The Student

Chapter 21 - Premier

I looked around my room, trying to remember if I had everything I needed. Making a quick trip to the bathroom, I joked with myself that I was taking everything but the sink. Shaking my head, I returned to my bedroom and smiled. VACATION IN LA! The thought still made me giddy and our reason was even better.

Premier tickets! For GLADIATOR! Kat had scored big with her job on that film. She had been given two tickets . . . that she had given to me. And I, of course, was taking Orlando. She herself had scored a date with Joaquin himself. Friends only of course.

I glanced at my watch apprehensively. My flight was leaving in about an hour, but I still had to find my way around the airport and collect Orlando, who was flying over with me for a few days. I was excited beyond words. I hadn't seen him for three weeks.


It was good to be in his arms again. The hug was a little distant, but I could still feel his love nonetheless. Orlando kissed me sweetly, drawing out my tongue in a duel of wills. He won, but I was happy. I had missed him so much.

"I want you to move to Wellington a.s.a.p. Laura. Filming on location will be done in about a month, and I want you to befortfortable when I get there. I want you to be comfortable, in our house."

I stopped mid-stoop and looked at Orlando out of the corner of my eye. Had he just said what I thought he said? "Um, our house?" He set his suitcase on the floor and pulled me into his arms again.

"I bought a house, out on a cliff looking over the ocean and I want you there, with me. I want to share everything there with you Laura, and I mean this."

"You bought a house. Like, actually a really real house?" He nodded excitedly and I fell silent for a few second, pondering his statement.

`YES! WAAHHHOOOOOO!' My mind liked the idea. Looking into the eyes of my beloved, I saw a sparkle of hope and excitement. He really wanted me to be in Wellington with him.

"I don't expect an answer right now. I'll let you think about it while we're in LA." He smiled down at me before tucking me under his arm and leading me to our terminal.


"Please fasten your seatbelts as we are experiencing some mild turbulence. Do not get up from your seats unless it is absolutely necessary."

I pulled the belt tighter on my lap and leaned my head back. This was not mild turbulence; this was hell. And hell knew no end.

We hit another air pocket and the plane lurched, dropping five feet. I gasped in the air, with my eyes squeezed shut. Grabbing the armrest, I held on for dear life. A snore broke my frantic fear and I opened an eye, glancing to my left. Orlando was sleeping, curled against the window.

I whacked him hard in the arm and he came awake with a jolt. "You should be comforting me here! Not sleeping!" He rubbed his eyes sleepily and smiled.

"No worries love. We're all right. This is nothing-" the plane fell again and Orlando's laughed. "It's okay." He took in my wide eyes and rigid back. "Laura, relax." He slipped an arm around my shoulders, drawing my head onto his arm.

I nodded, trying to cooperate, but the constant bumping was unforgiving. Taking a deep breath, I concentrated at the body next to me and the strength he was giving me. A happy, reassuring thought came to me and I turned to look at him, a tear in my eye. "I love you."

It sounded foreign on my tongue, yet it was so right. He smiled and wiped the tear away. "I love you too." He tightened his grip and kissed my cheek with all the tenderness of a lover, which he was.


It felt good to be back in the US, where everyone drives on the right side of the road and you could speak without getting funny looks. I sighed, breathing in the heady Californian night air through the window at my side. Kat snapped at me to close the window before I ruined her meticulously style hair. I laughed, but obliged, thinking at once of my own painfully done coif. Orlando chuckled next to me. I turned my head and smiled at him. He gaze me a brilliant smile in return.

He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my neck. "It's so beautiful here. It feels like heaven." I looked out the window as the palm trees passed by, and the ocean lapped lazily at the ocean next to us.

"Yeah, it does." We both smiled, and I snuggled closer to Orli. He draped an arm around my shoulder and all fell to silence as we waited for the ride to be over and for the long train of executive cars to reach LA.

The lights were flashing everywhere. In front of me, the red carpet was stretched out like an expensive walkway of limelight and screaming fans. I swayed at the whole scene, no comfortable at all. Orli's grip on my waist tightened and we were paused by photo-hungry fans who recognized Joaquin, who was leading our group. The other three of us smiled politely. Press was inevitable.

So far, I hadn't caught a glimpse of Russell Crowe, the movie's star and supposed hunk from down under. We had arrived fairly early and it was common knowledge that the most important person arrived last.

The screaming rose in volume and Joaquin laughed. "Russell has arrived." I smiled at him, fascinated by his speech. He was an imposing person, for such a short man and I had to laugh at Kat, who was three inches taller than him. They were cute together, but not like the boyfriend Kat had said good-bye to less than three days before. Sean had managed to inceince Kat and me that it would be good for her to live with him. I had shrugged. It wasn't my life to live.

My own living arrangements were always heavy on my mind. A boyfriend was one thing. A live-in roommate was quite another.

Someone waved Joaquin back to the front of the line, and Kat, Orli, and I were left to fend for ourselves as we were pushed by photographers out of the way. I chuckled, poking Orlando. "If they only knew who you were, they'd be all over you too."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you so sure? Not that many people know that they're even making a Lord of the Rings movie. Hell, I bet half the people here haven't even read any of Tolkien's books."

Kat and I laughed along with him. More of the cast members were arriving, and my excitement was starting to build. This had looked like a great movie in the trailers that I had seen earlier that year, and I was a growing fan of Mr. Crowe after Kat forced me to watch LA Confidential, one of her most favorite movies of all time. I had resisted for three years, until she said I had to watch, or I wouldn't get any tickets. Needless to say, I sucked it up and watched the movie. It wasn't actually that bad. I had never imagined Kim Bassinger in the roll of a hooker, but it put a whole new spin on film noir.

