Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 77: The Husky Girl]

Ryan waited until the concert was nearing its end, mainly to see Taylor.

"Time to clock out." Taylor, having finished her guest performance, changed out of her outfit and appeared in front of Ryan with Erica by her side.

As the three of them left through the employee corridor, stepping out the back door of the venue, they were instantly surrounded by a throng of fans, all supporters of the Jonas Brothers.

This time, not only did many fans ask Taylor for autographs, but Ryan found himself encircled too, making it impossible to move.

Ryan had rarely shown himself in public areas before, so this was his first taste of celebrity treatment. Surprisingly, more people sought Ryan's autograph than Taylor's.

The crowd was overwhelming, and it didn't help that hands were a bit too touchy!

While signing autographs, Taylor occasionally looked around from time to time. When she saw the young girls taking intimate photos with Ryan -- not only were they very close to him, but many of them even took the initiative to hug him, with their eyes were like venomous snakes -- her expression shifted to one of concern.

As the situation grew increasingly chaotic, a man in a director's jacket holding a megaphone nearby looked utterly helpless. "Wrong person! The star hasn't even shown up yet! Everyone disperse!"

With a few shouts, the frenzied "fans" began to gradually part ways.

Ryan then noticed the crew nearby with cameras and boom mics -- these weren't fans at all; they were background actors posing as fans.

"Oh, I remember now, this is for the Jonas Brothers 3D Concert film," Taylor finally realized, acknowledging that she and Ryan had inadvertently wandered onto the set.

Concert films, in essence, recorded live performances and infused behind-the-scenes snippets, re-editing them into a movie to entice fans to contribute to box office sales. Such ventures weren't uncommon, but only stars with significant box office appeal got this kind of treatment.

As for Taylor's previous guest spot in Hannah Montana: The Movie, that was more of a spinoff series, leaning toward a feature film format.

Though the production scale of the Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience was a notch lower, Disney still incorporated some "narrative shots" in the film, arranging a bunch of extras to act as overly enthusiastic female fans, who would rush the Brothers like zombies at the sight of them.

Ryan felt a little foolish -- he'd thought he might actually have such devoted female fans. Just earlier, he'd taken particular notice of one girl.

She left a huge impression on him -- big and well-endowed.

Now, as he scanned the crowd, he struggled to find her again.

"What are you looking at? We should get going," Taylor tugged at Ryan's sleeve.

Reluctantly, Ryan followed Taylor away from the crowd but stopped after just a few steps.

"Maybe we should wait a second. I just spotted a girl who would be perfect for the music video," Ryan explained.

Taylor gave him a questioning look. "You mean she's attractive, right?"

"That's not the only thing," Ryan said while turning around just in time to see the Jonas Brothers had exited, and the background actors were rushing toward them once more.

"I want to see who's got a hold on your soul," Taylor replied, humorously resigned, and stood with Ryan.

...

Patience paid off, and Ryan finally caught sight of the girl again in the corner of the crowd. She had brown hair and wore a light green outfit that showcased her impressive figure -- she cut an impressive silhouette, showing off her curves from a side view.

For too long, Ryan had dealt with girls who were flatter than pancakes, except for Irina, but she was a different story. However, the young lady before him -- a clearly stunning figure -- was a different caliber altogether.

Even better, not only was her figure breathtaking, but she also had an attractive face, complemented by her big blue eyes and slightly dazed expression, reminiscent of a husky.

...

Ryan waited patiently for the scene to wrap, during which the Brothers walked by, and Joe thought Taylor was waiting for him until he caught sight of Ryan beside her, leaving no choice but to turn away. Ryan's size would've made it no issue to go one-on-one with any of them.

Ryan then stepped forward, followed by Tyler. Ryan took the initiative to strike up a conversation with the girl.

The other party was startled and saw Taylor next to Ryan. Although she didn't recognize Ryan, she clearly recognized Taylor. She wasn't too tuned into the latest entertainment news and had no idea about Ryan and Taylor's rumored relationship, mistaking Ryan for Taylor's younger brother because of their closeness.

