Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 225: A Pounding Heartbeat

Anna tiptoed into the room and whispered, "She goes to bed early, so try not to make noise. Would you like something to drink?"

Jacob followed her awkwardly, unaware that his nerves made him move stiffly, like a penguin shuffling along. He didn't dare to look around, focusing straight ahead to avoid appearing too eager.

Suddenly, Anna turned and whispered softly, "I only have whiskey."

Jacob was caught off guard and found himself staring into her eyes. The room was dimly lit by two table lamps on the bedside table and the desk, casting a soft glow. Her eyes sparkled like dewdrops reflecting the first light of dawn, flowing like a warm spring.

Jacob nodded dumbly, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "Sure," he said reflexively. Anna didn't notice his reaction as she tossed her small backpack onto the bed and turned to get the whiskey. Only then did Jacob realize his gaze had been fixed on her, making him uncomfortable. He lowered his eyes to the deep beige carpet, trying to hide his unease.

He caught a glimpse of Anna's movements out of the corner of his eye and finally spoke up, "I don't really drink much, actually." He tilted his head, lightly scratching his eyebrow, then awkwardly dropped his hand, unsure of what to do with it. Eventually, he stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets.

Anna's apartment didn't have proper glasses, so she used a ceramic cup for sake and a glass cup usually for water. Each of them took one. Jacob looked at his glass cup, feeling oddly sentimental: Was he the first guest here?

Jacob glanced at Anna's eyes but found her also looking at him, her smile gently widening. He quickly raised his cup, "Cheers."

His voice echoed too loudly in the room, making both of them freeze. They stood there like statues, muscles tense, eyes darting around. After a moment of silence without any complaints, they both sighed in relief, a shared amusement bubbling up.

Anna bit her lower lip to suppress her smile but couldn't help stealing glances at Jacob's shy, nervous smile. Her heart fluttered with a girlish glee, and she quickly took a sip of whiskey.

Unexpectedly, due to her nerves, she took a big gulp, finishing two-thirds of it in one go. She noticed Jacob had only taken a small sip and remembered he said he didn't drink much. This realization made her cheeks burn as she studied Jacob's face, seeing a soft blush tint his features like a delicate mist.

It was the first time she'd seen a man so unskilled at drinking. Was he drinking whiskey like a regular beverage just for her? Or maybe... was this his first time drinking whiskey?

Anna chuckled softly, her heart leaping. She watched Jacob awkwardly raise his right hand, only to realize he was holding a cup, making him even more unsure. Anna's smile widened at his awkwardness, and she heard him mutter, "This is strong."

Anna looked down, hiding her smile, and nodded, "Mm." Then she noticed they'd been standing the whole time, stiff and awkward. Jacob looked like a good student standing at attention, so she quickly sat on the bed, trying to make the atmosphere more comfortable.

Jacob relaxed slightly, sneaking glances at Anna but still avoiding a full look around the room. He focused on the least girly corner—the desk. "Is this the chair where you sit and write?" he asked cautiously, moving to sit on the chair but still tense.

"It's not very comfortable," he half-joked, shifting in the seat.

Anna laughed outright. She'd never heard such a clumsy conversation starter. "As long as it works," she said, nodding seriously.

Jacob realized his awkwardness and scratched his eyebrow again, disguising his gaze shift to the items on the desk. He noticed a stack of CDs. "Do you like Paul Simon?"

"Yes, do you?" Anna asked, watching his curious expression.

Jacob smiled, relaxing further. "Yes, I love Paul Simon." He carefully pulled out a CD, inadvertently knocking over some postcards. He widened his eyes apologetically at Anna.

Anna waved off his concern, her eyes lighting up. "Really?"

Jacob held the CD, carefully setting his glass aside. "Yes, I love the album 'Graceland'." He opened the album, browsing the tracklist. "It's really great."

Anna beamed. "That's my favorite album."

Jacob held up the album, gesturing with his eyes. Anna understood and nodded. "Of course."

Anna put the "Graceland" album on the player, and as the soft music played, they both finally relaxed. Jacob took off his jacket, and at Anna's invitation, found a spot on the bed—the room was too small for much else besides the uncomfortable chair.

Jacob sat cross-legged, straight-backed, as if attending a lecture. Anna, propped up on pillows, lounged gracefully, watching Jacob quietly. The silence stretched, comfortable and serene. Jacob's eyes kept drifting to Anna's smile, his peripheral vision catching the light in her eyes.

"Can you read something to me?" Jacob asked, breaking the silence.

"What do you want me to read?" Anna asked, lowering her gaze to Jacob's sock-clad feet. She liked his outfit today, a simple gray shirt with black jeans and black low-top Converse. It was a clean, fresh look.

Anna raised her eyes and met Jacob's gaze, both of them smiling softly. "Something you wrote," Jacob said, his smile widening.

Anna hesitated, wanting to say no, but the words turned into, "Okay." How could she refuse that smile?

Anna got off the bed and found her notebook on the desk. She turned back, looking serious. "You can't laugh at me."

Jacob laughed lightly, a gentle breeze bringing the scent of the sea and the warmth of the sun. He shook his head, "Of course not."

Anna couldn't help but laugh with him. She sat back down, took a deep breath, and found her courage. "I've never read aloud before." She looked into Jacob's deep brown eyes. "So you'll be the first. Are you sure you want to hear it?" Anna saw the tenderness in Jacob's smile and nodded, biting her lip and then nodding back, determined.

"I thought I understood, could grasp it, but I didn't. Not at all," Anna read nervously. "All I saw was the surface, hiding the precious, suppressed longing within..." She felt his intense gaze and paused, looking up. She found herself lost in his deep, steady eyes, filled with desire and tenderness, as if the world had stopped, leaving only his gaze.

Thump, thump, thump.

Anna could hear her heartbeat clearly, enveloped by a warm glow of emotion.

Anna's mind went blank, captivated by his radiant gaze. She fell gently into its warmth, losing all sense of the world around her. His eyes were deep and focused, childlike yet burning with passion, like a free fall into a soft embrace, breaking down all her defenses. Her heart pounded loudly, filling the silence.

In that moment, she was lost, falling in love, feeling her heart race with a sweet, unrestrained joy.