The day of the indie film audition had finally arrived, and Roxie stood in front of the mirror, checking her reflection for what felt like the hundredth time. She had picked out a simple but flattering outfit, a fitted navy blouse and black pants that gave her the clean, professional look she imagined for the role of the secretary. Her hair was neatly styled, and her makeup was just enough to give her confidence without feeling overdone.
She practiced her lines under her breath, pacing back and forth in her tiny living room. The character she was auditioning for, Mara, the secretary to a powerful, manipulative boss, was a small supporting role, but it had depth. Mara was the one who subtly helped the female protagonist navigate the difficult office environment, ultimately helping her find her way to love. Roxie liked the character; she had a quiet strength, and she played a pivotal part in the story's happy ending.
But, of course, this was just an audition. There was no guarantee she'd land the part, no matter how much she wanted it. Roxie tried to steady her nerves, reminding herself that she'd done this before. She had nailed the Southwest Airlines commercial audition, and that had been nerve-wracking too. If she could do that, she could do this.
Her phone buzzed with a message, and she glanced down to see Nick's name pop up on the screen.
Nick: Good luck today! You've got this, Rox. Go knock 'em dead.
Roxie smiled, grateful for his support. She quickly typed back a reply.
Roxie: Thanks! I'm nervous, but I'm ready. I'll let you know how it goes.
With a final look in the mirror and one last deep breath, Roxie grabbed her bag and headed out the door. The familiar knot of nerves was back in her stomach, but she forced herself to stay calm. This was just another step in the journey, another opportunity to prove to herself that she could do this.
The casting office for the indie film was in a different part of town from where she'd auditioned for the commercial. It was smaller, a little more off-the-beaten-path, but it had that same quiet, intimidating energy that casting rooms always seemed to have. When Roxie walked in, she saw a handful of other actresses already waiting, each one looking just as prepared and polished as she felt.
She signed in at the desk, then found a seat in the corner, trying not to overthink things. Just focus on the character, she reminded herself. Forget about the competition.
Roxie flipped through her script again, silently mouthing the lines as she waited. She knew Mara's scenes by heart, the small but sharp exchanges with her boss, the moments of quiet support she offered the protagonist. It was a delicate role, but Roxie felt like she understood it. She just had to show that to the casting directors.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the assistant called her name.
"Roxanne Miller?"
Roxie stood, clutching her script tightly in her hands, and followed the assistant down the hallway. Her heart pounded in her chest as they approached the audition room, but she reminded herself to breathe. You've done this before. Just be yourself.
The casting room was small, with a camera set up in the middle and two casting directors seated behind a table. They greeted her with polite but distracted smiles, their eyes already scanning her headshot and résumé. Roxie took her place on the taped X on the floor, trying to steady her breath.
"Hi, I'm Roxanne," she said, keeping her voice as calm as possible.
One of the casting directors, a woman with short dark hair, nodded and gestured for her to begin. "Whenever you're ready."
Roxie took another deep breath, then slipped into character. She imagined herself as Mara, the calm, competent secretary who saw everything but never let on. Her lines were measured and thoughtful, her tone polite but with a subtle edge. In the scene, she was trying to warn the female lead about their manipulative boss, all without saying too much.
"The truth is," Roxie said, her voice soft but firm, "not everything is what it seems around here. But if you're careful, you might just figure it out. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find something more than you were looking for."
The words felt natural as she delivered them, and for a moment, she forgot about the room, the camera, the casting directors. It was just her, the character, and the scene.
When she finished, there was a brief silence before one of the casting directors spoke.
"Thank you, Roxanne. We'll be in touch."
Roxie smiled, giving a quick nod as she stepped off the mark. "Thank you," she replied before gathering her things and leaving the room.
As she walked down the hallway, her heart was still racing, but she felt good about the audition. It wasn't perfect, there were always things she could improve, but she had done her best. Now, all she could do was wait.
Outside, Roxie took a deep breath of the cool LA air, trying to shake off the lingering nerves. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick message to Ryan.
Roxie: Just finished the audition. I think it went well!
She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should feel more confident, but quickly sent the message before she could second-guess herself.
As she walked back to her car, her mind buzzed with thoughts of the audition, replaying every line, every movement. She knew the competition was tough, there were always other actresses who could just as easily fit the role, but she couldn't let herself dwell on that. She had done her best, and now it was out of her hands.
When her phone buzzed again, she wasn't surprised to see a response from Ryan.
Ryan: I'm sure you crushed it. Call me when you hear back.
Roxie smiled, feeling a little more at ease. Ryan always knew how to keep her grounded, and his belief in her made the waiting a little easier. But still, as she drove home, the familiar anxiety crept back in. The waiting game was always the hardest part.
Just breathe, she told herself. Whatever happens, happens.
But deep down, Roxie couldn't help but hope that this would be her next big break.
