“Hey, it’s Sonic the Hedgehog!” Stuart says as I enter his music room, earning laughter from our friends and an eye roll from me.

“Funny man,” I snort.

“Yeah, I thought so too,” Stuart says with a smug grin.

“And how long am I gonna have that nickname for, anyway?” I moan as I pick up my bass guitar and start tuning it. “I washed the dye out days ago…”

“More’s the pity,” Mikey laughs.

“I’m sorry sir, but I’m not allowed to discuss that,” Sophie said as she poured the passenger his coffee. “Will there be anything else, sir?”

“Non, that will be all,” the middle-aged businessman replied in his refined Parisian accent. Sophie dutifully bobbed a curtsey and dragged her trolley back to the kitchen, where her supervisor was waiting with a sympathetic smile on her face.

“I couldn’t help but hear that, honey,” Annabelle said softly. “You got another one of those questions?”

I fidget nervously in my seat as I watch the drama unfold in front of me. I’m sat in an audience not unlike the spectators at a Roman Amphitheatre, only instead of watching two gladiators fight it out, we’re enthralled by the sight of two middle-aged men sat opposite each other. One of the men is one of the most famous (and infamous) television presenters in the country, while the other is my father- and the prize on offer is far greater than any ancient gladiator could ever have dreamed of.

“See you tomorrow!” Melissa giggles as she gives me, Cameron, Petra and Lydia a hug each as we head out of school and into the car park. Cameron takes her goodbye hugs next, then Petra, and finally Lydia turns to me with a devilish grin and gives me a long, soft kiss on my lips, which attracts a lot of attention and good-natured jeering from nearby students and a lot of disapproving stares from nearby teachers!

“How’s the fit?” the shop clerk asks me as I smooth the long, flowing dress over my narrow waist and smooth, curved hips.

“Be honest, Laura,” mum advises. “If there are any problems, you need to let us know now as there won’t be another chance before Saturday, and you’ll be in that dress for a long-“

“I know, I know,” I interrupt. “It’s still pinching a bit around my armpits…”

“Okay, we can do something about that,” the clerk says. “Are there any other places it’s too tight?”

“Nope,” I reply, smirking as I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

“Ten!” The assembled women shouted, barely making themselves heard over the roar of the nightclub. “Nine! Eight! Seven! Six!”

“Aw, girlies!” Ellie squeaked excitedly as the countdown neared its conclusion.

I let out a long, tired sigh and elegantly lower myself onto the front passenger seat of dad’s car, straightening my short grey skirt and thick black tights before fastening my seatbelt.

“Oh, cheer up,” dad urges with a teasing grin. “Could be worse, it could be Monday!”

“It IS Monday,” Bryony reminds us from her seat directly behind me.

“Oh yeah,” dad chuckles. “Well- just cheer up, then. Especially you, Ash- just a few more months then you’ll finally be free!”

“Aww, come on babe…” Kain moans as I pull my skirt and my top back on. “I’ve barely seen you this holiday…”

“I know, I know,” I sigh as I lean down to give the tall, semi-naked boy a gentle kiss. “Trust me, I’d much rather stay here all day. And all night, hehe!” I grin devilishly as my boyfriend giggles nervously at the prospect of us spending the night together. “But, you know, my parents would just totally flip out…” Well, mother and soon to be stepfather, I think to myself. God knows what my biological father would think- and god’s probably the only one who cares, either.

Not for the first time this week, I’m woken up by the sound of loud music emanating from the living room. As I have for the last few days, I yawn, stretch and swing my tired body out of bed, pulling on my fluffy dark red dressing gown before padding through to the living room to find my girlfriend gently swaying to Three Times a Lady. I let out a gentle sigh as I encircle her tiny waist from behind and gently sway along with her, which elicits a contented sigh from the petite blonde girl.

“I still say you were robbed,” I say, making my lover giggle.

“Well,” Jamie said as the end credits rolled on the cartoon. “That was - that was different.”

“Yeah,” Charlotte concurred. “I mean, I’m used to seeing myself on TV, but - yeah. Not too sure about that.”

“But I’m sure the kids will love it,” Hannah said. “And there’s no arguing with the message, right?”

“Definitely,” Jamie said. “If we help only one person with this cartoon, it’ll be worth it.” Much like the main Angels show, Jamie thought to herself as she and her friends filed out of the makeshift cinema.

Angels assemble!

Charlotte: the leader, dedicated to using her wealth and fame to help those less fortunate.

