HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN⎪OCEANS ELEVEN

card games

18-year-old Iris Ocean stood, lighting a cigarette, outside the club where she and Rusty taught celebrities how to play card games. Rusty stood next to her eating a greasy cheeseburger, while they procrastinated going inside.

"Hey 'Ris, Russ! Hey Iris, Rusty!" A male voice called out to them.

They turned towards the man and realised it was the final celebrity they had been waiting on before they could start the lesson, Topher Grace.

"Let me ask you a question," Topher said, as the three of them walked down a back alley into the club, "Are you two incorporated?" They scoffed and Iris rolled her eyes.

"Well okay" Topher started again, "If you're not, you should really think about it because I was talking to my manager last night."

"Bernie." They said.

"No, not Bernie," Topher corrected, "My business manager- actually, you know what? They're both named Bernie. Anyway, he was telling me that because of what we do can be considered, like, research for, like, a future gig or whatever, I could totally make it a tax write-off. The one thing is, and this is, like, just his thing and it's stupid, but I'd have to pay you by check." Iris and Rusty paused and looked at Topher with the same look he had seen hundreds of times before when he did something at the poker table that either of them had advised against.

"What?" he started, trying not to sweat against the blank stares he was receiving, "Or we could just stick to cash." Iris nodded and Rusty gave him a small positive gesture and they continued walking.

"Yeah, let's - yeah, let's just stick to cash." He said to their backs and followed them.

"Alright." Rusty started, holding the cards while Iris made herself comfortable gesturing to take them, "We're gonna begin with 5-Card Draw. Everybody remember 5-Card Draw?" Around the table sat, Holly Marie Combs, Joshua Jackson, Barry Watson, Shane West, and Topher all nodded as Iris began shuffling the deck of cards Rusty handed her.

"Who wants to start us out?" Iris asked the group, "Josh?"

"Yeah," he replied, as she handed him the deck of cards and he began to deal them out to the other players.

"Josh." She said.

"Yeah?"

"To the left." She explained again, "Deal to your left. Shane?"

"Hit me." He said.

"It's not Blackjack," Rusty stated.

"Dude," Topher chuckled as the others joined in on the laughter.

"Lookin' at 'em doesn't change 'em" Rusty told Barry, as he stared at his cards nervously, "You know what you have."

"Okay. Let's do it" Josh said, as he began dealing again.

"Josh", Rusty tried to remind the actor once again.

"Left, left," Josh repeated, "I'll get it."

"Lady bets." Rusty encouraged Holly, "Let's keep it movin'."

"Blue." Holly stated.

"Blue. That's a fifty." Iris told the table.

"I will call you." Shane responded.

"Okay." Rusty encouraged, "Alright, Shane's calling. 50."

"There it is." The actor said as he put the poker chip on the middle of the table.

"What the hell, it's only pocket change," Topher chuckled, causing the other celebrities to laugh, "Right?"

"How you bet is your business," Iris told him, "You want to make them think that you're betting for a reason.