Shooting Star

Chapter 2: Newly Hired

Sidney suddenly looked thoughtful, as if trying to recall something from her mind. Then she sat up straight, looking excited, her posture now leaning a bit towards Ripley, as if she was about to impart something top secret. "Maybe I can help you out, as long as you won't be picky this time for your first job."

Ripley arched her brow with curiosity, but she also couldn't help but grin. "Really? What's the company name? I guess it's fine since I really can't be picky right now. Hey, it's not your parent's company, right?" she asked with doubt. The last thing she wanted was to be compared and called as a 'nepo' baby that was why she managed to get the job. And being hired by Sidney's parents was no difference to working for her own parents. Since bothe their mothers were close, so Sidney's mom was her godmother, and her mother was Sidney's godmother.

Ripley wanted to make something on her own so that others won't just say behind her back that she only got a job because of her parents or god parents or by any connections.

"Don't worry, it's not my parents company. I promise." Sidney assured Ripley with a grin. "Well, remember that I have a friend I got along with during my cheerleading days back at high school - Lara Walsh? Well, we met a few days ago at the launch of my boss's new collection and she happened to be there as well, and we catch up a little. So, she's dating a certain publication'y editor-in-chief, and she mentioned that her boyfriend was looking for a news writer and photographer. I just remembered it, and since you can do both, why not try it? I can even inform Lara about it so that she could give her boyfriend a head's up." She told Ripley before handing over the publications calling card that she rummaged from her purse.

Ripley looked at the calling card that Sidney handed to her. She frowned a bit after reading the header of the calling card.

"The publication company is called JJ Publishing. And it looks like an entertainment publication company that mostly writes about celebrities and anything in the entertainment circle. Besides publishing a weekly magazine, they also have an entertainment website that their writers posts articles daily. There's different columns and articles." Sydney told Ripley all the information she knew about the publication company that her friend's boyfriend was working at.

With a sigh, Ripley decides to give it a try. "Fine, I'll try and apply for this company." She told her friend.

Sydney smiled. "You'll really go to apply for the job?" she asked again, wanting to make sure since they were talking about an entertainment publication and not anything about serious news reporting or photojournalism.

"Yes. I might as well check it out." Ripley said as she took the calling card from Sydney. "I'll also check out the website later to see what's this all about."

Sydney nodded in agreement. "That's right. I suggest you bring some of your portfolio with you photography and writing samples."

Ripley nodded in agreement. She always brought them with her or sent them on emeaip attrached to her resume whenever she applied for a job anyway.

"Then I should congrate you in advance, anyway with how good your photos and articles are, you'll definitely get the job." Sydney said confidently.

Ripley didn't refute her best friend. Since she would be applying for a publication company that focused on celebrities, so she was sure that it was not that hard to be hired, compare to how competitive it was applying as a professional news writeresearchers on famous and big name stations.

That was why, early morning the next day, she went to the building where the entertainment publication was located.

And now, she was sitting inside the waiting room and in an uncomfortable metal chair. She was surrounded by the sounds of frantically clicking of keyboards from people working at the publication.

The hallways and lobby held many poster sized framed photographs that looked like the cover of magazines of what Ripley could tell were all about celebrities. Some of those celebrities she was familiar with, specially those celebrities whose very popular and always being mentioned on trending news and advertisements, but some of the other celebrities on the framed cover photographs she was unfamiliar with.

"Ms. Ripley Summers, Mr. Lionel will see you now." The secretary informed her without looking up from what she was doing in front of her tablets screen and at the same time talking to someone on her hands free phone attached to her ear.

"Thank you." Ripley said before she stood from the chair she was sitting and followed the secretary who seemed to successfully managed to walked on high heels while multi-tasking and they both walked towards the editor-in-chief's office.

The secretary knocked on the door before opening it after hearing someone said 'come in' and the secretary announced Ripley to the editor-in-chief before gesturing for Ripley to step inside the office.

Ripley nodded and stepped inside the office. As she entered, she automatically looked around the office while making her way towards the unoccupied chairs in front of the editor-in-chief's office table full of papers, notepads, post it notes, pens and pencils and other office supplies an editor-in-chief might need surrounding his flat screen computer. Even the office phone of the editor-in-chief was almost buried from all those papers on the table.

For an editor-in-chief's office, it was smaller than the usual office of someone who has a title or rank in the office. It looked practical, old fashioned and without a personal touch. It was obviously sending a message that this was just an office for work and not a place where the editor-in-chief would like to linger for long after working hours as much as possible if he could help it. There was also some small cactus plant near the computer and a big coffee mug. In on the cabinets and wodden racks, instead of books that mostly decorated offices, it was mostly full of copies of celebrity magazines and newspapers.

