Summer vacation is long but also short. Even though summer vacation in the United States lasts for 11 weeks, time still slowly moves towards the start of school. Catherine will inevitably be watched by everyone for the first time in her life, just like now.
"Hey, little ones, we're at school now. Hurry up and get off the bus, or you'll all be late," Lilith called out, tapping the steering wheel.
"Got it, Miss Baker. We're getting off right now," the girls who had been chattering loudly on the school bus said as they cheerfully filed out of the bus.
"Catherine, Jessica, aren't you going to class?" Lilith asked, looking into the rearview mirror after everyone had gotten off.
Catherine, who had been sitting quietly, sighed in resignation and then slowly stood up, grabbing her backpack and walking slowly towards the front.
"Alright, Cathy, even though you made an exception today, I'm not upset with you, so you don't need to look so gloomy," Lilith said with a smile as she popped a piece of gum into her mouth.
"Lilith, can't you give me some comfort?" the little girl said dejectedly.
"Like this?" Lilith thought for a moment and then adopted a serious expression, "Congratulations, Catherine, you did a great job!"
"Can't you say anything else?" Catherine sighed.
"Come on, Cathy. If you can't handle just a few people, imagine when the whole school might come to see you. What will you do then?" Jessica said from behind.
Catherine was instantly annoyed and turned around to glare at her, "You just love to make snide comments, Jessica! If you had been asked the same questions over and over as soon as you got on the bus, would you find it fun?"
"Let me think," Jessica tilted her head, pretending to consider, and then answered, "Yes."
"Well, when they come to ask me questions later, I'll just tell them you also participated in the performance. How about that?" Catherine narrowed her eyes and leaned closer to Jessica.
"Gladly," Jessica replied with a hum, showing no intention of backing away and leaning in as well. The two girls were so close that they could almost smell each other's faint scent. Catherine's attention wandered, and she didn't notice the confusion in Jessica's eyes.
At that moment, Lilith's voice cut in, "I'm telling you two, if you don't get off the bus now, you'll really be late."
The sudden voice startled both girls, pulling them out of the awkward atmosphere. They both blushed, and then hurried off the bus and ran into the school.
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"... and then, by 1984, Los Angeles successfully hosted the Olympics, which further improved our city's image. However, this Olympics also marked the beginning of the commercialization of the Games." As Miss Green finished reading this segment, the bell rang.
"Alright, kids, that's it for today," Miss Green closed the book and announced the end of the lesson, while also implying, "I hope some things are handled during break time, not while passing notes in class."
She glanced at Catherine, smiled slightly, and walked out. Catherine could only shrug helplessly and wait for the other kids to swarm around her.
"Cathy, are you really playing two roles, or do you have a twin sister?"
"Cathy, did you really strip down for the scene where you jumped into the lake?"
"Cathy, is Julia Roberts more beautiful or Meg Ryan?"
Although Catherine had anticipated that school would be chaotic after the premiere of "The Parent Trap," with nonstop phone calls at home hinting at what to expect, she was still overwhelmed by the noise. Not to mention the boys who had mixed feelings about her. The little girl raised her hand, "Alright, everyone, quiet down!"
The chattering finally diminished a bit, but the girls surrounding her showed no sign of leaving, all staring intently at her, waiting for her to speak.
Catherine cleared her throat and said, "Dear everyone, there's nothing much to discuss. If you want to learn about acting, many film crews need child actors, so you can definitely give it a try; as for Julia or Meg, you should have seen enough of them on TV and will have your own opinions; and regarding my filming, I'm afraid I can't say much."
The quiet lasted only a few seconds before the room erupted again with noise, almost lifting the roof off. Everyone was dissatisfied with the answers. Catherine could only smile wryly, and this scene made her question whether she wanted to continue acting in movies.
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"Do you have a new script idea already?" Jessica asked, surprised.
"No, not yet. I haven't even finished the script for 'Sleepless in Seattle,' so how could I have a new idea?" Catherine shrugged, occasionally sticking her head out to look around.
Behind the two tall sycamores at school, there was a gap between the trees and the wall wide enough for two people to hide. It was one of the places where Catherine and Jessica used to play, and now it served as Catherine's refuge. Thankfully, only they knew about this little corner, or she would have had nowhere to hide.
"If you don't have any ideas, why worry so much?" Jessica scoffed at Catherine's fretful thoughts.
"Honestly, Jessica, writing a script for myself would be easy," Catherine said with pride. After all, she had several scripts in the drawer, and there was bound to be one that suited her.
Jessica didn't know this, so she continued to dismiss Catherine's worries. "Talking big won't make you grow any taller, dear Cathy."
Catherine raised an eyebrow. "Fine, even if I don't have my own script for now, other film crews might have roles that are right for me and invite me to audition."
"Then just wait for them to invite you," Jessica laughed and playfully pinched Catherine's chin. "I really don't get you. Why think so much? My God, Cathy, can you even think through all these things? Being a star means being watched, and there will be kissing scenes and all that. If you like it, keep doing it; if not, stop acting. It's really that simple. Why complicate things?"
Catherine rolled her eyes. If she were a typical girl, maybe that would be true, but was she one? She huffed and pushed Jessica's hand away. "Jessica, that's not something good kids should do!"
"But, Cathy, you're my girl. Isn't it normal for me to do this?" Jessica said with a mischievous grin.
What do you mean, "my girl!" At that moment, Catherine felt an overwhelming sense of indignation, feeling as if this little brat was claiming her unfairly!
"Jessica! I'm telling your dad!" Catherine pressed her forehead against Jessica's, her eyes blazing with anger.
"I'm not scared!" Despite her bravado, a flicker of fear crossed Jessica's eyes. Her family had very strict rules.
Catherine noticed this hint of fear and, feeling triumphant, reached for Jessica's waist. Jessica, who was ticklish, tried to dodge, but in the tight space behind the sycamores, there was no escaping. Catherine grabbed her and began tickling her, causing Jessica to squeal and laugh uncontrollably. Jessica tried to retaliate but was no match for Catherine in this department.
"Cathy! Stop it, or I'll call everyone over!" Jessica threatened, but Catherine, already enraged by being called "her girl," ignored her. Catherine's hands continued to probe Jessica's ticklish spots, making her laugh even harder.
With no other options left, Jessica used her last resort. She lunged forward, avoiding Catherine's hands, wrapped her arms around Catherine's neck, and kissed her on the soft lips. Because Catherine was so worked up, she completely forgot about any potential ultimate moves Jessica might have. Taken by surprise, Catherine's arms closed around Jessica, their lips pressing tighter.
From a distance, it was an undeniably captivating scene: two cute, pretty blonde girls hugging closely, leaning against the tall sycamores, and sharing a sweet kiss. It was a sight that would make any loli or yuri fan's heart race.
The two girls stared at each other in disbelief. Jessica's eyes showed a mix of shyness, excitement, and confusion, while Catherine's were filled with nervousness and embarrassment. She had almost slipped her tongue into Jessica's mouth, and in that fleeting moment of their lips meeting, both girls were lost in a daze. If Catherine hadn't come to her senses just in time, things might have turned out differently. Even so, her little tongue only brushed against Jessica's teeth before she pulled back.
In the lingering heat of September, their thin clothes did nothing to shield them from the intense sensations. Their racing heartbeats were clear, but they showed no intention of parting. The strange, intimate atmosphere grew thicker. Catherine felt she was losing control, her instincts urging her to do something.
Just then, the class bell suddenly rang. The two people who had been maintaining the same posture suddenly separated as if they had just had a dream. They took two breaths, looked at each other, turned their heads away without saying a word, and ran quickly to their classrooms.