Hollywood: Lights, Ink, Entertainment!

….

February 2nd, 2010.

.

The Next Morning.

By 10 a.m., one of the sections in the independent bookstore called Books & Books in Miami, FL, started to buzz in preparation for the launch event of a book.

Regal and Gwendolyn arrived thirty minutes later. By then, the space was alive with activity.

Everleaf Press ground staff were already done with the main things, like setting up the stage with decoration works ongoing.

Overall, the empty venue space slowly began to take the shape of an official event.

Regal didn't hang back.

He jumped in to help where he could, his eyes catching the simple but thoughtful setup.

A five-foot-tall banner featuring the cover of [Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone] stood as the centerpiece, and fresh flowers dotted the tables, giving everything a neat, welcoming vibe.

The seats were arranged in a tidy semicircle, around the small stage - enough to hold 30 to 50 guests.

Regal glanced at the stack of books on the display table near the entrance, each one ready for curious hands to pick them up.

Next to them, a cash box and card reader were set up alongside, looking more official than Regal felt.

On the refreshment table, cookies, crackers, coffee, and juice were laid out as offerings from their side. Gwendolyn had been the mastermind behind all of it, even managing to score the snacks as donations.

"Looks good, right?" She asked confidently, walking by with a clipboard in hand

She had just finished contacting to verify how things were going on at the other two locations.

Regal simply nodded and leaned against the back wall, watching the technicians adjust the microphones.

"Testing, testing... one, two, three." The sound tech's voice crackled over the speakers before fading into silence.

After a few more clicks and some static, everything was good to go.

The room was slowly filling with guests, credit to the effort of the team members handing out flyers to passersby, pulling in anyone who looked remotely curious.

Gwendolyn and Regal kept busy, double-checking the flow of things.

Every so often, a few passersby stop by the entrance, their eyes scanning the room with a mix of curiosity and interest.

….

The doors are officially open.

Staff members greeted guests warmly, guiding them to their seats or pointing them to the refreshment table

Regal occasionally caught the snippets of conversation as attendees browsed the book display or helped themselves to coffee.

A couple of kids sneaked cookies, giggling as they tried not to get caught.

Gwendolyn had already stepped into 'host' mode, greeting the attendees with utmost professionalism.

Meanwhile, a sign-in sheet was passed around, asking guests to leave their names and emails for future marketing. 

Regal, on the other hand, found himself on the receiving end of congratulations.

Strangers approached him with polite smiles, offering kind words about his debut. He returned their smiles just as politely, but inwardly, he was unsure how to interpret their remarks.

It would have been easier to take in their congratulations after the event had proven itself successful.

But hearing it now, before anything had even begun, felt premature - like people were already expecting a mediocre time, and softening the blow of potential disappointment for the young author.

Luckily, not everyone approached him with empty praise. A few guests lingered by the book display, taking their time to flip through the pages.

Regal caught glimpses of their approving nods, which did more to settle his nerves than any obligatory compliments.

From his vantage point, he observed it all - the mingling guests and the curious glances toward the design of the cover.

For now, everyone moved at their own pace, exploring the venue and finding their footing before the event officially kicked off.

Despite being highly confident, only now did Regal feel a strange mix of emotions - part excitement, part doubt, and a dash of cautious hope.

tud–!

?!Something bumped into his leg, jolting him out of his thoughts.

Startled, he looked down and found a small girl, likely around eight or nine years old. Her wide, sparkling eyes held a mix of curiosity and mischief as she stared up at him. Her tiny hand clutched the edge of his pants, as if trying to confirm he was real.

Regal blinked, crouching down slightly to her level.

"Uh... hey there." He said, his voice caught between confusion and amusement. "You lost, or just really interested in my pants?"

"Hehhe~" The girl giggled, her grip tightening just a bit as she tilted her head, still silent.

Regal glanced around, but there was no sign of anyone looking for her. It seemed she had wandered off on her own.

"Well, if you are here for the cookies, you are going the wrong way." He pointed toward the refreshment table.

The girl followed his gesture with a curious gaze before shaking her head vigorously.

"No, cookie. Books! I want one!" She said, her little hands gesturing animatedly, as if the entire world should understand her desire for a book.

Regal raised an eyebrow, scanning the room once more for any sign of her guardian.

But the little girl stood firmly at his side, her face glowing with innocent resolve to get her hands on a book.

"Books, huh?" He grinned. "Well, you're in luck, princess. There's a whole table of them right over there." He gestured toward the display. "But you have to promise me something first."

The girl tilted her head, her wide eyes locking onto him, waiting for the catch.

"After you read it, you have to tell me what you think. Deal?"

Upon hearing the deal, the girl's face brightened, and she nodded enthusiastically, her curly hair bouncing with the motion.

Regal straightened up and gently guided her toward the book table, her small hand tugging on his sleeve, as though she couldn't get close enough to the books fast enough.

"Alright, little one. Pick whichever one you like." He said, motioning to the neatly arranged stacks of books.

She paused, scanning the covers with all the focus of someone making a life-altering decision. Despite his suggestion, Regal knew all the books were the same.

After a few moments, her face lit up, and she pointed excitedly at one particular book. "This one!"

Regal picked up the book she had chosen, handing it over to her.

"Good choice." He said, offering a smile, his eyes flicking around to make sure no one was paying too much attention.

He lowered his voice slightly. "Also, don't tell anyone I gave it to you for free, okay?"

The girl's face practically radiated joy as she hugged the book to her chest, her feet hopping in place as she skipped around excitedly.

Just then, Regal noticed a woman approaching. She was scanning the room, her eyes sharp, until they locked onto the little girl.

