Jennifer Aniston was absentmindedly waiting for the bus. She wasn't really disappointed. She had just graduated from her performing arts school last year and had only performed in a few small stage dramas.
She had heard about the audition by chance and had sent her resume without really expecting anything.
She was about to hail a cab when she heard someone calling her from behind. She turned around and saw the young man who had looked at her strangely during the audition.
"Hello, you are?" Jennifer subconsciously asked and realized that she didn't know his name.
Eric held out his hand and said, "Hello, Miss Aniston, my name is Eric, Eric Williams."
Jennifer Aniston politely shook his hand and smiled, "Hello, Mr. Williams."
Eric stared at her smile in a daze and forgot to let go of her hand.
"Mr. Williams, you" Aniston could feel his warm hand wrapped around hers as she abashedly rebuked him with her gaze.
"Ah, sorry. Just call me Eric, Miss Aniston, do you mind if I call you Annie?"
Eric took his hand back, and awkwardly scratched the back of his head as he cursed in his heart. Granted, he had not been a playboy in his past life, but he was definitely not wet behind the ears. It was definitely his new body's hormones acting out, definitely!
Jennifer looked at him with a touch of alertness, "Well, Eric, we don't seem to know each other?"
Eric composed himself, smiled and said, "Don't we now? All friends start as strangers. Annie, it's already noon, can I take you out to lunch?"
"It's too sudden, Eric, we've barely spoken a few words," Jennifer refused.
"Then, let me drop you home," Eric smoothly followed.
"That should be okay," Jennifer was taken aback. She had always been good at rejecting people, but she still agreed to his request without really knowing why. Actually, that was Eric's plan all along: asking her something she would reject first, then strike it home.
After boarding his car, Eric asked her for her address and started to drive.
Unable to hold back her curiosity, Jennifer inquired, "Eric, you're a member of the 17 Again staff ?"
"Yeah, I'm the screenwriter. Well, I guess I'm also an actor now," Eric said casually while manipulating the steering wheel.
"Oh, wow, that's amazing! You should be around my age, but I have only played some small roles in a few stage dramas."
Eric smiled, "I was just lucky. Right, you said that you performed in stage dramas?"
Seeing her panic, Eric hurriedly added, "Hey, you don't have to feel burdened. Annie, we've become friends, and friends help each other, it's normal. The role I mentioned is just a small role really, it's one of Maggie's three friends, there are only a few scenes.
But if you accept it, you'll have greater chances at scoring other auditions since I believe that my movie will be a hit at the box office."
"Thank you, Eric, I really don't know what to say."
They drove for another ten minutes when Jennifer pointed to an intersection and said, "Eric, parking there will be enough."
The car stopped in a narrow alley as the two of them went silent. Jennifer didn't want to get off, and Eric was certainly not stupid enough to let her slip away. They sat quietly for a while until the atmosphere got slightly ambiguous.
Finally, after gathering her courage, Jennifer said, "I'll invite you to lunch instead Eric, there's a small restaurant in front, I often eat there."
Eric breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "What are you saying, how could I let you treat me ? Of course I'm paying, let's go, show me the way."
***
In the end, Jennifer accepted the role, and during the period of preparations for the film, the two of them talked almost every day through the phone.
She'd tell him about someone who was caught stealing in the convenience store she worked at, about what she wore, it was to the point she'd even tell him how many times she sneezed a day.
Eric didn't say a word about his own life problems, and kept comforting the young woman who was alone and away from home. In spite of Jennifer having quite a few friends, she didn't have anyone to confide in, so Eric had unknowingly become the spiritual pillar she relied on.
Eric knew that if he asked her out, she would definitely agree.
But he didn't rush it, he didn't want his relationship with her to make things awkward on the set.
During this period of time, another project was also being completed: The Jurassic Park novel. Half a month after signing the contract with Michael Klaus, he finally put his hand on a freshly printed book. The cover was adorned with a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex pushing cars off the road.
He got the idea from the Jurassic Park movie, and Michael Klaus thought it was great, he liked how the prehistoric era was clashing with the modern one.
Eric specifically asked for another copy and gave it to Jennifer. His caring and gentlemanly behavior was quite lethal to a girl like her who had always lacked a father figure.
After reading Jurassic Park, Jennifer was awed speechless by Eric's talent. He could write and he could act. In her heart, Eric had received the label of genius and her eyes seemed to contain an additional glow of worship when she looked at him.
While preparations for 17 Again were still underway, Eric helped select a few other cast members. In the end, the role of Mike's son didn't go to Brad Pitt, but they didn't choose Blake Quinn, either. The one who landed the part was a slightly stronger looking eighteen-year-old boy.
Now that he had met Jennifer, Eric didn't mind at all. After all, Brad Pitt and she were married once during his previous life.
Eric pettily thought about how when he became a director, he wouldn't let him star alongside Angelina Jolie, either.
August 16th 1988, after Eric's rebirth, the filming of his first movie officially began.