Chapter 52: Seeing Things Through

"No language class this afternoon," Rachel McAdams said as they walked out of the acting class together. "Where are you heading? Hollywood Boulevard?"

Matthew pondered for a moment before responding, "I'm thinking of buying a new phone." He turned to Rachel, "Do you know where I can find a phone store around here?"

Given the severe sound leakage from his second-hand phone, it was time for an upgrade.

"There's a big mall on the east side of Valley Avenue," Rachel had been there before. "They have counters for Nokia and Motorola phones. How about I go with you?"

Matthew nodded, "That would be great, help me pick something out. I'm not too savvy with these things."

Back when he first started using mobile phones, smartphones were already widespread. He wasn't too familiar with these older models.

"I'll go get the car," Rachel prepared to head to the parking lot. "I'll meet you at the usual spot outside the school."

As Rachel went to retrieve her car, Matthew walked alone toward the school's entrance, thinking about the gossip article in "USA News Report" linking him with Brittany Spears and considering whether he should visit her in the hospital.

Wouldn't there be a lot of media at the hospital?

His second-hand phone rang at that moment; it was an unknown number.

"Hello, this is Matthew Horner," he answered politely.

"It's me, Helen," came Helen Herman's voice from the other end. "Are you still at school?"

Matthew switched the phone to his other hand, "Did you change your number?"

"This is my private number," Helen explained briefly. "I'm not in Los Angeles right now. Brittany's manager has been trying to reach me, so I'm not using my usual number these days. Call this one if you need anything."

Matthew guessed Helen's intention; she clearly wanted the fabricated scandal to simmer a bit longer.

As Matthew was about to move on, Helen added over the phone, "Also, you should visit Brittany at the hospital today. You two aren't that close, but it's important to see things through."

"Ah..." Matthew had already considered this, surprised that Helen had the same thought. "I'll go this afternoon. First, I need to buy a phone."

"Remember, if Brittany's people talk to you, don't do anything or make any promises! Wait for me to get back. I need you to maintain visibility right now. With some fame, the negotiations I'm entering will go smoother."

"A new job?" Matthew inquired immediately.

"Yes," Helen confirmed. "I'm negotiating a role for you in a miniseries, one with plenty of lines and character development."

"Great! Great! Great!" Matthew reached the school entrance, nodding eagerly, "I'll cooperate fully!"

A role that Helen was seriously discussing was bound to be more significant than his part as a barbarian leader in "Gladiator."

After hanging up, Matthew stepped out of the school gate when suddenly a burst of bright flashes made him shield his eyes. Before he knew what was happening, a swarm of reporters surrounded him, microphones and recorders thrust in his face.

"Mr. Matthew Horner, are you really dating Brittany Spears?"

Questions flew at him from all sides.

"When did you two start dating?"

"Have you slept with Brittany?"

"Was Brittany a virgin when she was with you?"

Matthew remained silent, reporters and paparazzi already making assumptions.

"Are you going to marry her?"

"Is your pursuit of Brittany driven by ulterior motives?"

Overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, Matthew was stunned. He had never dealt with the media before and had no experience in handling such situations.

Luckily, he remembered Helen's advice. No matter what the reporters asked, he kept his mouth shut, not uttering a single word, and continued walking forward.

He could see Rachel's car parked not far ahead.

The paparazzi and reporters refused to let him be; the flashes from their cameras never ceased, and the barrage of absurd questions continued. Some even ridiculously suggested that Brittany's hospital visit was due to a pregnancy...

Compared to them, Elena Boyar, whom he had dealt with before, seemed like an ethical and conscientious reporter.

Finally reaching Rachel's car, Matthew found a gap, signaled to Rachel, who had been watching the situation. As soon as she opened the passenger door, he dodged a few reporters and darted into the car. Rachel had already started the engine and sped away.

As the car drove off, the crowd of reporters eventually dispersed, but two who wore badges from the same news outlet stayed behind, discussing among themselves.

