Kenneth stood in front of the classroom, his posture as straight as a board, a grin plastered on his face.
He had entered this acting class with one thing in mind—confidence.
He was confident that he could reach that same stage Beatrice and Luca, even Harmony, had stood before him in the past.
The room was filled with other students, all waiting for the instructor to begin. But Kenneth didn't mind.
Before they all went their separate ways, Luca had told him, that confidence was half the battle, and if there was one thing he had no shortage of, it was confidence. And his presence that could not be ignored.
With that, he became even more confident that he could do this.
Soon the instructor walked in, a stern-looking woman with a no-nonsense attitude, Kenneth couldn't help but scan the room.
His gaze quickly darted to the others—some looked nervous, some looked excited.
But he?
He was ready to show everyone exactly what he was capable of. Just like when he played basketball and on the court, he had no doubts. He had always been confident in his own ability, and if this class was going to be anything, it would be a chance to find out more about himself.
The instructor glanced around the room, her eyes stopping on Kenneth, "Alright, let's begin. I expect nothing less than full commitment from everyone here. Acting isn't just about memorizing lines—it's about becoming someone else entirely. You must immerse yourself in the role."
Kenneth gave her a polite nod, knowing that he'd already heard this spiel a hundred times from his friends. He was ready to take the stage.
"Who would like to go first?" the instructor asked, and before anyone could raise a hand, Kenneth stood.
"Me," he said, his voice smooth, confident, and without hesitation.
A few of the students looked at him with raised brows, but Kenneth didn't mind. He was used to attention, used to being the center of things, wasn't that the case in basketball? He strode to the front of the class, his head held high and stood in the center of the room.
The instructor gave him a hard look, "You're sure you're ready for this?"
"Absolutely," Kenneth replied, keeping his tone easy.
The instructor didn't look convinced, this boy may have a good presence that one could not ignore in a classroom setting but this is a beginner's class. She does not expect much from this batch, just like she did not expect much at the beginning of her every class.
"Alright, then. Show us what you've got."
Kenneth took a deep breath. His mind instantly went blank. No lines, no script. He was expected to improvise. But his confidence didn't waver. Instead of hesitating, he began to act.
He threw himself into an imaginary scene, using the space around him, his arms flailing dramatically as he acted out an intense argument.
He wasn't following any script—just letting his instincts guide him. He could feel the eyes of the other students on him, and he loved it. He wanted to impress them, to show them that he was here to shine.
When he finished, he stood still, waiting for feedback.
The instructor's face was unreadable. The room was silent.
After a moment, she crossed her arms, "That was… something. You've got energy, I'll give you that. But where was the emotion? Where was the depth? You were loud, but you didn't make us believe you. Acting isn't just about showing off. It's about making the audience feel."
Kenneth blinked, a little taken aback by her harshness. The other students shifted uncomfortably, and Kenneth could feel their eyes on him now more than ever.
"You'll have to do better than that if you want to make it in this class. Acting is a craft. It takes more than just showing up with confidence. You've got to work for it. Got it?"
Kenneth nodded, well he may be confident in himself but that does not mean, he believes his someone like Shawn, who was a jack-off-all-trade.
"Got it," he said, his voice firm.
The instructor gave him a nod, "Good. Now, go sit down. You're not done yet. Keep practicing, and I want to see improvement next time."
"Alright," he muttered to himself.
"it's not like I expected myself to be talented or even gifted."
Thinking back, he actually did not try to train at all. He simply threw himself in the middle of all this. All he did was watch every movie and drama in their school. He watched and watched that the comment of his instructor was already compliment enough for such effort he threw in.
He suppressed a smile, 'This challenge… I shall accept it.'
He didn't let the reprimanding dampen his spirits. In fact, it had the opposite effect. It fueled him. He was going to work until he got it right.
As the class continued, Kenneth's mind raced. He kept thinking about what the instructor had said: "Where was the emotion? Where was the depth?"
He knew she was right. Confidence alone wouldn't get him anywhere. He needed to dig deeper, feel more, become the character he was portraying.
He remembered the time Beatrice cried because she fell deep into the abyss of being the character. That is a very special lesson he engraved in his mind. He would understand the character but he won't allow himself to be completely consumed by it.
The rest of the class passed in a blur. Kenneth wasn't listening to the others. His thoughts were consumed with what he needed to do next. He had to practice. He had to study the craft. But most importantly, he needed to prove to himself that he could do this. Not for anyone else, but for him.