第24部分(第6/7 頁)

。　？I？ve　always　wanted　to　go　to　Cannes；？　she　replied；　thoughtfully

slurping　her　cappuccino。　？And　your　new　project　sounds　really　。　。　。　awesome。　But　I　got　accepted

early　to　NYU。　I？ve　wanted　to　go　there　since　I　was　eleven　years　old。　There？s　no　way　I？m

deferring。？

？But　what　about　my　film？　Child　prostitution！　Animals　abandoning　their　young！　This　is

groundbreaking　stuff！？　Ken　Mogul　spluttered；　spitting　all　over　the　counter。　Vanessa　thought　that　if

he？d　had　more　of　a　chin；　the　spit　might　not　have　gone　so　far。

Over　Ken？s　shoulder　Vanessa　noticed　a　light　blue　flyer　pinned　to　a　bulletin　board。

Rivington　Rover　Poetry　Club　Open　Mike

featuring　readings　by

Daniel　Humphrey　and　Mystery　Craze

Thursday；　8P。M。

No　wonder　Dan　had　been　blowing　her　off　all　week。　He　was　busy　being　famous。

？Vanessa？　Are　you　still　with　me？？　Ken　demanded。　？First　lesson　you　learn　in　this　business　is　the

clock　never　stops　ticking。？

Vanessa　smiled　her　half…amused；　half…pissed…off　Mona　Lisa　smile。　As　flattered　as　she　was　that

Ken　had　asked　her　to　work　with　him；　she　had　no　intention　of　being　a　mini…Mogul。　She　wanted

to　develop　herown　voice　and　herown　career；　not　put　all　her　energy　into　someone　else？s　work；

however　brilliant。　She　shook　her　closely　shaved　dark　head。　？I？m　sorry。？

Ken　Mogul？s　barely　there　chin　disappeared　altogether　as　he　lost　his　cool　pletely。　？I？ve　never

offered　to　partner　with　anyone；？　he　said　grimly。　？This　is　the　opportunity　of　a　lifetime。　I？m　giving

you　the　chance　to　make　a　feature　film　before　you　turn　twenty。　It？s　unheard　of！？

That　old　guy　at　the　Culture　of　Humanity　show　had　advised　her　not　to　take　her　talent　too　seriously。

Ken　obviously　took