57 Chapter-56: High School Musical [2]

March 03,1993

The grand auditorium was alive with the sound of music and the sight of a group of high school teenagers moving in a beautifully chaotic manner. The air was thick with the beat of the music and the harmonious voices of the performers.

At the forefront of it all was a charming teenager, donning a red and white letterman jacket, leading the group with his moves. Beside him was a stunning girl with black hair, matching his every step with grace and poise.

Suddenly, a voice boomed out, "And cut!" The auditorium fell silent, every eye turning towards the director, waiting for his verdict.

Hearts pounded in unison as Director Stephen watched the replay, his eyes scanning every detail with a critical eye.

Finally, he spoke, his voice ringing out with authority: "Perfect! I officially declare the shooting of High School Musical to be over!"

The room erupted in a deafening cheer, the sound of applause and excitement filling the air.

It was a moment of triumph, a culmination of hard work and dedication. The performers had given their all, pouring their hearts and souls into every move and every note.

Amidst the jubilant atmosphere, Richard embraced Drew tightly, overcome with excitement. They both shared a small moment of pure joy, relishing in the success they had achieved.

"Finally!" exclaimed Drew as she sat down on the stage, her hair slightly disheveled from the adrenaline rush. "That was tearing," she added, trying to fix her hair.

Drew had straightened her naturally wavy hair and dyed it black for the film, and it had all been worth it.

Richard nodded in agreement, saying, "But look at the bright side; it only took three takes."

As they were lost in their conversation, someone suddenly side-hugged Richard. "My man. Thanks for inviting me," the person said.

Richard smiled and asked, "Wasn't it fun?" He quipped, looking at Will, who was beaming with excitement.

"Without a shadow of a doubt," Will declared, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

-Flashback-

It was one month prior to the film, and I was on the phone with Will. "What's up, dude?" he asked.

"Can we meet?" I replied, my heart racing with anticipation. I had met Will for the first time at FC Pictures, where he was acting in his debut movie produced by New Line Cinema. We quickly bonded over our shared occupation as singers and exchanged numbers. We had met several times since then, especially at the recording studio, where our schedules always seemed to coincide.

"Sure, man. When and where?" Will's voice brought me back to the present.

"Tomorrow at the restaurant opposite FC Pictures," I said, trying to keep my excitement in check.

"No problem, man. See ya tomorrow," he agreed.

"Yeah," I replied, cutting the phone. As I hung up, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and nervousness.

The next day, I found myself at a restaurant across from the infamous Feather Columbia Pictures.

I was there to meet Will Smith, and I was feeling pretty darn excited.

After he came, we did some casual chit-chat. Then I finally got down to business and asked him if he wanted to collaborate on a song with me.

Will stared at me for a moment, probably trying to figure out if I was serious or just pulling his leg. But I was dead serious, and I nodded my head to confirm it.

"Are you sure, man?" he asked, still not quite believing it.

"One hundred percent," I replied confidently.

To my relief, Will was totally on board with the idea. But then I dropped a bombshell on him: I had a movie shooting next month, and I needed a main male support role. And who better to fill that role than Will himself?

He was shocked, to say the least. But I assured him that no audition was necessary; I had already shown his previous performances to the producers and director, and they were all on board with the idea. All he had to do was say yes, and he'd have the part.

Will's eyes practically popped out of his head at that news. But after a moment to collect himself, he asked the question that was on both of our minds: "You're not kidding me, right?"

I just grinned at him, feeling pretty pleased with myself. "Nope," I said. "I'm dead serious."

-Flashback-

Ric had an enigmatic smile, remembering the conversation he had with Will. But he snapped out of it when another person came.

"Congratulations, everyone," Reese Witherspoon said with a polite smile, though Ric could see the excitement in her eyes. And why wouldn't she be excited? This was her second film since her debut, after all.

Looking at Ric, Reese couldn't have been more thankful. He had somehow saved her from making a terrifying decision.

It's not easy for a teen actress to secure a role in a film.

There are already many successful and talented young actresses in the industry who receive more attention than others. As a result, despite going to audition after audition, no role was secured.

Hollywood is not a welcoming place for newcomers. There are many hidden rules and dirty secrets at play. As Reese grew up and experienced puberty, she started receiving offers for bad roles from shoddy studios, as well as producers and directors giving hidden signals and offering behind-the-door trades.

Reese was getting desperate, and at one point, she made up her mind to accept anything for the role in her next audition.

But her luck turned around. She landed a role in High School Musical, which also secured her future role, as the movie is expected to have a sequel. She was beyond excited because it was not just any film; it was Ric's film. Getting to work with someone like Richard was a dream come true, and she was given the role because Ric showed interest in her.

"Reezy, come sit beside me!" Drew beckoned with a grin. Reezy smiled and happily took a seat next to her new friend. "Thanks, Drew!"

Throughout the shooting of the film, their friendship blossomed. They bonded over their shared interests, particularly their mutual affection and respect for one man in particular, Richard. They couldn't get enough of discussing him and his many admirable qualities.

Observing their carefree and joyful exchange, Ric couldn't help but smile. He was pleased to see Drew forging new connections and building meaningful friendships.

As the group welcomed the arrival of Matt Damon, his attention shifted to the present moment. Matt greeted everyone warmly and joined in on the conversation, adding his own unique perspective to the discussion. Not before he, with genuine enthusiasm, extended his congratulations to everyone before embracing Ric in a warm, manly hug. Ric felt grateful for this moment of camaraderie and hoped that it would be the first of many memorable gatherings with this group.

Not long after, others started to greet Ric and others in the group for extending their congratulations to them.

After receiving congratulations from the crowd, Ric politely greeted each person before excusing himself and making his way down to the stage. There, he met the talented singers Mariah, Gwen, and Elton. With a charming smile, he thanked the female singers for accepting the offer to work on the movie while kissing their hands. But it was Elton John who received a bear hug from Ric, thanking him for his guidance in the music industry.

"I learned so much from you!" Ric exclaimed with excitement.

"No problem, kid. It was an extraordinary experience. Hollywood won't know what hit them," Elton replied in a good-natured manner.

Ric couldn't help but feel thrilled at the prospect of collaborating with Elton in the future. "I hope we can work together again someday," he said with a smile.

"Of course, let's collaborate in the future," Elton agreed.

After some more friendly chit-chat, Ric finally met with the director, Stephen. "Advance cheers for another successful movie," Stephen said, greeting Ric warmly.

"I hope so, Stephen. I sincerely hope so," Ric replied, his excitement palpable. With such a talented team behind him, he knew that this movie was going to be a hit.