Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Wang Yang drove across town to a street in Hollywood and pulled over at a parking spot by the curb. Dashing out of his car and going along the crowded road, he came before a boutique where he and Jessica had agreed to meet. Amid the hustle and bustle, he saw Jessica standing in the distance, carrying a light blue handbag that shone like a beacon in a mass of blacks and greys. He slowed to a halt, called her on her cellphone, and said, “I see you. Look to your right.”
Jessica twisted her head abruptly and found Wang Yang. She smiled and waved. “I see you, too.” Then, she ended the call and went over to Wang Yang.
“Hi, Jessica,” Wang Yang greeted as they came to each other. He pointed at the store sign that hung vertically along the front of the boutique with his eyes and asked, “Did you buy anything?”
Jessica shook her head and answered with a smile, “No. I tried a few skirts but didn’t find anything I liked. I think I’m more of a jeans person.” Wang Yang expressed his lack of opinion with a shrug. “So Yang, why did you want to see me so urgently? Is there something you want to tell me?” Jessica enquired.
“There’s something I want to tell you, all right. Something good…” Wang Yang thought gleefully. Having just recalled their sweet childhood a few minutes ago and seeing Jessica in the flesh now, he felt at once sentimental and playful. Putting on a straight face, he replied, “Um, maybe…” He looked around them. The street was full of people coming and going. “Come with me,” he said, taking her down the busy lane. They turned off to a place covered with trees and greenery. It was quiet there.
Jessica caught glimpses of Wang Yang’s face as she followed behind him. His solemn expression and quiet demeanor filled her with terrible premonition. What if it was bad news? Forcing a smile with a furrow across her forehead, she asked, “Yang, is something the matter?”
“Jessica, it’s about the casting of High School Musical’s leading lady.” Wang Yang looked at her gravely and added, “I hope you’re ready for this.” Smiling strenuously and feeling tight around her face, she moaned, “Okay.” Then Wang Yang took a deep breath, looked into her eyes, and said gently, “Jessica…” After a pause that seemed like ages, he burst out joyfully, “You’re the leading lady!”
Jessica stood there looking dumbstruck. Her eyes were so wide open that white showed all around the iris. “Really?” she asked eagerly, “I got the part?” Wang Yang nodded smilingly, “You heard that right!”
“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” Jessica screamed in amazement. Her breaths were ragged gasps, and her face was frozen with shock. Suddenly, she threw herself into Wang Yang’s arms, dropping her handbag. Flushed, she said, “Yang, we’re going to make a movie together! This is wonderful!”
“Yep! That’s right!” Wang Yang, caught off-guard and almost tipping over from the force of her hug, wrapped his arms around her by reflex. He picked her up and spun her around in a boisterous celebration. “My God, you’re heavy!” he cried with a smile, as passersby turned her heads to look at them. After a few heady revolutions, he put her down.
Jessica stared into his eyes joyfully. Her heart was beating like an engine. She put her hand to her hair, which was loose and half-falling after their roughhousing. Then, suddenly, she smote Wang Yang on the shoulder with her clenched hand. “Jeez, Yang! Why did you have to scare me like that? I almost died. I thought you’re going to tell me I didn’t get the part,” she chuckled.
“Scaring people is my specialty!” Wang Yang guffawed. He got a good deal of satisfaction in watching her shocked reaction.
Jessica rolled her eyes, fighting the smile on her face. Then, she smiled outright. She could not conceal her exultation. “Oh, my God, I can’t believe I’m the leading lady! This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She had been waiting for that moment for too long. Ever since she was little, her desire to become a leading lady in Wang Yang’s movie burned in her heart with a gem-like glow that grew only brighter with time. When she’d joined acting school, she’d been certain that her dream was coming within her grasp. But as the days had gone by without hearing from Wang Yang, she had begun to feel restless and desperate. Now, reunited with Wang Yang and crowned as the leading lady of High School Musical, her destiny was at last fulfilled!
Looking back at her journey, she was overcome by a sense of gratitude and felicity. “My God, am I dreaming?” she sighed.
“No, seriously,” Wang Yang chuckled, stooping over to pick up Jessica’s blue handbag from the ground. As he handed it to her, he said sincerely, “Jessica, thanks for your reaction. You’ve made me so happy.” He added smilingly, “At least there’s someone who cares about being the leading lady, am I right?”
