Even Angels Die (One Direction)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Janine’s POV

“Excellent photos last week, Janine,” my boss congratulated me with a bright smile. “Adele was very pleased, and agreed to buy the rights of one of them. Your photo will be on her new album!”

Blinking in surprise, I looked at the paper he thrust into my empty hands, and I smiled with pride as I saw which one had been chosen. It was one of my very favourites, with Adele looking so glamorous and relaxed, as though the photo had been completely natural and not posed. Despite the fact I’d been working here for several years now, no celebrity had ever chosen one of my photos for their merchandise, until now!

“Here,” he handed me a blank envelope, and I glanced curiously up at him, but he was already walking out of the door. Sliding my finger underneath the sealed flap, I ripped the envelope open. If it had been any other day, I would have been worried that in the envelope was a letter about my potential redundancy, but my boss was happy with me. Surely it wouldn’t be anything bad?

 Pulling out the letter within, and flattening it out with my fingertips, I scanned over the writing.  It was part of a pay check, which was bemusing, considering I’d got my money just a week or so before. Raising an eyebrow, I focused more intently on the black ink and I almost dropped the letter as I became aware of why my boss had handed me this.

Four zeros.

Four zeros.

“What on earth…” I muttered to myself, wandering over the chair by my editing laptop and collapsing in utter confusion. This was more than the vast majority of people earned in an entire year, how could this possibly be right? I sat there with my mouth hanging open, clasping the pay check as though my entire life depended on it. This money would get me out of so many problems, I wouldn’t have to ask Liam for help again, and I’ll be able to really sort out everything I wanted to.

But, how could this be right?

Finally coming back to my senses, I leaped up from the seat and ran out of the room, banging into Amy as I did so.

“Whoa, Janine. You okay? Where are you going?” she called after me, but I’d already taken the turn around the corner towards my boss’ office. Thankfully, he was the only one there as I didn’t wait to think about what I was really doing. My thoughts were whirling around, and the numbers were filling my brains. Sixty thousand pounds. Sixty thousand pounds.

“How is this possible?” I gasped out, slamming the paper down on his rather cluttered desk. There were piles photos and magazines dotted around the surface, and empty mugs with coffee rings acting as paper weights. My boss raised an eyebrow at my outburst, and for a moment I was worried he was going to take the money away again, but he just grinned.

 “What, don’t you want it?” he teased, and I just huffed at him. “They paid one hundred thousand for the sole rights of the photo, and as you’re the one who took it in the first place you deserve to have a large cut.” He explained easily, as if this kind of thing happened every day.

“One hundred thousand pounds for one photo?” I squeaked, my voice having raised several octaves,

“But it’s not just one photo. Adele’s second album sold over twenty six million copies, and if her new CD is anything like that one, then your photo will be on millions of covers,” my boss grinned. It was the happiest I’d seen him for a long while, and that was no surprise. The company was suddenly thousands of pounds richer.

“Wow,” I muttered, picking up the pay check from the table.

“Wow indeed!” he chuckled, leaning forwards in his chair so he could rest his elbows against the table. “You don’t have any plans Friday night, do you?”