"Don't be like that. I promise this is a serious film crew, just without much money," said DiCaprio, trying to smooth things over.
He quickly began introducing Martin and the young man beside him.
"Martin, this is my good friend Tobey Maguire."
"Tobey, this is Martin Meyers—no need for me to introduce him, right?"
"Of course!"
Tobey Maguire smiled shyly, shaking Martin's hand. "Nice to meet you, Martin."
"Hello, Tobey."
After shaking hands, Tobey hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice:
"Sorry, I didn't expect Leonardo to invite you as well. I owe this film's producer a favor, which is why I pulled Leonardo into this. Otherwise, this movie wouldn't have even seen a North American release."
"Martin, since you're here, consider it me owing you a favor. If you need anything in the future, call me—here's my number."
Martin looked at this guy, whose luck he'd essentially "stolen," and responded magnanimously:
"It's no big deal; forget about the whole 'owing favors' thing. How about we all grab dinner when the film wraps up and become friends?"
"Sounds great! I'm all in!" Leonardo grinned widely, appreciating Martin's friendly gesture.
"I know a great place—top-notch girls over there…"
"If you're talking about a strip club, count me out. I'm underage," Martin interrupted.
"Ugh, damn, I keep forgetting you're just a kid. Wait, I think Adriana Lima and the others are in New York too—how about we call them out?"
"They free?" Martin perked up.
"I'll call Gisele." Leonardo wasted no time and immediately stepped aside to dial.
"Hey, babe…"
A short while later, he hung up and returned with a smug look on his face.
"All set!"
The three men flashed matching smiles.
"Heh heh heh heh…"
The movie was boring—so boring that Martin nearly fell asleep. Though labeled a comedy, it offered little to laugh about.
Once the film ended, the three of them climbed into Leonardo's car while Gordon followed behind in Martin's car. Leonardo grumbled as he drove, shaking his head.
"Damn, that was one dull film. I can't believe I acted in it. My passion for tonight nearly got drained dry!"
Tobey looked apologetic. "Sorry again, my fault."
"Forget it, forget it. Stop apologizing and get us to the party—I need to hype myself up," Leonardo waved it off.
Curious, Martin asked, "So, Tobey, what kind of favor do you owe that producer, April Benson, to go this far for her?"
Leonardo snickered. "Bet they slept together."
Tobey quickly objected, "No! It's precisely because we didn't that I owe her."
"Oh, did she hook you up with a role?" Leonardo now looked interested.
"Yeah. 'The Cider House Rules'. April Benson is close friends with the director, Lasse Hallström, and she recommended me."
"So, she recommended you but didn't sleep with you? Martin, guess why," Leonardo teased.
Martin chuckled. "Not strong enough?"
"Or not handsome enough!" Leonardo added.
"Hey, enough already!" Tobey protested.
Ah, that's how men bond.
(PS: Tobey Maguire earned a nomination for Best Movie Actor at the 2nd Teen Choice Awards for 'The Cider House Rules'. He didn't win, though.)
When they arrived, Martin stepped out of the car.
The place was a small villa on Long Island, New York, right by the sea. The salty ocean breeze greeted them immediately.
Leonardo spread his arms and inhaled deeply, shouting, "I love this smell! Tonight's going to be a wild one—let's go, guys!"
"Get in already! I've been hearing your nonsense from the door," a woman called out.
"Hey, Gisele."
"Hey, Martin."
"Hi, Gisele."
"Hi, Tobey!"
With greetings exchanged, they entered the villa.
Tobey looked around curiously. "Gisele, did you buy this place?"
"No, the company rented it. We're just staying temporarily," Gisele replied.
"What's for dinner?" Leonardo asked eagerly.
Gisele smirked. "I don't know what you'll be eating, but I'll eat you up."
"Alright, enough flirting—take it to a bedroom," Martin quipped, earning a nod from Tobey.
The living room was already packed with tall, stunning supermodels, all legs and curves. Martin's eyes lit up immediately, while Tobey looked visibly nervous.
Leonardo patted him on the shoulder. "Relax, man. You're here to have fun. Look at Martin—young as he is, he's already acting like a seasoned playboy. Learn from him."
Martin turned back. "Leo, I think you just insulted me."
Leonardo froze. "Damn it, did your ears evolve into cat ears or something? How'd you hear me whisper that?"
Martin raised his right hand, flashed a middle finger behind his back, and waved it. "No, not cat ears—it's spider sense. Don't talk trash about me—I'll feel it!"
"Hey, if you're Spider-Man, then I'm Iron Man," Leonardo announced dramatically, straightening his clothes with an arrogant pose.
"Then I'm Captain America!" Tobey chimed in excitedly.
Both Leonardo and Martin immediately shot him down.
"No, you're too short."
"No, you're too skinny."
The room burst into laughter. Adriana Lima waved Martin over, and he walked up.
Lima stood, made space on the sofa, and motioned for Martin to sit. Then she plopped down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him openly.
Cheers erupted around the room.
Unfazed, Leonardo approached Gisele. "What's for a late-night snack? I'm starving!"
"Relax. We ordered pizza—it'll be here soon," Gisele replied.
Tobey, still awkwardly standing there, couldn't figure out where to look with so many scantily clad women around. A Black girl stood up, grabbed his hand, and led him toward the door.
"The pizza's almost here—want to come get it with me?"
"Uh… okay!" Tobey stammered.
"Hey, Tyra! Be nice to my buddy—he's still a virgin!" Leonardo teased loudly.
Tobey turned red. "Ignore him! Don't listen to him!"
"Ignore what? To be nice to you? Or that you're a virgin?" the girl teased back.
"I'm not a virgin!" Tobey declared firmly.
In America, summers after middle school graduation were prime time for kids to lose their "first times." Being a high school virgin often made one the target of teasing.
(PS: Of course, this applies to most cases—some traditional Catholic families are exceptions.)
The Black girl chuckled, finding Tobey's bashful honesty quite endearing.
"Name's Tyra Banks—you can call me Tyra. I'm 5'11. You?"
"Tobey Maguire—just call me Tobey."
"Okay, let's head upstairs."
"Uh… what about the pizza?"
"Gosh, you really thought I meant to grab pizza with you?" Tyra laughed.
Tobey scratched his head sheepishly.
In the living room, Leonardo whispered into Martin's ear, "Tobey's good at playing dumb to charm women. He looks honest and gullible, but he's sharp inside."
Martin nodded—he'd already noticed.
"But he's a good friend. You'll see as you get to know him better."
Martin nodded again. He already knew this from the memories of his other self in China.
If Tobey Maguire were a terrible person, he wouldn't have remained close friends with Leonardo for over thirty years. The two met as teenagers at an audition, and by their forties, their bond was still strong—Hollywood's famous "bros for life."
[TL/N: 2 chapters for now, i'll update the 3 remaining chapter later.]