Evan grunted with great effort as he lifted the heavy barbell pced above him. His arms felt like wet noodles that could bend limply any damn time. The burn was real and he was ready to just give up.

  "One more rep, you shithead!" Troy yelled at him from above while spotting him. "e on! You do it!"

  That gave Evan just enough fideo finish the rep. When he was finally doroy helped him rerack the weight befrinning widely.

  "That was great man!" Troy csped his hand in a brotherly fashion. "You are improving rapidly."

  "I'm miles behind you," Evan pined. "But still, this is much better than whearted."

  Troy had literally dragged Evan into his work out and martial art sessions everyday when they were in London. Only a week, to be ho, but after that, Evan started liking those sessions. And now, even if they were in Los Aemporarily, they were still tinuing their session iel gym. The not-so-discreet gnces from ym goers in their dire were promptly ignored. It helped that they had e to the gym with two security guards.

  "Hi!" A girl ie teens greeted them enthusiastically after walking over to them. Troy and Evan turo her in unison, and Evan had to say that the girl had one of the biggest rack he had seen in his life.

  "Hey!" Troy greeted her enthusiastically after waving at his security to stay away discreetly. "How you doing?"

  She blushed and looked down shyly. "It's a little embarrassing. I just wanted a hug, but now that I'm here, I realize that we're both so sweaty."

  Smiling at that admission of hers, Troy offered her a hand which she shook. "I didn't get your name."

  "Heather."

  Troy beamed at her, "You're so cute, Heather, that I would hug you even if I am sweaty, but I really don't want to set a pret if you know what I mean." He looked pointedly behind her where many people were still pretending to not look in their dire.

  "That's fine," she waved it off. "I just wao say that I, like, totally love you. You are so good at everything you do. I'm so happy that vile woman who attacked you got senteo thirty years."

  Troy's smile turned brittle at that reminder. Evan knew how much Troy hated any remio that day. But he also khat he was too kind to tell a fan to not talk about that. That's where people like Evan e in.

  "I think we have done enough for the day," He elbowed Troy pointedly. "Should we go back to our room."

  "Oh yes," Troy Evan before turning back to Heather. "It was so o meet you, Heather."

  "Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," she said as the two brothers waved her goodbye.

  Troy turo Evan as soon as they were out of gym, "Did you know about this?" Evan immediately uood what Troy was referring to—the senteng of his attacker. He could only shake his head because while they khat the trial was going on, he didn't know that the jury was out. The duo quickly went to their room and turned oV, and as expected, it was the breaking news on aertai el.

  "I news, Gia Vhos, the girl who attacked Troy Armitage in his LA home, has beeeo a total of 34 years in prison for multiple charges, including, breaking aering, attempted murder, sexual assault of a minor, and a few more. It has been proven in the court that Troy Armitage had no prior unication with the girl, and her cim of insanity were also rejected," a female news reporter was announg on TV. "Troy Armitage is meanwhile busy promoting his film, [Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban], which is a superhit, breaking multiple records worldwide."

  "I'm gd this is finally over," Evan ented from beside his brother as they watched the damning news. "I was sick of all these specutions running wild about you."

  "That's what I was gonna say," Troy said. "Do you know, the district attorney was that bitch a plea bargain under which she would be out in 10 years. Thankfully, Dad put his foot down and called sht people to make them drop the idea entirely."

  "Our justice system is fucked up," Evan ented idly.

  "It happens everywhere," Troy replied. "The UK is not aer."

  "So what's ?" Evan asked, trying to ge the topic. "Will we go back to London now? Because I know for sure that now the media will be ready to harass you again to know how you feel about her punishment."

  "No," Troy said with certainty. "I 't keep running just because the media will behave strangely. And didn't you have your uncle's wedding to attend in a few days? We 't just abandon that."

  "Steve and Kathy are iomorrht?" Evan asked.

  "Yes," Troy grimaced at that thought. "But only Dad will remain here with me for some time. Mum will fly back with you to London as soon as the wedding is over."

  It made sense. Evan's uncle had divorced his wife st year and was now getting remarried. Evan couldn't be happier with that decision because he didn't like his ex-aunt at all. Because of this, Evan and Troy had e together to LA so that Evan could attend the wedding while Troy could begin work on his film. Work which would be difficult to achieve now that media has been involved.

  "My parents don't like that I'm doing this film," Troy tinued. "They still think that I'm some fragile a doll who would break easily if I'm away from home for extended period. Don't get me wrong, I'm beyond grateful for my parents, but sometime I get so tired of their nagging."

  "I uand you, bro," Evan patted him on the back lightly. "Seriously though, you have nothing to worry about. It's just a few years before you're 18. You don't o worry about your film either. You have such a loyal fanbase. I was oer yesterday, and all your fans are with you. They were calling her and her mother all sorts of nasty names, from delusional to pedophile to child molest—"

  "Evan," Troy cut him off. "Let's just not talk about her anymore."

  Evan nodded once before ging the topic. "Is the casting of [Brick] plete?"

  "Yes," Troy smiled, finally finding something they could talk about without making the whole thing unfortable. "Rian Johnson is a very talented filmmaker, from what little I have seen of him. If you didn't have to go back to London for school, you'd learn a lot from him making this film."

  "I still try to vieve and Kathy to let me stay?" Evan asked hopefully.

  "No," Troy shook his head. "You finally have some good friends apart from me. Just because I'm doing this film doesn't mean you have to do it as well."

