The morning of the Southwest Airlines audition, Roxie stood in front of her bathroom mirror, running through her lines one more time. The apartment was quiet, save for the muffled sounds of traffic outside and the faint hum of the fridge in the kitchen. She could feel the familiar knot of nerves tightening in her stomach, but she forced herself to breathe, focusing on the reflection in the mirror.
"Come on, Roxie, you've got this," she whispered to herself, her voice echoing slightly in the cramped space.
She practiced her smile, the one that was supposed to be warm and inviting, like the young wife she'd be playing in the commercial. Her hair was pulled into loose waves, framing her face, and she'd chosen a casual but neat outfit: a soft blue sweater and a pair of fitted jeans. It was simple but clean, the kind of look she hoped would appeal to the casting directors.
The lines were simple enough. A light-hearted conversation about taking a spontaneous trip with her "husband" and flying Southwest for the best experience. It wasn't Shakespeare, but it was the kind of commercial that could get her foot in the door, a national spot with huge exposure.
But as she looked at herself in the mirror, Roxie's mind buzzed with doubt. What if she wasn't what they were looking for? What if she wasn't good enough?
She grabbed her bag and keys, shaking the thoughts away. There was no time for second-guessing now.
The casting office was buzzing with activity when Roxie arrived. It was a bright, modern space with floor-to-ceiling windows and minimalist furniture. The waiting area was filled with other actresses, all dressed in similar "young wife" looks, casual sweaters, floral blouses, perfect hair, perfect smiles. Roxie felt a familiar twinge of insecurity as she took a seat, her eyes scanning the room.
They all look like they belong here. Do I?
She shook the thought away again, reminding herself of Ryan's confidence in her. He believed she could do this, and that had to mean something.
Roxie pulled out her script, mouthing the lines under her breath as she waited. The minutes dragged on, her nerves bubbling beneath the surface, but she kept her focus. Finally, the assistant called her name.
"Roxanne Miller?"
Her heart thudded in her chest as she stood, tucking the script into her bag and following the assistant down a long hallway to the casting room. The walls were lined with posters from past commercials and ad campaigns, reminders of the countless actors who had passed through this building, hoping for their big break.
Inside the casting room, a panel of casting directors and producers sat behind a long table. A camera was set up in the center of the room, pointed at a taped X on the floor where Roxie was supposed to stand. She took her place, offering a nervous but genuine smile to the panel.
"Hi, I'm Roxanne," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
The casting director, a woman in her forties with sleek blonde hair and glasses perched on the tip of her nose, gave her a brief nod. "Whenever you're ready."
Roxie took a deep breath, channeling the cheerful, light-hearted character she'd practiced all morning. She imagined herself as the young wife in the script, excited about a spontaneous vacation with her husband, eager to book their next flight with Southwest.
She delivered the lines smoothly, her voice upbeat and warm. The words flowed easily, and as she spoke, she felt the nerves melting away. For those few moments, she was the character. The wife, the traveler, the happy customer.
When she finished, there was a brief pause before the casting director smiled faintly and made a few notes on her clipboard.
"Thank you, Roxanne," she said, her tone polite but neutral. "We'll be in touch."
Roxie nodded, her heart still racing as she stepped off the mark and left the room. The audition was over in a matter of minutes, but it had felt like an eternity. She walked back through the hallway, her mind buzzing with a mix of relief and uncertainty. It had gone well, she hadn't stumbled over her lines, and the casting director hadn't seemed displeased, but there was no way of knowing if it was enough.
Later that evening, Roxie sat on her couch, absentmindedly flipping through channels on the TV. Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, and she reached for it, her heart skipping a beat when she saw an unknown number on the screen.
"Hello?" she answered, her voice tentative.
"Hi, Roxanne, this is Kelly from the Southwest Airlines casting team. We'd like you to come in for a callback tomorrow. Are you available?"
Roxie's breath caught in her throat. A callback. She hadn't expected to hear back so soon, if at all.
"Yes!" she said quickly, trying to keep her voice steady. "I mean, yes, I'm available. I'll be there."
"Great," Kelly replied. "We'll see you at 10 AM tomorrow. Thanks."
The call ended, and for a moment, Roxie just sat there, staring at her phone in disbelief. She had made it to the callback.
She immediately texted Ryan: I got a callback! Tomorrow morning!
His reply was almost instant: Knew you'd nail it. You've got this, Roxanne.
Roxie leaned back against the couch, a mix of excitement and nerves coursing through her. This was real. She was one step closer to something big.
And for the first time in a long time, she let herself believe that maybe this was the break she'd been waiting for.
The next morning, Roxie arrived at the casting office for her callback, her heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. The waiting room was smaller this time, and there were only five other women there, each one polished, confident, and clearly in the running for the same role. The competition was more intense now, and the pressure was palpable.
