After two and a half hours, the girls were finally ready for their night out and decided to sit on the balcony and drink the vodka and orange they had bought earlier. It was a beautiful evening and Jade felt a wave of happiness wash over her. What was it about sunshine and warmth that made you feel so much better? Though she did have to admit she’d overdone it with the sunbathing on her first day; she always did. She’d never learn that putting on factor twenty just once for the whole day was not enough and now she felt a bit sore in the places she’d missed, like the very top of her stomach, just under her bikini.
‘This holiday is gonna be amazing, babe, I can feel it,’ Kelly said, joining Jade who was sitting at the table on the balcony reading a magazine. ‘Six more days of chilling out before we start work.’
Jade smiled at Kelly, who looked beautiful in her black dress and lightly tanned face. ‘It’s a shame Lisa couldn’t come too.’
‘She’d miss her lover boy Jake too much,’ Kelly giggled. ‘I’d say Marbs is more of a single girl’s place.’
‘Yeah, you’re right,’ Jade replied. Her gaze was fixed on the beautiful sunset. ‘I can’t believe the sun is still out, even at this time.’
‘I know, babe. The Spanish sun is so much hotter than the English one. Wish we could swap,’ Kelly said as she held her hands up and admired her nails.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I wish we could have their sun instead so it was always hot,’ Kelly said with a nod, as though she knew what she was talking about.
Jade was bemused. ‘But we do have the same sun. There is only one sun.’
‘Shut up! I thought there was a sun in every country. So you’re telling me there is only one in the world?’
Jade laughed, ‘Kelly, I do hope you’re winding me up.’
Kelly laughed, throwing her head back, her hair blowing in the breeze. ‘Actually come to think of it, that does ring a bell. I remember something about that in Mr Gregson’s science class. But, what about in other countries, like, I don’t know, Africa or somewhere, where it’s like the middle of the night or something and there’s no sun at all?’
Jade’s mouth curved into a smile. ‘For starters, it’s not the middle of the night in Africa, which isn’t even that far from here. Secondly, it’s all to do with the world turning round. Countries closer to the equator are usually the hottest too.’
Kelly looked mesmerised. ‘God, you’re so intellectual,’ she said seriously. ‘I don’t even know what an equator, or whatever you just said, is. You were always so good at science.’
‘I’m seriously not that clever at science.’ Jade couldn’t help but let out a short laugh. ‘I only got a C at school.’
Jade sipped her drink and winced at how strong Kelly had made it.
Kelly burst into laughter.
‘Are you trying to kill me or something?’ Jade said with a grimace, swallowing the liquid reluctantly.
Kelly held the palms of her hands up. ‘I didn’t put that much in, honestly!’
After a good few drinks, Jade already felt tipsy. They made their way to Sinatra’s bar, which was absolutely packed with people. Wow, Jade thought happily, this place was a lot classier than the dingy bars in Greece. She’d even spotted a few soap stars on their way there, how exciting. Maybe one of the hot male actors would fall in love with her and she’d be on the cover of Heat!
Kelly stood on her tiptoes and peered through the bar, spotting Adele and waving. She was sitting with another girl and two boys. She gestured for them to come over and they both kissed her hello.
‘Evening girls,’ Adele pouted. She turned to her other friends standing next to her and introduced them. ‘This is Gary, Lee and Sophie. This is Kelly and Jade.’
They all said hello to each other and Jade couldn’t help but notice Adele had once again managed to get another good-looking bloke. Lee was tall, with dark hair and stubble, and striking hazel-coloured eyes. How did she manage to get these men?
‘That’s my Lee I was telling you about,’ Adele whispered, checking that he couldn’t see.
‘Babe, he’s well fit,’ Kelly said eyeing him up sneakily without him noticing. ‘Absolute sort.’
‘So funny as well,’ Adele smiled, glancing in his direction.
They bought drinks and sat down beside them.
‘I feel smashed already,’ Adele said with a giggle and a hiccup. ‘The drinks here are so strong; the measures are a joke, just to warn you. The shots are definitely larger than at home.’
‘They can’t be any worse than Kelly’s!’ Jade laughed, explaining about the strong drinks they’d started their night with.
‘We’re going to TIBU after here, you girls coming? I’ll introduce you to Joe, who manages all the waitresses and staff.’
‘Ah thanks honey, it will be great to meet him before we start.’
*
The girls walked up the staircase to enter TIBU. Adele kissed the security at the entrance and also the snobby-looking woman with the clipboard, eyeing the rest of them up suspiciously.
‘Alright Alice, they are with me. These guys are workers,’ she said in a poised manner, as she pointed to Lee, Sophie and Gary, ‘and these will be starting work here soon.’ This was aimed at Jade and Kelly. ‘We were just going to have a few drinks and introduce them to Joe.’
Alice nodded and stamped their hands, allowing them all in for free. This was great, Jade thought!
‘We’ll get free drinks as well,’ Adele boasted, as she waved at and kissed all the waiters and waitresses and walked around the club confidently, chin lifted proudly. The outside bar was heaving, with every table packed, but before they knew it, space was being made for them at a table and a waitress appeared with glasses of champagne.
‘I love it here,’ Jade whispered to Kelly.
‘This is Marbs, hun!’ Kelly winked.
They chatted to the others, who all seemed nice enough, though Jade noticed Lee wasn’t as perfect as she previously had thought, as he seemed a bit arrogant and full of himself. They were briefly introduced to Joe, who seemed really busy, and Jade watched the waitresses at work to see what she would be doing in a week’s time. They were all slim and attractive, wearing tight red tops with the gold TIBU symbol. They looked really glamorous and once again, Jade felt as though she really needed to top up her tan and make an effort to look nice, in order to fit in. It was hard work trying to look amazing all the time in Marbella! Her make-up-free days in Bath seemed like another lifetime now. Kelly interrupted her thoughts by nudging her.
‘Is that the bloke from earlier?’ she asked, pointing discreetly to a man serving behind the bar.
Jade’s heart missed a beat. It was Sam, and he looked even better than she remembered. His tan looked darker, making his gorgeous green eyes stand out and as he laughed, she saw a smile that could have been from a Colgate advert. Wow. However Jade tried to play her thoughts down, worried that Kelly would say something in front of the others. ‘I think it’s him, not sure.’
‘Yes it’s definitely him,’ Kelly stated, staring.
‘Okay, well stop staring, Kelly!’ Jade hissed, afraid he was going to notice.
A little later the bar had quietened down and Lee and Gary had gone inside the club to chat to some people they knew, so it was just the girls left on the table. Adele spotted Sam and to Jade’s horror, called him over. If she says anything, Jade thought, I’ll just die, I know I will.
As