"Who am I? Are you sure you really want to know?"
The movie began, and even before the opening credits finished, the narration cut in.
Gloria was slightly taken aback. That voice... Anson?
At the same time, outside the Royal Theatre, Blair and Karen sat on the curb, looking a bit tired but still buzzing with excitement and thrill.
It was clear they lacked the experience to get into the premiere, but they weren't ready to leave. They needed to calm down a bit from the excitement, and they were also curious about the reactions after the screening.
Like them, many other fans had gathered, chatting animatedly and sharing their thoughts about the premiere. The recent events seemed like a dream—too wonderful to be real.
Happiness swelled in Blair's chest, but she couldn't help glancing back at the theater's tall spire, her gaze full of curiosity and longing. She began to imagine.
"The movie should have started by now, right?"
Without seeing him, they first heard his voice—
Gloria had to admit, Sam Raimi, being a horror movie director, really knew how to create suspense right from the start. The gloomy atmosphere of the opening sequence seamlessly transitioned into a spider web, blending animation with reality, as the movie slowly began.
"Don't listen to my story if you're faint-hearted. If someone told you this is a comedy... and that I'm just a normal guy without any worries, they're lying."
"But I promise, like any great story, this one's about a girl."
The camera cut to a shot inside a bus, showing a bright and radiant girl's face on the big screen. Young and fresh, with a hint of thoughtfulness behind her smile, she gazed into the distance as the wind gently blew her hair.
"That's her."
"The girl next door, Mary Jane Watson."
"The girl I've had a crush on since I was a kid."
Then, a strong arm wrapped around the girl's shoulders. Her smile faltered slightly, and she quickly concealed the thoughts brewing in her eyes, flashing a big smile at the handsome, short-haired man beside her.
"I wish I could say the guy sitting next to her was me."
The camera shifted to another seat, showing a round-faced boy scarfing down donuts, with jam oozing between his fingers.
"Hey, even if it was him, I'd be okay with that."
The round-faced boy heard a tapping on the bus window—
Tap, tap.
He looked out the window and started laughing.
Haha.
Running alongside the moving bus was a long, slender hand knocking on the glass, and a voice shouting desperately.
"Hey, stop the bus!"
The bus interior filled with laughter. The camera zoomed in on the rearview mirror, where you could see a nerdy guy with black-framed glasses sprinting behind the bus, his coat flapping in the wind.
But it was anything but graceful.
"That's me."
This scene created a subtle contrast, with a touch of self-deprecation that naturally elicited some chuckles from the audience in the Royal Theatre.
Gloria knew she shouldn't laugh—the nerd in the movie was clearly a target of bullying and exclusion, someone she could empathize with. She didn't want to join the bullies. Yet, despite herself, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly—
Because the nerd was Anson.
It was easy for Gloria to recognize him instantly, without any difficulty.
"Please, ask the driver to stop."
"Stop the bus!"
"Hey, stop the bus!"
Though the nerd's voice made it inside the bus, no one cared. The students were all laughing, and even the bus driver had a mischievous smile.
Finally, Mary Jane couldn't hold back any longer. "Stop the bus!" She rushed to the front, yelling at the driver who was enjoying the scene. "He's been chasing us since Woodhaven Boulevard."
A student in the back chimed in, "Get a taxi, Parker!"
But the bus driver couldn't pretend to ignore it any longer and finally stopped.
Oh.
A collective sigh of disappointment rose from the onlookers inside the bus.
The nerd finally got on, panting as he looked at the driver. "Thanks. Sorry I'm late."
Before he could finish, a wad of crumpled paper hit him square in the forehead.
Haha.
The bus erupted in laughter.
Strangely enough, there was no laughter in the theater this time. Despite the scene being filled with typical teenage pranks, the audience stayed silent.
On screen, the nerd was unmistakably Anson—
Plaid shirt. Hoodie. Black-framed glasses.
A gray, unremarkable outfit that made him blend into the background. His short hair was messy, and his forehead was damp with sweat, making him look even more disheveled.
It was clear he was an outsider in school.
But.
From the moment this ordinary boy appeared, his on-screen persona seamlessly matched the real-life Anson, as seen on the red carpet. Quiet, unassuming, yet radiating a gentle warmth, like sunlight on a cold winter day.
He could be the neighbor next door, the guy sitting next to you in biology class, the one who'd help you fix your bike chain on the way home, or the kid who won the science fair but never stood in the spotlight.
He could be anyone.
Ordinary. Simple. Just quietly living his life, yet always shining in his own way.
Effortlessly, without realizing it, Gloria felt a deep connection to this ordinary boy—
And it wasn't because of his looks.
Gloria would never deny that she first liked Anson because of his appearance. Even now, she was still mesmerized by his looks, which made everything seem more beautiful.
Before "Spider-Man" premiered, Gloria's biggest concern was that Anson's handsome face didn't exactly scream "ordinary." Would he be like "The Princess Diaries" and have to make himself ugly?
Otherwise, how could anyone relate? It wouldn't be convincing, right?
But now, that wasn't the case at all.
This ordinary boy wasn't suave, wasn't handsome, wasn't glamorous. His good looks were hidden, and he looked even more ordinary than Michael from "The Princess Diaries."
And yet, Gloria still found herself rooting for this ordinary boy.
Now, she finally understood why Anson had chosen such a look for the premiere. From the red carpet to the theater to the big screen, step by step, he brought his real-life image into the movie, breaking the fourth wall and creating a deep connection.
He represented every ordinary high school student.
Including Gloria, and everyone else in the theater at that moment—
The nerd, rejected, teased, and bullied, was tripped by another student as he gazed at Mary Jane.
Thud.
The nerd fell flat, his glasses flying off as his cheek hit the ground. The laughter on the big screen grew louder, but in the theater, there was only silence.
Without realizing it, they were already fully immersed.