STS Ch-53

“Holy shit! That was the best film I’ve ever seen!” Daisy shouted the second the screen faded to black.

“Language!” Mom scolded, shooting Daisy a sharp look. “We talked about this, Daisy. You need to control how you express yourself better. You’re not a kid anymore.”

Daisy rolled her eyes and gave Mom a defiant stare before turning to me, throwing her hands up in frustration. “See what I have to deal with? On top of schoolwork, Zach’s nonsense, and now Mom too. You and Zach say words like fuck and shit all the time, but she never stops you two. Am I the only one growing up here?”

Frank barked out a laugh from his chair. “She got you there, Gloria.”

Mom huffed, folding her arms. “No, she didn’t. Young women should have a better vocabulary than young men. No one would judge Noah or Zach if they cursed like sailors, but they would judge her. Also, Zach and Noah have never cursed in front of me. If they had, I would’ve told them off too.”

“I think times have changed, Mom,” I said quietly, trying to keep the peace. “Girls and boys are equal in most aspects. But yeah, no one should curse in polite company, irrespective of their gender.”

I shot Daisy a pointed look. She had the decency to look chastened, at least for a moment, before the excitement crept right back onto her face.

“I really loved the whole time-loop concept,” she gushed, leaning forward on the couch. “Are you going to make a sequel? I’d love to see that!”

I shook my head. “A sequel to this movie won’t be possible. First, I’ve left Harvard, and I don’t want to go back. Second, no one makes a sequel unless the first film is a big hit. Even if it’s just average, there won’t be one. And most importantly, I don’t think this film needs a sequel.”

“Well said,” Frank nodded. “The story had a complete arc from beginning to end, no open threads. And it was beautiful too.”

“Thank you, Frank,” I said, dipping my head in appreciation.

Zach finally spoke up, a grin already forming. “So, can we watch [The Blue Lagoon] too? At school all the boys want to go see it.”

I turned to Mom. She considered it for a moment, tapping her fingers against her arm before answering. “I think you two are almost old enough to watch it, but maybe we should wait until you’re 16.”

I looked back at Zach. “I don’t mind you watching a film like that. I think you’re old enough at 14. But I’m not your parent, so I can’t decide that for you. At the same time, I don’t want anyone I know watching that film. My parents, my siblings, or even my friends. So please don’t.”

Daisy immediately jumped in. “But you were naked in this one too, when you ran out of the dorm room that one time. You didn’t have a problem with us watching that.”

I shook my head, already regretting where this was going. I didn’t want to explain the context to her. In this film, the shot was played for humor. It added to the desperation of the protagonist. In [The Blue Lagoon], despite whatever I may have said during the promotions, the nudity was gratuitous. It wasn’t a family film. It was made for perverts, not living rooms like this one.

Mom decided to end the conversation before it could spiral any further. “Alright, kids. It’s time for bed. You’ve got school tomorrow. Noah and Frank have work as well. And if Noah doesn’t want you two to watch the film, you need to respect his choice.”

Daisy tried to argue, her mouth already open for a rebuttal, but Mom cut her off with a look and a pointed gesture toward the hallway. That was the end of it. With exaggerated sighs and muttered complaints, Daisy and Zach finally shuffled off to their rooms.

“Before we retire for the night,” Frank said, turning to me as the house grew quieter. “Come join me in my study. Let’s discuss our options for this film.”

I nodded and followed him down the hallway. His study smelled faintly of old books and celluloid, as if he watched movies here for work. He gestured for me to sit before pouring a drink and handing it over.

“I thought it was a work night,” I said, lifting the glass of red wine.

“A drink or two won’t give anyone a hangover,” he said, waving off my concern as he took the seat opposite me. “Now, about the movie. One thing I noticed was missing was music. No background score, no songs, nothing at all.”

I nodded. “I was waiting for a distribution deal before hiring a composer. I don’t have much music knowledge.”

“Don’t wait,” he said firmly. “I’ll recommend a few good composers who’ll do it at a reasonable price. And don’t pitch the film to anyone until it’s 100% complete on your end. Otherwise, they’ll lowball you. That’s exactly what I would’ve done.”

