don’t think this whole thing makes me look, erm, fat?’ She twisted around and saw that her back view was just as lollipop-like as her front.
‘You? Little Miss Pencil Legs? Fat? ’ Freddy shrieked in disbelief. They grinned at each other.
‘I’ve given you some volume ,’ said Freddy. ‘You totally needed it! Now you look great, very jet set Euro princess. Everyone is doing animal print at the moment. Now slip these on your feet and we ’re good to go.’ She handed Janey a pair of skyscraping peep-toe Louboutin heels, with their signature hot red soles. They were at least half a size too tight, but Janey squeezed into them anyway.
‘These have to be at least, um, eight inches high!’ she exclaimed. With the heels on, she was well over six feet tall. ‘I’m not going to be able to dance very well in these,’ she said apologetically, reaching to take them off.
Freddy waved at her to keep them on. ‘What’s important is the overall package ,’ she said fiercely. ‘Play to your strengths – those mile-high legs for starters. You look like a model now – so totally couture. And we ’re meeting the others at the Goa trance arena, which will mostly involve ambient music that you’ll only have to stand and wave your arms to. No shuffling required. You’ll be fine. Now let’s go . Luca’s meeting us downstairs, like, yesterday .’ Freddy sounded pretty impatient to see Luca herself.
Janey tried not to break into a dippy grin at the thought of Luca waiting for them at the bottom of the building. It was the perfect start to her night out. Janey felt excitement building in the pit of her stomach at the thought of hitting a real dance party.
As the girls grabbed their tiny wristlet clutches – big enough only for some money and a lipstick – Celia hurtled through the front door, looking harassed. She did a slight double take at the sight of them but adopted an expression of extreme mildness and murmured, ‘Off already, darlings? Have fun! And be home by no later than two, won’t you? I know these things can go all night, and that all your friends will be there, Federica, but you know our deal.’
Freddy muttered, ‘Yes, Mum, I know our deal.’
‘Have you got your phones?’ said Celia, looking from one girl to the other.
‘Uh . . .’ Janey began as Freddy suddenly clenched one of her hands tightly to shut her up, and said sarcastically, ‘Yes, Mother. We ’ve got them. So stop worrying and go back to work, like you always do. Even though it’s the weekend .’
An expression of guilt stole briefly across Celia’s face while Janey shot her cousin a bemused look, knowing there hadn’t been room in the wristlets for anything like a phone. The tension between Freddy and her mother could have been cut with a knife.
‘Right then,’ said Celia brightly, ‘Make sure you take a taxi home together and stick close to each other all evening. I’ve got to host tonight’s cocktail function at the embassy because the Ambassador’s flight has been held up in Munich – there’s no way he’ll get back in time. So there’s a lot I have to prep up on if I don’t want to put my foot in it. Have a good time . . .’ Her voice trailed off as Freddy wrenched open the front door and pushed Janey out of the apartment.
‘But you know we don’t have our phones!’ Janey hissed as they entered the cage lift and descended. ‘Are you sure we won’t need them?’
‘ She doesn’t need to know that!’ Freddy snorted. ‘Like she cares! And, no , we won’t need them. You’ll be, like, ten seconds from home. Nothing bad’s gonna happen. It’s the last thing you’ll need. Just enjoy the night! One of the others will have a phone anyway.’
Both girls stepped out into the balmy night air, Janey negotiating the villa’s front steps in her teetering heels as though her life depended upon her every move, because it did! They were even less manoeuverable than the red wedge heels. If she took a step too
‘You? Little Miss Pencil Legs? Fat? ’ Freddy shrieked in disbelief. They grinned at each other.
‘I’ve given you some volume ,’ said Freddy. ‘You totally needed it! Now you look great, very jet set Euro princess. Everyone is doing animal print at the moment. Now slip these on your feet and we ’re good to go.’ She handed Janey a pair of skyscraping peep-toe Louboutin heels, with their signature hot red soles. They were at least half a size too tight, but Janey squeezed into them anyway.
‘These have to be at least, um, eight inches high!’ she exclaimed. With the heels on, she was well over six feet tall. ‘I’m not going to be able to dance very well in these,’ she said apologetically, reaching to take them off.
Freddy waved at her to keep them on. ‘What’s important is the overall package ,’ she said fiercely. ‘Play to your strengths – those mile-high legs for starters. You look like a model now – so totally couture. And we ’re meeting the others at the Goa trance arena, which will mostly involve ambient music that you’ll only have to stand and wave your arms to. No shuffling required. You’ll be fine. Now let’s go . Luca’s meeting us downstairs, like, yesterday .’ Freddy sounded pretty impatient to see Luca herself.
Janey tried not to break into a dippy grin at the thought of Luca waiting for them at the bottom of the building. It was the perfect start to her night out. Janey felt excitement building in the pit of her stomach at the thought of hitting a real dance party.
As the girls grabbed their tiny wristlet clutches – big enough only for some money and a lipstick – Celia hurtled through the front door, looking harassed. She did a slight double take at the sight of them but adopted an expression of extreme mildness and murmured, ‘Off already, darlings? Have fun! And be home by no later than two, won’t you? I know these things can go all night, and that all your friends will be there, Federica, but you know our deal.’
Freddy muttered, ‘Yes, Mum, I know our deal.’
‘Have you got your phones?’ said Celia, looking from one girl to the other.
‘Uh . . .’ Janey began as Freddy suddenly clenched one of her hands tightly to shut her up, and said sarcastically, ‘Yes, Mother. We ’ve got them. So stop worrying and go back to work, like you always do. Even though it’s the weekend .’
An expression of guilt stole briefly across Celia’s face while Janey shot her cousin a bemused look, knowing there hadn’t been room in the wristlets for anything like a phone. The tension between Freddy and her mother could have been cut with a knife.
‘Right then,’ said Celia brightly, ‘Make sure you take a taxi home together and stick close to each other all evening. I’ve got to host tonight’s cocktail function at the embassy because the Ambassador’s flight has been held up in Munich – there’s no way he’ll get back in time. So there’s a lot I have to prep up on if I don’t want to put my foot in it. Have a good time . . .’ Her voice trailed off as Freddy wrenched open the front door and pushed Janey out of the apartment.
‘But you know we don’t have our phones!’ Janey hissed as they entered the cage lift and descended. ‘Are you sure we won’t need them?’
‘ She doesn’t need to know that!’ Freddy snorted. ‘Like she cares! And, no , we won’t need them. You’ll be, like, ten seconds from home. Nothing bad’s gonna happen. It’s the last thing you’ll need. Just enjoy the night! One of the others will have a phone anyway.’
Both girls stepped out into the balmy night air, Janey negotiating the villa’s front steps in her teetering heels as though her life depended upon her every move, because it did! They were even less manoeuverable than the red wedge heels. If she took a step too
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