Desire of the Soul
Stephen Nielsen
f the Soul
By Stephen Nielsen
Author:
Stephen Nielsen
Editor:
Frieda Nielsen
Desire of the Soul
Copyright © 2013 by Stephen Nielsen
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 9781301237234
Cover photo Copyright © 2013 by Stephen Nielsen
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Also by Stephen Nielsen:
The Final Moment
Trials and Tribulations Series:
Desire of the Soul
Fight Forever—coming 2014
ONE
Jessica Hall’s mind was blank, not thinking of anything as she was flipping through the hundreds of TV channels. She was slouched on the couch after so many days of recording and preparation. She had just released her debut album called Pieces of Time. Her album consisted of 12 songs and was a mixture of Pop, Teen Pop, and Hip Hop. It was Jessica’s second year with Diamond records; a very popular and big record label. Most of the top Billboard artists were signed with Diamond Records.
The young music sensation had released an EP exactly one year prior to the release of her album. At just the age of 15 she was popular on YouTube gaining 500,000 subscribers and one-hundred million video views. It was then that she started getting noticed by some record labels. After offers from small record labels she decided to wait against the will of her parents. One year later she landed a one million dollar contract with Diamond Records.
Living with her parents and two brothers, Jessica only got to use the TV if no one else was using it. After she came home from the interview earlier today she placed her purse on the couch and plopped on it.
“Oh, come on, I was about to watch something,” her brother Phillip said.
“Yeah well I got here first so go do something else,” Jessica said.
Right then a music channel popped up. The channel was popular for playing music and interviews with producers or the artists. The song that was playing was the hit A Time to Love from Jessica’s new album.
“Hey, Jess, that’s your song!” Phillip said excited.
“Yeah, I know, I’m the one who made it, doofus,” Jessica replied really wanting him to leave.
“Whoa, chill, it was a compliment; no need to get so worked up about it.”
The song ended and the host, Dian Hayes, came on and introduced the special guest named Bruce Cooper. Bruce was a big producer but has recently diminished with the rise of Diamond Records. A record label from Bruce’s company first offered a contract to Jessica but was rejected after she decided to wait.
“So what do you think of the young sensation Jessica Hall?” Dian asked Bruce.
“Well, the album was a real let down. Most of the songs lacked energy.”
Jessica sat straight up and grabbed her purse. She frantically dug her phone out. She was not going to let Bruce Cooper, an old music producer, to put her new album down like that.
Continuing the interview Dian asked, “So, you don’t think she is talented?”
“No, no. Of course she is talented. It is the record label which she is signed with is where the problem lies,” Bruce replied.
Jessica frantically tapped the screen punching out a tweet to Bruce that said, “You are just jealous that I didn’t sign with the outdated Domino Record label. I bet you never had an artist’s album go platinum in just the first week!”
Jessica’s tweet popped up on the TV which prompted a question from Dian. “Is it true that you tried to sign Jessica, Bruce?”
“Like I said before Jessica is a very talented singer and I do not see what provoked such irrational behavior from her,” he replied cautions not to let information about it out.
The TV shut off and Jessica’s mother said, “Creep. Why do you even watch this? Plus, don’t you have some school work to catch up on?”
“Can’t I have a little bit of free time? I come home from an interview and I just want to relax, but no! You have to come along and just ruin it for—” Jessica was stopped by her mother.
“Excuse me! I am still your mother and I expect to be treated with respect! As long as you stay under this roof and eat our food you go by our rules.”
“Yeah well what if I don’t like them?” Jessica challenged.
“Well, you will just have to wait until you turn 18 in a few weeks.”
“Well, I can’t wait for my birthday!” With that Jessica stormed out of the living room, her green eyes swelling, and leaving her mother troubled.
Lying on her bed, feeling unloved, Jessica frantically tapped the screen of her phone knocking out a message to her friend Brittany. Brittany, slightly older than Jessica, was Jessica’s friend since junior high school. Since then Jessica left school to attend an online school, to have more flexibility, she kept in touch with Brittany.
Just before finishing a math assignment, one of the toughest for Jessica so far, her phone vibrated and almost fell off the table.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Jess, how are you feeling now?”
“Oh hey, Britt. I’m better but still a bit crummy.”
“Oh,” Brittany said with sympathy in her voice. “Do you want to come over? I can pick you up. Maybe we can grab a bite?”
“Sure thing, I skipped dinner and my parents shouldn’t be checking on me any time soon. I still have my shoes on, so I’ll just slip out the window. Can you pick me up a few houses down the street?”
“Yeah, sure, anything for my depressed friend.”
“I’m not depressed, Britt; it’s just my parents and all.”
“Yeah, I know it was a joke. See ya in a bit.
“Bye.”
Jessica put a sweater on and silently slipped out her bedroom window into the silent sunset sky. She tripped and almost splashed into the pool, but was able to regain her balance. That was close, Jessica thought, note to self: be more careful next time.
Jessica saw Brittany down the road near Jessica’s house and she started waving. Brittany pulled up and Jessica got in the car. Then Brittany said, “Sometimes I wonder why a star like you doesn’t have a bigger house.”
“Well, it’s not like I need one. Plus when I move out then I can get my own house and I won’t have to live with those,” Jessica paused for a moment.
“Those…” Brittany said trying to draw out the words from Jessica.
“Those people.”
“Wow, is that what you call them?”
“Well, I could not think of anything else.”
“How about morons?”
“Well sometimes, but you know…”
“Sometimes you are so soft. Only a few times though.”
Jessica smiled, but did not have a response. It was true that she was a bit ruthless around people. She was quick to judge and comment. However, whenever the topic was her family she could not feel good about saying something bad about them to her friends.
“Where do you wanna go, Jess?”
“I don’t know a small place; I don’t feel like autographing anything now.”
“The only bad thing about being famous,” Brittany said and smiled.
“Like what?”
TWO
Driving home from a Clippers game Jimmy King felt a craving for a donut like never before. He just had to find a donut shop. His mouth was watering at the thought of the soft dough and the sweetness of the glaze. Boy, I really need to get one, Jimmy thought, oh, there was that one I passed a few minutes ago. Just a few minutes away from home Jimmy turned his mom’s SUV around and headed towards the donut shop.
It was a small independent place; Jimmy was used to some of the bigger chains so he did not know what to expect. There was only one other car in the parking lot. Jimmy opened the door and he saw the familiar face and long light brown hair of Jessica Hall.
“Hey Je—” Jessica held her finger to her lips indicating him to be quiet. “—ssica,” Jimmy continued softly.
He sat down at the table where Jessica and Brittany were. “What are you guys doing here?” Jimmy asked.
“Just hanging out, what are you doing?” Jessica asked
“I just had this huge craving for a donut on my way home from a Clippers game. Do you ever get those?”
“No, never. I do like chocolate though.”
“Ha ha. Excuse me while I go get a donut.”
There was not that big of a selection of donuts to choose from. That didn’t bother Jimmy though, because they had a normal glazed donut. Those were his favorite ones. Out of every donut he tasted he could not find one better than the traditional one. Feeling slightly hungry he ordered three of them. Jimmy sat at the table again and Jessica asked, “Oh, one for everyone?”
Grabbing his donuts Jimmy said, “No, but I can get you one.”
“Hoarder,” Brittany said.
Jimmy and Brittany had only met a few times when they were at Jessica’s house. All Jimmy knew was that