Jessica took the handbag and glared at Wang Yang with her dark brown eyes. Then, she broke into a smile and said, “Yang, I hate you! I’m so excited that I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight. I’m going to wake up tomorrow morning with circles under my eyes.”
“You mean like a panda?” Wang Yang laughed, then reminisced, “On the night of the day I was awarded that publication contract by Lionsgate, I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep in that motel in Santa Monica. So, I went to the balcony to get some fresh air. I stood there looking at the moon in the night sky for a while, and my mind quieted down.” He looked up at the sky just like he had the other night and felt the salty sea breeze and the gentle moonlight on his face. “So beautiful,” he said softly.
Jessica’s eyes lighted up suddenly. “Yang, let’s go to Santa Monica!”
Wang Yang froze for a second. “Now?”
“Now!” Jessica nodded, smiling intensely. “I want tonight to be special. Let’s go to the beach now. We might be able to catch the sunset!”
“Okay, let’s go. I do miss Santa Monica,” Wang Yang said, not wanting to dampen the girl’s enthusiasm.
The two walked a little way up the street to the curb where their car was parked. They raced against the sun to the beach and to the little town of Santa Monica.
The sun was going down, and the day was cooling off when they arrived at the beach in Santa Monica. There were few people by the seaside. Wang Yang and Jessica waded across the sands to a spot that was quiet. The sand yielded as they sat on it. The sea breeze was blowing across their noses, and the sun was slowly setting into the sea. They looked face to face and smiled. There was an unspoken feeling of serenity and comfort between them.
“What a view!” Jessica exclaimed, squinting at the sunset and overtaken by its beauty. Suddenly, she lifted her right hand and made the sign of the cross and said with beatitude, “Thank you, Lord. Thank you for bestowing such beauty and good fortune upon us.”
With her eyes closed, her hands clasped to her chest and the sun casting a glow above her head, Jessica was a paragon of faith and spirituality. Wang Yang saw it for the first time. Intrigued, he shut his eyes and uttered the words, “Thank you, Lord.”
The pair sat smiling at each other. Jessica let her eyes wander from Wang Yang, to the sea and the sun sinking into it, to the sky and the gulls soaring in it. At that moment, memories of their childhood came flooding back. She whispered smilingly, “Yang, do you remember the time when we were little? You said you’d become a director and I said I’d become an actress? Here we are now, you as a director, and I as an actress.”
“Yeah, I remember. I’m a director and you’re an actress.” Wang Yang smiled at her. “Hey, Jessica. Come on!” he prompted, holding out a fist. Jessica’s eyes lit up and she smiled with her shining teeth. This time, there were no bracers. She held out her fist and touched it against Wang Yang’s. Then, they laughed and said in one voice, “It’s a deal!”
After their fist-bump, the two fell into a silent gaze. Their hearts went pit-a-pat as though in synchrony, and before long, they were both beating like pigeons in a trap—beating with their wings. Wang Yang stared into Jessica’s eyes unblinking, but it only seemed to heighten Jessica’s self-consciousness. In her shyness, she looked away and asked gently, “What’s the matter?”
“Oh, nothing,” replied Wang Yang, shaking his head and looking into the distance. The sun was gone and there was only the sea. “I was just thinking about how your eyes are like little gems.” He laughed.
Jessica breathed a sigh of relief without Wang Yang noticing. “God, what’s wrong with me just now?” she thought with dismay. But then, she looked back fondly on Wang Yang’s compliment, and her lips curled into a smile. “Look at your eyes. They’re like gems, Those are the eyes of a beauty!” Wang Yang used to say to her. It was a memory she would take to her grave. That was the first time someone of her age had complimented her on her looks. From that moment on, she’d started to believe in herself, and the world had started to believe in her. She glanced sidelong at Wang Yang and said in self-deprecating humor, “Yang, I just remembered how I used to wear braces.”
“I think they were kind of cool,” Wang Yang said with a shrug. He looked at her smile, then asked out of the blue, “Say, Jessica, how’s Jack doing these days?”
She gave a vacant stare. “Jack? Which Jack?”
Wang Yang clarified with a smile, “Oh, I mean Jack Frank.”
