The conclusion from previous chapter. Too much drama bullshit, but who the hell cared. Enjoy!!
~~~
Never celebrate too early even it was at the end of the day because sometimes, a disaster mayhaps happened unexpectedly, a second before the night was over.
Hope for the best prepare for the worst. Al branded the words in the back of his head forever. Feeling that today might be a good day to celebrate, turned out to be a disaster.
He thought after getting a deal with Stephen King for getting an adaptation of a novella titled "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption", he would go to his mansion to celebrate it, spending time with Gwen, and they both could have fun as rabbit did.
But no, gods threw a curveball at him; at Laura and River exactly. He saw Laura was coming out from one of the private rooms in this mansion with River trailing behind, so he came there to investigate it.
He wasn't surprised to find a room filled with people who were high as fuck, then he saw Corey Feldman was here.
He knew that in his previous timeline, Corey and River were heavy users of crack and heroin.
He began to worry about River. Maybe he already tried it before. All of the efforts he had done to make sure River won't touch it has failed.
He asked Corey who he saw still half sobber and Corey spilled everything to him. There was no anger on him, only disappointment.
He also told him that a drunk woman suddenly kissed River and Laura saw him doing that then she ran away.
After spending time for searching them, he finally saw River but no Laura.
But he was not worried, he already told Gwen and the girls to search for her. He didn't see Gwen or River's sisters everywhere, so they must have found her already.
NOW, elephant in the room... He was sitting face to face with River in a Mexican restaurant, he ordered some nachos while River had nothing on his table.
"Al... Laura and I..."
"Stop right there, Riv. I knew the problem is and I must admit, I'm quite disappointed in you. Yes, it's your life and you can do whatever the fuck you want but if you did it when you are together with Laura, that's become my problem. I don't want my sister to have a burden like taking care of an addicted person."
Frankly, River was mad when Al was blatantly saying that an addicted person like they were trash.
"What? You are mad? You should be, I have no problem with them. But this is Laura we're talking about. She's the last person that I wish she has contact with the people like them."
River's anger subsided the moment when Al mentioned Laura. Yes, she was far too naive to understand how complex the situation he had.
"So, what's the problem here Riv. Are you still using it?"
Inhaling a lungful of air, he said, "Yes, I smoke some weeds yesterday, only to calm myself." Then he paused, "Al, I want to tell you something."
"Go ahead."
River told him everything. From his traumatic past, his addiction on the set in Oregon, and what's happening with him and Laura.
After he was done telling it, Al rubbed the space between his eyes. 'This shit is not for a teenager like me has to solve. I thought my issues are just my hormones.'
"Riv, you clearly need professionals' help. A therapy might do."
"I don't need it Al. Trust me, I can solve this by myself. I just need time."
"Until when, 1, 2, 5, 10 years? Then what if you can't solve it? Back to drugs, getting addicted, then died from an overdose? I can't help you with this Riv."
River then became silent. Al is right with many things. He needed help, but he was not sure about going to the therapist.
"Look, Riv. Going to the therapist might be hard for you. But you should not be ashamed of it. Everyone has issues. One thing for sure, if you want to be cured, you need to open up, whether it's your family your friends, and your future therapist."
River opened his mouth but no words came out from his mouth.
"Look, let's make a deal. You can go with your family or ask me to accompany you to the therapist. But if you don't, I will make sure you won't ever meet Laura for the rest of your life and I can guarantee it to you."
"Y-you can't do that!" He stuttered and his heart was stopped for a millisecond.
"I can't, but Laura can." His evil smile scared the shit out of River.
"Fine, I'll get some help from professionals! But, on one condition, I want to meet Laura first and tell her all my issues."
"Deal." He nodded, "But I had one question if you like her for a long time, why don't you confess to her sooner?"
"I don't know. I think I'm afraid Al. You know that having sex is the only thing I had on my mind last year. I think I'm afraid that I only use her to pent up my desire, only as an object. I swore to you Al when I get better, I will confess to her, I will treat Laura like a queen, no, like a goddess!" He said with passion in each of his words.
Al felt his eyes twitching, 'Shit, we got Don Juan here.'
Al sighed and chose to change their topics, "Riv, I know it's not the right time but, I want to tell you that I'm going to shoot a film next year. I plan to give the role to you but after tonight, I think I'll wait until you get better first."
"I'm sorry, Al." River looked down in shame.
"It's okay, I was going to give you the script tonight but-"
River immediately cut him, he was curious at the script he wrote, "Can I see it, Al?"
