Fantasy Pictures, June 16th.
The cheering and phone calls had finally stopped. Linda sat back in her chair.
James leaned on his desk with a grin he couldn't shake.
"Alright," Linda said,"Let's actually think this through. Eight million. First week."
James nodded. "Half goes straight to theaters. Four million left."
"Paramount takes their three for P&A." She scribbled on a scrap of paper. "Leaves one."
"And they get forty percent of that." James added, tapping the table. "Four hundred thousand."
Linda tilted her head. "Which means…"
James tapping on the desk. "We've already made our four hundred thousand back, First week, Everything else from here on out is profit."
Linda blinked at the numbers they were unreal."She has never seen this big amount in her life."
James still smiling. "Well, we just did it in seven days."
Linda twirled the pencil between her fingers, then said, "Feels like we should celebrate."
James looked at her, "How about movie tonight?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Which movie?"
"How about Grease?"
"Grease?"
Linda laughed. "So the director of horror movie taking me to a musical romance."
James excited, "Exactly… with dinner after."
She gave him a look, pretending to consider. "Dinner too, huh? Alright, Mr. Rowan. You've got yourself a date tonight."
James folding his arms, but inside he felt the same rush as the eight-million figure asking her out.
James was already waiting outside the Glendale theatre, leaning against the brick wall. He wore his best outfit in his wardrobe, dark Levi's, a tucked-in button-down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, Denim jeans and addidas shoes, He kept brushing his hair back, wishing it would stay down instead of curling forward.
Linda finally showed, ten minutes late, She wore high-waist jeans that opened outside at the bottom, a red scoop-neck tucked in, and a faded denim jacket slung loose around her shoulders. Her hair was groomed back just so, bouncing as she moved.
"You're early," she teased as she stopped in front of him.
"Or you're late," James shot back.
She smirked. "Or you didn't want to look like some sad guy hanging out alone."
"I would have gone inside, if I was alone." He held up her ticket.
Inside, Couples crowded the lobby.
Linda leaned closer,"Think anyone in here saw your movie?"
James shrugged. "If they did, they're not bragging about it while waiting for Travolta."
Linda laughed as they headed into the dark.
They grabbed seats halfway up. When the lights dimmed and Movie started on the screen, the crowd cheered like it was a rock concert. Every time Olivia Newton-John appeared, someone whistled, when Travolta sang, the girls behind them squealed.
James leaned toward her. "Imagine being in a theater where people cheer like that for your movie."
She arched a brow. "Yours had people screaming."
"That's different."
"Not really," she said, smiling sly. "Yours screamed because they were scared. Here, they're screaming because they want him."
James grinned. "So… I just need to cast myself next time?"
Linda rolled her eyes, giggling. "You'd trip trying to dance like him."
James annoyed,"I dare you, I can dance too."
Linda amused,"Dare accepted, Then let's see you dance in your next movie."
James held her hand and accepted,"Alright, Next movie is dancing musical with me dancing."
They found themselves at a small Italian place a block from the theater, the kind with red-checkered tablecloths and candles stuck in wine bottles. A faint voice of disco filtered through the speakers, but it was low enough to talk over.
James twirled the paper menu, glancing up. "Spaghetti or lasagna? Classic date choices."
Linda smirked. "I'm going to shock you and order pizza. With anchovies."
He raised an eyebrow. "That's a crime."
She grinned. "Good thing you're not a cop."
They ordered a pizza and fries along with bottle of Coke, the waitress dropping off two glasses with ice.
The pizza arrived, and they split it, laughing as James tried one of the anchovy slices and nearly gagged. She teased him for being dramatic, then stole one of his plain slices in exchange.
Between bites they traded small personal stories.
"So," Linda said, leaning her elbows on the table, "Care to tell me something about yourself that's not film-related."
James tilted his head, "That's like ninety percent of me."
"That's why I'm asking about the other ten."
"Fine," James said, rolling his eyes. "I was the kid drawing dumb cartoons in back during school. the teachers just gave up on me."
Linda laughed. "So a slacker."
"Not a slacker," James shot back. "I passed. Barely. But yeah, I spent more time sketching than studying."
She stole one of his fries and popped it in her mouth. "I can picture it. Quiet kid in the back row, pretending but secretly judging everyone."
James pointed a fry back at her. "Not quiet. Just waiting for someone to say something stupid so I could write it down."
Linda laughed, shaking her head. "Unbelievable. So you were the class smartass and the wannabe artist?"
"Creative" James corrected her. "Big difference."
Her eyes softened and she leaned forward. "Okay, but outside school?
James said, sipping his Coke. Then he lowered his voice with a grin. "You're not getting my whole biography on one date."
She couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips. "Cheeky."
James raised his glass. "Creative, remember?"
"What about you?" James asked.
She smirked. "I was the girl in the front row who always had the answers. Teachers loved me, classmates… not so much."
James laughed. "Teacher's pet?"
"Absolutely," Linda said without shame.
James narrowed his eyes. "You're lying."
"Of course I'm lying. I skipped class constantly. Spent more time at the pastry shop across from school."
James laughed, shaking his head. "Unbelievable. And here I thought you were the responsible one."
Linda deadpanned, "Oh, I am. Just not back then."
"I was deeply committed to a research of pastries, I wanted to open my own cake shop in future."
James shook his head, "Unbelievable. And you call me the dreamer."
"I never said I was perfect," she replied, "But I made it work. Senior year I nearly flunked geometry."
"So the real test," Linda said, licking sauce off her thumb. "Bee Gees or Stones?"
"Stones," James answered without hesitation.
"Good," she said, "If you'd said Bee Gees, I'd have walked out."
James laughed, nudging her glass with his. "Guess I passed."
She smirked back. "Barely."
Later, under the streetlamps, he walked her back to her place. At the door, Linda lingered stood for a second and turned to james.
she said, "you make a decent date."
"Decent?" James teased. "That's all?"
Her grin turned to a sly one, "Guess you'll have to earn better next time."
Then she leaned in, brushed a quick kiss against his lips, and slipped inside, leaving James standing on the step, grinning like an idiot.