She paused for a moment or two, looking about him in a perplexed way with her head on one side. “Jack Frank? He’s still studying at UCLA, I guess. I’m not sure.” Confused, she let out a laugh and asked, “Yang, why do you ask?” Could he be thinking that she was dating Jack Frank?
“Nothing,” Wang Yang smiled and wagged his head, “It’s just that Joshua… Oh, never mind. He just popped into my head, that’s all. It was probably just a joke.”
But Wang Yang seemed to arouse Jessica’s interest even further. She looked at him curiously. Joshua? Joke? Josh… Joshua! What did that little rascal say to him? She was about to speak when she heard Wang Yang call out her name. There was a curious tremor in her heart, and her eyes grew hot with anticipation.
“Jessica!” Wang Yang cried with all his heart. He felt a strong urge to confess and was opening his mouth to do so, but at that moment, a face flickered vividly across his mind’s eyes. He felt a lump in his throat. Gripping the soft sand tightly as he clenched his fists, he closed his mouth on it. It was not the right time. Then, in one fell swoop, he threw the sand at Jessica in jest. He sprang up laughing and ran off along the beach.
Wang Yang’s playful act caught Jessica with such surprise that her anxieties vanished, leaving her with an empty feeling. Was she thinking too much? Jessica looked at Wang Yang as he bolted off into the distance, shaking her head. She stood up and ran after him. “Yang, stop! You little rascal…” she yelled cheerily.
After watching the sunset, the pair went into a restaurant by the seaside for dinner. Afterward, they drove back to Los Angeles.
It was past nine o’clock when Jessica came home. Clutching her handbag and humming a tune, she opened the door. Danny crossed the floor to the doorway and circled between her legs happily. Jessica stooped down with a smile and gave Danny a rub on the neck. “Hi, Danny. Good evening.” Danny’s tongue was very long. He was very cute the way he seemed to be smiling. Patting Danny vigorously, she said with a smile, “Danny, are you happy for me? Hmm?”
Jessica heard footsteps, followed by Cathy’s voice. “Jessica, is that you? You’re back?”
Jessica stood up and went into the house. “Mom, it’s me. I’m home. I have great news…” she exclaimed. Although it was late, her voice was still fresh with excitement. She came to the hallway and found her entire family in the living room—Dad, Mom, Joshua, Madame Miranda—everyone. She looked upon them and greeted them with a great big smile, “Hi, everyone.”
Mark Alba was sitting on the sofa, frowning heavily with stern eyes and a determined mouth. “Why did you come home so late? And why was your cellphone turned off? We’re all worried sick about you!”
“Oh no!” Jessica let out a startled gasp. She had turned off her cellphone on her “date” with Wang Yang earlier that evening so that no one could disturb them. But she had forgotten to turn it back on. She dug her cellphone out of her handbag and turned it on. “Sorry, I forgot to turn it back on earlier,” she said apologetically. Then, putting her tongue out and hugging Cathy by the neck, she said gleefully, “But I did tell Mom I was going to be late.”
Cathy put her hand to her daughter’s arm and said with a smile, “Jessica, Miranda has been waiting an awfully long time for you.”
Jessica wheeled upon Miranda, who was sitting on the other side of the sofa with a puzzled look, and asked, “What’s going on?”
“Jessica, I have fantastic news!” Miranda announced with radiant smiles as she arose, “Mr. Flender has decided to cast you as the leading lady of Idle Hands!”
The leading lady of Idle Hands? The thought immobilized Jessica. Her eyes flicked from her mother’s face to Joshua’s and back to her mother’s. “Oh, my God, is this true?”
Cathy nodded with a smile. Even Mark Alba was smiling outright. Joshua started to clap, and there was a hooting of whistles. “Jessica, it’s true. You’re going to be rich!” he laughed.
Miranda went over to Jessica and embraced her joyously. Breathlessly, she said, “This is an opportunity of a lifetime, Jessica. This is your big break in the world of acting. You’ll do great; I’m sure of it.” She paused for a moment, then smiled, “Tomorrow’s the signing of the contract.”
The elation was gone out of her face. She remembered there was an issue with the scheduling and shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t act in Idle Hands,” she said. Then, spiritedly, “Did you guys know? Yang just decided to cast me as the leading lady in High School Musical!”
