"Cheers!"
Nighttime at the Rockwood Music Hall in New York.
After the evening's filming wrapped up, director Bille Woodruff invited a dozen or so key members of the crew to gather here, including Luca.
This club is ranked among the top twenty nightclubs in New York, always buzzing with activity.
Every night, you could see people of all ages, races, and backgrounds at this place. It was a melting pot of diversity. There were also different halls playing various genres of music—hip-hop, a mix of '80s and '90s hits, electronic music, salsa, country, and some styles you couldn't even name.
People danced to different beats: hip-hop, jazz, pop, Latin dance—you name it. The dance floor was always packed, no matter the time.
The crew sat in the main music hall. Flashing lights assaulted the eyes, the intense DJ metal music tortured the ears, and over a thousand people twisted and shouted on the dance floor. It was overwhelmingly loud and chaotic.
Luca only sat for a moment before feeling dizzy, especially after a few dances. The mixture of sweat and perfume in the air from the dance floor brewed into something intense that made his head spin.
"Luca, you okay?"
Seeing his furrowed brow, Bille asked with concern.
"I'm fine… well, maybe I'm a little drunk."
He was ready to leave early.
"Haha, drunk after just two drinks? You're such a lightweight," Bille laughed, pouring him another drink. "Come on, one more and you'll feel better!"
Luca weakly smiled. "Bille, couldn't we have had this gathering at a smaller bar? Why come to a place like this?"
Bille chuckled loudly, "Of course we came here to drink!"
"Why not find a quiet bar?" Luca shouted over the noise, plugging his ears.
"Quiet?" Bille looked at him as if he were crazy. "Are you even young?"
"I'm 21—I'm not that young anymore."
"Hahaha! I'm 43, and I still feel young!"
The older man shook his shoulders to the music, looking carefree and lively.
Luca sighed, leaning against the couch, feeling a little feverish.
"Luca, have you never been to a club before?"
"No, I've been to the Rose Sacrifice Bar."
"The Rose Sacrifice? Hah, that place is for women! This—this is a man's world."
Bille pointed to the dance floor, packed with bodies swaying under swirling lights. The heat from the dancing crowd radiated out, turning the cool spring night into a sauna. A strange mix of smells—some fragrant, some repulsive—permeated the air.
Bille took a deep breath and sighed with his eyes closed. "Ah, intoxicating!"
Luca coughed, covering his mouth, when he suddenly noticed a pair of eyes on him from across the room—Jessica, the stunning one.
Feeling awkward, he lowered his hand and raised his glass in a greeting. A bit frustrated, he wondered why everyone else seemed fine while he felt so uncomfortable.
"Luca, do you know why we came here?"
Bille, looking a bit flushed, possibly from too much "night oxygen," asked loudly.
"Why?"
"Because the next scene is shot here—the first and fourth scenes in the script, get it?"
Luca understood now. The first scene featured the female lead dancing at a nightclub, caught on camera by Michael's men, and in the fourth, Michael himself comes looking for someone.
He scanned the venue, realizing it looked a lot like the original movie's scene. No wonder it felt familiar.
"Got it. I'll get used to it," Luca said, trying to settle his nerves, lifting his drink. He trusted he could adapt.
"Luca, that's not enough! You gotta get loose, man!"
With a shout, Bille waved his hand like a cowboy with a lasso, then disappeared into the crowd with Blake and some others.
Luca was left at the booth with a few stylishly dressed actresses.
"Not much of a club-goer?"
Jessica suddenly spoke from across the table.
"No, I usually stay home."
"What do you do at home?"
"Read, listen to music, work out, and, uh, play games."
"Is that so?"
Jessica looked him over, curiosity evident. "You're not that cool, honestly. Why would a girl as cool as Britney like you?"
Luca felt a little caught off guard. "I'm not cool?"
Jessica shrugged and turned to a nearby girl, Joy. "What do you think?"
