MADE IN ESSEX. Laura Ziepe

than scary. She’d completely changed him – and to think she’d been there the whole time in Marbella. He’d wasted so much time looking for someone that had been right under his nose the whole time. As he slipped his shoes on, he hoped their relationship would be back on track soon.

      *

      Adele looked down at her legs in annoyance. Her spray tan hadn’t come out half as dark as she wanted and she was even looking at Donna enviously for once.

      ‘God, I look so bloody pale!’ she spat, applying more bronzer to her cheeks to compete with Donna’s golden glow.

      ‘You should go to Kelly who you went to college with,’ Donna suggested, aware that Adele had taken the same beauty course as Kelly, but given up halfway through. ‘She does the best spray tans ever, babe. She sprayed me twice over so it comes out darker and uses Sienna tan, which is like the best there is. She knows just how I like it.’

      ‘I’ve heard Kelly is terrible,’ Adele lied, bitterly irritated by the fact that Donna was friends with Kelly. ‘How do you know her anyway? I didn’t realise you were friends. She is so thick it’s embarrassing and was crap at college. I’m surprised she even made it to the end of the course.’

      Donna shook her head. ‘No way! Kelly is great at her job, trust me. She does my make-up too sometimes and I love it. Don’t you like her? She’s such a nice girl and beauts as well. A friend recommended her to me a while back and we’ve been mates ever since.’

      ‘Of course I like her,’ Adele snapped, in case it got back to Kelly and she blew her chance of being friends for good. ‘I just didn’t think she was that great at beauty, but whatever.’

      ‘Your dress looks gorgeous,’ Donna admired, staring at Adele’s gold one-shoulder Forever Unique body-con.

      ‘Cheers, hun,’ Adele said, loving the way the dress hugged her in all the right places and made her look a dress size smaller. She glanced at Donna’s plain black dress that looked far too small for her and dug in her arms, making them bulge out at the sides. Thank God she didn’t have her figure, she told herself happily. ‘Luckily, I can wear body-cons,’ she remarked, feeling glad she’d scored a point back from the fact her spray tan wasn’t as dark.

      Donna looked down at herself. ‘I wish I could lose weight,’ she sulked wistfully.

      Adele had no sympathy and shook her head dismissively. ‘It’s really not that hard, Donna. Just stop eating so much chocolate and crisps. I’m not being funny, but it’s a fact. If you eat more calories than you burn off, you gain weight. Go for a jog on your lunch break or something.’

      Donna was affronted. ‘What lunch break? I never have time for one!’

      ‘How is the job going by the way?’ Adele asked, glad the subject had been brought up. ‘Is there any chance you can get me a discount on the bags yet? I’ve got my eye on this amazing cream clutch.’

      ‘I’m sorry, but they’re really strict on it. That reminds me though; I do have some good news for you. I asked HR again about you getting a job and they need sales assistants in Selfridges if you want me to take your CV in?’

      Adele looked as though Donna had said she could get her a job cleaning toilets. ‘What? A sales assistant? Donna, please. I wouldn’t be seen dead as a shop worker! Even if it was for Mulberry. No way. Besides, I actually don’t need a job there anymore. I’m starting my own business instead.’

      ‘That’s great!’ Donna enthused. ‘What business? Tell me everything.’

      Worried it could get back to Kelly, Adele shrugged, ‘Just wait and see.’ She added Chanel lip gloss to her plump pink lips. She’d had collagen injections two weeks ago and loved how big they looked. She flicked her long dark hair over her shoulder, satisfied with her appearance. ‘Right Donna, call a taxi now and we’ll go.’

      Forty minutes later, they arrived at Sugar Hut.

      ‘Oh my God, shut up!’ Donna sighed. ‘Look at the size of the queue! It goes back further than we can even see!’

      Adele tutted loudly. ‘Donna, don’t be so ridiculous. Like I would ever need to queue. I wouldn’t queue in that if you paid me. I’m friends with the bouncers.’ She laughed at the sheer thought of joining the end of the line.

      ‘Oh, wicked,’ Donna said, brightening up instantly.

      Adele marched with her head held high to the front of the line and kissed Dave, the bouncer who she knew on the cheek, giving him a saccharine smile. She’d sucked up to him the previous year so much that he thought she fancied him and asked to take her out on a date. She’d gone reluctantly, demanding he take her somewhere expensive, and they ended up going to Nobu in London, where Adele made sure she ordered the most expensive sushi and champagne so she could boast to everyone how much the meal cost. She also knew it would mean a free queue jump whenever she went to Sugar Hut. He’d been really into her, which hadn’t surprised her in the slightest, and she pretended she’d got back with an ex-boyfriend to get him off her case. Luckily, Dave had understood her predicament and on a few occasions when she’d been in the club she’d given him a cheeky snog goodbye when she left, just so he didn’t lose interest in her. So simple really. Men were so thick and gullible sometimes that they couldn’t really see what was going on. Did Dave seriously look at his vile bald head and ever-expanding waistline and think that someone like her would genuinely be interested? It was laughable.

      ‘One moment, gorgeous,’ Dave winked.

      Adele smiled back seductively. ‘Thank you, babes. You’re looking well,’ she said in a soft, honeyed tone.

      She looked at the queue, which seemed to have grown even longer. Donna was right; it was exceptionally busy tonight. As she glanced at the sea of faces looking at her and Donna, some slightly angry that they were getting let in before them, she caught a pair of green eyes that she knew far too well. It was Sam. She looked behind him, noticing he was with his friends rather than Jade. Hopefully he’ll cheat on her tonight, Adele thought wickedly. There was plenty of temptation in Sugar Hut and she imagined Sam would have lots of admirers. He looked very handsome tonight, wearing a white top which showed off his tanned skin and toned physique. She waved and gestured for him to come to the front with her and Donna. He acknowledged her, but mouthed ‘No, it’s okay, thanks.’

      Adele was not impressed. So he’d rather queue like a civilian than jump to the front and go in with her? How pathetic. He was obviously still bothered about the stupid lies she’d told him about Jade in Marbella. It was a joke for God’s sake. He really needed to get a life and get over it. God, Sam and Jade were as bad as each other. Talk about holding a grudge!

      ‘Who’s that?’ Donna enquired, raising an eyebrow.

      ‘My ex, Sam,’ Adele replied blankly.

      ‘Oh my God, he’s so fit!’

      ‘Really bad in bed,’ Adele fibbed. ‘I had to dump him because of it. He literally didn’t have a clue, bless him.’

      Donna laughed. ‘I wouldn’t mind teaching him.’

      Adele grimaced at the thought. ‘He was a lost cause, trust me, I tried.’

      ‘What a shame, with a gorgeous face like that,’ Donna said disappointedly, shaking her head.

      ‘Mmm …’ Adele said, still fuming that he’d brushed off her queue jump invitation so quickly.

      As they walked through without paying, Adele could tell Donna was overjoyed to be out with her receiving special treatment. They walked through the entrance to the bar on the left, and Adele decided to wait until Sam came through so she could speak to him. They ordered a bottle of white wine.

      ‘Shall we go to the table now?’ Donna asked excitedly, her eyes bulging.

      ‘No, silly,’ Adele huffed and rolled her eyes at Donna’s complete stupidity. ‘The table is upstairs in the club. It will be dead now. No