“Wow, really?” Joshua sprang up from the sofa upon hearing the news. He was incredulous. “Jessica, you got the part as the leading lady of High School Musical?” Jessica responded with a shrug of the shoulders, beaming with pride, “I guess so.””Oh, my God, oh, my God…” Joshua repeated like a broken record, thoroughly impressed. “Idle Hands wants you. High School Musical wants you. How did you get so darned lucky?”
Mark Alba and Cathy seemed at once happy and worried for their daughter. There was a troubled look on Miranda’s face. She put her hand to Jessica’s shoulders and said gently, “Jessica, there’s no need to rush into a decision. Let’s sit down and think it through rationally, shall we?” She ushered Jessica to the sofa, and they sat down. Looking Jessica in the eyes, she reasoned, “Let’s consider Idle Hands first. It has a budget of 30 million dollars. Do you know what that means? It means Columbia Pictures is fully committed to the movie’s success. The movie hasn’t even been shot, but its release date has more or less been fixed. Mr. Flender told me it’s going to debut in May next year. If everything goes according to plan, it will be screened in over 1,500 cinemas in the first week alone.”
Deep, worrisome grooves appeared on Jessica’s forehead. “I…” But before she could go on, Miranda held her hand and said, “Jessica, listen to me. The director of Idle Hands is Rodman Flender. He’s a seasoned professional who’s proven his talent and his worth. If he wasn’t good, Columbia wouldn’t have poured so much money into his movie. He’d been working on Idle Hands for a few years now, and he’s confident it’ll be a hit. As the leading lady, you’ll become a movie star as well!”
“How can you be certain?” Joshua muttered on the side.
As the conversation went on, Jessica’s eyebrows grew tighter. Miranda knew she was gaining ground. She pressed on. “All right. Let’s consider High School Musical, then. It, on the other hand, has a budget of five million dollars. And as far as I know, no company is willing to collaborate with Flames Films. There’s neither a set date nor a plan for its release. But that’s just the half of it. Most importantly, it’s Wang Yang’s first attempt at shooting in film. Jessica, Paranormal Activity was an anomaly. Sure, it was a huge success, but it’s a DV movie. Besides, can you honestly say luck didn’t play a part in it? Traditional film is an entirely different ballgame, and you know that. Wang Yang has no experience in making these kinds of films. He’s just an 18-year-old kid. He might be too naïve. He doesn’t know what it really takes. A musical based on high school won’t be that easy to make.”
Miranda paused to catch her breath. Shaking her head, she said, “I hate to say it, but there’s a huge chance that High School Musical might fail. While starring in it won’t spell the end of your acting career, it does mean you’ll lose out on the opportunity to star in Idle Hands!” Miranda sounded very concerned and worried now. “Jessica, you must understand, this is a godsend. Opportunities like this don’t come around very often. You must seize it. This decision will determine the course for the rest of your life. If Idle Hands takes off and you’re the leading lady, you’ll become huge. You’ll be flooded with offers. You’ll get to star in the choicest movies. But if you choose to star in High School Musical, your future will be very uncertain. Chances are you’ll be associated with a movie that flopped. No offers will come to you. Then, it’s back to your old grind, auditioning for small roles, fighting for scraps, waiting for your next big opportunity—if it ever comes.”
Miranda ended her speech. Holding Jessica in her arms with a mother’s touch, she caressed her on her back. “Jessica, you ought to be more mature about this. Think about your future rationally,” she advised gently.
Miranda’s words left Jessica deeply distraught and conflicted. Her conviction to star in Wang Yang’s movie, which had seemed so certain a moment ago, was now shaken to the core. On one hand, staring in Idle Hands promised a bright future; it was the sensible way. On the other hand, staring in Wang Yang’s movie had always been her dream. Then, there was her promise to Wang Yang, which she had looked upon as sacred. How could she go back on her word to act in another movie? She shook her head slowly. Her voice trembled a little. “I can’t…”
Sensing Jessica’s hesitation, Miranda was secretly relieved. She paused for a moment to plot her next move, then advised, “I know you’re very close to Yang, but I’m sure he won’t blame you. If he were truly your friend, he’d be happy for you. You’ve received the opportunity of a lifetime. This is your ticket to success. Besides, High School Musical will do just fine without you. I suppose you weren’t the only girl at the audition? Jessica, you’ve made it. Yang’s made it, too. We should all be happy for one another. You don’t have to blame yourself if he fails. You can always support him emotionally and console him as a friend, can’t you?”