"Did you get footage of the people in the car?" asked the one with a recorder.

"Got it!" the one with the camera assured. "The driver was a woman, a blonde beauty at that!"

"We've got something to write about! Might even make the front page!" the recorder holder

 said excitedly, murmuring, "Brittany's new boyfriend suspected of dating another woman while she's hospitalized..."

Both laughed, anticipating the readers' reaction to this sensational news.

They soon left, and as Rachel's car moved further away from the Los Angeles School of Performing Arts, Matthew made an exaggerated gesture of the sign of the cross.

"What are you praying for?" Rachel asked curiously.

"Divine favor..." Matthew's reply was equally exaggerated. "To make it alive into the car."

He had seen paparazzi madness online before, but experiencing it firsthand was entirely different.

He had thought people like himself or Elena Boyar were shameless, but compared to the questions from those paparazzi, they were practically moral exemplars.

"Is it really that exaggerated?" At a red light, Rachel stopped the car and asked. "Many people would love to be in such a scene."

Matthew didn't reply but instead asked, "Why didn't you call to warn me?"

"I tried to call you, but you were already on the phone," Rachel explained as they drove past the intersection.

"Right!" Matthew slapped his forehead. "I was talking to my manager."

Soon, they arrived at the mall Rachel had mentioned. After parking, they went straight to the mobile phone counter. The phones from this era looked bulky and couldn't compare to the smartphones he was used to.

"What kind of phone do you want?" Rachel asked at the counter. "Any specific features?"

"Just something cheap that can make calls!" Matthew said straightforwardly.

With that era's technology, what more could he ask for?

Adhering to the principle of spending as little as possible, Matthew bought a Nokia bar phone based on Rachel's suggestion, which had minimal features but met his needs for making calls.

"You've made quite a bit from acting, right?" Rachel asked as they walked out of the mall, curious why he was being so frugal. "And you had a decent side job too, why be so stingy?"

Matthew shrugged helplessly, "I lost the side job, took too many days off, got fired."

"That's a shame," Rachel shook her head. "That job was perfect for an actor."

"Tell me about it," Matthew felt a headache coming on. "Finding another job like that will be tough."

As they neared the mall exit, Rachel suggested, "Maybe you should just be a full-time actor."

Matthew was considering it, "Only if it pays enough to live on."

He checked the time, "Let me treat you to lunch."

Rachel shook her head, "I have a lunch meeting with my agent on the other end of Valley Avenue."

"Got a job?" Matthew inquired.

"Maybe," Rachel was uncertain. "I don't know."

"You go then."

Had he known, Matthew wouldn't have asked Rachel to accompany him to buy a phone. "I'll call a taxi."

After a few more exchanges, Rachel left first. Matthew called a taxi and bought a bouquet of flowers while waiting outside the mall. When the taxi arrived, he directed the driver to the University of California Medical School.

The previous evening, he had called and found out Brittany Spears had been transferred to the University of California Medical School, where top specialists in sports injury therapy were available.

There might be reporters or paparazzi at the medical school, but Matthew was prepared. If there were no media at the entrance paying attention to Brittany Spears, he wouldn't even go.

Dealing with those crazy entertainment reporters still gave him a headache, but thankfully, he didn't need to answer any questions; he just needed to follow Helen's instructions and keep his mouth shut.

The taxi arrived at the entrance of the University of California Medical School. After paying the fare, Matthew didn't hurry out. Instead, he surveyed the scene. Many people, mostly young men and women—likely Brittany's fans—gathered at the entrance, along with some holding cameras or camcorders, undoubtedly reporters.

The taxi didn't attract any attention. Matthew opened the door and was about to smoothly enter the medical school when he deliberately slowed his pace.

"Hey, who's that?" A reporter spotted him and recognized the face from "USA News Report," immediately shouting, "Matthew Horner is here! Look, Matthew Horner is here!"

With that, he was the first to rush over.