**Chapter 44: Ready**

"Anson Wood."

The entire IMDb actor profile page had nothing but a solitary name. The page was as clean as a blank sheet of paper.

Yet, as Gloria stared at this page, she felt an uncontrollable excitement and thrill.

Perhaps the only regret was the lack of a photo—there wasn't even one, just like in "Titanic" when Rose didn't have a picture of Jack.

Right now, Gloria was counting on the "Friends" production team. They always made a point to release some official behind-the-scenes photos. While they didn't usually take many during regular filming, they were more diligent when a guest star appeared. Gloria clasped her hands together in silent hope that the production team would be especially diligent this time.

"Ah!"

Her thoughts swirled in her head, and the more she fantasized, the more excited she became, even though nothing had happened yet.

"Ahhh!"

Gloria couldn't hold back. She stretched her arms wide in a lazy stretch and then screamed.

And then—

"Gloria!"

A reprimanding voice echoed from downstairs. Gloria stuck out her tongue and quickly retracted her incomplete stretch, letting out a long sigh.

She felt energized!

Gloria knew that if there was another opportunity to get close to Anson, she couldn't afford to miss it. That meant she had to study hard now, create conditions for herself in advance, and work hard to seize or even create opportunities.

Study well, make progress every day.

Oh yeah!

Anson.

She murmured the name to herself.

Anson Wood.

She repeated it again, and her mood soared. Gloria felt a surge of energy and prepared to dive into her studies with newfound determination.

...

"Anson…"

"Anson!"

Chris Evans was just as excited, shouting Anson's name as he bounded forward, taking two steps at a time. He spread his arms wide, gliding down the hallway adorned with ivory white and blue porcelain tiles.

Then, he leaped high and slapped the door in front of him hard.

"Today, today, it's today."

"Anson?"

"Hello, Anson!"

"Anson Wood, today's Thursday. You haven't forgotten what Thursday means, right?"

"'Friends'! Tonight is the airing of episode twenty-one of 'Friends,' which means it's the day your first professional work airs."

"Basically, it's like your premiere."

"Anson, we should be partying."

Bang, bang, bang.

The antique, intricately carved brown wooden door in front of him was on the verge of being knocked off its hinges, but Chris didn't notice. He started drumming on the wood like it was a djembe, creating a chaotic rhythm.

Except…

It was a mess.

You could tell right away that Chris had no musical talent.

The cacophony of drumbeats was nothing but noise—no rhythm, just clattering sounds.

And then—

Creak.

The door finally opened. Anson stood there with bedhead, his slightly curly hair sticking out in every direction as if each strand had its own mind, trying to make its voice heard. His eyes were half-closed, puffy and swollen, barely able to stay open. He looked so worn out, like a mad scientist who had just created Frankenstein.

At this moment, gothic rock music should be playing in the background.

Anson kept his eyes tightly shut, his voice hoarse, "Chris."

Chris responded enthusiastically, "Hmm?"

Anson felt like he had been wandering in the desert for two weeks, his throat parched. "You do remember that we drank until 3 a.m. last night to celebrate the premiere, right?"

Wait, was it 4 a.m.?

Chris flashed a perfect, toothpaste-commercial smile, showing off his pearly whites. "Last night was last night, and tonight is tonight. How could they be the same?"

Though eighteen-year-old energy seemed endless, Chris's enthusiasm was still a bit much.

Time had flown by.

It felt like Anson had just filmed his first scene yesterday, but in reality, ten days had slipped through his fingers like sand. In the blink of an eye, it was already Thursday.

The filming for "Running Wild" hadn't started yet. The show's premiere was set for October, and it was still in the pre-production stage, with the cast and crew still being selected.

So, even though Chris had signed a contract, he was still technically unemployed. With no script to study, he was full of restless energy with nowhere to channel it, aside from attending auditions.

Anson, on the other hand, had a different experience.

After joining the "Friends" production team as a guest star last Monday, he returned to Burbank this Monday for a second week to reprise his role as Paul.

In just ten days, with fittings, rehearsals, practice sessions, filming, and gatherings, Anson's days had been so packed that they flew by in the blink of an eye.

For his friends, Anson's experience was a positive sign. Not only did he land a role on "Friends," but he also earned the opportunity to shoot two consecutive episodes, breaking through the recent gloom and proving that Hollywood dreams could be real.

This ignited hope in Chris.

With Anson's episode about to air, Chris was unusually excited, his expectations for Anson and himself doubling up.

Moreover, with "Freaks and Geeks" getting canceled and "The Hole" seeing barely any attendance, the mood had been downbeat, as if they had been forgotten by Hollywood. Despite James and Seth's attempts to stay optimistic, the unspoken bad vibes had quietly spread.

They desperately needed a party, and Anson's success was the perfect boost to lift their spirits. Without it, they might not be able to hold on.

And so, Chris got all hyped up.

Anson felt a bit different from most people. Usually, it was an old body with a young heart, with the body struggling to keep up with the mind. But for him, it was a young body with an old soul, and it was his mind that couldn't keep up.

Peeking through squinted eyes at the bouncing Chris, Anson thought:

Maybe he could try a bit harder?

"Oh yeah!"

Anson raised his arm in a half-hearted cheer, but it quickly flopped down like a limp noodle. The moment he tried to speak, his temples started throbbing, a sharp reminder from his body that while his brain might have forgotten what happened last night, his body certainly hadn't.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?"

Anson tried to play along.

Chris instantly perked up. "Ah, tonight!" The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he suddenly halted, lifting his chin with a smug grin. "It's a surprise. Tonight's going to be full of surprises."

"Trust me, man, you're gonna be blown away tonight, ha ha."

Just thinking about tonight's surprise and imagining Anson's reaction made Chris's smile stretch wider and wider until it was fully blossomed.

Anson didn't rush him, opening his eyes just a little to gauge Chris's expression. He casually remarked, "It's not going to be Hayden and Brad showing up as 'surprise guests' to pretend they're celebrating, only to drink all the booze and pass out drunk in the living room, is it?"

Chris: …

The smile slowly froze on Chris's face. He blinked rapidly, suddenly panicking, not knowing how to respond. His expression completely fell apart.

Anson chuckled softly but didn't press further. "Why don't you start making a list of what food we need for the party, and check with James. Tonight, I'll cover the expenses."

The door slowly closed in front of Chris.