My Stolen Identity (Complete)

Chapter 1 - Stolen Identity

"Elodie Masterson," my professor called out, mispronouncing my name. It happened all the time so I wasn't surprised.

"It's Elodie, pronounced like Melody but without the M," I told him, taking my Calculus test from his hand that was marked with a big red C+ at the top. I groaned and closed my eyes, letting out an exhale. I really needed to buckle down and do better.

I drummed my fingernails on the desk, while the professor passed out everyone else's tests, looking up at the clock on the wall and counting how many minutes we had until class would be over. I saw the screen of my phone light up and the vibration on my desk made a noise so I quickly dismissed the call from my best friend. I would have to call her back later.

A second later my phone lit up with a text 'We need to talk! ASAP!'

Keisha was always so dramatic. That's why I loved her. She always made my life more interesting.

I smiled to myself wondering what the big emergency could be; a desperate need for a manicure or a hot man she saw on her way to class that she was now in love with? I shoved the phone into my coat pocket and tried hard to focus on the equation the professor was now up at the board explaining in painfully slow detail. If I didn't figure this out I wouldn't pass. I really wished Calculus wasn't required for my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. My plan was to run my own business one day but I couldn't even imagine a scenario where I would need to know Calculus for that.

When class was finally over I pulled out my phone and saw two missed calls and a text from Keisha so I called her back when I got out into the hallway.

"Hey. What's up? What's the big emergency? Did your favorite show get cancelled or something?" I teased, with a laugh.

Keisha exhaled and said in a very serious tone, "No Elle. I wish it was something stupid like that but this is big. I was just talking to our friend Leon that's pre-law. He was scrolling through this website where people that don't have much money can request law students to assist with their cases for experience."

"Ok. So what does that have to do with me?" I asked with confusion, walking down the crowded hallway and out into the campus courtyard.

"He came across a case that had your picture in it, several pictures of you actually. The guy says you're a con artist that tricked him out of thousands of dollars. He's suing you for forty five thousand dollars Elle!"

"What?!" I screamed, so loud that everyone sitting around in the courtyard gave me a strange look as I passed by. "There's gotta be a mistake. Maybe the pictures were of a woman that just looks like me."

"Girl, I think I know what my best friend looks like," she laughed. "Leon showed them to me on his phone and it was definitely you. This guy had pictures of you from our Spring Break trip to Florida and one from your high school graduation. The weird thing was, the lawsuit said your name was Willow."

"Willow?" I asked, scrunching my eyebrows. "Who is this guy? The one that wants to sue me."

"His name is Wade Daniels."

"Wade Daniels?" I repeated, racking my brain. "I don't even know anybody by that name. I'm so confused. Why would this guy that I don't even know think I tricked him out of thousands of dollars?"

"Hmmmmmm," Keisha said, thinking for a minute. "Wait. Maybe someone stole your pictures and is pretending to be you. Like they stole your identity. I've heard about that kind of thing happening before."

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Ask Leon if he can text me this Wade Daniel guy's phone number so I can talk to him. I have to get to the bottom of this," I exhaled deeply, rubbing my hand over my face and then down through my long, brown hair.