Hollywood Art: System of sunnys

63. Back to school.



What activities can Billy do to improve all the nuances of his acting courses, like accent training and speech practice to enhance his delivery and script interpretation? Here are the introductory acting courses he has taken. He hasn't explored the world of music due to the difficulty of mastering acceptable skills in that field.

Lastly, there's a particularly challenging aspect: physical fitness. Having a camera-ready physique and physical appeal is essential for acting roles. A good body is a necessary asset for any actor.

Here he is, starting his tenth year of study, having missed the first three days of school. He noticed Claudia's friends gathered in front of the school. The lovely Alice was with her cheerleading squad, mingling with Hanna's group. Jack Boor graduated last school year, and his absence was evident. Some popular members were accompanied by a new batch of students.

He went to claim his schedule at the office near the administrative desk, where uniforms were distributed, and administrative fines for property damage were processed.

-Good morning, I'm here to get my school schedule. My guardian sent a note about my delay in the first days of school, - said Billy.

-Name, - the man at the desk responded.

-Billy Carson, sir, - Billy said.

-Mr. Carson, I'm looking for it here. You're part of the advanced degree program. Your schedule is particularly long and complicated; you'll have a year of intense study, - Arman said, as he searched in his drawer.

-Thank you, sir. I'll do my best, - replied Billy.

-Alright, young man, give me a second; I'll print your schedule. You have extra courses after school with the dance club, and you'll cover electives during that time,- said Arman, giving an impression of efficiency in his work.

He handed Billy a yellow sheet, packed with different activities. Today, he would have advanced English, math, physics, history, political science, and philosophy. What a heavy workload.

He entered the designated classroom for advanced English students in their final year, and his presence sparked interest among those who knew Billy Carson. It wasn't common for a student to advance a grade in a school that sought excellence in the San Jose area. Few young people took on the challenge of an advanced degree; typically, some precocious students took university courses.

Billy sat in the front, eager to pay attention and avoid thoughts about the next designs for the "Evangelion" series. He had drafted almost 90 episodes and revised about 20, making minor adjustments to the plot. In the initial stages, the characters' thoughts and growth throughout the series were crucial.

-We have the missing student, Mr. Carson. You can introduce yourself to your classmates about the last grade you completed, as they are on the verge of graduating and finishing their school courses, - said English teacher Susan.

Billy stood to present himself.

-I'm Billy Carson, and it's a pleasure to meet all of you. My favorite subjects are Spanish, history, and philosophy. This year, I hope to excel in all my courses, and I prefer cold climates over hot ones. I'm looking forward to learning everything the school can offer me culturally, academically, and artistically. -

-Nice to meet you, Mr. Carson. Please take a seat, and let's start the class, --- Susan said, giving Billy a long look as she continued, --- For today, we'll gather in the same groups as last time. Remember, our first task is a group presentation on a famous writer. You'll do a scientific essay and an exposition on the author and their representative works. -

The class began, and Billy couldn't help but feel excited about the academic challenges and the opportunities to expand his knowledge and skills.

-You can join any group you want; there's an incomplete group with Steve and Rachel. But nothing forces you to join them, - said Teacher Susan.

Billy was about to join Steve and Rachel's group when a blonde girl grabbed his arm, lightly squeezing his forearm.

-Come with us, Billy. We need a genius,- said Alicia, batting her eyelashes.

-Thanks, but Steve and Rachel are incomplete, - said Billy.

He didn't like doing all the work for a group, falling into the cliché of helping cheerleaders who relied on charm alone.

-Well, if you don't know, Rachel and Steve are a duo because they're the most problematic people when it comes to group work. They're a couple who constantly break up and get back together, ever since the beginning of high school. They'll likely interfere in a way that you won't like, and you'll end up frustrated. If they break up just before the presentation, you'll probably be close to failing the assignment, - Alice explained.

-How do I know this isn't a setup? - asked Billy.

-Well, the fact that they're kissing right now is a little evidence to support my theory, - Alice replied with a laugh.

-Just because they're a couple doesn't prove anything beyond that, - argued Billy.

-Ha! Come on, sit here, -  laughed Alice, and Billy could only nod, joining the group with Alice. They had a playful back-and-forth dynamic, and Alice never accepted a 'no' as an answer. Claudia's spoiled little girl would always throw terrible tantrums, and Billy would eventually give in to her requests.

-Well, since I'm on your team, I want to know the progress you've made so far, - said Billy.

-Progress? You sound like my dad when someone calls him on the phone,- said Abby, another blonde, slightly less attractive than Alice.

-We started yesterday and brought some bibliographical material to work on the essay. Abby wants to create slides with basic images, and we are working on the essay, criticizing the insensitivity of black communities in their language towards others, - explained Alice.

-Which author are we dealing with? - asked Billy.

-Mark Twain. -

-Alright, I'll proceed as per your instructions, - replied Billy.

-Perfect, Abby and Julie will take care of the slides. I would handle the essay, but now it seems you'll have to help me with it. It's due on Monday, and today is the last advanced English class we have. We'll do some work now, and the rest during the free period after lunch, - said Alice.

-I don't have a free period; I have two hours of philosophy. After that, I have dance class, - replied Billy.

Alice made a strained face, her soft blonde eyebrows knitting together, giving her a somewhat unappealing but still charming look.

-I see, so you want something more private. Oh, Billy, you're such a bad boy! How about tomorrow? What's your schedule like? - said Alice.

-Just as busy. I have some time on Sunday morning. We can meet here at school or the public library, - said Billy.

-Dreaming! I'd never go to the public library in the morning. You can do your part and come to my house to drop it off. That's the most I can concede on this matter, - said Alice.

-Perfect, I'll work on my draft and deliver it on Sunday. Could you write down the address for me? - said Billy.

-Of course, it's xxxx – xxxxx – xxx, the big house with the red garage, number 23. It's the prettiest one in the area, - replied Alice.

-Alright, I'll be there around 10 in the morning on Sunday, - said Billy, taking some books and preparing to read about the work he had for the day.

Billy thought to himself that with three hours of work, he could finish the essay as quickly as possible. He missed the internet dearly. The endless pages of scientific information on almost every topic were unimaginable for this time when technology wasn't as advanced.

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