The girl, Joy Bryant, played the second female lead, Gina—a girl with an amazing figure. At first, Luca had thought, with her last name being Bryant, she might be Kobe's sister, but she wasn't related to him at all.
Joy smiled. "Yeah, you're like a tamed lion. You lack that youthful edge. Definitely not cool."
"Agreed!"
Jessica clinked glasses with Joy, laughing.
Feeling a little offended, Luca raised his glass. "So what kind of guy is cool, then?"
Jessica thought for a moment and smiled. "The kind of guy who makes people say 'Wow' when they see him."
*Snap*
Joy snapped her fingers. "Exactly. Luca, you're handsome, but not in a way that makes people go 'Wow.' You lack that aggressive sexiness."
The other girls chuckled softly.
"That's all it takes to be cool?" Luca asked, confused.
"Yes."
"Well, that's easy!"
With a confident smile, Luca stood up and, without warning, stripped off his sweatshirt and T-shirt, revealing a well-built body. His muscular chest, chiseled abs, and perfectly defined V-line left little to the imagination.
"Wooow!"
"Wooow!"
"That's cool!"
The girls at the table, and even some nearby, gasped and covered their mouths, their eyes fixed on him.
Luca grinned slightly. Just taking off his shirt made everyone gasp. If he went further…
Slowly, he put his clothes back on, turning to Jessica and Joy with a smile. "Am I cool now?"
Jessica and Joy exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.
"Cool. You're really cool!" Jessica gave him a thumbs-up.
"You'd be even cooler without the shirt. Wanna try?" Joy teased with a wink and a hint of playfulness in her eyes.
Luca shook his shoulders. "It's cold out. Don't wanna catch a cold."
"Hahaha!"
"That's not cool!"
Luca smiled, slightly regretting his impulsive decision. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but now, reflecting, he felt a bit silly.
He glanced at Jessica. Her sweet smile made her seem harmless, but there was something about her that could lead people astray. She wasn't as simple as she appeared.
"Luca, it's hard to believe a guy like you, so proper, would be the type to hook up with Britney in a car."
Jessica's sudden question caught him off guard.
"Yeah, Luca, tell us about your hookup with Britney in the car," Joy and the other girls looked over, curious.
Luca shook his head, thinking Jessica really had a knack for bringing up uncomfortable topics.
He didn't want to explain, but he had to. "There was no car hookup. It was all a misunderstanding. Like Jessica said, a guy as proper as me…"
"Hey, Luca!"
Suddenly, a petite girl squeezed through the crowd. She looked about 17 or 18, carried an electric guitar on her back, wore heavy makeup, and dressed fashionably.
Luca was taken aback. He didn't recognize her.
"Remember me? Outside the Rose Sacrifice Bar, you grabbed my butt."
She swayed her hips playfully, laughing.
"Wow, Luca, is that true? You'd actually do something like that?"
"Woooooo~ Luca, and here you were just saying you're a good guy!"
"Luca, you're so cool!"
The girls at the booth hollered, banging on the table to add to the noise.
"To the good guy, cheers!"
Jessica raised her glass with a smile.
Luca's face flushed with embarrassment as he quickly apologized to the girl. "Sorry, um, can I know your name?"
"Of course, Stephanie. You can call me Fannie."
"Nice to meet you, Fannie. I didn't get a chance to apologize last time."
"No worries," Fannie waved it off with a smile. "Luca, I saw you take your shirt off just now. Wow, your body is *so* sexy!"
Now Luca truly regretted it. If he hadn't taken off his shirt, none of this would've happened. His good guy image wouldn't have shattered so dramatically.
"Fannie, care to sit and have a drink?"
"No thanks, I'm about to go sing."
She pointed to the stage nearby and asked, "Luca, will you cheer me on?"
Luca raised an eyebrow. "Of course, Fannie. I'll cheer for you!"
"Thank you, Luca!"
(End of chapter)