The End of Chap 2 and the Begining of Chap 3

Justin spent an hour or more everyday practicing. And, to his great surprise, he found to could actually sing. He, personally, thought he sounded, "not bad", but Matt, who always was there when he was practicing said he was "unbelievable".

One day, when Justin was practicing outside, their Mother who was hanging clothes on the clothes-line, heard him. She was shocked at what she heard. Could that really be her own son? She peeked out from behind the sheet she had just hung on the line. Yes, it was her son. She caught her breath, but it sounded just like the cd by the real artist!

"Justin!" she cried "You can really, really, sing! I'm telling you, son, that is a gift you have. That is nothing but pure talent!"

Justin shrugged. "Nah, it's really nothing. Really Mom, it's not great."

His Mother put her hands on her hips, "Justin, look at me" she demanded, still amazed that Justin could sing like that, "You can really sing. And a talent like that, can take you very far."

*~*~*

Chapter Three

The concert began at 9:00 that evening. Justin jumped out of the limousine, carrying his heavy bags himself.

"Just because you can sing well, doesn't mean you're better then anyone else." His father had told him the day he had gotten onto the plane to begin his first tour. "Treat everyone with respect. Always."

Superstar or not, Justin followed his Father's advice, he stayed humble and carried his own bags. Justin would have been glad to dump the limousine and drive up in a pickup truck, but his agent advised him not to. Justin wasn't sure why, he honestly would have felt much more at home in a rusty, farm pickup truck, then a shiny black limousine.

"Ready to rock and roll?" asked his agent, Mike Paulins, getting out of the car.

"Yeah, man." answered Justin "Completely ready."

His agent looked at his watch, and quickened his step. "Alright, better get a move on, kid, you're on stage in less then an hour!"

"Wow. Ok. Where did that time go?" laughed Justin, running into the building.

"Have fun, ok, buddy? I'll be watching!" called Mike

"Will do." said Justin, swinging open the huge doors. Minutes later he was getting ready.

"Looking good, Justin!" said his hairdresser, Kate, "Nice leather jacket, you're looking cool!"

Justin laughed. "Thanks. I'm not on the farm anymore."

Kate smiled. "Yeah, that's for sure. Now get over here, honey." she said waving her comb at him "You can't go on stage with your hair looking like that!"

Kate was the mother of four kids, and so she treated Justin like one of her own children. She was kind of his Mother away from home, and Mike was like his Father.

Kate slicked the comb through his shaggy jet-black hair, parting it over on the side. "There now, you're almost done, honey." Kate whirled his chair around "There! You look great, kid! Good luck, and bring down the house!"

"Thanks!" said Justin, grabbing his guitar.

*~*~*

"He's in concert tonight, you know." said Julianna "In New York."

"I wish I were there."

"Well who wouldn't want be?"

"Hahaha, you're right, even my parents would go if they had the chance!"

"I know. Mine too."

"Hey, ever think he'll do a concert up here sometime?"

Julianna nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he will. Mean, he did live his whole life here until now! I wouldn't be surprised if he ends the summer tour he's on now right here."

"How awesome would that be?"

"Pretty awesome." said Julianna grinning.

"Hey, Julianna, when you go to his concert in Ohio, could you try to get his real autograph for me?"

"Sure! Of course!"

"Thanks! If you did, I'd treasure it forever!"

More of my story!

When they got home, the girls spent the time they had before dinner writing their story. It was getting to an exciting part and they were ager to write mor the second they came in through the door.

"Here's some pencils," Clare said, giving her two sisters mechanical pencils out of a bag that was on her bunk of the bed.

"Thanks," said Mary.

"Sure." Elizabeth immediatly started to illustrate a sea creature because before she could not do that the night before Mother had told them to get some rest. Clare started to laugh. "That's really cool, Lizzie. But why'd ya do it so fast?"

"Thank you...well, let's just say that I have an awesome idea."

"Haha, okay. Don't take up too much time."

"Don't worry, we have plenty of time," said Mary. "It's only 4:05. Dinner's not till 6:30."

"I suppose so." Elizabeth was concentrating too hard on her illustration to say anything.

