Love Bites, premiere reception and after party

February 2088. Summer Phoenix is 22, Ryanne is 16, Elias Kirkpatrick is 21, Lindsay Slough is 19, Marc Hall is 43, Vale Akiyama is 27.

Summer is earning more money than she’s ever earned in her whole life. Meanwhile, she’s still living in a tiny, dirty, noisy, mouse-infested apartment with two other girls (and a couple of occasional boyfriends). She’s feeling a little amused as the glitz and glamour of her stardom begins to materialize, and she hardly knows what to do with it. But she bought a new gown for the premiere reception and launch party of her movie. She’s never been much of a shopaholic, apart from splurging on the occasional flashy haircut or a pair of nice running shoes. 

Single as Summer is, she decides to take her baby sister as her plus one to the premiere. Ryanne is so excited to get out and be seen with all these superstars.

She wasn’t even very disappointed that there weren’t that many stars present beyond the Love Bites cast and crew. She wasn’t even that wowed to sit near Marc Hall, since she goes to school with his daughter now. She just loved being all dolled up and out on the town with her almost super famous big sister. 


Summer snaps a quick selfie with her co-star, Elias. They’ve all become such good friends while filming. It’s sad to think they’ll probably all go their separate ways now. 

Apart from Marc, of course. They don’t really care what happens to Marc next. 

To everyone’s surprise—Summer included and Marc especially—Summer received an accolade for “Best New Actress in a Leading Role.” Everybody thought for sure Marc would take that accolade, since he’s so much more famous than Summer. 

Louise Fontenot also won an award for “Nicest Person.” However, Summer would beg to differ. Louise is writing the screenplay for the Halston siblings’ next film. She took one look at Summer’s previous work and said, “Oh. No. I don’t think that’s the right fit at all,” about the female lead part.

Whatever. Summer didn’t want to play some soft doe-eyed romantic heroine, anyway.   


The accolades were exciting at first, then extremely dull. They were all hungry, and the food was truly awful. French fries and ketchup?

They’d have a word with Asher and Shaina about choosing a different location for any future premieres. 

Assuming any of them got the role in any future movies, of course. They were all first-timers here, and chances were that most of them wouldn’t make it in the long term. Ten years from now, how many of them would be real estate agents, or nurses, or PTA coordinators at their kids’ school? 


Summer’s dad is here!


But the bouncer wouldn’t let him in. Even when Summer said, “But that’s my dad!”

Bouncer said, “You already used your plus one,” and looked Hayden up and down,” And this is a formal event.”

“Whatever, this place blows anyway,” Summer told her dad. “Let’s go to the after party!”

At Riley Sky Suites, there was thankfully better music and better food.

Poppy doesn’t think much of Summer’s dancing. She’s feeling salty that Asher told her to keep a low profile tonight because this party is not about her. Like, excuse me!?! “This party is about the movie and the cast,” he said, “and you’re here as a plus one.” Oh, he’s going to hear more about that later. But for now, it physically pains her to see the guest of honor in the middle of the dance floor, with this incredible music, moving like an inflatable tube man. Eeew. 

Summer is the star of the night, but almost everybody else here is more famous than she is. For now. If odds are that only one of the four of them will still be a movie star in ten years, then Summer has bets on herself. Even if Poppy thinks she’s the cringiest dancer alive. Even if all anyone can talk about is the DJ and his incredible, cutting-edge, electronic-alternative music. 

The only thing that can get Summer down tonight is Marc and his gargantuan ego. Rumor was that he demanded an obscene amount of money, more than Summer was paid, for less screen time.

Drew Bradshaw from Sierra Sun Magazine is here tonight to cover the premiere for his arts column. But even he can only talk about the music. Drew makes a quick call to his editor to ask if he can run two pieces this month, because he has to write about this exciting music! 

Summer is annoyed, but not yet completely offended. If Drew announces plans to write a piece about Marc next, she will certainly have to throw a little tantrum. 

But Drew adds, “Yes, of course I’ll write about the movie, too!” 

“The movie starring Summer Phoenix,” Summer points out. 

Drew looks a little confused, but nods. 

Okay then. Posing with the cast for pictures. 

Drew got a one-sentence quote from Summer to use in his story, then he was off to interview more famous people.

She’s beat, and she’s definitely going to enjoy some downtime until her next movie comes along. Whenever and whatever that movie might be.

One thing everybody can agree on is that Marc Hall is an absolutely terrible, pompous, greedy diva, and nobody ever wants to work with him again. His name recognition would boost the movie’s profile, they hoped, or else it wouldn’t have been worth the trouble.  

Maybe it’s already not worth the trouble. 

Asher wouldn’t take anyone’s complaints seriously until finally Vale agreed with everyone. “Yeah, that guy really sucks. Can we get him out of here?”

—

outtakes: it’s Summer’s party, but everybody’s talking about Vale 

notes: Not to dismiss her valiant efforts, but I was super surprised that Summer won that award. She’s only a 2-star celebrity, has hardly any social media followers, and her acting was always “silver” never “gold” lol!