~All those days chasing down a daydream
All those years living in a blur
All that time, never truly seeing
Things the way they were~
I looked directly into the eyes of the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and continued singing, pouring my heart, soul, and every part of myself into the notes.
~Now she's here, shining in the starlight
Now she's here, suddenly I know
If she's here, it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go~
When I reached the next verse, I gently took her hand in mine. This time, we sang together, our voices blending in perfect harmony.
~And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once, everything is different
Now that I see you~
'I See the Light' had always been in my top ten Disney songs, so getting the chance to perform it with Scarlett felt like a privilege I would remember for a long time. I had added my own twist to the arrangement by deepening the pitch slightly and making the melody more challenging. The original version, sung by Zachary Levi, was simple and smooth because he never pushed for a high note, something I loved doing. High notes were my signature, and fans expected them from me, especially in my concerts. What made this duet special was that Scarlett held her own weight effortlessly. Every note she matched with me felt natural, and the result was nothing short of magical.
I finally set down my headphones after listening to the latest playback. Alan Menken, the composer himself, stood on the other side of the console with a satisfied smile. He looked pleased with the arrangement, and I couldn't disagree with him. It really was perfect.
"That was awesome," I said with a wide grin as Scarlett and I stepped out of the booth. "Your singing has improved so much over the last year. I honestly think you could go pro. I can write songs for you. Songs that will make sure you rule the music world for years to come. Just say the word, and I'll make it happen."
Scarlett tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and stayed quiet for a moment. I waited, taking in her effortlessly beautiful look. She wore a loose black tee and denim trousers. Nothing extravagant, nothing styled for a red carpet, yet this was the version of her I liked most. Not the gowns or dresses that cost more than they should, but the simple, genuine Scarlett.
"What are you looking at?" she asked.
"You," I said honestly. "You look beautiful."
She let out a melodious laugh and shook her head. "No."
"You are," I insisted.
"Not that," she said. "Your offer to write songs for me. Don't do that. I'm happy where I am."
I raised an eyebrow with genuine curiosity. "Why?"
"I have seen you on tour," she replied matter-of-factly. "Concerts are too much work. I'd rather focus on my movie career. Thanks to you, I don't have any free time for the next few years. And that's when I have squeezed in time for a stage play. Maybe I'll think about it in a few years if my acting career slumps, but not right now."
I nodded outwardly, but I already knew that after [Iron Man 2], [Black Widow], and [Avengers], there was no possibility of her acting career slowing down for at least the next twenty years. If she was choosing not to focus on music, then it truly was her choice.
"When will you be leaving for New York?" Scarlett asked.
"Not for another month," I replied. "[The Book of Mormon] is not finished yet. They are working on it double time, and hopefully, we will start rehearsals in August. If everything goes as planned, we will go into previews by December. I will spend this month as your house-boyfriend while you work."
She laughed at that and casually wrapped her hand around my forearm.
"I start rehearsals for [A View from the Bridge] in October, after I finish shooting [Iron Man 2]," she added. "They plan to begin production by December. So by the end of the year, my 'house-boyfriend' and I will be performing on Broadway at the same time."
"In a way, it is bad that we won't be able to see much of each other's performances since we will be performing at the same time," I said as we walked out of the recording studio.
To avoid paparazzi, we had chosen a smaller, lesser-known location to record for [Rapunzel], far from the main studio district that was always crawling with vultures. I even arrived without the usual security entourage to avoid attention. That's why I was caught completely off guard when a man suddenly jumped into my path with a camera in his hands.
"Troy, Scarlett, can I take your photos, please?" he asked breathlessly.
Paolo, my head of security, immediately stepped forward, ready to shove the man aside, but I raised a hand to stop him. The guy looked close to my age, with an almost shy uncertainty in his eyes. No paparazzo ever asked permission before taking photos, which meant he was either far too innocent or incredibly convincing with his innocent act.
I studied him for a few seconds as he shifted nervously. "Since when do paparazzi ask for permission to take a photo? You are a paparazzi, right?"
