Chapter 28 Money in Hand
“The story is excellent and should fetch the highest rate for a script,” Jennifer’s mom said. “Recently, the TV department has been complaining about a shortage of scripts. I’ve heard other companies are working on a big project called ‘Prison Break.‘ This script could be a strong competitor.“–
She continued to talk, clearly planning to spend a lot of money to secure the script.
Since it was her daughter’s classmate and Jennifer had personally brought it to her, she felt inclined to help.
“Most importantly, he’s a genius writer,” her mom added. “Such talent should be nurtured. If he can write one great story, he can write more. Good actors are always available, but good scripts are rare.”
“I’ll take this script and offer the highest rate. I’ll draft a contract, and you can give it to him. Also, get the butler to send him a spare computer to speed up the completion of the remaining story. The computer is a personal gift from me, hoping he becomes a top writer.”
She patted Jennifer’s head, finalizing the plan. Jennifer was very satisfied with this
outcome.
Her mom quickly prepared the contract and gave Jennifer a sum of money for the script. It was best to secure it quickly since it was valuable. With the script in hand, she could immediately set up a new project and was already considering who should
direct it.
The next morning, Jennifer brought everything to Fox. His routine was set, and he was sweaty from his morning workout. Seeing Jennifer, he smiled.
Jennifer relayed everything her mom had said and handed him a laptop.
In this era, while computers were common in big companies, home computers were still rare, and laptops were even more so.
Fox first reviewed the contract carefully. Though he wasn’t a legal expert, he could understand the basics.
The contract was straightforward, offering a significant sum of money. At the bottom was a phone number for contact and an invitation to sell future scripts directly to her.
Satisfied, Fox signed the contract, securing his first significant sum of money. He took a shower, then set up the computer and began working on completing the story.
Jennifer sat close, watching the screen. Their proximity meant they could feel each other’s breaths.
Fox was focused, while Jennifer seemed unaware of any romantic tension. After a while, feeling a bit tired, she stood up and realized the closeness made her feel warm. She thought it was the room’s temperature.
“Writing went smoothly today. I finished two episodes this morning,” Fox said, smiling. He had pre–planned last night, which made today’s writing easier. Familiarity with the process also helped.
Jennifer helped Fox spot some flaws, which he quickly corrected.
“Send it to my mom using my email. She’ll be thrilled and can start the project quickly. I can’t wait to see this series come to life.”
Jennifer beamed with excitement.
Fox looked at the contract and the phone number. “I should buy a phone now that I have the money. It’s the perfect time.”
“You definitely need a phone. We can talk at night…”
Jennifer’s eyes sparkled. “I mean, to discuss the script.”
Fox smiled, patting her head. “I was going to buy a computer with the money, but now that I have one, I can buy a good phone and get one for my parents too.”
Smiling, Fox felt this was the right thing to do.
“Jennifer, my parents aren’t home for lunch. Let’s go out to eat. I want to thank you for helping me with the script and tutoring me. I owe you a lot.”
Fox felt a bit heavy–hearted, realizing how much Jennifer had helped him. He liked her and wondered if they could move forward now that they were high school graduates and adults.
But past heartbreak made him cautious. Seeing Jennifer’s clear and pure eyes, decided to take things slow.
“Let’s invite Lucy and your friends too,” Jennifer suggested.
“Great idea,” Fox agreed, and they left the house.
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As usual, Fox rode his bike with Jennifer on the back. They first found Peterson, who looked tired and worn out.