A few days had passed since the audition, and Roxie had tried her best to keep herself busy. She'd gone over her lines, worked a few extra shifts at the diner, and even started preparing for her next audition, but the waiting was wearing her down. Every time her phone buzzed, her heart would skip a beat, only to find it was just a text from Nick or an update on some bill she had to pay.
But then, one afternoon, while she was folding laundry and half-watching some rom-com on TV, her phone buzzed with a new message from an unknown number. She stared at it for a second, her pulse quickening.
Unknown Number: Hi Roxanne, this is Sarah from the casting office. We'd like to invite you to a callback for the role of Mara in the indie film.
Roxie's heart leaped into her throat. She quickly typed back a response, trying to keep her excitement in check.
Roxie: Thank you so much! I'd love to come in. When is the callback?
The reply came almost instantly.
Sarah: Tomorrow at 2 PM. We'll send you the details shortly.
Roxie grinned, her heart pounding with excitement. She had made it to the callback! That meant they liked what they saw in her first audition. She quickly dialed Ryan's number, pacing around her apartment as it rang.
"Hey, Roxanne," Ryan answered after a few rings. "What's up?"
"I got a callback!" Roxie blurted out, unable to contain her excitement. "They want me to come back in tomorrow for the indie film, the role of Mara!"
"Of course you did," Ryan said, his voice calm but pleased. "I knew you had this one in the bag."
Roxie couldn't help but laugh, her nerves buzzing with adrenaline. "I'm so excited, Ryan. This role would be amazing. I've been going over the character again and again, trying to figure out how to really make her stand out."
"Good," Ryan said. "That's exactly what you need to do. Just go in there and be yourself. You've already impressed them enough to get a callback, now you just need to seal the deal."
Roxie nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "I will. I'm ready."
After hanging up with Ryan, Roxie spent the rest of the evening preparing. She went over the script again, tweaking little bits of her performance, practicing different ways to deliver the lines. She wanted to make sure that she captured Mara's quiet strength, the subtle way she helped the protagonist find her way, all while staying under the radar of the manipulative boss.
By the time she finally went to bed, Roxie felt more prepared than she had for any other audition. She knew Mara inside and out, and she was determined to show the casting directors that she was the right person for the role.
The next day, Roxie arrived at the callback early, her nerves humming as she sat in the waiting room. There were only a few other actresses there this time, all of them looking just as focused and determined as she felt. It made the competition feel even more real, but Roxie refused to let it shake her.
When her name was called, she stood, taking a deep breath before heading into the audition room. The same casting directors were seated behind the table, and this time, they looked more focused, more intense. They greeted her with polite nods, and Roxie took her place on the mark in front of the camera.
"Whenever you're ready, Roxanne," the lead casting director said.
Roxie had rehearsed this scene a dozen times in the mirror, but now, standing in the audition room, it felt different. More real. She was ready.
She took a breath and slipped into character, letting Mara's composed but thoughtful demeanor take over. The scene they'd asked her to perform was one of her pivotal moments, Mara was gently trying to help the protagonist see that their boss wasn't who he pretended to be, all without directly saying it. It was a delicate balance, but Roxie felt like she had a handle on it.
As she spoke, she kept her voice calm but firm, her eyes filled with quiet concern. "You know, sometimes people wear masks to hide who they really are. But if you look closely, you'll start to see the cracks. And when you do... it's up to you to decide what to do next."
The room was silent when she finished, the casting directors watching her closely. Roxie held her breath, waiting for some sign of their reaction, but they remained stoic, jotting down a few notes.
"Thank you, Roxanne," the lead casting director said. "We'll be in touch."
Roxie smiled, giving a small nod before stepping away from the mark. As she walked out of the room, her heart was still racing, but she felt good. The scene had gone exactly the way she wanted it to, and now, all she could do was wait again.
That evening, Roxie was back at her apartment, trying to distract herself with more laundry and random TV shows when her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but her heart leaped into her throat as she answered.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Roxanne, this is Sarah from casting. We'd like to offer you the role of Mara in the film."
Roxie nearly dropped the phone. "Wait, really?"
"Yes," Sarah said, her voice warm and professional. "The team loved your performance, and we think you're perfect for the part. We'll send over the details tomorrow, but we just wanted to let you know."
Roxie was speechless for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. "Thank you so much. I... I can't wait to get started!"
After the call ended, Roxie stood there in her living room, staring at her phone in disbelief. She'd done it. She had landed the role.
Without thinking, she immediately dialed Ryan's number. He picked up after the first ring.
"Ryan, I got it!" Roxie practically shouted into the phone. "They cast me as Mara!"
"That's what I like to hear," Ryan said, his tone full of pride. "I knew you could do it, Roxanne. This is the start of something big."
Roxie could barely contain her excitement as she paced around the apartment, her heart still racing. She had done it. She was going to be in an indie film, playing a supporting role that she loved. And for the first time in a long time, she felt like her dreams were truly within reach.