Melody 5 - Rising Stars

4 (iv) - Jadine

Jadine

“This is bullshit,” said Jadine.  “Not only has she got her own room, but now she’s telling us what we can and can’t do in the rest of the house!”

“I think Olivia’s used to living on her own, that’s all,” said Molly.

“I’m not surprised,” said Amy.  “No one is their right mind would want to live with her.”

“I think I need lie down,” said Rhian.

Jadine finally cracked a smile.  Those three glasses of champagne Rhian had necked at lunchtime were clearly taking their toll on her.

“I’ll help you upstairs,” said Molly.  “We can go and find our room.”

As Molly guided Rhian up the stairs, Jadine looked over at Amy.  “Guess that means we’re sharing then?”

“Fine by me,” replied Amy.  “As long as I’m not with Miss Fancy-Pants, I don’t care.”

Jadine smiled.  “I can’t believe Olivia told us that we can’t make any noise before 9am!  She wouldn’t last long at my mum’s that’s for sure.”

“Do you fancy a cuppa?” asked Amy.

“Sure,” said Jadine.

As Amy headed into the kitchen, Jadine plonked herself on the sofa in the lounge of her new home.  A three-bedroom house in Muswell Hill.  Jadine hadn’t been to this part of London very often – it had always struck her as a bit dull and middle-class, but Sherri had obviously picked it for that very reason.  She probably wanted the girls to stay out of trouble.

Jadine couldn’t complain.  From the rooms she’d seen so far, it was spacious, had all the mod-cons and it even had a downstairs loo and shower – which with five girls all living together was probably a necessity.  The only downside so far was Olivia – she seemed to have a pole stuck so far up her arse, Jadine was surprised she could sit down.  Why had Sherri chosen her to be in band?

The other girls seemed nice though.  Molly was a total sweetheart – kind and considerate, although Jadine sensed there was something preying on her mind.  Rhian was young and scatty, but Jadine could tell there wasn’t a mean bone in her body.  Amy was a force to be reckoned with – but in a good way; she was clearly very focused and ambitious, and Jadine sensed they might clash from time to time, but nonetheless, Jadine liked her.  And then there was Olivia – who’d headed straight to her room.  So much for bonding with the group.

“Do you take sugar?” hollered Amy from the kitchen.

“No, thanks,” yelled back Jadine.

As she sank back into the sofa, Jadine took a moment to scan the lounge.  It had a very minimalist and functional feel, which Jadine liked and for the first time in ages, she felt as though she had room to breathe.  It was a world away from the cluttered chaos of her mum’s council flat.  She could just imagine it now – Bobby and Theo screaming the place down; her mum being run-ragged; and Alesha probably sprawled on the sofa oblivious to the mess around her.

Jadine had worried about telling her mum that she was leaving – she knew her mum relied on her to help out with twins and do the housework, but her mum had surprised her, saying it was the best news she’d had all year!  She wanted Jadine to get out into the world and follow her dreams while she was still young enough to achieve them.  She also said it might be the kick up the backside that she and Alesha needed as they’d have to stop relying on Jadine all the time.  Jadine didn’t know how her mum was going to cope without her, but she promised that still she’d try and help out as much as she could.