Dave Jensen—Jenny Jan noticed him when he'd been frequenting Hollywood Star for three straight days. Every afternoon at two o'clock, he'd arrive, order a coffee, make a few phone calls, occasionally pull out some documents to review, then disappear into the building across from Hollywood Star.
He was probably in his late thirties, already going bald, a bit overweight, and dressed casually—always in a jacket and mismatched flannel pants. He looked like the kind of down-on-his-luck Hollywood agent you saw everywhere, too broke to afford a decent suit. Jessica, another head waitress at Hollywood Star, didn't think much of him. Dave had once awkwardly tried to flirt with her, only to be ruthlessly rejected.
Jenny Jane had mentioned him to Jessica once.
It was during their break. Jessica had slipped into an alley to smoke, and Jenny Jane had followed. Jessica handed her a cigarette, which Jenny Jane held in her hand, twirling it, but didn't smoke.
"Probably some small-time agent trying to land roles for his actors," Jessica said, blowing smoke rings and nodding toward the six-story building across the street. Her tone held a hint of envy, mixed with undeniable jealousy. "Big activity over there lately. Lots of bitches coming and going."
In Los Angeles, the entertainment industry was a major economic pillar. The office building across from the Hollywood Star was leased by a floor of Time Warner's television production division. Foot traffic was usually steady, but at specific times of the year, it became exceptionally bustling, bringing a small peak in business for the Hollywood Star.
These specific times usually refer to the pre-production phase of a new TV series. Typically, preparations for fall season American dramas take place between May and June. After the script outline passes executive review, the production team begins assembling the cast. Aside from the lead actors, who are often already secured, numerous supporting roles require auditions. The Hollywood Star's location is quite close to Hollywood, yet the rent is relatively affordable, making it a cost-effective choice for renting office space for auditions.
"Audition season is upon us," Jenny said simply, tucking her cigarette into her pocket. "Why not try your luck?"
Jessica had settled for working at Hollywood Star precisely because its proximity to the Time Warner audition hub offered what she saw as the starting point for her big break. Yet after a year on the job, aside from sleeping with a few security guards across the street, she hadn't managed to connect with a single casting director.
Without an insider, she couldn't get on any casting director's radar. Trying to walk in and hand over her resume for a forced audition would only get her kicked out by security. After wasting a year, Jessica had to abandon her efforts to break into TV. In recent months, she'd started actively applying for print modeling gigs and had even contacted a modeling agent.
Jenny mentioned her unpleasant past, causing Jessica's expression to darken. "Don't you smoke?"
"My shift is about to start," Jenny explained—Jenny Jane sometimes smoked, but Chen Zhen didn't.
Jessica ignored her explanation. "If you don't smoke, give it back."
Jenny shrugged and handed the cigarette back. "Gotta get back inside. Hey, Jess?"
Jessica raised an eyebrow at her, her expression still cold and hard.
"I know you have an audition next week. Good luck." Jenny raised her fist. Jessica's expression softened, and she reached out to bump fists with her.
"Same to you, sis."
Jenny smiled, turned, and walked into the restaurant. About five minutes later, she spotted Dave pushing open the door and stepped in for Jessica to greet him. "Hey."
Dave was clearly looking for Jessica, his response half-hearted. "Hey."
Jenny handed him the menu. Dave idly flipped through it several times, but Jenny didn't mind. The longer she stood beside him, the clearer the words on the folder became. —Even though they were upside down and only half pulled out of the briefcase, Jenny, or rather Chen Zhen, possessed a remarkable talent for reading upside-down text.
She owed this skill to her ex-husband. To sever—or rather, prolong—his affair, Chen Zhen had rigorously trained herself until she could effortlessly read text out of the corner of her eye.
She'd mainly used this ability to sneak glances at her ex's phone.
Looks like Jessica missed out this time, Jenny thought, rereading the lines of English: 'May 13th audition schedule, Office 1, Buffy the Vampire Slayer...'
She didn't need to finish reading to know this was WB Television's flagship series Buffy the Vampire Slayer casting for a new season. According to the filming schedule, Buffy was set to begin shooting in July. May was reserved for selecting some of the season's regular cast members and making script adjustments. Once the main actors returned in July, production could commence immediately.
The fact that he had such documents and visited daily meant he couldn't just be an actor's agent. He was likely the casting director for Buffy, or even higher up—perhaps a writer or producer on the show. If she could connect with someone at that level, landing a cameo in the series would be a breeze.
