Crystal by Katie Price

holding back from anyone. In rehearsal it had been the one Dallas nagged them about most, saying that they needed to put more emotion into it. After their exchange with Sadie they had emotion in spades. Dallas stood up to applaud their performance. Sadie and Charlie followed his lead. They were definitely not going home that night. It was a playoff between Bijoux and X & Y and Bijoux were voted out.
    ‘Girls, girls, girls!’ Dallas exclaimed walking into the green room at the end of the show. ‘You were fabulous. I’m taking you out to celebrate.’ As soon as they had finished being interviewed by Hadley, Dallas whisked them off to the swish Blue Bar for vintage Cristal and Beluga caviar. He was full of praise for their performance and for Crystal for having the guts to stand up to Sadie. ‘I really think that might swing it for you. But you can’t be complacent. I’m going to be working you harder than ever this week. You can have tomorrow off but that’s it. We’re going to be working flat out from nine o’clock Monday.’
    ‘But we’re free tonight, aren’t we?’ Belle asked. Crystal’s heart sank. She’d been so fired up by the night that she’d hardly had time to think about Max but now she wasreminded that it was going to be Belle who would be in his arms and kissing him, Belle who would be celebrating their good news with Max. Surely he wouldn’t have sex with her, would he? Crystal felt a stab of jealousy so sharp that she had to bite her lip to stop herself saying anything. What the hell would she say, though?
Don’t go and see Max. I want him more?
    Dallas laughed. ‘Yes, Belle, you’re free to see Max. Off you go.’
    Crystal looked at her retreating figure and wondered about Dallas and Belle. He was so cool about Belle seeing Max. Could there really have been anything going on between them? It was true that Belle was his favourite, but while she flirted with him he never flirted back. Crystal sighed and took a large swig of champagne.
    ‘What about you two then?’ Dallas asked, signalling for the bill.
    ‘I’m just going to go back to Mum’s. I’m too tired to do anything else,’ Tahlia said.
    Dallas raised his eyebrows at Crystal. ‘I can’t imagine
you’re
planning on an early night, are you?’
    Crystal shrugged. ‘I’m knackered as well. I’ll probably just go back to the hotel.’
    ‘Well, I’ve got a party to go to.’ Dallas drained his glass and keyed his pin number into the chip and pin machine the waiter had brought over as he stood up. ‘So I’ll see you all on Monday.’ He pulled out a fifty pound note from his wallet. ‘Get yourselves a taxi home.’
    ‘Cheers, Dallas,’ Crystal and Tahlia answered together.
    ‘And cheer up, Crystal! You were fabulous tonight, you all were,’ Dallas said, slinging his tan leather coat over his shoulder and blowing the girls a kiss goodbye.
    ‘Come back to mine if you want, Crystal,’ Tahlia said as they made their way out of the hotel. ‘Mum and Leticia would love to see you and we can spend Sunday together, if you haven’t any other plans. We can stop off at the hotel to grab your things.’
    Crystal hesitated, the prospect of going back to the hotelon her own to spend the night obsessing over Max and Belle together was not an inviting one. She thanked Tahlia and agreed.
    Tahlia’s mum, Rosie, lived off the Archway Road in north London in a three-bedroomed flat that was always spotless. She might not have much money but her floor was clean enough to eat your dinner off, something Crystal always teased her about. As soon as she and Tahlia walked through the front door Rosie and Leticia came running out of the living room, cheering and clapping. They’d wanted to be in the audience watching the show but Leticia had a high temperature and Rosie thought it best to keep her at home. Leticia was seven years old, a beautiful mixed-race little girl, with startling blue eyes and honey-coloured hair. Usually, Crystal didn’t