alternative rock music filled their small space, and Ivy gasped.
Suddenly, the trip to Hollywood Stardust came alive.
For the first bit of the movie, he fidgeted and got caught up in watching him and his friends, not as William, Steven, Roxanne, and Charles, but as Ryder, Logan, Erin, and Drew. Memories of what happened on set and how their real lives intertwined with the story distracted him.
As if she inherently understood, Ivy patted him or squeezed his arm at just the right times, and he cocked his head to watch her.
The flickering light from the screen illuminated her pristine profile, her eyes wide, watching the movie she loved enough to work into her graduate degree. But she didn’t know about the days he was on set with the stomach flu, and how behind the scenes the love triangle depicted in the story played out in real life—but it was more of a square and almost ended all of their friendships. She wasn’t there the day Drew slammed his hand in a door and how he went with him to the hospital to be the buffer between his friend and his parents. She didn’t get that the movie was shot out of order. Combine that with the fact he was teenager himself, plus all the years that passed since then made him forget the plot she knew by heart.
All she saw was a story she loved.
He wanted to see the movie she did, and he refocused his attention back to the screen and allowed the story to absorb him.
Four friends were on slightly different quests, but traveled on the same road. In the BMW he and Ivy drove to the studio, the characters took a trek from Indianapolis to Hollywood, encountering their trials and tribulations, a carnival, a bad hotel room, a car breaking down, lack of money, infighting, even an impromptu visit to his on-screen grandparents for some comfort.
One hundred and twenty-four minutes of teen angst—the struggle to break free but the need to go home. The search for love and acceptance, not only by one’s peers, but internally.
By the time Charles flew home to make it back in time for school the next day, William and Roxy had kissed outside the theater to go fulfill their destiny and Steven had driven away. Logan finally understood.
Steven had driven away.
Steven, not Logan, but Logan wasn’t ready for the story to end.
A hollow sensation took over his chest. He watched the screen while the credits rolled and the music resumed.
Everything made sense. The fans, their reactions to him and his character, why Ivy needed to correct him at every turn. At last he understood why the film had such a following, why they begged for the sequel, and why no one would ever forgive them for not finishing the story.
No one would ever forgive him.
Not Steven, but Logan.
He would forever be responsible for Steven driving away and the world not knowing what happened when Roxy opened her eyes and watched him go.
Lost in the world of Hollywood Stardust , he finally realized Ivy hadn’t moved in quite a while, and he turned to her.
She simply stared straight ahead with the light flickering on her face and tears twinkling down her cheeks.
He opened his mouth, but then closed it, turning away to give her a moment. After what seemed like much longer than necessary, he faced her again.
The tears continued, accompanied by little sniffs.
Her reaction was bigger than the movie. The last few days had to take a toll on her. They had had more twists and turns than a ride across the country in a BMW. “Ivy?”
She closed her eyes and shook her head, grimacing as if something hurt.
Not sure what action to take, he slid up in the chair. “Are you all right?”
A squeak left her throat and she swallowed.
“Speak to me.” He got on his knees in front of her and took her by the shoulders. “Ivy.”
She inhaled, her breath hitching. “He just drives away.” With the words out, she lowered her head. Her whole body shook as she let the emotion out.
A crying female, more accurately a crying Ivy, ignited a primal
Suddenly, the trip to Hollywood Stardust came alive.
For the first bit of the movie, he fidgeted and got caught up in watching him and his friends, not as William, Steven, Roxanne, and Charles, but as Ryder, Logan, Erin, and Drew. Memories of what happened on set and how their real lives intertwined with the story distracted him.
As if she inherently understood, Ivy patted him or squeezed his arm at just the right times, and he cocked his head to watch her.
The flickering light from the screen illuminated her pristine profile, her eyes wide, watching the movie she loved enough to work into her graduate degree. But she didn’t know about the days he was on set with the stomach flu, and how behind the scenes the love triangle depicted in the story played out in real life—but it was more of a square and almost ended all of their friendships. She wasn’t there the day Drew slammed his hand in a door and how he went with him to the hospital to be the buffer between his friend and his parents. She didn’t get that the movie was shot out of order. Combine that with the fact he was teenager himself, plus all the years that passed since then made him forget the plot she knew by heart.
All she saw was a story she loved.
He wanted to see the movie she did, and he refocused his attention back to the screen and allowed the story to absorb him.
Four friends were on slightly different quests, but traveled on the same road. In the BMW he and Ivy drove to the studio, the characters took a trek from Indianapolis to Hollywood, encountering their trials and tribulations, a carnival, a bad hotel room, a car breaking down, lack of money, infighting, even an impromptu visit to his on-screen grandparents for some comfort.
One hundred and twenty-four minutes of teen angst—the struggle to break free but the need to go home. The search for love and acceptance, not only by one’s peers, but internally.
By the time Charles flew home to make it back in time for school the next day, William and Roxy had kissed outside the theater to go fulfill their destiny and Steven had driven away. Logan finally understood.
Steven had driven away.
Steven, not Logan, but Logan wasn’t ready for the story to end.
A hollow sensation took over his chest. He watched the screen while the credits rolled and the music resumed.
Everything made sense. The fans, their reactions to him and his character, why Ivy needed to correct him at every turn. At last he understood why the film had such a following, why they begged for the sequel, and why no one would ever forgive them for not finishing the story.
No one would ever forgive him.
Not Steven, but Logan.
He would forever be responsible for Steven driving away and the world not knowing what happened when Roxy opened her eyes and watched him go.
Lost in the world of Hollywood Stardust , he finally realized Ivy hadn’t moved in quite a while, and he turned to her.
She simply stared straight ahead with the light flickering on her face and tears twinkling down her cheeks.
He opened his mouth, but then closed it, turning away to give her a moment. After what seemed like much longer than necessary, he faced her again.
The tears continued, accompanied by little sniffs.
Her reaction was bigger than the movie. The last few days had to take a toll on her. They had had more twists and turns than a ride across the country in a BMW. “Ivy?”
She closed her eyes and shook her head, grimacing as if something hurt.
Not sure what action to take, he slid up in the chair. “Are you all right?”
A squeak left her throat and she swallowed.
“Speak to me.” He got on his knees in front of her and took her by the shoulders. “Ivy.”
She inhaled, her breath hitching. “He just drives away.” With the words out, she lowered her head. Her whole body shook as she let the emotion out.
A crying female, more accurately a crying Ivy, ignited a primal
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