Here is a new story I'm working on. It's not quite finished so it may take a bit longer to update. It's something different so hopefully you give it a try!
Chapter 1: Wednesday at 8am
It was 8 am. The sun was projecting a light show across the desk of Janelle Roberts, whom had just arrived with her morning coffee. The office was bare and there was a faint tapping of a keyboard in the distance. Janelle placed her steaming coffee next to her computer and yawned. She struck the few keys on her keyboard that allowed her to sign into the company system and waited patiently as the computer warmed itself for another day of being stuffed with useless information.
To Janelle, Wednesdays were usually slow. All the excitement usually accumulated over the weekend and was spread out on Janelle's desk on Monday morning to be mass produced and shared with an all too nosey public. Once in a while, there would be a juicy story like Paris Hilton's jail sentence or another Lindsay Lohan drug scandal but today seemed like a low-key Wednesday.
Janelle sighed and stood from her desk. Her colleague, Amber Delaney, who was in a neighboring cubicle, had her nose stuck in a manila folder and was milling over something that seemed quite interesting. Amber dealt mostly with mail and was always the first one to see a juicy story.
"Anything good today?" Janelle rested her behind against Amber's desk and looked at her over her thick-rimmed glassed.
Amber was silent. Janelle detected a bit of alarm in the air surrounding Amber's desk. She could tell by the way Amber's eyebrows were cocked and the way she kept drumming her fingers against the fake wood of her desk that something was different.
Amber shoved the folder back into the manila envelope and placed it gently on her desk. She eased back into her chair and folded her arms across her chest.
"How much did you pay for that?" Amber whispered quietly. Janelle couldn't read the look on her face. It was either jealousy or disgust, but never mind that- whatever it was made Janelle's stomach twist into knots.
Janelle pursed her lips together and placed her hand against her soft cheek. She couldn't figure out what Amber was talking about. Brushing her auburn hair off her shoulder she met Amber's eyes.
"Amber, how much did I pay for what?"
"Elley, it was brilliant but it must have cost you a fortune." Janelle felt her shoulders relax a bit at the sound of her nickname. That meant Amber wasn't angry with her.
Janelle raised her eyebrows, "what, Amb?"
"Here," Amber held the folder out to Janelle, "this came for you today. I was checking to make sure it wasn't junk and, um, it definitely isn't. Elle, this could be your big break. I don't know who you know but it was brilliant. This is for sure the next Paris in jail story."
Janelle slowly eased the envelope open and slid the folder out of it. She turned the envelope around and read the address.
Janelle Roberts
145 Simon St.
Syracuse, NY
Confusion swept through her mind as she read the front of the folder.
Janelle,
I choose to remain anonymous for reasons beyond our power. Enclosed is an item that could change your life as a journalist forever. I am choosing to do this out of repayment for something I owe you from some time ago. I hope this changes your life like you changed mine.
Janelle read the words again. I am choosing to do this out of repayment…She had no idea someone had even owed her something. Before she even opened the folder she looked to Amber.
"Did you read this?" she asked Amber as she pointed to it.
"Yeah, sorry, I got nosey," Amber shrugged as she brought her attention to her chipped nail polish and then back to Janelle, "isn't it weird though?" Amber and Janelle studied each other for a brief moment. "Does somebody owe you something?"
"That's what I'm trying to remember. Enough chit chat though let's see what the hell it is!" Janelle exclaimed in a whisper.
Janelle slid her fingers in-between the folder's edges and in one swift movement, opened it. Staring back at her was a photo. It was a young girl. Janelle guessed she was somewhere between fourteen and sixteen. The girl's eyes were focused down and she was running a hand through her flat, brown hair. She looked like she had been sweating and the light from her vanity caused her sequined shirt to sparkle. Janelle looked closer and noticed the young girl was holding something in her hands. She looked to Amber.
"Did you see this?" She whipped the picture from the confines of the folder. Amber nodded. "Is that a wig?"
"I think so. Keep looking through," Amber waved her hand as if to say 'it gets better.'
She flipped the first photo over to find a second behind it. The second photo was of the same girl, but this time she had the blonde wig perched on top of her head hiding any remnants of the brunette locks she had previously worn. She was dressed in the same shirt and her face, maybe it was in her eyes, was the same as the pretty brunette.
Janelle became more and more interested as she flipped through four or five pictures of the same girl in the progression of taking off her wig and putting it back on. The last item in the folder was a plain sheet of printer paper and written on that piece of paper was a short story and the title of that story was something that could possibly change Janelle's life. Little did Janelle know, this vital piece of information could also change the life of a young girl…a young girl named, Miley Stewart.