Though Jenny Jane harbored some resistance to such a "screen debut," it stemmed solely from her lofty goal of conquering Hollywood. Reality dictated that for a waitress like her, such connections were too valuable to pass up, no matter how she leveraged them. Even if TV held no interest, she could ask him to introduce industry contacts for an agent—or better yet, secure an extra role on a Warner Bros. film set... ...
This marked the beginning of her attention toward Dave. Over the next few days, she discreetly uncovered his full name and confirmed his identity through phone calls—thanks to the 2012 blockbuster The Avengers, she had a vivid impression of Joss Whedon. After some research, she discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer—one of Joss's signature works—was a captivating masterpiece. Dave had mentioned Joss's name several times during his calls.
This was a valuable resource. Landing at Hollywood Star could be seen as fate's arrangement, or the result of Jenny Jane's relentless efforts: There's a reason so many drifters end up in Hollywood. Once you've secured the geographical advantage, opportunities inevitably arise nearby—but whether you recognize and seize them depends entirely on the individual.
Jenny Jane didn't stoop to fawning over Dave. She stuck to casual conversation, which is standard practice in any restaurant. For tips, servers often engage in small talk with customers.
Jessica served Dave for his first three days. On the fourth day, Jenny merely greeted him. By the fifth day, they discussed the weather. On the sixth, they talked about Dave's dog. By the seventh day, Jenny brought up her audition.
Now Dave had grown accustomed to her service. On the eighth day, they discussed Jenny Jane's non-existent audition. Jenny told him it fell through—"They've already found the pretty-face girl they wanted."
"Oh!" Dave said sympathetically.
Jenny gave him a strong smile. "If you want to cheer me up, tell me I'd make a great pretty-face girl."
Dave chuckled. "Honey, you're far more than just a pretty face—"
Jenny crossed her arms in mock indignation. Dave raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. You'd make a great pretty face."
Jenny lowered her arms and laughed along with him. "Thanks. I feel much more confident now."
That day, Dave left a 30% tip.
On the ninth day, Jenny asked Dave if he'd be working here permanently. He told her he lived in New York and this was just a short-term gig—he'd be heading back next Wednesday.
But he still didn't reveal his profession.
Six days remained until next Wednesday.
Jenny Jane kept smiling, showing no urgency. She wasn't desperate enough to cling to every single opportunity.
Calculating the days, on the tenth day she said goodbye to Johnny and took a day off from her two weeks of accumulated vacation time.
On the eleventh day, Dave arrived half an hour earlier than usual. He seemed distracted until he saw Jenny, then his face broke into a smile.
"Hi," Jenny smiled at him as usual. "Same as always?"
"Yesterday when I came in, Jessica served me," Dave blurted out.
His tone carried a hint of accusation, as if flirting with Jessica hadn't been one of his original purposes for coming here.
"I was off yesterday," Jenny said with amusement. "Hope you weren't too disappointed."
Dave made a face that said no comment. Jenny laughed and returned to the counter, grabbing a muffin along with his coffee.
"On the house. Consider it compensation for yesterday," she said, winking at Dave. "If you need anything, just call me."
When it came time to pay, Dave still left a 30% tip. He was a bit nervous but bravely met Jenny's eyes. "You said I could call you about anything."
"Right," Jenny replied.
"But I don't have your number," Dave stammered, quickly adding, "How am I supposed to call you without your number?"
Jenny tossed this double entendre at Dave daily. You could say she'd built him a sky-high staircase. Now he was walking down it—and he was so scared he stuttered?
The man was adorably innocent. Jenny couldn't help but laugh. Now, she genuinely liked Dave.
"Should I say 'I'm glad you finally asked,' or 'Oh my gosh, I never saw that coming'?" She pulled out a pen, but paused mid-motion, deliberately frowning in deep thought.
Dave stammered, "Definitely the first one. Oh please, it has to be the first one."
"You really don't need to be so nervous." Jenny chuckled, scribbling her phone number on the receipt. "If anything—"
She made a six with her fingers and waved it near her ear.
Picking up the coffee cup and muffin tray, she started walking back—noticing Dave watching her retreating figure until she disappeared behind the counter.
"Did he ask you out?" Johnny asked, gossipy. "Tell me you turned him down—look at him, he's such a loser, he doesn't deserve you."
Jenny just smiled without saying a word.
Dave called that very night to ask her out to dinner.