The afternoon sun filtered through the towering hedges of Beverly Hills, still carrying a searing heat.
Leon maneuvered his sleek new black sports car toward the source of the already deafening commotion.
He hadn't even glimpsed the gate before spotting the chaotic swarm of people.
Paparazzi, like sharks smelling blood, clogged the entrance with their long lenses and flashing cameras.
The blinding white bursts of light ricocheted off his car windows, nearly blinding him.
The low growl of his engine was drowned out by the clamor of voices and clicking shutters.
Leon's face remained calm—he'd expected this circus. He waited patiently as security parted the crowd to guide his car through.
The flashes zeroed in on him, questions flying like rapid-fire bullets, mostly about Final Destination's success and why he was at Leonardo DiCaprio's infamous private party.
Leon gave a slight nod, ignoring the noise, and pulled a finely crafted, gold-embossed invitation from the glovebox.
The burly security guard, stone-faced, scrutinized the invitation's name, anti-counterfeit mark, and even radioed for confirmation, treating it like an airport security check.
Once cleared, the heavy gate cracked open just enough to let him slip through. The chaos outside dulled slightly, then vanished as the gate slammed shut, locking out the ravenous paparazzi still clawing for a shot.
Inside and outside were two different worlds.
If the outside was a battlefield, the inside was a sensory assault zone.
A wave of pounding music, humid pool mist, sweet alcohol, and expensive perfume hit Leon like a physical force, forcing him to pause and adjust to the overwhelming atmosphere.
The music was some high-energy EDM, the bass thumping so hard it rattled his chest, syncing with his heartbeat.
The air was thick with the fizz of top-shelf champagne, cigar smoke, and a dizzying blend of high-end perfumes teasing primal nerves.
Everywhere he looked, there were people.
The pool was packed with laughing, splashing men and women.
Long sofas and lounge chairs lined the edges, draped with stunning bikini-clad women.
The ratio of gorgeous people was unreal, as if L.A.'s finest genes had converged here, everyone flaunting their charm with dazzling smiles and hazy eyes.
Leon's gaze swept the crowd and quickly locked onto the party's undeniable center.
By the pool, in a loud Hawaiian shirt with slightly messy hair, laughing his head off, was Leonardo DiCaprio.
Next to him, in quieter beach shorts, stood his well-known "best bro," Tobey Maguire.
Their little circle buzzed with energy, surrounded by a few tall, striking young models.
A bit farther off, Gisele Bündchen chatted with other Victoria's Secret angels, champagne glass in hand, her posture effortlessly elegant.
Interestingly, the moment Leon appeared, Leonardo and Tobey seemed to notice him almost simultaneously.
Their conversation paused, and they shot him an odd look—a mix of scrutiny and some unspoken anticipation—but neither moved to greet him right away.
Leon felt a flicker of surprise but kept his face neutral, heading straight toward them.
A low step led to the pool area.
Leon casually lifted his foot—
Right foot first, onto the step.
In that instant—
"Yeah!!! Right foot!!"
Leonardo erupted like he'd hit the jackpot, bouncing in place, pumping his fists with a childlike, triumphant grin.
Beside him, Tobey Maguire's face fell, letting out an exaggerated, despairing groan:
"Oh, come on! No way!"
He looked mournfully at his dry clothes, then at the laughing, jeering friends around him, shaking his head in defeat.
Amid Leonardo's smug "Jump, Tobey! A bet's a bet!" and the crowd's roaring laughter, Tobey, still in his floral shirt and shorts, turned with a dramatic, almost heroic air and dove headfirst into the pool.
Splash! Water sprayed everywhere, sparking shrieks and louder laughs from the poolside crowd, followed by applause.
The sudden chaos left Leon frozen on the step, utterly confused.
Only then did Leonardo, grinning like a victor, turn to him, striding over with open arms for a warm, bro-style hug.
"Welcome, Leon! Haha!"
"Thanks for the invite, Mr. DiCaprio," Leon said, shaking his hand, feeling the enthusiastic grip.