Roxie tried to focus on her breathing, glancing down at her hands to stop them from trembling. She reminded herself that she had made it this far. Ryan believed in her, and she had to believe in herself too. One step at a time, she thought, repeating it like a mantra.
The assistant called them in together, and Roxie walked into the audition room with the others. Inside, the atmosphere felt different, more serious, more focused. The casting directors were seated at a long table, their expressions unreadable as they looked over their notes. The lead casting director, the same woman from yesterday, stood up to address the group.
"Thank you all for coming back. Today, we'll be pairing you with different male actors to test chemistry. It's important that we see how well you interact, since this commercial revolves around a married couple," she explained, her tone professional and direct. "We'll bring you in one by one with different actors, and we'll be switching partners as we go."
Roxie nodded along with the others, doing her best to stay calm. This was more than just delivering lines, she had to show that she could work with different actors, adapt her performance, and make it all look natural.
The process began, and Roxie found herself paired with her first "husband", a tall, clean-cut actor with a Hollywood smile. He was charming, but their interaction felt stiff, almost rehearsed. They ran through the lines, and while it wasn't terrible, Roxie could feel that something was missing.
The casting directors didn't give any feedback, just nodded and moved on to the next pairing. Roxie was swapped with another actor, and then another. Each time, she tried to adjust her energy to match the actors, but none of them felt quite right. Some were too serious, others overacted the lighthearted scene, and Roxie couldn't help but feel like she was just going through the motions.
Am I doing this wrong? she wondered, the self-doubt creeping back in.
Just as Roxie was starting to worry that the entire callback was slipping away from her, they paired her with a new actor, Edward. He was about her age, with an easygoing smile and relaxed energy that immediately put her at ease. From the moment they started reading together, the chemistry was undeniable. He delivered his lines with a natural charm, and Roxie found herself falling into the rhythm of the scene without even thinking about it.
"Are you sure we'll make the flight this time?" she said, her voice playful as they ran through the vacation scene.
Edward grinned, his tone just as light. "With me in charge? Definitely."
The exchange felt effortless, and for the first time all day, Roxie felt like she was truly in the moment. She wasn't just acting, she was responding, reacting to Edward's energy in a way that felt real.
The casting directors exchanged glances, and Roxie noticed a faint smile on the lead casting director's face. It was subtle, but it was there. This is working, Roxie realized, her confidence surging.
They went through the lines a few more times, each round feeling better than the last. By the end, Roxie felt like she had finally hit her stride, and the interaction with Edward had given her the boost she needed.
After the final pairing, the casting directors thanked them all and asked them to wait outside while they deliberated. Roxie's heart pounded as she stepped back into the waiting room with Edward and the other actresses. The nerves were back, but there was also a flicker of hope. She had done well, she knew that much. But there were no guarantees.
Edward leaned against the wall next to her, his hands in his pockets, looking much more relaxed than Roxie felt. He shot her an easy smile.
"You did great in there," he said casually. "I think we might have nailed it."
Roxie smiled back, grateful for his calm presence. "Thanks. You were great too. It felt... natural, you know?"
"Yeah, it did," Edward agreed. "Fingers crossed."
Minutes ticked by, feeling like hours, until finally, the assistant returned. She called Roxie and Edward back into the room, leaving the others behind.
Roxie's heart raced as they stepped inside, the casting directors' eyes on them. The lead casting director stood, holding a clipboard in one hand, and smiled, a real, genuine smile this time.
"Congratulations," she said, her voice warm. "We'd like to cast you both for the roles. Roxanne, you'll play the young wife, and Edward, you'll be her husband. We'll be in touch with the details."
Roxie blinked, her mind reeling. Did I just hear that right? She glanced at Edward, who was grinning broadly, clearly just as thrilled as she was.
"Thank you so much," Roxie managed to say, her voice breathless with disbelief.
They exchanged a few more pleasantries, and before Roxie knew it, she and Edward were back in the hallway, officially cast in her first national commercial. She could hardly believe it.
Edward clapped her on the shoulder, still grinning. "Looks like we're going to be married on camera," he joked, his eyes twinkling. "This is going to be fun."
Roxie laughed, the reality of the situation starting to sink in. "Yeah, I can't believe it... my first commercial."
Edward gave her an encouraging nod. "You earned it. See you at the shoot."
As Edward left, Roxie stood in the hallway, trying to process everything. Her first commercial. A national spot. She was actually going to be on TV.
Her phone buzzed in her bag, and she pulled it out, seeing a message from Ryan: How'd it go?
Roxie grinned as she texted back: I got it! I'm cast as the wife!
A moment later, Ryan's reply came through: Knew you would. It's the first of many, Roxanne.
Roxie stared at the screen, her heart still racing. For the first time, it felt real. She had done it. She had actually booked her first big role.