I'm in Hollywood

Everyone was relishing in Penny Marshall’s explanation, and when they heard the last question, they involuntarily turned towards Eric.

Now Eric’s reputation was even higher than some of the most well-known directors. A lot of people thought that as long as the youth was filming a movie, even if it was bad, he could just rely on his current fame to earn investors’ money. In fact, this was also why Barry Diller had agreed to Eric’s conditions.

“I’ve written several good scripts, but I haven’t decided which to start with.” Eric told the truth, he had wanted to shoot a movie that would push Aniston to fame, but the girl had refused, so now he was considering shooting something else first.

Several good scripts….

Some people heard that and their mouths started to twitch. Scripts weren’t rare, there were a lot of scriptwriters after all, but finding good scripts was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Many directors had to wait several years in order to get their hands on a good script, and once they did they would go in a frenzy.

But you said you have several of them ? How were people supposed to feel ?!

“Oh wow, Eric, several scripts, huh ? How about you give us a sample ?” Penny Marshall said, her tone held a fourth of ridicule and three fourth of envy.

When Eric saw everyone’s faces, he realized he had a slip of the tongue, he didn’t mean to sound cocky at all, he had just said it casually, “Penny, with 17 Again being your second movie about to break the 200 million mark, you’re saying you’re in lack of good scripts ?”

Eric was telling the truth, this year, the number of movies who could break 100 million throughout the year at the box office were no more than ten, for Penny Marshall to continuously make two of them, many movie companies were sure to try and snatch her away.

Although Penny was subtly rejected, she didn’t mind, she really didn’t lack any, and the topic was soon changed to other topics. They chatted for a bit, and when the band started to play a new piece, Penny laughed: “Well, Eric, we won’t keep you any longer, there’s so many girls waiting to invite you to dance.”

Eric looked up and glanced around; sure enough, several beauties were eyeing him eagerly. Drew’s arms unconsciously tightened around his.

“So be it. Ah right, Tom, would you give me your contact information ? Perhaps we might have the opportunity to co-operate in the future.”

Tom Hanks was about to leave, when he heard Eric, he pulled out a business card and smiled: “Sure, no problem, there’s a lot of ways to contact me on the card. Eric, could I first know a bit about the plot ?”

The people near them heard Tom Hanks and started to slow down their pace, they wanted to hear what Eric would say next.

Eric calmly collected the card, watched the crowd full of anticipation, shrugged and said: “I apologize Tom, I can only tell you that you would play an officer of some sorts, but I’m not sure if this movie will be welcomed easily, so it won’t be my second movie as a director, it will probably be the third.”

“You’re appetite is really big, Eric.” Penny complained with a tone of disappointment, but Tom Hanks didn’t mind, he nodded, turned and left.

“Mr. Williams, will you grant me this dance ?” Everyone had just spread, that a blonde girl in her twenties generously invited. The contours of her face seemed soft and delicate, she was petite, a little more than a meter sixty centimeters. His mind filled with past movies’, he immediately recognized the beautiful woman in front of him. She didn’t appear often on the large screen, and he didn’t know why, but every time he saw her he was reminded of her amoral and predatory manipulator-self in Hot Spot.

Eric was slightly distracted and didn’t speak, but Drew couldn’t resist: “Virginia Madsen, do you take me as air ?”

Virginia Madsen assessed Drew’s small appearance, and said in a playful tone: “My, Drew, that’s not right. The more you cling to them, the more men are likely to run away, you know.”

“That’s my problem, don’t butt in.” Although she said that, the arms that were clutching Eric subconsciously loosened, and Virginia who happened to notice this detail couldn’t help but giggle, while Eric also laughed.

“Alright, Drew, don’t be so rude, you go and hang around, I’ll dance with Ms. Madsen.” Eric said, and gently pulled himself apart from Drew.

“Eric, I’ll dance with you !” Drew weakly protested but was stopped by Eric’s gaze, she could only bitterly stamp her foot and reluctantly turn away.

“Drew is still young, Ms. Madsen, I hope you don’t mind.” After leaving Drew, Eric waited beside the steering blonde.

“Of course not. Eric, calling me Virginia is enough.” She held out her hand, Eric grabbed it and led the woman to the dance floor.

Feeling Eric’s keen look on her, Virginia Madsen had the impression of being watched by an experienced middle-aged man, she looked up and once their eyes met, she didn’t insist and moved her sight away.

Virginia had debuted in the early eighties, and although she looked more mature and gorgeous now, she was only twenty-seven. She had appeared in nearly ten movies, so she had some fame, but was only a minor celebrity. All in all, those movies she had starred in, even if you combined them together, brought in less profits than Home Alone’s first two weeks at the box office.

If only that was it, but critics also completely ignored the efforts she had put in, and she was classified as a vase*. She would soon pass the 30-year-old mark, and if her career didn’t experience any fundamental changes, then she would probably only play second-rated roles for the rest of her life.

When she heard from her friends about Eric’s identity during the reception, Virginia Madsen felt that this was perhaps a good opportunity.

Now the two hadn’t even talked, but merely exchanging gazes was enough to let her feel that her plan wouldn’t be so smooth.

“Eric, don’t you think that staring at a lady is a very rude thing ?”

Eric denied and said: “The none appreciation of beauty is the most regrettable thing on earth for a gentleman, and I would never allow myself to have such regrets.”

Virginia felt slightly proud of being complimented by Eric: “I think maybe you’d like me to appear as the heroine in one of your movies ?”

“You know, Virginia, when I see you, I can not help but think of two words: Pretty woman.”

Virginia was a little lost as to where the youth was going, but she still said: “Thank you for the compliment.”

“No,” Eric shook his head, “That’s not a compliment, that’s the name of my next movie.”

“Your second movie ?” Virginia Madsen’s big and beautiful eyes flashed.

Eric nodded: “Yes, you see I was still hesitant as to what to shoot next, but not anymore. My next movie will be called Pretty Woman.”

_ _ _ _

* A shallow woman, a woman who has nothing but her appearance to show for herself.