waves bouncing. It was all they had spoken about since it had happened. They’d said goodbye to Lisa, who was also furious with Adele’s remark, and then Jade and Kelly had had their hair done. It was so nice to simply sit there while someone made your hair look amazing. Jade’s long blonde hair extensions were quite hard to handle, and she’d got into the habit of having them blow dried whenever she could. It was worth the money in her opinion.

      ‘I know,’ Jade said for the umpteenth time, ‘it’s ridiculous. As if a puppy could be fat. She’s just jell.’

      ‘Who does she think she is? Coming over to us like we’re best mates. She even took your number! The cheek of it. I can’t bear her! And I never hate anyone. But picking on little Cupcake, well,’ Kelly shook her head violently, ‘that’s just taking things to another level.’

      ‘Let’s not waste any more time talking about her,’ Jade said, slightly bored with going over the same thing. ‘We need to get our business heads on now.’

      ‘Yes, you’re right,’ Kelly said, much to Jade’s contentment. ‘But I just can’t believe she called her fat!’

      Jade sighed. Why oh why did they have to bump into Adele today?

      Ten minutes later they were in Tony’s office in his home in Abridge.

      ‘Hi girls,’ he greeted them with a warm smile.

      ‘You alright, babe?’ Kelly said.

      Jade smiled and took one of the seats beside the computer.

      ‘How’s it all going then?’ Tony enquired, his hazel eyes sparkling. He ran his hand through his jet black hair, which Jade noticed had a few grey strands. ‘Got the bikinis made yet?’

      ‘I’ve made a few,’ Kelly explained. ‘But don’t worry, Tone, I’ll get them done in no time. You should see me on the sewing machine! I’m a whizz kid,’ she giggled.

      Jade nodded in agreement. ‘She’s really good. I’ll be helping out too,’ she told him.

      ‘Great. It would be good to get some images of the bikinis sooner rather than later,’ Tony advised. ‘We want to get the website up and running as soon as possible and obviously we’ll need the images so people can see what you have to offer. So I suppose you’ll need to get a photo shoot done.’

      Jade jotted it down in her red notebook and when Tony spotted her doing so he suggested some photographers they could contact that weren’t too expensive.

      ‘Thanks, that’s a great help,’ Jade smiled graciously as she took their phone numbers.

      She was so pleased that they were using Tony. Not only was he great at designing websites, but a really nice, helpful person too. He genuinely wanted the girls to make a success of their business and thought their idea was fantastic. She was still shocked at Sam’s remark about worrying about the two of them though. Yes, Tony was fairly attractive with his dark hair and strong jaw line, but even if Jade had been single, he was far too old for her and had a four-year-old daughter from a previous relationship. Sam had absolutely nothing to worry about.

      ‘Will you be modelling the bikinis yourself?’ Tony asked Jade with a half-smile.

      Jade felt herself blush. ‘As if! No, we’ll be getting other people to model for us.’

      Tony nodded as he rubbed the stubble on his jaw. ‘I’m sure you’d look just as good in them,’ he said, catching Jade’s eye and making her turn away uncomfortably. Tony changed the subject. ‘Okay, so I’ve already started Vajazzle My Bikini’s Facebook and Twitter page. You just need images to put on now, as well as getting people to like your page on Facebook and followers on Twitter of course.’

      ‘Thanks, hun,’ Kelly beamed as she plaited her hair.

      ‘In the meantime,’ Jade suggested, ‘let’s just use the photos of us in our bikinis in Marbs, which we designed.’

      ‘Good idea,’ Tony said. ‘I’ll go make us tea while you two add some images and start suggesting friends to like your page.’

      The girls added a few photos where they both agreed they looked nice and then started requesting friends to like their page.

      ‘Oh look,’ Kelly said excitedly a few minutes later, ‘we already have three likes on Facebook!’

      Jade’s heart melted when she saw one of them was Sam; he was so sweet and supportive. How lucky she was to have him.

      ‘Three likes already, well done,’ Tony smiled. ‘Okay, now I’ll show you the three designs I have for the homepage,’ Tony said, handing them a mug of tea each.

      The designs appeared on the screen on the computer. Kelly’s face lit up when she saw the last one. It had a black background with big pink glittery letters saying ‘Vajazzle My Bikini’. It had stars which moved across the screen and looked magical. Sample images of bikinis flashed on repeat and not only did it look extremely user friendly, but impressive too.

      ‘A hundred per cent the last one!’ Kelly said, ‘I just love it! Every swimwear website will be so jell of us!’

      ‘Yes, I agree,’ Jade said cheerfully. ‘The last one is perfect.’

      ‘Thought you were going to say that,’ Tony said