And the most recent magazine was on the coffee-table surrounded by couches with the cover of popular award winning actor Shinichi Matsunaga who was recently in a scandal, that was why he was on a number of trending list as well as the hot topic for gossips these days.

And the cover of the popular weekly celebrity magazine had a very bold byline : 'SHINICHI MATSUNAGA HAVING A SCANDALOUS AFFAIR WITH A FAN!'

And then a smaller bold byline of: 'SHINICHI MATSUNAGA AND GIRLFRIEND BROKE UP AFTER RECENT SCANDAL!'

And followed by: 'SHINICHI MATSUNAGA, DRUNK AT BAR AFTER THE BREAK-UP, ALMOST CAUSE ANOTHER SCANDAL!'

It seemed like every news was all about Shinichi Matsunaga these days. And paparazzi wouldn't give him a break obviously, as long as they could squueze as much as they could from him and his popularity. It was their bread and butter after all.

'That was probably annoying and frustrating.' Ripley couldn't help but thought to herself. She was not even the subject of said gossip but she couldn't help feeling horrified of these intrusive headlines. What more of the actual person being talk about in these gossips?

Ripley suddenly wanted to find Sydney and wring her neck. How could her best friend send her to a job like this? She wanted to find a job, but she was not that desperate. She couldn't imagine herself running after celebrities to ask them about their most secret and private lives so she could tell the world about it!

Ripley thought she would at least write articles or become a photographer for some lifestyle magazine or something like a celebrity magazine for teens. Like some of those magazines her high school friends and classmates used to buy and read even during class.

Ripley was having second thoughts when she heard the editor-in-chief finally looked up from his computer and called het name.

"Ripley Summers?"

Ripley turned her face away from the magazine with a handsome young man on the cover not much older than her and looked at the editor-in-chief's way.

This was her best friend's friend's boyfriend, so it was not a surprised that he was younger than most editor-in-chief that Ripley met during interviews, but despite his young age he looked like he hadn't slept in a while with how dark his eyebags were under the transparent glasses he wore. Despite the semi-haggard look, he seemed friendly with auburn hair and smiling eyes despite its tiredness.

The editor-in-chief looked like he was only a few years older than Ripley was. And it wasn't a surprise that he was dating Sidney's friend because he looks good despite the haggard and tired appearance. He was not someone whom Ripley could say that was very handsome or someone that used to be popular at school. He was more like the loner type at school who focused on getting high grades.

"Hi, I'm Ripley Summers." Ripley said as she walked towards the office table and held up her hand for a handshake. Since she was already here, despite her fight or flight mode, might as well bite the bullet and wait for the outcome.

"Hello, I'm Luther Lionel. I'm the editor-in-chief." Luther said as he introduced himself and shook hands with Ripley enthusiastically. "Welcome to Glazed," he said in a proud tone of voice.

Ripley smiled. She worked hard not to make any face or winced after hearing the name of the celebrity magazine. Even the name of the magazine sounded sooo tacky? Like a rip-off version of Glamour. But instead of fashion and beauty, it was all about celebrity gossips and scandals.

"I've read the article samples you've written and also saw some of your photographs sample," Luther said with a smile, taking Ripley's mind off her current thoughts. "You have such excellent skills and talent! I was very impressed!"

"Thank you, Mr. Lionel," Ripley said with a polite smile. The editor-in-chief sounded so energetic despite looking haggard with lack of proper sleep.

'How did even he and his girlfriend have some time to date?' Ripley wondered. She could imagine the editor-in-chief dozing off on dates with his girlfriend.

"You don't have to be so formal, Ms. Summers, we're all like one happy family here that's whey people here call each other in first name basis. So, don't be so formal and you can just call me Luther, Lu, other even call me Lex as their homage and fun way inspired by Lex Luthor." And then he chuckled.

"Sure.... okay," Ripley said unsurely. Not really knowing what to make of this interview. They barely start the question and answer portion but she was already being asked to not he so formal and be part of their family. It was so very different from the interviews she had gone before - and failed to be hired. Does that mean she would be hired here? "But - I'm really new to this kind of writing, I'm more used this writing and photographing formal article and photos..." she said, worried that this happy-go-lucky editor-in-chief had some misundertsansing about her writing style and taking photos.

"It's fine, it's fine... no need to worry about that, as long as you're a great writer. So, you're hired! Welcome to our publication!" Luther announced.

Ripley's eyes widened suddenly. 'What?! Is that it?'

But she herself wasn't even sure if she wanted to be hired here!