"I'll be right back. I'm gonna get a snack for us all," Mary decided, getting up.

"Okay. thanks a lot, Mary," beamed Clare.

"It's okay." And with that she ran downstairs.

"Mind if I grab some of those carrots for us to munch on upstairs?" Mary asked her Mother.

"Not at all," she answered.

"Thank you," she said, grabbing them.

"Sure, any time." Mary ran back upstairs with the carrots.

"Here," she said, giving them each a handful.

"Thanks," they both said at once.

"Are you almost, done, Lizzie?" Clare asked her.

"Almost...................................there!" she cried, very pleased with her illustration. Mary and Clare both glanced at what she drew. She had drawn the maine caracter under water with the sea creature biting her.

"Wow! That's so cool! You did an awesome, job, Lizzie," Mary exclaimed, expressing what she really thought with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I love that. I even wouldn't even be suprised if you became a real live famous illustrator someday," Clare encouraged. Elizabeth was too flattered to say anything.

"Can I please write something now?" Clare asked.

"Yup!" So Calre gladly took the notebook and wrote eagerly.

While Mary waited for Clare to write something she got up and danced a small jig on the hard wood floor.

"Hahahahaha," laughed Elizabeth. "What are you doing?"

"Feeling jolly and dancing," Mary laughed back. "What else should I do while waiting?"

"Oh, never mind."

Mary couldn't help but laugh again. Elizabeth started to munch on another carrot. "These are really good," she said. "Did we just get them?"

"I don't think so," answered Mary. Elizabeth winked.

"I'm done writing my thing," Clare soon said. "You can make up something for me to write now, Mary."

"Okay." Clare let Mary have a moment to think. But she didn't take long.

"How about she's able to swim away...? Or did you already write that?" Mary asked.

"Yes, sorry. But there is many other things you can make up," Clare answered.

"Yeah, okay...hm...let me think..."

"Yup."

"Oh! I've got it! How about when she reaches the shore, she meets a cute little gopher and he can speak?"

"Oh, good idea! Exciting." Clare quickly started to write.

After Clare had written a lot she asked Mary, "What do you think the gopher's name should be?"

"Well, let's see....it needs to be something cool...I don't know. You think of something."

"Okay...how about she's a girl and her name is Sally?"

"All right, write that."

"Okay, after you write that can I draw the gopher?" asked Elizabeth.

"Sure," she answered, hurrieldy writing for she knew they were waiting very patiently to have thier part of the story.

After, she handed the notebook to Elizabeth.

"Thank you," she said.

"Ahm. What are you gonna draw?"

"You'll see."

"Haha, okay." Elizabeth was drawing Sally and the gopher talking on the shore together.

Many peeked over her shoulder. "Oh, that a good idea," she complimented.

"Yeah, thanks."

Soon Mother called them down for dinner.

"All right," Clare called back. They all ran downstairs, their tummies rumbling.

"Here's some soup for my young authors," Mother smiled cheerfully.

"Yummy," beamed Elizabeth. After saying grace, Father asked the girls, "So how was school today?" Of course Elizabeth was the first one to answer.

"Great! And I made a new friend and helped her with her school," she cried, smiling and feeling very proud of herself.

"Great, keep making new friends," Mother replied, feeling very proud of her.

"I will, Mother, I will."

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Justin Fairway had been born in the Northern farmland of New Hampshire. He had been a usual kid before he had gotten famous, and really, superstar or not, he was still a usual kid. He had worked and lived with his parents, and older brother, Matt, on their small farm.

Their days were busy with school and chores. There was little spare time, but what little Justin and Matt had, they did what all the boys did.

In the summer there was basketball and fishing and water skiing and skate boarding. In the fall they went hunting, played football and basketball, and had fun at the county fairs. Winter was for sledding and skiing and basketball indoors at the school gym. Spring was a mix of all the other seasons activities, depending on what the weather was like.

Life would have continued this way if Matt had not been the usual annoying big brother.

The county was holding a talent show. And Matt signed Justin up to play his guitar and sing, without telling Justin until after the registration form was sent. Justin could play the guitar very well, and could pick up any song he wanted to on it, but he had never tried singing before.