Jamie: the social media star, dedicated to proving that anyone can be the person they were born to be, regardless of how they were born.

Hannah: the supermodel from the lower-class background, dedicated to proving that a person is worth more than their background.

Krystie: the dance teacher, dedicated to bringing out the inner beauty in everyone.

Mary: the mother of the group, dedicated to protecting those who struggle to protect themselves.

I let out a long, loud sigh of relief as the bell rings to signify the end of yet another school day. Two years ago, I'd have given anything to be able to sit in a classroom dressed the way I am right now, but today I am almost desperate to get home and strip off the stiff grey skirt and black tights that are covering my lower body.

"Happy birthday dear Robbie..." The modest crowd cheered as the blond-haired boy cringed. "Happy birthday to you!" Robbie grinned widely as he leaned down and blew out the sixteen candles on his plain chocolate cake, before grimacing as he braced himself for the inevitable.

“Okay, then,” I say to myself, before taking a deep breath and walking through the front door of the large, imposing building. For the first time in two years, I’m entering a place of education that’s based in London- only unlike that last time, I’m doing so on my own terms.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Mum asks, waiting as I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. Before I reply, I can't help but look at the girl looking at me in the mirror, a girl wearing a grey school uniform, complete with a white blouse, a smart blazer and tie, a grey knee-length pleated skirt, thick grey tights and plain black flats.

“Hey girlies,” Lindsay said with a grin as Ellie, Monique and Kacey entered the packed coffee shop and slumped heavily into their seats. “Should I ask?”

“Ugh, I’d prefer it if you didn’t,” Monique groaned. “I HATE exams…”

“Well, only a few more days to go,” Kacey said with a tired chuckle. “Gonna be weird not going to college next year, heh.”

“Meh, I can’t wait to get to uni,” Jodie shrugged. “I love change, things get boring if things always stay the same, you know?”

“Come on,” mum insists as she arranges me and my sisters against the outside wall. “Can’t not get a photo of this, my four beautiful girls!” I smile as I hold hands with Bryony, who holds Cassie’s hand, who eagerly grips onto Dorothy’s hand. Today is a big day for all of us- the first day of school after a long summer holiday, and it’s a big day for me in particular, as it’ll be my last ever ‘first day of school’.

“Ugh, feels SO good, knowing I’m not going to be back at work until Tuesday!” Meredith sighed happily as she removed her name badge and tossed it into her locker. “I mean, yes, it’s only a three day weekend, but it’s a good one, you know.”

“Oh- no arguments here!” Janet giggled, removing her own name badge and pulling on her warm winter coat. “Shannon? You looking forward to the big day?”

“Definitely,” the shy blonde girl replied, giggling as she pulled on the woolen reindeer-themed sweater, much to the delight of her friends.

I take a deep breath as I wake up, but even this action is enough to cause me a lot of pain in my chest. As I open my eyes, I’m briefly confused by my surroundings- this isn’t my bedroom in Cardiff, or even my old bedroom in London, but somewhere else… A hospital? That’d explain the pain in my chest, anyway…

“Good morning,” a familiar Welsh accent says, chilling the blood in my veins as I slowly turn my head and come face to face with my mother, and the stern look on her face…

I let out a long, satisfied moan as I stretch my slender body out on the sun lounger. It’s the hottest summer I’ve ever known, but that’s not the only thing that makes it the best summer ever- there’s also the fact that I have a disposable income of my own from not one but two part-time jobs, I have a tall, sexy boyfriend who seems to fancy me more with every passing day, and the not-so-small fact that I’m currently wearing just a tiny bikini, whereas 365 days ago, I was stuck in a cramped classroom wearing a hot, stuffy school uniform.

“Good- evening,” Janet said, checking her watch as Ellie walked through the door. “Making sure it is still evening and not early tomorrow morning.”

“Hilarious,” Ellie snorted as she dropped her handbag on the coffee table and flopped down onto the sofa. “It’s only, what, 8pm?”

“Another question?” Becca asks, grinning as several members of the assembled crowd eagerly raise their hands. “Okay, you at the back!”

“What are your favourite tracks on the new album?” The journalist asks, making the four of us grin.

“Ooh, good question!” Adeola chuckles, even though it’s a question we’ve already been asked several times over the last ten days. “Mine’s probably ‘Overcast’, we’ve never really done a ‘dark’ song before, it was fun to mix it up a little. Bex?”