Joaquin returned with a huge grin plastered on his face. "Okay, we can go in now. Publicity is over for now."

We all nodded, following the Puerto Rico-born actor inside the prestigious LA Movie Theater, and settled into our seats. They were great. Tenth row back, in the middle. I purposefully chose not to get a drink so I wouldn't have to squeeze out of the theater during the movie in my tight, blue evening gown.

It took another half an hour to get everyone settled in, but the second the movie started, my eyes were glued to the screen.

For two and a half hours, I went on an emotional trip that left me crying, laughing, and yelling at the indignation of a wounded father and husband and a betrayed General. This was a masterpiece, and I was convinced that Ridley Scott was a genius. I also came to believe that both Joaquin Phoenix and Russell Crowe were gods in the acting world. If they didn't win an Oscar for their performances, I would do some hurting.

When the film's final note finally faded from the air, the whole theatre stood and clapped. I was no exception. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I turned to Joaquin and clapped my little heart out for him. There was a group from the back chanting 'Crowe Crowe Crowe' and another chanting Ridley's name. He had created something truly amazing.

As the noise died down, we were ushered out of the theater and onto the limos waiting to take the after party guests to the hotel ballroom being rented for the occasion. Orli and I shared a limo with the assistant director, Joaquin, Kat, and the music composer, Hans Zimmer.

I gushed the whole way to Mr. Zimmer how much I had enjoyed the music in the movie and how well it worked with the photography. He just smiled and nodded. I think I overwhelmed him with my praise, but the man deserved every bit of it.

We arrived at the hotel soon, and were ushered into the ballroom only to find that the party had already started. A chorus of photographers and journalists greeted Joaquin inside the door. The rest of us were once again pushed out of the way, but I used this opportunity to grab Orlando and get some alone time with him. We ordered drinks, in moderation of course, and took a corner booth table. He pulled me next to him in the leather seat.

"Have you thought about Wellington yet?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I have."

"And?"

"And I think it's a great idea."

He whooped, startling me and several other guests. Pulling me closer, he kissed me hard. I responded to his kiss with passion. I hadn't even made up my mind consciously about the situation, but it was done. I had said what was in my heart.

"Hey, lovebirds, break it up."

We both looked up at Kat, standing with her hands on her hips. Joaquin was no where in sight, but Kat didn't look upset about that. "Come on Orlando. I want you to meet Ridley." Orli grinned and practically jumped up. Ridley Scott, as Orli had explained, was the one director that he absolutely wanted to work for. I followed them both.

Kat approached an older gentleman and politely shook his hand. Orli and I stayed behind as the two laughed and joked around, like old friends. Smiling, Kat turned and gestured for Orli and I to come closer. "Ridley, this is my best friend Laura Mortensen and her boyfriend Orlando Bloom." We shook hands with Mr. Scott.

"Aren't you Viggo Mortensen's niece? I think I remember hearing about you in a magazine or a gossip column." I nodded, smiling nicely.

"Yes, he's my uncle. I think you're talking about the People magazine issue that focused on family members of the stars. I was stuck in between Anne Rice's son and Bob Marley's son."

He chuckled and nodded. "That must have been it." He turned to Orli now, who perked up immediately under the elder's gaze. 'And you, if I'm not mistaken, are the new Legolas Greenleaf."

"Yes. That's me." I could see that Orlando was physically taken back by Ridley's knowledge of his latest project.

"You see, I've been following your career for the last few years Mr. Bloom. Even in Guildhall. You have quite a talent and it's refreshing to see a fellow Englishmen cast in such a high profile film. There is, of course Ian McKellen and Sean Bean, but I think you have the new talent that's needed right now."

Orli blushed under the praise and for the first time ever that I had known him, he was completely speechless. I squeezed his hand as he looked down and away.

"Yes. Orlando has been the biggest fan of your own Ridley, as he was telling us on the way here. He said he would give almost anything to be in one of your movies." Kat's voice appeared out of no where and I had almost forgotten that she was standing next to me.

Ridley laughed. "It's good to hear that. I was hoping that you had at least heard of my next project, Soldiers of Peace. That of course is the working title."

"Oh yes, I've heard of it. I planned on going in and auditioning, but I won't be done filming Lord of the Rings for at least another half a yea

"No pressure my boy. We're still working on the first copy of the script." The other three laughed at some insider joke of Hollywood. "We plan of starting to fin abn about Mid-January of 2001, so you have some time. Just, make sure that you have your agent call my office in London alright?" Orlando nodded in a daze as Ridley shook his hand, then mine, before turning and making his way back to a bunch of studio executives.

He turned to me with a happy smile on his face. "He wants me to be in his movie."

Kat slapped him on his shoulder. "Way to be Orli." She laughed at her rhyme. Looking around, she spotted one of her friends, and made her excuses. "I'm going to go talk to some people. You two can go back to being lovey-dovey for now." She laughed again and left us to our lonesome.

Orlando shrugged, and took my hand, leading me back to our table.


It was almost 3 in the morning when we left, headed for our hotel about thirty miles out of town. It was a high-class joint, yet not too high profile. Most of the cast was staying there, and Kat's connections had gotten Orli and me a room on the thirty-fourth floor. This room offered a beautiful view of the Los Angeles skyline and of the sea.

It was gazing out of the view that Orlando found me after he called room service and ordered a bottle of wine. His arms wrapped around my waist and leaned back into his strong chest.

"Somewhere out there, across that ocean, our house waits for us."