*~*~*

Ella was from New Hampshire too, only, not from the country. She was a city girl, or really, a suburbs girl, since her family technically lived in the suburbs. All her life had been spent in the small blue painted house, with the tiny back lawn shaded by the two tall oak trees. Ella had always longed to get away into the country, even though she found the city handy, she did not love the crowds and noise. Sometimes she just wanted to be completely alone, without a single person near and not a single noise. Oh what that must do to a person's imagination!

Ella was very popular. Wherever she was, people gathered. Ella was not full of herself, nor did she always like being the center of attention, but in some ways it was very enjoyable. She had a huge circle of friends, of all ages, but her best friend, was really a girl her age, Julianna Roberts. Ella and Julianna had been close friends ever since pre-school, and had no intention of ever parting. Julianna was really more like another sister to Ella, since they were so close and lived less then a black from each other. They shared many of the same interests, and disagreed on almost nothing.

*~*~*

"I can't sing!" demanded Justin angerly, when Matt confessed what he had done "You'll just have to tell them I can't do it."

Matt doubled over laughing. "Sorry, little brother, but you can't back out now, the form is already sent in!"

"You know, that's just not funny."

"Then why am I laughing?" asked Matt, with that typical evil big brother grin.

"I'm telling Mom." said Justin glaring "Then you'll catch it."

"Go ahead." said Matt with a wave "I think she might just find it all very amusing."

Their Mother was a typical, no nonsense, farmer's wife. But she seemed to smile and almost laugh when Justin told her the story. "Well, Justin," she said, as if trying to hold back laughter "It looks like you have no choice. The county is expecting you to sing, and by golly, you're going to sing for them. I really don't see what you're all upset about, you know you can play anything on that guitar of yours, and I'm sure you can sing just as well. You've got over a month to practice."

Justin scowled at Matt, who's smile was saying, "I told you so!"

Their Mother's gaze turned to Matt. "You, Matthew Aaron Fairway played a mean trick on your brother. So you're to help him with his practice in every way possible, because it was you that got him in the mess." She laughed, as she returned to scrubbing out the chicken's water trough, "Oh you boys do crack me up! Just wait till your Father hears about this!"

That evening Justin spent the evening listening to his ipod, trying to pick a song to sing. He settled on "You Had A Bad Day", because he figured he'd have just that.

~*~*~*

Ella and Julianna were alone in Ella's bedroom. Maria was away for the evening, having a sleepover at a friend's house, so Ella had invited Julianna over for the night.

"So, what's up with you?" asked Ella, leaning back on the pile of pillows.

"Nothing too much, we'll be leaving for Ohio pretty soon though. You know, staying with my cousins like be do every summer for weeks."

She pulled her knot of hair loose, letting her long light blond hair tumble down around her shoulders. Ella thought Julianna was the prettiest girl in the world. She had gentle kind of beauty, so small and light, like a fairy. With her almost white hair and clear blue eyes. Ella was just the opposite, even though, she too was rather short, she had wavy midnight black hair, and deep dark eyes.

"So, what'll you do way over there in Ohio?" asked Ella, wishing Julianna could stay all summer instead. What she do without her?

"Oh, water skiing, hiking, we'll go site seeing too I'm sure where though, and, oh my goodness! Did I tell you what my aunt bought me and my cousin?"

"No! What?" asked Ella, looking excited.

"Well, you're not going to believe me, but, she got me and my cousin Justin Fairway tickets! He's going to be performing in Ohio one of weeks we're there, and I'm going!"

Ella at once became very wide awake. "No way." she gasped.

"Uh huh. I ain't lying, Ella. I can't believe I didn't tell this earlier!"

"You lucky..." Ella couldn't finish. "I wish I could come!" Ella was happy for her friend, but a little envious.

"I wish you could too! You totally deserve to go, Justin'sbigestfanevr!"

Ella laughed. That was her screen name at most online places. "Yeah, someday, once we get moving on a real life again, once my Dad gets a job again, I'll go." She said, smiling "You'll have to take lots of pictures! And, Julianna, could you try to get his autograph for me?"

"Of course! I'll bring you home something for sure."