Miranda read Jessica like a book and said with a smile, “If you really want to participate in his movie, you can take on a minor role. The ones that only take a couple of days to shoot. Then you can devote most of your time to Idle Hands. What do you say?”
“I… I don’t know…” said Jessica, biting her lip. Her mind was in disarray. It would be difficult for her either way. She looked to her mother and father for guidance.
Mark Alba said with a flat, firm voice, “Jessica, it’s your life. You must choose for yourself.”
Cathy gave an encouraging smile and said, “Jessica, whichever way you take, I’ll always support you.”
“If I were you, I’d definitely choose Idle Hands!” Joshua broke into the conversation and mocked with gentle irony, “Wow, Columbia Pictures, 30-million-dollar budget, to be released across 1,500 cinemas… it’s a no-brainer! Once you sign up for it, you’re bound to become a superstar! Do you even need to consider a crappy film like High School Musical? What do you say, Jessica?”
Joshua spoke seriously, but his eyes twinkled a little bit at the end of his speech. Jessica asked bluntly, “Joshua, what are you trying to say—”
Joshua rose abruptly from the sofa, throwing his hands up, and said impatiently, “Please, Jessica. I don’t even know why you’re hesitating. Do you really think High School Musical’s going to flop? Do you really think it’s never going to work?” Shrugging his shoulders, he added, “Now it seems you’re the one who’s doubting him.”
“I…” Jessica stammered. She felt sick with guilt and burst into a cold sweat. Joshua was right. Why was she so hesitant? Did she not believe in Wang Yang? Did she think High School Musical was going to be a disaster? Suddenly, she recalled Eliza Dushku and her enthusiasm for the movie. How could she doubt Wang Yang when even a stranger had proclaimed such faith in him?
All sorts of memories and fancies danced through her head. It seemed like only yesterday she had made that promise to Wang Yang. They had been children bumping fists and calling it a deal. And just that afternoon, she had been frolicking with Wang Yang on the beach of Santa Monica, talking in anticipation about all the good times they were going to have shooting High School Musical together. Yet there she was back home hours later, second-guessing herself.
“Jessica, believe me! You’ll see it one day. All I need is your support!” a familiar voice echoed in her mind. Jessica felt at once ashamed and resentful of herself to have wavered in her decision. She had been a fool and a terrible friend. Wang Yang might forgive her for choosing Idle Hands, but she herself would not. She believed in Wang Yang. He was going to succeed. High School Musical was going to succeed. When that happened, she would share in his joy and bask in his glory. Should the movie flop, she would bear the burden of failure with him. She was ready to accept the worst.
Jessica let out a long, drawn-out breath and announced, “I’m going to act in High School Musical!”
Joshua burst out in cheers, “Yeah, Jessica! You go, girl! I fully support your decision!” Mark Alba and Cathy, standing side by side, looked upon their daughter with faint but encouraging smiles. They did not contradict her.
“Oh, dear! Jessica, listen to me—” Miranda started to say, looking a little uneasy, but was overridden by Jessica.
“No, Miranda. Say no more. I won’t change my mind, no matter what you tell me.”
Miranda put her hand to her forehead exasperatedly and said, “Why? Just because you and Yang are good friends?”
Miranda’s last words evoked another memory in Jessica. She had never gotten to hear what Wang Yang had wanted to tell her that afternoon when they’d been watching the sunset. But her fancy suggested to her that they were more than good friends… the beginning of a smile narrowed her mouth. “Yang chose me, I chose him, and that’s that.”
Miranda was getting impatient, but she was not ready to give up on Jessica yet. “Jessica,” she said tartly, “do the responsible thing. Don’t ruin your future! Please, you’re being willful. If you choose High School Musical, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.”
“I won’t regret it. I know I’m making the right choice. Yang’s movie will turn out great—even better than Idle Hands! I believe in him!” Jessica said vehemently. Then, she stood up and added, “If you’ll excuse me, I’m a little tired now. Goodnight.” With that, she went upstairs.
“Oh dear!” said Miranda, closing her eyes. She knew she was licked.