Her pace quickened as she called out, her voice cutting through the chatter in the room. "Lily!"

The girl turned at the sound of her name, holding up the book like a trophy. "Look, Mommy! I got a book!"

The woman smiled warmly, bending down to meet her daughter at eye level.

"That's wonderful, sweetheart." She turned her gaze to Regal, her smile still in place.

Her eyes flicked briefly to the ID card hanging from Regal's neck, recognition flashing through her expression as she took in his staff badge.

"Thank you." She said, standing upright. "I am sorry. I didn't realize she had wandered off. She is quite persistent when it comes to books."

Her smile softened, the apology clearly lingering in her tone.

Regal shook his head, glancing at Lily, who was now hugging the book close to her.

"Not at all." He said, his voice softening.

The woman gave a slight nod, shifting her weight, and then scooped Lily up into her arms.

The little girl didn't protest.

Instead, she turned around, her grin wide and utterly infectious, the kind of unguarded joy that only children can so easily wear.

"Thank you, mister!" She shouted, turning over her mother's shoulder as she started walking toward the row of chairs.

Regal watched them go, his hand rising instinctively to wave them off, a strange warmth pooling in his chest.

He found himself standing there for a moment longer than he expected, a little lost in the fleeting but pure moment.

The book launch had been nothing short of an uphill struggle, full of uncertainties and stress.

But this? It felt like a win.

When Regal finally shook his head and glanced around, his eyes landed on Gwendolyn, who had clearly been watching the exchange with an amused expression.

She gave a subtle nod.

Regal tilted his head, a faint smirk forming.

"Is this what a 'fan moment' feels like?" He muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Gwendolyn caught it, of course.

She always did.

Her smirk widened as she shot back. "Don't get too cocky, Junior."

Regal rolled his eyes.

….

.

Soon lights flickered for a moment, signaling the start of the event.

A hushed murmur of anticipation filled the room as the host stepped up to the microphone.

"Good afternoon, everyone." the host began with a warm smile, looking out at the gathered crowd. "Thank you all for being here today to celebrate the launch of this incredible new book. We are about to hear from the talented author, Regal Seraphsail."

The host continued. "Today's event is not just a book launch…"

A few more words of praise, and then the host grinned, his eyes scanning the eager faces in the room.

"Without further ado." the host said. "Please join me in welcoming Regal Seraphsail to the stage!"

Polite applause added as Regal made his way to the podium, adjusting the microphone as the sound of clapping faded quickly.

Then, a high-pitched voice cut through, unmistakable and full of excitement.

"Mama, look! It's him, that mister from before!"

Regal's eyes instinctively darted toward the third row.

There, the same little girl from earlier, her face glowing with enthusiasm, was tugging at her mother's sleeve. Her small hand pointed straight at him, eyes wide with unrestrained joy, blissfully unaware of the significance of the event.

?Regal blinked, surprised. He shot her a small smile and a wave, trying to shake the awkwardness.

"Well, I don't know about the number of readers I have gained with this event." He said into the mic, his tone casual. "But I think I have definitely gained a new friend. Though, she is maybe a little too young, or just a bit too eager."

Laughter rippled through the crowd, some chuckling at the unexpected warmth in his voice.

The mother's surprised reaction mirrored that of several others in the room.

Despite a few nodding, it was clear they hadn't anticipated Regal to be the author.

It wasn't hard to see why.

His youth was obvious, but it wasn't just his age that threw people off, it was his easygoing demeanor, the stark contrast to the polished image many had of an author.

He let the silence hang for a second, watching them all. Then, he cleared his throat.

"Hey, everyone." He began again, a more grounded tone settling in. "Thanks for showing up today."

He scanned the room, continuing with a half-smile. "I am not much for speeches, so I will keep this brief. As you can probably tell, I didn't do this for fame or recognition. It's simple, I just wanted to tell a story. And yeah, maybe make a little money along the way."

He paused, letting the words hang.

His eyes flicked over to Gwendolyn, the sight of her offering the faintest spark of reassurance.

With that, he grinned. "Thanks again for being here. I hope you enjoy the book, and if you don't, well... I guess I will try harder next time."

The crowd laughed, and Regal gave an easy shrug before stepping away from the podium.

The Q&A wrapped up quickly, the usual questions coming and going without much fanfare.

A line began to form at the signing table. Regal took his seat, pulling a pen from his pocket and setting it in front of him, ready for the next step.

It wasn't a huge crowd, he knew the book was still fresh, but this was just the start.

He greeted each person who came forward with a smile.

Then it was Lilly's turn.

She stood there, still holding her mother's hand.

Before Regal could say anything, the mother spoke first, clearly flustered.

"I am sorry." She said, her cheeks flushed a little. "I didn't know you were the author. She has been talking about you nonstop since she saw you on stage."

Regal chuckled softly, shaking his head.

Then his eyes darted to Lilly.

His attention shifted to Lilly, still wide-eyed.

"So, what do you think of the book, Lilly?" He asked, fully aware she probably hadn't read it yet, but still curious.

Lilly's face lit up. She nodded vigorously. "I like it! I wanna read it, but my mama says I have to wait until I reach home."

"Well, I think you're going to love it when you read it." Regal replied, keeping the tone light and playful. He scribbled a quick note in the book, making sure to add a personal touch. 'To Lilly, the future wizard, may your adventures be magical'.

He handed it back, giving her a wink. She beamed, and her mom smiled in appreciation.

It was a small moment, but it made Regal's day.

As the line slowly started to wind down, Regal leaned back in his chair, looking at the books stacked on the table.

.

….

[To be continued…]

★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★

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