He gave a shaky laugh. "I am new to this. I don't really know how anything works. I waited outside your home all night and all morning until you left in your car. I followed on my bike and waited here to see if you would let me take some photos. I really need cash for my rent, and no one has taken pictures of you in these clothes. So, please?"
Scarlett and I exchanged a look before bursting into laughter. Either he was unbelievably naive or a very talented actor.
"I'll do you one better," I said. "How much is your rent?"
"$800," he replied hesitantly.
I took out my wallet and pulled out a small stack of hundred-dollar bills. I didn't bother counting them, but there were easily more than fifteen. Many celebrities preferred not to carry cash, but I always did. And if I ever ran out, Paolo carried extra for emergencies.
"There you go," I said as I handed the stack to him.
He accepted the money in stunned silence, clearly not expecting anything like that from me.
"You can still take our photos if you want, but keep some distance and make them look candid, yeah?" I said with a grin. The words seemed to snap him out of his shock.
"Thank you so much, Troy," he said with tears gathering in his eyes. "You don't know how much this helped me."
"Come on, man, don't cry," I said. "Quick, take your photos. I need to be elsewhere."
He wiped his eyes, stepped back, and lifted his camera. I turned toward Scarlett, took her hand, and we began walking toward the car at a slow and relaxed pace. It gave the newbie paparazzo more than enough time to get his shots. If he still messed them up, the fault was on him, not me.
"That was a nice thing you did for him," Scarlett said once we were inside the car and Paolo pulled out onto the road.
I shrugged. "It is the least I could do. I don't know if he was telling the truth or not, but either way, it didn't make me any poorer."
She opened her mouth to respond, but stopped mid-sentence, her eyes fixed on something ahead of us.
"What?" I asked.
Instead of answering, she reached over and turned my head toward the built-in screen in my car. The volume was muted, but the breaking news banner flashed in bold red letters.
"Andrew, Prince no more. Asked to give up his title, powers, and duties. To also lose his mansion."
I grabbed the remote and raised the volume.
A female reporter was speaking rapidly, "...a committee will be formed by the UK government to investigate Andrew's involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. The Crown is offering everyone who rejected knighthood last month a chance to reconsider and accept the honours in the New Year celebration. In other news, famous Hollywood producer and alleged molester Harvey Weinstein has been released on a bail of $1 million. His passport has been seized, and he is under strict electronic monitoring…"
I muted the screen again.
"Holy shit," Scarlett muttered after a few long seconds. "You did it. You got that asshole evicted from the royal family. And now you will get your knighthood."
"But it didn't get him arrested," I said with irritation. "An internal committee will do nothing. Sooner or later, he will be cleared and quietly reinstated as Prince. Until he is actually charged and prosecuted, no one is getting their knighthood. Ever. I'll make sure of that."
Scarlett pressed her lips together before nodding. "You are right. But we knew from the start that the UK wouldn't take action so quickly. Even if the crimes were committed on foreign soil, because the girl he slept with was above sixteen, it would be considered legal in the UK."
"Trafficking is illegal everywhere," I reminded her. "Even in the UK."
She didn't comment further, and the car fell into silence. We rode the rest of the way back to my mansion without another word.
(Break)
Jamie Bell sat beside Troy, both of them dressed in casual T-shirts, jeans, caps, and sunglasses. The dim lighting of the cinema helped them blend in, but Jamie still looked tense.
"Man, it feels like I am committing a crime or something," Jamie whispered. "All this cloak and dagger stuff."
Troy chuckled quietly. "If you act so excited, someone will recognize you. Keep your voice low and your head down until the movie starts. I picked pretty secluded seats, but someone could still spot us."
Jamie tugged the brim of his cap lower and slouched deeper into his seat. "They will recognize you long before they recognize me."
"Can't deny that," Troy said.
Even so, Jamie felt reassured knowing that Troy's security team was positioned discreetly around the theater. If anything went wrong, they would step in immediately.
Soon enough, the opening title of the movie appeared on the screen: [17 Again].