Ella grinned, and was quite for a minute. "I still can't get over that you're really going to go see him live and in person! He's the most popular artist in America."

"And the cutest." Replied Julianna, pointing up at the poster of Justin Fairway, Ella had pinned to the wall. It was a very high quality one, and had a printed autograph and message from Justin on it. "Justin Fairway: keep going strong." Even though it had been printed and not really written by him, it was still cool, and was worth quite a bit. The only reason Ella had it was because she entered a raffle for the poster and had been lucky enough to win.

Ella took a long look at the poster. He was very handsome. He had dark looks and a flashing smile, and after all those years of working on his parents' farm, he was very muscular. Ella had secretly had a crush on him for years, and only Julianna and Maria knew.

"Yeah." giggled Ella "I know!" She threw Julianna a smile. "You know, it's probably good I can't go, I might very well die from excitement getting to see him in person!"

"You goose!" Laughed, Julianna.

The Rest of Chapter One

Here's a bit more. :)


"Free at last!" Sighed Justin, falling into the bed in his hotel room and enjoying the silence. "What a day."

His thoughts drifted all over, the concert tomorrow night, the wild fans, his family back home, and how this sudden stardom had happened so quickly.

Justin reached under his bed and pulled out his heavy black guitar case. He unclasped the shiny metal locks, and lifted the guitar out. It was an awesome instrument, bright red and shiny. It was the best electrical guitar he had ever owned, and certainly the most expensive.

Justin, at that moment, wanted nothing more then to play it and sing his heart out. It was his way of escaping stress and calming down. Something a lot of people just couldn't understand. How could something so loud and energy taking calm you down? But somehow it did. But he knew he'd get in trouble with the hotel if he started such a racket. And he didn't have the cords for his guitar in his room anyway. Instead he silently ran his fingers over the strings and whispered lyrics from one of his greatest hits.

Keep stayin' strong, it won't be long, keep hangin' on...

Justin was only nineteen, soon to be twenty, yet, already, he was a huge star. At the age of seventeen he had been "discovered" and it wasn't long after that, that record companies had come chasing after him. Justin had signed a contract and hadn't looked back. It was crazy really how it had all happened. Now, here he was, Justin Fairway, one of the most popular artists in the whole country, and maybe, the whole world.

*~*~*

Ella looked out the living room window onto the dusty driveway, waiting for her Father to come back from his daily job hunt. Maybe today would be the day he got one, the day they had all been waiting for. A job, even a very small one, would mean so much. It would mean no more worried, whispered conversations at night, it would mean new sneakers for Ella and Maria, it would mean no more stress for her poor parents, it would mean ice cream after dinner, and, to Ella, it would mean Justin Fairway's latest cd.

Maria came up behind Ella and threw her arms around her neck. "Ella!"

"Gah! Don't do that!" cried Ella, pulling her little sister off.

"Awww come on! What'cha doing anyway?"

"Waiting for Daddy to come home. And thinking."

Maria didn't say anything, and merely snuggled up against Ella. Maria wasn't one for talking too much. When it came to Maria, actions really spoke louder then words.

*~*~*

Justin opened up his laptop and read quickly through his long list of emails. Nothing interesting. He started to write a quick note to his mother telling her he was safe in the hotel. She worried greatly about him even with all the security. Once that task was done, he logged off and went to bed.

Tomorrow was going to be another wild, and no doubt very very busy day. But it would be fun too, Justin loved nothing more then to sing live on stage. He just hoped everything would go smoothly. Fans, were really, the most unpredictable creatures in the world.

*~*~*

"Hey, Ella?" Whispered Maria, opening up the door to Ella's bedroom.

"Uh huh, Maria?" Groaned Ella, blinking in the light from the hallway.

Maria stood still for a second, then suddenly closed the door and scurried through the dark room, jumping onto Ella's bed. "I have a question." she whispered "And I don't want to ask Mom, because it might make her sad."

Ella sat up in her bed. "What is it?" She asked softly, feeling somewhat warm inside that Maria had come to her, but concerned about what might be worrying this small girl of ten and a half.

"Why didn't Dad get a job, again?"