I hummed, turning the thought over in my head. “That hadn’t occurred to me.”

Frank nodded, his tone softening. “You’re still new. You’ll learn the nuances of the industry in a few years. That said, you did an amazing job on this film. As an actor, and even more so as a director. It’s fantastic. You handled everything. A good story, likable characters, a strong plot device, and most importantly, real character growth from beginning to end.”

He paused, taking a sip from his glass before looking at me again. “How did you convince Al Pacino to agree to the cameo?”

I shrugged. “Al’s my neighbor in New York. I showed him the script pretty early on, and he loved it. He even suggested letting me direct him as the protagonist, after making a few script changes.”

Frank stared at me, eyes wide. “And you rejected him?”

“I wanted to be the lead actor,” I said emphatically. “This is my first directorial. I had to do it myself.”

He shook his head slowly. “I still can’t believe it. If you’d cast Al Pacino as the lead, even I would’ve let you direct it.”

“I know,” I said, smiling.

“Anyway,” he said, changing the subject. “Add the music, and then I’ll pitch the film to some friends in the industry. I know people at all the major studios, after all.”

“Wait,” I said, frowning slightly. “You won’t release the film under Columbia?”

“I told you why I can’t,” he replied. “I can’t be seen favoring you too much.” He frowned thoughtfully. “If you can wait until after the release of [Friday the 13^th], and if both your first films are hits, then I’ll definitely give you a great deal at Columbia.”

I mulled over the idea for a bit, staring into my glass as the wine caught the light. [The Blue Lagoon] was releasing in a week, so waiting for that wasn’t an issue. [Friday the 13th], though, was an entirely different matter.

Columbia had decided not to pit my two films against each other and still hadn’t assigned a release date to the horror movie. It could be two months from now, or maybe Halloween, or even Christmas. The only official condition was that it needed a wide release before the end of 1980.

I didn’t mind waiting a few months to sell [See You Yesterday], but doing so would be foolish. That was because [Friday the 13th] was a very different film in this timeline. Frankly, it was a full-blown sexploitation flick, lingering far too long on sex scenes. The jumpscares were genuinely good, but the story had drifted way off course from what it was supposed to be. I wouldn’t be surprised if it quietly flopped.

[The Blue Lagoon] was different. That was the one I actually felt confident about. Just before promotions began, Julie and I were invited to a private screening in New York, watching it before anyone else. Despite the graphic scenes, it was a beautifully made film, with breathtaking scenery. And while I didn’t like my performance a lot, Julie and I looked very hot together on screen, especially during the love scenes and the underwater scenes.

Once that film was out, and if it performed even half as well as the original, I should use Julie’s fame and my own to sell [See You Yesterday] to the highest bidder. It was better to strike while the iron was hot.

“Yeah, I can’t wait that long,” I said after a moment.

“Thought so,” Frank nodded. “Give me a copy of the film once the music’s complete, and I’ll get the ball rolling.”

We sat in companionable silence for a few moments, sipping our drinks, the silence of the house settling around us. Then Frank spoke again.

“What are your plans after you finish [Risky Business]?”

“My agent at CAA wants me to take on varied roles to establish my versatility as an actor,” I said. “I’m also working on a few script ideas, seeing if I can develop something solid.”

“If the acting part doesn’t work out, I can always get you an assistant director job with any director you want,” he said lightly. “Just say the word.”

It was a generous offer, especially for a new filmmaker like me. I might’ve already made a feature-length film, but that didn’t mean I knew everything. Working under different directors would teach me different filmmaking styles, things no book or classroom could.

“That’s a very generous offer,” I said sincerely. “I’ll think about it.”

(Break)

“Can you lower your hand a little, Julie?” the photographer asked. “Tuck one finger inside Noah’s waistband, like you’re about to pull it down. Noah, lower your trunks a bit more so your hips are partially visible.”

Annie Leibovitz moved with quiet authority around the set, her camera never leaving her hands. She was easily the most respected female photographer of the era, and unquestionably one of the top five overall. As a model, I’d admired her work for years. Getting the chance to shoot with her still felt unreal.

