Essex Girls. Laura Ziepe

know.’ Tears rolled down Jade’s cheeks without her even realising. ‘It just hurts so much. Two and a half years I’ve wasted on him. How do I know this is the only girl he’s slept with? He could have given me something for all I know.’

      ‘Get checked, babe, in case there were more girls than just her. I know it’s hard, but you can’t think about what he was doing or might have been doing, when and where. All you need to think is that he is a wrong ’un and you deserve a hell of a lot more. At least you found out before you moved in together.’

      ‘I hate him. I hate him so much.’ She couldn’t hold back her tears.

      ‘Please don’t cry, Jade. I hate to hear you sad when I’m so far away. Now do me a favour and listen, okay?’

      Jade nodded, forgetting her friend couldn’t see her, and wiped her tears away.

      ‘Get everything you own from his house and get out; don’t leave anything behind as he’ll use it as an excuse to see you later. Are you listening?’

      ‘Yes,’ she sniffed.

      ‘Go back to yours and then when you can, pack your bags and come home to Essex.’

      ‘I don’t think I’m ready to leave just yet.’

      ‘Oh babe, I know it’s going to be hard, but you have to stay strong. You can’t stay there alone and heartbroken. You need to get your life back on track.’

      Rage surged through Jade as she thought about Tom and Louisa once again. ‘I know what I need to do, and that’s to get even.’

      ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘I want revenge. I’m not allowing that bastard to get away with it. He’s going to pay.’

      ‘I’m liking this idea. What are you going to do though?’

      ‘I’m not sure just yet, but I’m going to humiliate him like he’s humiliated me.’

      ‘Well, be careful and let me know what you decide. Will you come back to Essex afterwards?’ Kelly asked hopefully.

      ‘Yes of course. I miss you so much. Especially now. But I better go; I have some plotting to do.’

      ‘Call me if you need to – and book your train back asap!’

      ‘I will. Thanks, Kel.’

      ‘Any time. I’m sorry he’s done this to you, but you will find someone ten times better than that dickhead.’

      Jade laughed, despite her unhappiness. ‘Speak soon.’

      She hung up and sat on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands, trying to think of how she could get him back. What could she do? It needed to be something good. Jade told herself she wasn’t going home to Essex until she taught him a lesson. Yes, the most mature thing would be to walk away with her head held high, but embarrassing him somehow would make her feel a whole lot better. She got his hidden phone and called her mobile so she had the number. She then went down his contact list and deleted Louisa’s number, changing it for her own, but keeping the name Louisa. When Jade texted him he would think it was this other woman. She placed his phone back in the drawer where she’d found it, and got her things together to leave.

      She knew that Tom thought the majority of Essex girls were dumb airheads judging by the comments he’d made in the past. Well, he was certainly going to regret the day he ever messed with this one.

      *

      Tom climbed out of his car and walked towards the football pitch, where most of the boys had already arrived and were kicking footballs to each other. He looked up at the shining sun; it was going to be a great day. Maybe he would suggest going for a picnic this afternoon with Jade, he thought to himself, envisaging a nice lazy day lying in the sun with his girlfriend. He loved spending his weekends with Jade; they always had such a good time together.

      He’d fancied her the moment he first clapped eyes on her a few years ago, even though he did think she was wearing too much make-up. It hadn’t surprised him in the slightest when she said she was from Essex. You could tell an Essex girl a mile off, he mused; they were all hair extensions, orange tans and fake eyelashes. It wasn’t long before he’d persuaded Jade to tone it down and in his opinion she now looked so much better. She was naturally pretty and didn’t need any ‘war paint’. Fake-looking girls definitely didn’t appeal to him; Tom was much more a Keira Knightley fan than a Katie Price one. He was glad Jade’s Essex accent was becoming more subtle too. He often corrected her speech, and could sometimes see the hurt in her eyes when he pulled her up for sounding like a working-class fishwife, but he told himself it was for her own good.

      He would never move to Essex – it certainly wasn’t the place for him he’d realised, after visiting Jade’s home a few times. He’d only ever been to Chigwell and Loughton, but everyone had seemed so vulgar and false. They’d gone to one nightclub called Faces and he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw tables of people, some even ‘Z’ list celebrities, ordering bottles of champagne with sparklers, trying to show the world that they had money. In his eyes, they had absolutely no class. Jade’s friend Kelly was awful too; such a typical Essex girl, common, and as thick as two planks. The other one, Lisa, was okay, as she seemed a bit more intelligent and was very pretty too; he definitely wouldn’t mind spending a night with her. He knew there must be parts of Essex that were less brash, but seeing where Jade lived had put him off the county for good. It was convenient that Jade liked Bath, because he intended to stay there for the long run. It was where he had lived all his life and was where he always wanted to be.

      Life was going well at the moment, he thought to himself, whilst getting the equipment for the coaching session out of his car. It looked like he would soon be promoted at work, he had an amazing girlfriend who he would soon move in with, and even had a bit on the side with a girl who adored him. He knew it was wrong, but what man didn’t cheat? So long as Jade never found out, which he was sure she wouldn’t, it didn’t do any harm. Besides, he was going to finish it soon, as Louisa was becoming far too clingy for his liking, demanding to know when she would be seeing him again, and he definitely wasn’t up for that; he already had a girlfriend, one he had no intention of leaving. He’d been out one night with his friends when he’d met Louisa, and to start with, seeing two women at the same time had been a thrill. She had a fairly pretty face, nothing amazing, but a body to die for and she was always so eager to please. She made him feel good about himself, and he’d enjoyed boasting to the lads that he was worn out by the demands of two girls. But he hadn’t planned on seeing Louisa for long; love them and leave them was his motto when it came to a cheeky bit on the side. He loved Jade a lot, but wasn’t entirely sure he could ever commit himself to just one person, whoever she was. There was too much temptation in the world, especially for someone as good looking as he was. Plus, he’d turned down lots of girls in the past because of Jade, so really this whole thing with Louisa was nothing compared to what he could have done.

      The loud shrill ringtone of his mobile interrupted his thoughts. He smiled when he saw Jade’s name flashing across the screen.

      ‘Hi Jade.’

      ‘Hi.’

      ‘What’s up?’

      ‘Nothing really. Kelly just called me and said she’s coming to Bath for the day to see me. She was on the train when she rang. She’s feeling down about something and wants cheering up so we’re going out for the day. Just thought I’d let you know as I won’t be able to see you today or tonight and I know we were going to do something.’

      He was disappointed. ‘Oh right. Why didn’t she tell you she was coming beforehand?’

      ‘Something has happened and she’s really upset. It wasn’t planned. Sorry,’ came the curt reply.

      He sighed. ‘Oh well, it can’t be helped. Why don’t you stay at mine and wait for me to get back before you leave to meet her? You got me all worked up this morning and I’d love to get back under those covers with you.’