  Evan had finally made some friends at his school in London who weren't assholes in disguise. It helped that Evan had shot up a lot i over the st year, standing an inch taller than Troy. His new physical habits had done wonders for his body as well. Initially, he was sore as hell for days, but gradually he improved, and now after months of practice, he could hold his own against Troy. It showed the terrible side of human nature that Evan ted by others only when he was tall, buff, and the foster brother of the world-famous Troy Armitage.

  "Alright," Evan ceded befetting up from the couch. "I'm hitting the showers. Wanna go out and grab something to eat afterwards?"

  Troy gri that. "Like you even have to ask."

  (Break)

  Rian Johnson was skeptical about the prospects of his film [Brick]. He fihe first draft of the film right out of USC film school in 1997. He had spent so long pitg the film to ead every producer out there that anyone else may have even lost hope. But he didn't. At this point, he didn't care how the film was made; he just wao get it do was just his luck that he met oroy Armitage. It is yet to be seen if their meeting will create history or not. When the film ostponed a little, Rian uood the need for it. Troy must have not been in a good headspaake the film after that ordeal. Especially given how Troy roducer on the film as well.

  The major responsibility of casting remained with Rian, with little inputs from Tobias and Troy. While Tobias was in LA in person, Troy was kept in loop through e-mails and their was just one dition for casting at which Troy had put his foot down.

  "No one pying a teenager be older than 20-21 at most," He said with utmost seriousness over the phone.

  Rian was a little hesitant to agree with that demand because of several reasons. The biggest of them being that older actors are generally better with more experience. Also, if the actors are still in school that would ihe costs of their tutors unnecessarily.

  "Seriously, Rian," Troy reiterated when he didn't reply. "I hate those films where 25-year-olds act as if they are 16."

  "But I had already selected the actors for the role of Laura Dannon and Brad Bramish," Rian defended weakly. While the actress for Laura was only 23, the actor for Brad was 28 already.

  "The them," Troy said seriously. "You couldn't have sigheir tracts without talking to me first, so I know we are not legally bound with them. Wait, let me open the email you seh all the photos resumes of prospective actors."

  Troy was silent for a few moments before saying, "Michael B. Jordan, and Anna Kendrick. Arrange another audition for them both. I have a feeling that they'd be more than good enough for these roles."

  How the hell did he deduce all that withihan a minute? Rian looked up at an equally bewildered Tobias to see if this was normal Troy behavior, who could only shrug.

  "Okay," Rian agreed after noting dowwo names. "While we are at it, you don't mind me casting Lukas Haas in the role of the Pin, do you?"

  "Lukas Haas…" Troy tested the loud as he thought back to the actor. "Isn't he the small kid in that old Harrison Ford movie, [Witness]?"

  Rian was impressed that Troy knew of that movie.

  "Yes," He agreed. "He's the correct age to py the Pin."

  "Fih me," Troy agreed easily.

  And that was where Troy's involvement had ended in the casting process. They were yet to finish with the pre-produ entirely, which would tinue even during the rehearsals, but he had finalized all the actors for the movie. The best part in all of this was that they weren't paying the actors anythira for the rehearsals. Under SAG rules, they should have, but there are always exceptions for small-budget films. It helped that all the actors Rian had selected (except for three) were non-union actors. The rehearsal studio they had booked, along with refreshments, was covered by the produ funds that Tobias had released to Ria time they met.

  So, with great anticipation, Rian reached the pce he had booked. He wasn't the first ohere, either. Lukas Haas was already there. It was se seeing an actor you have seen as a kid, all grown up.

  "'Sup, Rian," Lukas said, giving him a high five, which Rian reciprocated.

  "As good as I could be," Rian replied jovially. "I'm so pumped up for this film."

  Lukas gave him a weird look before asking, "Are you high?"

  "High on life, maybe," Rian joked.

  Before Lukas could retort, they were joined by her than Troy himself, followed closely by Tobias.

  "Hey guys," Troy greeted both of them warmly before turning to Lukas. "I'm so gd you could be a part of this film, Lukas."

  "No, the pleasure is all mine," Lukas smiled genially. "I have seen your work, and you're very good."

  Within moments, Lukas and Troy were talking and ughing casually as if they were old friends. Rian was a little surprised initially seeing their unusual camaraderie, but then chalked it up to Troy's charm. He was too good at influeng others with his words. There's a reason almost everyone sidered him to be a superstar when they didn't use the same words for his other co-stars of [Harry Potter]. One by oher actors started ing in, and Troy greeted everyone as if they had known each other for years. It was a little humbling to see Troy being so warm with everyone.

  The st actor to walk in with a chaperone was her than Emily Storoy's friend, who had bagged the role of Emily Kosti the film. Her mother had apanied her because she was still a minor. Initially, Rian thought the girl wouldn't be a good actress, but during her audition, she left him speechless with her ag prowess.

  "Emily!" Troy greeted her equally warmly, but instead of the usual handshake, he hugged her.

  "Hi, Troy," she squeaked in surprise. "grats on your film. It was so good."

  "Thanks, Em," Troy beamed at her. "Let's talk more about it ter. If I waste any time, Rian might repce me with Frankie Muniz or Shia LaBeouf," Troy joked, making everyone ugh.

  "Yes, well, shall we begin?" Rian asked when the ughter died down a bit, seeking Troy's permission to begirodus.

  At Troy's nod, Rian took trol of the meeting again, starting with his own introdu.

  _____________________________________

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