Hollywood (我就是好莱坞) Part I

CHAPTER 10 - STARTING POINT

Jennifer Aniston was absentmindedly waiting for the bus. She wasn't really disappointed. She had just graduated from her performing arts school last year and had only starred in a few drama plays. She had heard about the audition by chance and had sent a resume, she never expected anything.

She was about to hail a cab when she heard someone calling her from behind. She turned around and saw the young man who had looked at her strangely during the audition.

"Hello, you are... ?" Jennifer subconsciously asked and realized that she didn't know his name.

Eric held out his hand and said: "Hello, Miss Aniston, my name is Eric, Eric Williams."

Jennifer Aniston politely shook his hand and smiled: "Hello, Mr. Williams."

Eric stared at her smile in a daze and forgot to let go of her hand.

"Mr. Williams, you..." Aniston could feel his warm hand wrapped around hers as she abashedly rebuked him with her gaze.

"Ah, sorry. Just call me Eric, Miss Aniston, do you mind if I call you Annie ?" Eric took his hand back, and awkwardly scratched the back of his head as he cursed in his heart. Granted, he had not been a playboy in his past life, but he was definitely not wet behind the ears. It was definitely his new body's hormones acting out, definitely !

Aniston looked at him with a touch of alertness: "Well, Eric, we don't seem to know each other ?"

Eric composed himself, smiled and said: "Don't we now ? All friends start as strangers. Annie, it's already noon, can I ask you to lunch ?"

"It's too sudden, Eric, we've barely had a few words." Aniston refused.

"Then let me take you home." Eric smoothly followed.

"That... should be okay." Aniston was taken aback, she had always been good at rejecting people, but she still agreed to his request without really knowing why. Actually, that was Eric's plan all along; asking her something she'll reject first, then strike it home.

After boarding the car, Eric asked her for the address and started to drive.

Unable back her curiosity, Aniston inquired: "Eric, you're a member of the 17 Again staff ?"

"Yeah, I'm the screenwriter. Well I guess I'm also an actor now." Eric said while manipulating the steering wheel.

"Oh wow, that's amazing. You should be as old as me, and I now have only played some small roles in several stage dramas."

Eric smiled: "I was just lucky. Right, you said that you performed in some dramas ?"

"Oh, yeah." Aniston started talking endlessly as he had started a conversation on a subject that she liked. She would even giggle when he made comments.

How could a 19 year-old girl be Eric's opponent, who's soul was that of an uncle. Aniston gradually opened up and started to tell him about her life in Los Angeles.

"Although it is tiring to work at a convenience store eight hours day, it's fulfilling. Besides I perform in dramas or go take auditions from time to time. I don't believe that I need to rely on my irresponsible father to be successful."

Eric knew that in his past life, it was Aniston's father who had introduced her to the movie industry. It was in 1990 to be precise, which should've been two years later if history hadn't been altered.

As he remembered, Jennifer Aniston resented her father for abandoning her and her mother. In the end, John Aniston was the first one to break the ice and tried everything to mend their father-daughter relationship, adamant on helping his stubborn little girl. By the time he got her a role in Friends, Aniston was already 25 years old. It had to be known that, in Hollywood, if you still hadn't made it once you reached 30, your chances of success were near nil. Aniston had been very lucky.