"Are you sure? I think I'm going to give you when you feel better first?"
"I've never been so sure in my life Al. I'm also interested in the script you wrote."
"Riv, you are a good actor, here, the character had a lot of similarities with you."
Al took out a script and gave it to River. As he read page to page, he was intrigued by how good the script is.
It was like a film he ever watched, yes, it was like
Before he commented the script, a bright headlamp from a car illuminated the restaurant, blinded them both.
~~~
She wanted to run away from here, ran as fast as she can. Her direction was unknown, she didn't care where would she ended up, at least she could escape from here.
But she didn't, she was just wandering over this mansion. Observing the guest of this celebration party. Seeing people laughed, drunk, going chatty and noisy.
She had seen River in that room maybe doing some crack and it made her angry. But when she saw that whore was kissing him, there was an enormous pain that struck her chest and she can't hold it anymore.
She just ran with tears trailed in her eyes. Is this jealousy? Yes, she liked River very much and that wished he could ask her to be his girlfriend.
But she was not sure anymore. Her gaze was empty, she was walking without any care in the world until she didn't realize she was bumping with someone.
She quickly apologized to that person she bumped, quickly left him alone, and carry on with her walk until a hand held onto her wrist and pulled her back with strong inertia.
It stumbled her back to that man and almost made her fall, "Where do you think you are going, young lady?" A bald man with a smug smile said.
"Um-uh..." Laura was tongue-tied, and she was rather uncomfortable with how this person saw her. He saw her like she was a kind of piece of meat.
Al has told her that this type of person is called a sexual predator. After the incident at that cheerleading party, she has been taught to identify them on the Los Angeles streets a few years back with the other girls.
She pulled her hand from his clutch but the person who was holding her hand put more force behind just like a phyton strangled its prey.
"Why don't we drink for a while Miss, you are very pretty and sexy. Are you interested in becoming a movie star miss?" The man asked.
Laura opened her mouth in the hope to scream but the man suddenly shushed her, "Ah, ah, ah, don't be like that young lady. Don't make a problem here or else I could ruin your life and your future career."
Then suddenly a hand appeared on her shoulder and she stiffened, "There you are Grace, I finally found you, come here, I'll introduce you to some directors over there. Oh, hey there Mr. Weinstein, fancy meeting you here." Her savior said.
Harvey let Laura's hand go and said, "Oh hello, Rob, congratulation on your film success, I can't wait to see the box office result and your next film. Is this your acquaintance?"
"Yes, this is my niece, her name is Grace." The man named Rob Reiner said.
"Huh?" Laura was confused, she had an uncle all this time? Why she didn't know. She suddenly felt happy, so she nodded happily at him.
"Oh, okay then, see you, Rob." He said rather annoyed at his failed attempt to get a blonde bombshell.
"Bye Harvey." Harvey then left them both.
"You are my uncle!? Where have you been all of my life!" She said with her eyes started to water.
"What? No, I'm not your uncle. Look lass, I'm just pretending to be your uncle to help you escape from him." He said getting so confused at this ridiculous girl.
Her excitement suddenly disappeared, replaced by disappointment and sadness.
He saw that this was the girl who was with River before and she bumped with one of the people in Hollywood who was rather a headache to get involved with.
Who knew this girl was rather naive, he afraid she might not survive Hollywood in less than a month.
"See, I'm just helping you avoid that guy. That guy is a trouble for any kind of woman who wants to get famous in Hollywood."
"Oooh." She nodded.
"By the way, where is your boyfriend, River?"
"He's not my boyfriend." She said in a flat tone.
"What? Oh, a couple banter, I get it. I do it a lot with my girlfriend but we make up at the end of the day." He said.
"Girlfriend? Sorry, I thought you were already married. Seeing you..."
"Old? Yes, I divorced my first wife. But that way I learned a good lesson from my first marriage. That you need to trust and forgive your partner and always talking to your partner whenever you had a problem."
"Trust and forgive? Even if she kisses another man in front of you?" She asked with hope in her tone.
Rob Reiner coughed, 'River, what the fuck did you do?'
"Y-yes, as a youngster, we need to learn to forgive and love each other unconditionally. With that, the relationship could last forever."
'I'm sorry lass, I lied but if it could save your relationship, I must do it." He cried on his heart.
"Really?"
"Yes. Besides, did you ask him why he did it or heard any of his explanations? Or it's just your assumption?"
Laura became silent, yes she did not hear his explanation and just ran away from him. She just assumed that River liked that whore.