Jamie felt a rush of pride. After so many years, he was finally seeing himself in his first leading role in a commercial film. He had acted in a few indie projects between the Harry Potter films, but none of them had achieved any real critical or commercial success. This was the first film that truly had potential, and it was all thanks to Troy, his best friend.
Troy, who was currently taking a short break from work, had suggested they watch the movie with a regular audience to observe live reactions. They planned to slip out before the film ended to avoid the rush. Jamie had loved the idea and agreed immediately.
"Whoa, Ron turned quite hot after losing that ginger hair," a girl a row ahead remarked as Jamie appeared on screen, shirtless and running across the basketball court while dribbling the ball with practiced ease.
"It was a nightmare getting those abs," Jamie muttered quietly to Troy. "I don't know how you maintain yours all the time."
Troy grinned. "Superior genetics. Now be quiet and let me watch the movie. I haven't seen it yet."
There was nothing groundbreaking in the film, but the humor, charm, and heart of the story made it shine. Jamie had already watched it more than ten times and still laughed along with the audience, especially whenever he was slapped by yet another character, starting with Leslie Mann and ending with Thomas Lennon.
"Jamie," Troy whispered, nudging him with an elbow. "It's time. Let's go."
Jamie was completely engrossed in the movie and hated leaving so soon, but he knew Troy was right. If they stayed until the end, both of them would be mobbed by fans.
They stood up quietly and slipped out of the theater before the climax, leaving the audience completely unaware that the two of them had been sitting among them the entire time.
"Thank you, Troy," Jamie said earnestly once they were back in the car. "For everything. I owe my entire career to you, especially this film."
"I swear to God, if you say that one more time, I'll be the one to ruin your career," Troy said. His tone was serious, but Jamie could hear the humor behind it.
"Even then," Jamie insisted. "This is my first #1 opening at the box office, at $30 million. I know that amount is not a lot for you, but it is for me."
"You are welcome," Troy said, placing a reassuring hand on Jamie's shoulder. "Now, if you want to go even bigger, I have a fantasy trilogy lined up. Want to try your hand at it, or do you want to choose something else on your own?"
"Which film are we talking about?" Jamie asked, leaning forward with curiosity.
"[The Hunger Games]," Troy replied. "Jennifer Lawrence, who got an Oscar nomination for [Juno], will play the female lead. You can play her love interest, Peeta Mellark. You will be co-lead with her, but she is the main protagonist."
Jamie considered it for a moment before shaking his head. "No offence. I am sure it will be a great film series, but I don't want to be Ron to Harry again. I don't mind playing supporting roles, but not in a fantasy series."
Troy nodded. "Understandable. There are two more films in pre-production at Phoenix. One is based on a fantasy novel that will be released in a few months. I already have the rights, and if the book is received well, the film will go into production next year. It is called [The Maze Runner], and the manuscript is very interesting. I can send it to you to consider."
Jamie nodded thoughtfully. "What is the other one?"
"It is called [Kick-Ass]. It is based on a comic book of the same name. Production was supposed to start last year, but it kept getting postponed for one reason or another. Right now, we don't have an actor for the lead. So what do you think? Want to do it? You will need to work on those abs again if you do."
Jamie's eyes widened. He had read the comic and absolutely loved it.
"Fuck yes. I love [Kick-Ass]. I want to do that one."
"I planned that whichever one you rejected, I'd offer the other to Michael. So if you choose [Kick-Ass], he will get [The Maze Runner]. Is that okay with you?"
"Michael B. Jordan?" Jamie asked for clarification.
Troy nodded, "Yeah."
Jamie hummed for a bit before saying, "But Kick-Ass is supposed to be white in the comics. It will create unnecessary controversy for no apparent reason if he did it."
Troy thought about it for a while before nodding. "[The Maze Runner] doesn't specify the ethnicity of the protagonist. Alright then, it's set. You'll do [Kick-Ass], and Michael will get the other one."
"Alright," Jamie said with a smile as the car approached his home. "Let's [Kick-Ass] together."
____________________
AN: Check out my second story, 'Swimmer to Superstar (A Hollywood SI)', which is now publicly available.
Link: www(dot)fablefic(dot)com