"Ohh.." whispered Ella "Well, see, the whole country is in trouble with money and stuff, so nobody has any extra money to hire somebody."

"Ok." Maria paused "Is everyone getting poor, like us?"

"Well, not everybody, but a lot of people, yeah."

"Ok" Maria sighed "Can I sleep with you tonight? My room, is, well, my room is kind of empty."

"Of course, silly, you can always sleep in here."

"Good night, Ella."

"Night', Maria."

Here's more of my new story! :)

Chapter 2



Next morning, Clare was the first to wake up, eager to wake everyone else. It was 7:00. School would start at 8:00. We better hurry, she thought. Then she hopped off her bunk and shook Elizabeth and Mary, hoping to wake them up. "Come on sleep heads. We're gonna be late for school," she exclaimed.

"Okay, okay," they said. Mary jumped out of bed. Elizabeth rubbed her eyes, yawning. Then she got out of bed, too, stretching.

After they got dressed, wasked their faces and brushed their teeth, they rushed down-stairs, wheere Mother had pancakes ready for them.

"Good morning, girls. Eat up. I'm gonna drive yout to school soon," Mother greeted them, slapping pancakes on their plates.


"Thanks, Mom. Okay," they replied, eating their pancakes after grace.

Soon, it was 7:45 and Mother drove them to school.

Elizabeth was in 3rd grade, Mary was in 5th, and Clare was in 7th. They went to Holy Family Academy School. Clare took Algebra, Language, Latin, Religion, Histoy, and Science. Her favorite sybject in school was Science. She found it very fun and enteresting. Mary took Arithmetic, Language, Science, Religion, History, and Art. Her favorite subjecgt was Art. She found it very amusing. Elizabeth took Writing, Spelling, Language, Arithmetic, Science, History and Religion. Her favorite was spelling because it was her easiest subject.

Their teacher was named Miss Karrington. She had blonde hair and always had it up. Elizabeth always thought she was very pretty.

"Good morning, Class," Miss Karrington said, smiling.


"Good Morning, Miss Karrington," the whole class said together at once.

"Now you will all study Literature. I will give you all a different book. You will study 6 pages." Just then, a very small girl raised her hand, shyly.

"Yes, Anne," said Miss Karrington.

"I-I don't know how to read." Before Miss Karrington could say anything, Elizabeth raised her hand.

"...Uhh...yes, Elisabeth..." the teacher said, unsure to hear Elizabeth or to answer Anne.

"Excuse me for intterupting. But how about I read to Anne and we can study with the same book?" Elizabeth suggested, smiling brightly.


"Well, I suppose that would be a good idea. Thank you, Elizabeth. You're very nice to offer. Let me take your book; Anne can share hers with you and you can also share seats." Elizabeth gave her literature book to Miss Karrington and then sat with Anne.

Elizabeth whispered to Anne, "What's your name? Mine's Elizabeth. Although everyone calls me Lizzie. It'd be great if you did too."

"Sure...my-my name is Anne."

"That's a very nice name. You don't have to be shy. All the kids in the class and Miss Karrington iks really nice."

"Okay..."

"Class, I'd like you to start studying please," said Miss Karrington. Then everyone started to study including Elizabeth and Anne. Soon they became great friends.

At lunchtime, (noon) when the bell rang, Anne and Elizabeth ate together outside. Miss Karrington let everyone have lunch outside that day because it was so beautiful and warm out and they should get some fresh air. The children loved it when the teacher said they could do that.

"Thank you for reading to me in class today," said Anne. ""Maybe you can teach me to read sometime."

"You're welocme," replied Elizabeth, munching on a carrot. "I had fun too. Yeah, maybe I can teach you...but I don't think that's my job. Miss Karrington will teach you."

"Oh," Anne said, sadly, disappointed.

"But she's very nice. She taught me in 2nd grade too. My favorite subject was reading for 3 whole years."

"Wow. Well, then, I guess it doesn't matter who teachers me."

"That's it," Elizabeth smiled, putting an arm around Anne's back.

"How much more time do we have of a lunch break?" Anne asked.

"Well, we always have 30 minutes. I'm not sure how much more time we have."