"Okay, thanks, old man." She beamed, 'I must hear what is River's explanation first then forgive him.'
"Your welcome, wait girl." He said before Laura leaves, "You are really perfect for a role I had, do you want to become an actress?"
"Why were you sounded like that guy from before?" She started to get suspicious of him. Is he going to do the same thing that guy did before?
"No, I'm friend with River, I won't do anything that will bring you harm. See, are you interested in playing as a princess?"
"Princess?" That piqued her interest.
"Yes, a princess... the film will be called and your temperament is really perfect for this role."
"Nah, I'll pass. I want to be a designer. I can't act."
"Please, just think about it. Here's my card, I hope you will accept the role. It's every girl's wish to be a princess right?" He said.
She unconsciously nodded and took the business card from his hands.
After standing still for a moment, a feminine hand grabbed her shoulder and hugged her tight.
It was Gwen, his brother's girlfriend and she seemed distressed when she saw her.
"God, Laura, Al, and I are so worried. I was looking for you everywhere! Are you okay?" Gwen said with tears threatening to get out of her eyes.
Laura felt so guilty for making Gwen worried, so she hugged her back with more intensity than Gwen did before and promised herself that she would never worry her and her brother again.
"Where's River?"
"Al dragged him somewhere, Al was very mad at him."
"Why?"
"He made you cry, Laura."
"..." She opened her mouth but no words came out.
"Let's go home, okay? I will also scold River when I met him someday."
"No."
"What?"
"I don't want to go home, I want to meet him."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Gwen sighed and pulled Laura towards their car. Then they went to the Mexican restaurant that Al had said he would be there before they separated.
~~~
Al was surprised to find Laura came to River after those shit things happened.
"Laura?" River stood up from his seat and whispered.
"Why did you kiss that whore?"
"What?"
"Urgh, why did you kiss that woman in that room?" She asked again, 'Remember Laura, explanation first then forgive him. Just like that old man said.'
"I don't even know who it was Laura, it was an accident. She kissed me then, then, you suddenly came. It was so sudden and I had no time to get away from her--"
'Smack'
Everyone's eyes bulged from their eye sockets. Did Laura just slap River?
Then Laura made everyone surprise again by grabbing River's head and kissed him.
"River, I love you."
"I-I love you too, Laura. But..."
"But what?"
"I got some issues I need to solve first."
Then River told Laura what he had been through since he was a little kid and how it bothered him. Laura cried when she heard his story.
"Oh, Rivy." She hugged River with a hug that could crush his ribs.
"I love you Laura, and I want you to be my girlfriend but... I need to solve my problem first."
"Okay, Rivy, but I want to be your girlfriend now."
"Oh, no way in the fucking hell!" Al screamed but before he continued, Gwen stopped him by giving Al a deep kiss. "Continue guys." She said to River and Laura, then back kissing Al.
"What? Are you sure?"
"More than ever," Laura said.
"Aww." Everyone cooed, except for Al who was still confused at this development.
"What the fuck happening while I'm gone?" He said, "You know what, I don't care anymore. Let's go back, Gwen."
"Bye guys." Al and Gwen left, leaving just River, Laura, and his sisters in the Mexican Restaurant. Fortunately, there was still John Mick waiting for them to drive them home.
Since then, River and Laura were officially a couple and she has been accompanying River to his therapist back and forth.
Al begrudgingly accepted their relationship and he was happy for both of them. Although River was still scared when he mentioned Laura in front of Al.
~~~
"And that's what happens."
Al finished his story that happened a month ago to Keanu. A few days later after the premiere of the film
Keanu was so curious about what happened that made River so scared of Al.
Keanu laughed, "Haha, good joke Al," But seeing how serious his face was, he was surprised, "That thing really happened?"
"I guarantee you, that shits happen, okay."
"I think I'm too old for that shit," Keanu said.
"What? You are still in your early 20s, Keanu."
"But for a teenage drama bullshit, yes I am." He laughed.
"Suit yourself then, here," Al gave him a script.
"I got it too?"
"You think I forget about you?" Al asked back, "Be sure to read it, if you are interested in that role, you can call me anytime. I hope I can shoot it next year."
"Al, even if you don't have a script, I will immediately cancel all my film appointment and accept yours."
"Thanks, bro. Bye, I need to get to Chicago today. I hope your film wins the best pictures at this festival."
"Thank you. Bye, Al."
After Al left, Keanu saw the bold words written on the first page of the script.
-Before Sunrise-
To Be Continued...
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