Chapter 43: Unpolished Diamond

As they stepped out of the cinema, Anne Hathaway couldn't contain her excitement and kept exclaiming, "Wow!"

"Nolan is definitely a genius!" Anne said, walking ahead of Evan Bell, waving her hands in along with her signature high-pitched voice.

"But did you understand who killed Leonardo's wife? And what role did Teddy play in it?" She asked, bombarding him with questions.

Indeed, Memento is a deeply complex and challenging film. The use of non-linear storytelling, combined with the protagonist's mysterious past, makes it an enigmatic puzzle.

Evan Bell hadn't fully grasped it the first time he watched it either. It was only after reading reviews and analyses that he watched it a second time and began to piece it together—though some mysteries still lingered.

This was Anne's first viewing, so it was no surprise she had a million questions.

"How about it? I've got good taste, right?" Evan said proudly as they walked side by side. He had met Christopher Nolan at the San Francisco Film Festival, and being part of the successful making of Memento was something he took great pride in.

"Of course! This movie is truly brilliant," Anne said, playfully bumping her shoulder against his. Her carefree demeanor was a far cry from the ladylike manners she'd perfected during the filming of The Princess Diaries, but Evan didn't mind at all.

He'd known Anne since they were kids, and her straightforwardness was one of the things he liked most about her.

"There are more and more independent films now, but not many of them are as good as this. You've got a good eye, Evan. If you invest in a few more promising films like this, you could just sit at home and count your money!"

Anne's candid remark made Evan burst out laughing. She was refreshingly honest.

Most people, when discussing film investments, would talk about showcasing talent or earning critical acclaim—they'd never mention money so bluntly.

It might seem crass, but the truth is, when a film company makes a movie, profit is always a consideration. After all, they're running a business.

While neither of them were expert on the inner workings of a film company, they understood the basics.

A movie could earn money through box office success or a strong reputation leading to sales and rentals of DVDs.

In short, great movies can be profitable, and everyone knows that. The details of how much money was made and the profit margins, though, were beyond their knowledge.

"That's a good idea. I'll think about it," Evan said, nodding with a smile. He hadn't considered that aspect when he invested in Memento; at the time, it was more about supporting a project he believed in than turning a profit.

Independent films usually didn't make much money, and for someone like Evan, who wasn't involved with the distribution companies, getting a share of the DVD sales or box office revenue wasn't even on the table.

Anne waved her right hand dismissively. "It's okay, you'll make it back on the next one. There are plenty of opportunities out there," she said with a casual tone, as if making money from film and music was the easiest thing in the world.

Evan smiled and reached out to ruffle Anne's hair, but just as he was about to say something, he noticed they were about to collide with someone.

He quickly pulled Anne back, stopping just in time. To their surprise, the person was walking straight towards them.

Fortunately, they didn't bump into each other, but the unexpected encounter caught their attention.

In front of them stood a girl in her twenties, her expression curious yet eager. When her eyes met Evan's, her face lit up with joy. Evan's first thought was, Do I know her? The girl blurted out, "Bell—Evan Bell!" Her excitement was so genuine it left Evan momentarily confused.

She had called out his name, which meant she recognized him. Evan tried to recall her face, searching his memory. Although he wouldn't claim to have a photographic memory, his recall was pretty sharp.

Still, he couldn't figure out where he'd seen her before. Did we meet at a bar after one too many drinks? "Should I know you?" Evan asked directly, without any pretense. If the girl had been shy, she might not have known how to respond.

Anne elbowed Evan in the side, her expression one of amused curiosity. As his childhood friend, Anne knew all too well about Evan's reputation as a bit of a playboy.

He was popular with the ladies, whether at bars full of one-night stands or in a more public setting. Evan always had a way of striking up conversations with women—or even better, having them approach him.

Catching Anne's mischievous glance, Evan could only smile helplessly. Anne was clearly enjoying the situation, probably thinking the girl in front of them was one of Evan's former flings, while Evan, with his usually sharp memory, couldn't recall her at all. It was turning into an interesting scene.

"No, no, this is the first time you've seen me." The girl wasn't shy in the slightest. Her cheeks flushed with excitement, which only deepened Evan's confusion.

Anne, meanwhile, seemed a bit disappointed—there was no scandalous backstory here, after all.

Luckily, the girl didn't leave Evan in the dark for long. "You're the lead singer of Melancholy Mood, right? I like you a lot!" she said, her words simple and direct, causing Evan to suddenly understand.

Anne, who had been losing interest, perked up again. Of course, she knew Evan was the lead singer of Melancholy Mood, and she knew they'd played at the Eagle Rock Music Festival, but she hadn't expected Evan to have a fan who recognized him on the streets of New York.

The realization made her genuinely happy for him.

Evan's expression shifted from one of surprise to that of delight. Melancholy Mood had been somewhat known in Boston—known, at least, to a niche crowd.

Though they had played at the Eagle Rock Music Festival and received a good response, the festival's audience was only about 3,000 people.

Even with some exposure, it wasn't enough to expect that someone on the streets of New York would recognize him or the band. Plus, there was something a bit ironic about the whole situation.

"Thank you," Evan said, quickly pushing aside his confusion and letting a warm smile take over. "But I used to be the lead singer of Melancholy Mood," he added, almost as an afterthought. "I've left the band now."

The girl, who had been riding high on the excitement of seeing Evan, was momentarily stunned by this news.

Her expression shifted from shock to confusion, then to understanding, and finally back to excitement.

She seemed to brush aside the fact that Evan had left the band and instead declared, "I like you—you, specifically!" It explained why she didn't dwell on Evan's departure for long. She liked the band because of him.

Her sincere and straightforward words made Evan, who prided himself on having thick skin after two lifetimes, laugh a little awkwardly.

"Oh, by the way, my name is Resa Rosie," the girl said, introducing herself with a charming confidence that won over both Evan and Anne.

"I became a fan after watching your performance at the Eagle Rock Music Festival on the Yahoo Community, but I never expected to run into you here today!"

A simple sentence clarified why Resa knew about Melancholy Mood. It was the Eagle Rock Music Festival.

But Evan hadn't expected that their performance would be uploaded to the internet. What he didn't know was that a young girl in Los Angeles named Elena had recorded Melancholy Mood's performance and uploaded it online, making her one of Evan's first fans.

"Bell, I've been looking for information about you online, but there's not much out there," Resa continued, her lively personality shining through.

She had recognized Evan as the lead singer of the band she'd recently fallen for and rushed over to confirm it.

She couldn't believe her luck when she actually found him. "I really want to hear more of your music. You're destined for the stage—you'll definitely shine!"

Resa looked up at Evan with admiration, her eyes catching the faint glow of a streetlamp. Only the right side of Evan's face was fully illuminated, while the left was in shadow, giving his features a mysterious allure.

His blue eyes sparkled through his thick lashes, and Resa's heart skipped a beat. 'Just like an unpolished diamond,' she thought. Even though he hadn't fully realized his potential, she could already see the brilliance in him.

Hearing her praise, Evan couldn't help but laugh, even though he was full of self-confidence, it still felt a little awkward.

"Bell, I hope to hear your music again. I'm very, very, very much looking forward to it," Resa said, using three "very-s" to emphasize her enthusiasm, making both Evan and Anne smile.