Julie, dressed in nothing but bikini bottoms, followed the instructions without hesitation, her bare breasts pressing firmly against my equally naked chest as we adjusted. Her skin was warm against mine.

“Are you okay, Julie?” I asked quietly as we held the pose.

“I’m not a glass doll, Noah,” she said with a small huff. “I chose to do this shoot this way, remember?”

“Alright, guys, reset!” Annie called out.

Julie and I stepped apart and immediately slipped back into our high-fashion personas, faces cool and detached as we posed for the next shot in the series.

When the idea of a sensual shoot had first come up, I’d assumed Julie would be furious. Instead, she’d suggested pushing it even further, ditching her bikini top entirely and posing topless. Nothing explicit would be shown, but it was still a bold choice, one that tested boundaries.

It helped that Annie’s crew was entirely female. Julie was visibly more at ease because of it.

Even with my years of modeling experience, this was easily the boldest shoot I’d ever done, especially considering what was coming next.

“You two are going to set Rolling Stone on fire,” Annie said excitedly, circling us and firing off shots from every angle.

No one was more surprised than me that the shoot had shifted from a teen magazine to a mainstream magazine like Rolling Stone. On second thought, such a risqué shoot would have caused quite a stir in a teen mag.

After a few minutes, she lowered her camera. “Let’s change.”

This was the look that would push my modeling career into a different league. By now, though, I was far too used to being bare ass naked in front of cameras. At this point, it barely registered. Just another Tuesday.

I slipped out of my trunks and tossed them toward one of the assistants, who quickly whisked them out of frame.

“Are you okay, Noah?” Julie asked, deliberately mimicking my earlier tone as she shifted closer, positioning herself to block the camera’s view of my dick.

I laughed. “Touché.”

“No laughter,” Annie said gently. “I want that rugged, mean look from both of you.”

I refocused instantly, my expression hardening as Annie captured a series of side-angle shots. The goal was to push the limits of boldness without crossing into anything vulgar. The camera stayed carefully placed, never straying into anything explicit.

“I’ve got an idea,” I said once the initial shots were done. I turned to Julie. “Would you be willing to try a different pose with me? You can say no if you’re not comfortable.”

I’d been a huge fan of Maroon 5 in my first life and vividly remembered a risqué photo of Adam Levine in a similar pose with his girlfriend. I’d been thinking about it ever since I came to know of the photoshoot. Julie and I weren’t a couple, but after everything we’d shared over the past year, I knew she wouldn’t be offended by the suggestion.

She raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “You know I won’t say no to you.”

So I explained my plan to her. Julie thought about it for all of two seconds before nodding in agreement. I waved Annie over and explained the idea to her as well.

“Are you sure about this?” Annie asked, lowering her camera slightly. “This will definitely push the boundaries of what the editor will allow in the magazine.”

I shrugged. “Just take the photos. If the editor doesn’t like them, I can always keep them in my personal collection, if nothing else.”

Annie studied my face for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Alright. Take your positions.”

I needed [The Blue Lagoon] to do well if I wanted to sell my other films. For that, I needed a conversation starter, something people wouldn’t stop talking about. If there was no real controversy surrounding Brooke Shields’ involvement, then I’d have to create attention some other way. I needed eyeballs on the film, as many as possible.

If it meant selling myself and my morals, so be it. People had done far worse for fame. This was nothing in comparison.

(Break)

Jessica was bored.

She didn’t have much going on in her life, not this summer at least. All her friends had flown off to fancy destinations for their holidays while she was stuck at home, counting the days. So she did the only thing that made sense to her. She went to her local bookstore, hoping something new had arrived.

She gravitated toward the romance section, as she always did. It was one of the most crowded genres on the shelves, so there was usually something worth flipping through.

On her way inside, she paused at the newsstand just outside the store, scanning the magazines and periodicals out of idle curiosity. That was when her eyes landed on one particular cover.

She gasped.

Part of it was shock. Part of it was surprise. But mostly, it was because the image was stunning.