"32F, real," she responded, nodding.

Ryan felt a little awkward since he had just asked about her age.

"How old?" Taylor exclaimed from the side.

Being a woman, her focus was on appearance, and she suddenly realized what truly defined beauty.

No way, that couldn't be possible!

"Sorry, I'm 22," the girl said with a slight giggle, sharing her stats: 5'8" tall and 135 pounds; all of them added up to an undeniable stunning figure.

She concluded by revealing her name.

Alexandra Daddario -- she really did fit her name!

Then Ryan disclosed his intention for the chat.

"Music video?" Alexandra Daddario glanced at Taylor, thinking as it was Taylor's video.

"It's not mine; it's his," Taylor pointed at Ryan.

"Oh, that's great! I'm... actually really busy, filming several projects, not as background, but real roles. I'm just here accompanying a friend, but I can totally squeeze time in for a music video, so when is it?" Alexandra Daddario nodded repeatedly, saying that she was "quite busy" and mentioned the specific shooting time at the end to prevent Ryan from regretting it.

"We'll try to start filming this week," Ryan said.

Alexandra Daddario's smile grew even brighter, revealing a set of pearly white teeth: "That's great! When can I get the script? I happen to have time to read it today."

"Do you have an assistant? You can have them come pick it up," Taylor chimed in.

"An assistant? Yes, of course I do, but she's also very busy. So, I can just go with you!" Alexandra Daddario nodded again.

This way, she could save on transportation costs.

...

And so, Alexandra Daddario got into the car with Ryan and Taylor, with Taylor's assistant, Erika, behind the wheel.

Taylor sat in the front passenger seat, while Ryan and Alexandra Daddario took the back.

Ryan began explaining the general plot of the music video to Alexandra Daddario.

"Two sisters live in a rural world where they feel out of place... Then, guided by a mysterious symbol, they find a world that belongs to them, which is me. Through my music, they break free from their inner chains!"

After Ryan finished, Alexandra Daddario paused for two seconds before belatedly clapping: "Brilliant, absolutely brilliant."

Taylor, sitting in the front, burst into laughter.

"Anyway, it's a great music video. Ryan, you're so talented, just like Taylor," Alexandra Daddario said with a sheepish grin.

"Exactly, he's deeply influenced by me," Taylor added, partly to assert her dominance.

To Alexandra Daddario, this sounded like solid proof that the two were siblings.

She nodded emphatically: "I'll bring my A-game, I won't let you down!"

Ryan then asked her some other questions, like about her agent.

"You know, smart young actors don't like having agents," Alexandra Daddario quickly explained. In truth, she did have one, but the agent managed over a hundred people, and she was just one of the less noticeable ones.

"Works? Oh, I've done plenty. Like my debut film The Squid and the Whale, which was nominated for an Oscar! Then I worked with Ethan Hawke, who's a huge star. After that, I was in a commercial horror movie..." she listed them off proudly.

...

"The Squid and the Whale was indeed nominated for an Oscar, but it was for Best Original Screenplay. And working with Ethan Hawke? He was just the director and cinematographer -- they didn't share any scenes. It's worth mentioning that the film grossed a whopping $130,000 globally. As for that commercial horror movie, I couldn't even find it online."

After seeing Alexandra Daddario off, Ryan started looking up her background. Clearly, she was just a little-known actress.

"Actors aren't defined by their fame, as long as they're the right fit," Taylor said, picking out clothes for the movie wrap party.

She was actually quite satisfied with Alexandra Daddario. Before leaving, Alexandra Daddario had made a point to say goodbye to Taylor, showing her great respect. Little did she know, Alexandra Daddario thought Ryan was only able to release his song because of his "sister's" backing.

"I even gave her a secret mission," Taylor said mysteriously as she unfolded a dress, clearly hinting that the mission had something to do with Ryan.

"What mission?"

"I told you, it's a secret mission. Don't ask."

*****

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