"We just got here so probably about the same."

"Yeah. You're really smart for your age. I can sort of tell you'll be good at Math."

"Thank you."

"I'm done with my lunch. Do you want to play a game after you're done?"

"We can play now. I'm full."

"Okay," said Elizabeth happily. "What do you want to play?"

"Uhhh...hmm...hopscotch?

"Sure, that sounds great! I love playing that. Do you mind if I ask other girls to play it with us?

"Ummm....y-yes..."

"That's okay, I don't have to," Elizabeth reasured her. "...Look, here's the hop scotch place. Everyone calls it that because there's a lot of it here."

"Cool."

"You know how to play, right?"

"Oh, yes, of course," laughed Elizabeth. "Who doesn't?"

"Yeah..." she said, hopping across the numbers in the boxes.

"Wow, you're good," Elizabeth complimented.

"Thanks," she said, finishing. "Your turn now."

"Okay." They took turns back and forth until they decided they should give someone else a turn now. Then they talked a bit but soon the bell rang and they had to get back to school.

Everyone came piling back into the building.

"All right, class, settle down now. You will now do Arithmetic from page 103 to page 107."

"Yes, Miss Karrington," the class replied. Anne was able to do Arithmetic alone so Anne and Elizabeth were parted now.

After 3 hours, the day of school was over and everyone left. And Elizaabeth was very happy she had made friends with Anne.

Story I'm Writing For School

Here is a story that I am writing for school, I write for any limit of time I want then my Mom corrects all the incorrect grammar. Oh yeah, and it takes awhile to get to the basics. I wrote a lot more than this I just don't have much time to type it all down at once. ;)

The Mysterious Cave

Chapter One

Once, there lived 3 sisters who were always very curious and adventurous and brave. They were named Clare, Mary, and Elizabeth. Clare was the eldest, she was 12. Mary was the 2nd eldest, and she was 10. Elizabeth was the youngest and she was 8. But everyone calls her Lizzie. Mary had short blodne hair with blue eyes. So did Clare but she had much longer hair. Elizabeth had brown hair and had just got a haircut from her Mother and she had green eys, almost looking like brown. They lived in a small beige house. The three shared a bedroom. They all slept in one bunk bed. Clare slrpt on the top and Mary slept on the bottoam and there was a trundle at the very end of the bed that Elizabeth slept on. Their parents names were Elsa and Peter. Their Father was kind with a broad smile. Their Mother loved to sew and always did for them. Their last name was Carly.

"Girls, come down for dinner," Mother called. They were playing a board game upstairs.

"We're coming, Mom," Clare called back. Mother set plates full pf sphagetti on the table. The girls flew down the stairs, their tummies rumbling.

"Good evening, girls. How did school go today for you?"

"Well, I've still got a bit of homework to do but otherwise it's been great," said Elizabeth, chewing on a mouthful of sphagetti.

"All right. Maybe I can help you with that tonight."

"Thanks, Daddy."

"Yeah, I didn't play the board game with them so I could finish my homwork. So I finished all my school today and it went well," Mary beamed.

"That's very good, Mary," Father said. "How about you, Clare?"

I actually didn't start my homework yet...but I got a good grade in school today: B+," Clare answered.

"Oh really? I'm very proud of you, Clare," Mother replied.

"Thank you," said Clare, politely.

"Yes, that is very good," Father agreed.

After dinner was done, Mother asked, "Now girls, will you help me clean the kitchen?"

"Sure, Mom," they all said at once. It was Clare's and Mary's job always to help wash the dishes and wipe down the table, and it was Elizabeth's job to help sweep the floor.

That night, the Carly girls sat up late in their comfy beds thinking up things for the story they were writing. Clare was the writer, Elizabeth drew the illustrations and Mary just helped make up things in the story.

"Hold on, let me just write this all down," Clare said after Mary had told her a bunch of things to write.

"Okay," laughed Mary.

"Can I please draw something soon?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sure, Lizzie," answered Clare.

Soon Mother opened the door to their room and said," Girls, I'd like you to get some rest now. You have another day of school tomorrow."