"Hey, call me Leo!" Leonardo clapped his shoulder, all easy charm.
"Final Destination was insane! I watched it with some friends a few days ago—man, that opening plane explosion! We all jumped out of our seats! I nearly dumped a whole bucket of popcorn on the guy in front of me!"
His words spilled out fast, brimming with excitement, his blue eyes sparkling with genuine thrill.
"How'd you come up with those death scenes? The shower, the kitchen, the bus—God, pure genius! Every twist had us sweating!"
Despite his A-list status, he showed no trace of condescension, just unfiltered curiosity and respect for Leon, the new guy making waves with a horror hit.
"Luck and a great team," Leon said with a modest smile, adjusting to Leo's larger-than-life energy. "Plus, seems like audiences eat it up."
"Oh, come on! Fake humility's just arrogance, man!" Leonardo laughed, slinging an arm around Leon's shoulders and steering him toward the pool.
Tobey, meanwhile, climbed out of the pool like a drenched dog, his shirt clinging to him, hair dripping.
But his expression wasn't truly mad—just a mix of exasperation and amusement.
"Come on, Leon, meet my best bud, Tobey Maguire. Tobey, this is the genius who scared the hell out of us, Leon Donaldson."
Leon shook Tobey's cold, wet hand.
"Nice to meet you, Leon, even if you cost me," Tobey said, faking a grumble as he pointed at his soaked clothes. "You owe me!"
Leon, still clueless, glanced at Leonardo.
Leo burst out laughing, explaining: "Tobey and I bet on whether you'd step up with your left foot or right. Loser had to jump in the pool, clothes on. You picked right, so I won!"
Leon finally got it—he'd walked right into the middle of their childish Hollywood bet.
He couldn't help but laugh. "So, the second I got out of the car, you guys were watching my feet?"
"Damn right!" Leonardo said, unapologetic. "Serious business, right, Tobey?"
Tobey, wiping water from his face, nodded with mock solemnity. "Very serious."
His deadpan sparked another round of laughter from the crowd.
"Alright, Tobey, go dry off," Leonardo said, shooing his friend away before turning back to Leon. "He loves a swim. Come on, let me introduce you to some people!"
Leonardo was clearly a master host and networker.
He led Leon through the buzzing crowd with ease, greeting everyone and smoothly introducing Leon.
"Hey, Martin! Look who's here! This is the guy I told you about, Leon Donaldson from Final Destination. Leon, meet Martin Scorsese."
Leon instantly recognized the legendary director with his piercing gaze and bushy brows from countless film books and award shows.
He stepped forward, shaking his hand respectfully. "Mr. Scorsese, huge fan. Goodfellas is my bible."
Scorsese sized him up, offering a warm smile. "Leon, Leo's told me a lot. Sharp work, great pacing. Looking forward to your next project."
Next up was Steven Spielberg, lounging on a sofa mid-conversation. He looked up with a smile as Leonardo approached.
"Steven, don't miss this guy—Leon Donaldson, full of killer ideas. Leon, this is Steven. No intro needed, I bet."
"Mr. Spielberg, hi. Your films were my entire childhood," Leon said, feeling a surreal pang. The man behind Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park was sitting right there.
"Great to meet you, Leon," Spielberg said, shaking his hand warmly. "Leo can't stop raving about your movie. Nice to see fresh blood shaking things up."
These icons, usually confined to magazines and screens, were now real, engaging with Leon thanks to Leonardo's enthusiastic introductions, showing polite interest and praise for the "new guy."
After one round of heavyweight intros, Leon got a taste of Hollywood's elite circle—its staggering energy and dense web of connections, with Leonardo at its core.
When the formalities wrapped, Leonardo shot Leon a knowing wink and a sly grin, lowering his voice. "Alright, enough business. Let me introduce you to some friends you'll really want to meet."
With a conspiratorial smirk, he led Leon toward the other side of the pool.
It was like stepping into another realm of beauty.
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