February 22, 2001.
Fortunately, the winter of the 2000-2001 season was coming to an end, which was undoubtedly a good thing for Billy and all the people who frequented the streets. It provided a glimpse of the gym, where many of the ways he should work on his physical condition were apparent. Now, having an instructor was the least of his worries, with it being nearly a half-hour drive away. The high-class gym, oh that was what Mr. Jerry replied when Billy mentioned he couldn't make any trip to just any gym.
Even at a glance, he could see the tidiness of the gym, from the reception area to the well-arranged spots, all connected by three principles: cleanliness, luxury, and order.
-Good morning, sir, - murmured the receptionist, a man in a suit, focused on more than just Billy's profile. To make a trip to the gym, you needed a close connection to fame or a lot of money in your pocket to participate. It was a price to pay for invading people's privacy, though it seemed illogical, the present example is that many stars would have their gym if it wasn't so straightforward in the city; the car entrance was just one notch of the privacy importance they referred to.
-Good morning, - Billy replied as he entered the gym, not much different from any normal place, varying in two essential parts: there were... many women... very beautiful, excessively so, it seemed like a supermodel gate.
He even spotted a glorious Adriana Lima, surrounded by women of the same stature, like, he didn't know, but this seemed like a runway show. A dark-haired man of perhaps twenty-nine approached him; he had a rough beard.
-You must be Billy Carson, - the man replied.
-That's right, you can call me Billy, no problem, - the young man responded.
-I'm Jad. -
He nodded as he led him to a treadmill, adjusting it. - I was hired for the boxing service; we currently have three people in that personalization. Your schedule is from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. You'll train with the other trained person, and we'll need some sparring when the time comes. Do you have any boxing knowledge, or are you a complete novice? - the man asked.
"A novice, a complete novice," Billy replied.
-Do you have any specific role to fulfill, or are you thinking about any casting? - the man questioned.
-Not at all, I just like exercising, and I think this sport is easier than other exercises, like soccer, basketball, or baseball, for my situation, - Billy commented.
-Very well, we'll take that as a reference. If you decide to lower the intensity, just let me know. These routines can be tough for people who aren't used to such intense exercises, - Jad remarked.
He led him to a treadmill, it was very new, and it had several adjustments that he didn't think were possible given the dates, he adjusted the time for an hour-long run, with a total distance of 12 km, it was a lot... but for Billy, who ran under the blazing heat of Arizona, after hours and hours of exercise, it was a walk in the park. Running the 12 km, he started his week of exercises, taking a deep breath.
-You have a good pace, - Jad said, and Billy nodded.
A big man stood beside him, Matt Schulze, a newcomer to acting and also dabbling in music, he was the one who recommended the gym to Jerry. It's normal for some stars to have their gym just in case; sometimes this is done for privacy reasons. However, social animals, are a way to meet different people, that's why different private spaces are created only for people in the industry.
-You're here early! - Jad exclaimed.
-I just wanted to see my Junior, he's kind of short, - Matt said, teasing Billy.
'Great, an idiot,' Billy thought, wanting to retort, but he wasn't in the correctional facility; he had to show some respect.
-Billy, this is Matt; he'll be your training partner for now, although he'll likely have some auditions in March, - Jad commented.
-Pleasure, Matt, - Billy replied, continuing with his exercise. Beside him, his exercise partner rose with force on the treadmill, simultaneously with Billy, who performed a deep stretch.
-Sure, sure. -
They both exercised, Matt was not particularly well-known, while not much more was known about Billy other than that he had the money to participate in some activities.
***
- Billy, you must understand that you are a personal brand; your way of doing or not doing things is crucial for our future contracts, - Jessica Filiman commented.
-I try to, but it's hard not to react to some things, and why do I have to repeat these poses over and over again? - Billy asked, somewhat confused.
Jessica Filiman adjusted her glasses. As the winter breeze managed to seep through the grilles of Billy's apartment, while his mother prepared food in the kitchen, Mr. Auster would arrive in an hour for his music lessons. He needed to cooperate as much as possible in all the signs; it takes 30 days for the body to get used to certain activities.
-Many poses reflect different emotions in people. For example, confidence is coincidentally seen through relaxation and a straight back. Pay attention to your shoulders; they can't be slouched, while your chin points down to seem a bit challenging. Your mouth shouldn't express what you don't want to express, and your movements should be slow because it's in your movements that people capture your attention. If you move at your own pace, people will pay attention, - Jessica Filiman commented.
-Sounds boring, - Billy commented on the conversation.
-Don't interrupt me. Expansive posture, open your arms, and your legs, and occupy space when sitting. I'll be grading every posture you make or don't make for the next four hours, - Jessica said. Waiting for Billy to perform the expansive posture, Billy looked her in the eyes, just as she had ordered him on several occasions, in the same way, that to avoid getting lost in the gaze, he had to focus on the person's left eye, a habit that would make it easier for him.
-Now read and explain, don't forget to gesture slowly, release your arms, and smile when introducing yourself and when saying goodbye. Six basic rules, then we'll change some things that need polishing. I'll leave some books for you to improve your vocabulary; they are easy to read, - Jessica commented, leaving Mark Twain's books on the table, six books, complete works that he should pay attention to in the following months. A good read is the most immediate way to improve speech.
-That's a lot of homework, - Billy replied, to which Jessica laughed.
-You don't go to classes; you only do the minimum that the state requires. You may not know mathematics, history, physics, chemistry, geography... but you must write and speak well. Knowledge is necessary; we'll take it easy. You can read slowly; besides, I understand that you memorize songs easily, you must have some mastery, and in your scores, Spanish and English are your best subjects, - Jessica commented. - You can delve deeper into your studies in what you're good at; you read with strength and learn. We can start with simple books while improving your speech, posture, and response. -
-Sounds logical, - Billy said exhausted. The day was long, and tomorrow would be longer, waking up in the early morning, exercising, classes with Mr. Kelly, classes with Jessica, classes with Mr. Auster, interspersed with his clothing and dressing; he has a closet full of leather jackets, black, brown, blue, red, and gray.
-It is logical. -
["I am Just a Kid" – Simple Plan – You have the opportunity to resume your discontent, just complain about the world]
'My voice in my head understands me.'
...