Chapter One

Yet another beginning to a new story. The question is; will this one get finished? Tell me what you think. ttyl ya'll



Chapter One

It was one of those lazy summer days, the kind where it is too hot to do anything but lie in the shade and daydream, and that is just what Gabriella Sorno was doing. She was dreaming of far away faces and far away places. Gabriella, who was known as Ella, was almost eighteen, and she had a wonderful imagination. In fact, right then under the shade of the big old oak tree, she could almost see her lofty daydreams.

These days, dreams were her only comfort. Her family, like most of the world, was in troubled times. A few months ago, her Father had lost his job, and soon after, her Mother had lost hers too. It hadn't been their fault, the companies were just downsizing, and they had been cut.

This left her parents tired and worried and very stressed. Which, of course, made Ella and her younger sister, Maria, very unsure and concerned. These days, nothing was easy. Well, at least not for them. Ella knew others really did have it easy even though the times were getting tougher. Like the kids of millionaires, the lucky people who won the lottery, movie stars, and, of course, Justin Fairway, one could not forget him.

Ella closed her eyes and smiled.

*~*~*

The limousine stopped outside the hotel surrounded by mobs of screaming fans. Justin grimaced, so many people, all yelling, and pushing, and trying to get closer and closer to him, trying to get autographs, pictures, anything.

The limousine door swung open, letting in a rush of the hot New York summer air. Justin took a deep breath and jumped out of the car onto the hot and crowed sidewalk.

"Here we go again, for the millionth time." He though to himself.

Another concert, another hotel, another wild mob of fans. He pulled a black marker out of his jeans pocket and began signing his name on all the items pushed his way. Most of them were the usual things, his cd's, pictures, and posters, but some items, well, some of them were really...weird.

"Justin! Justin! Sign my cellphone!" He reached out into the crowd taking a man's phone. "Uh, ok, where?"

"Right on the screen!"

"You sure?"

"Yeah! Of course I am!" Justin quickly scribbled his name on the cell phone's screen, wondering how the guy would be able to use his phone again.

Justin moved a little further into the pushing crowd. "My wallet! Justin! Can you sign my wallet?" A woman this time, holding a white leather wallet. "Yeah, ok, sure." He ran the marker over the soft leather and tossed it back.

"Justin Fairway!" shrieked a girl's voice "Ohhh Justin! Over here!"

A young teen girl was jumping up and down, holding a tattered notebook which she thrust into his hands. "It's my Math notebook, it's the only paper I have with me. Could you sign it, please?" He laughed. "Of course." And he darted the marker over the cover, signing his whole name in bold printing. Justin Patrick Fairway. The girl seemed close to going wild with excitement. "Oh! Thank you! Thank you! I'll love doing Math now! It'll be so much easier in a notebook signed by you!"

Justin spent a total of two hours in the hot sun signing autographs, standing for pictures, and answering questions, before he could escape to the safety of the hotel.

*~*~*

Ella pulled herself away from the shade and her beautiful dream world to go help her Mother who had just come back from grocery shopping. Her Mother's face was tired and worried, as it had been so often lately.

"Hello, Ella. Having a nice day?"

"Hi Mom, yeah, kinda hot, but alright." Ella's eyes drifted from her Mother's face to the three small bags in the car's trunk. They contained simple food items like bread and milk. The family's savings were drying up quickly, like any rain that fell in the hot sun. What would they do when there was no money left? Her mother must have read her thoughts.

"Yes, Ella, I know. Not much. There's little I can do."

"I know, Mom..." she forced herself to smile "But don't worry, we'll manage."

"I hope so."

"But you or Dad is bound to get a job sometime. Sometime soon. Just you see! And I'll keep looking for one too, alright?"

"Ella, you're so sweet..." Her Mother hugged her gently, before taking the bags out of the trunk into the house.

Every day since school had let out Ella too had been in search of a job. She hadn't found one. Yet. But somebody in the state of New Hampshire must be wanting a young girl to help them. Somewhere in the state. Hopefully.

And even though she sounded confident to her Mother, deep deep down inside, Ella wasn't quite as confident as she looked or sounded. But they had to keep searching and never give up. These days it was sink or swim and Ella didn't want to sink.