The First Oppurtunity
1220 Words
The alarm rang at four in the morning.
Tiana sat up before it rang a second time. She had barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she imagined herself standing before a panel of judges.
Today was another audition.
She quietly folded her blanket and stepped out of her room.
The smell of fried plantain drifted from the kitchen.
Grace looked over her shoulder and smiled.
"I knew you'd be awake before me."
Tiana laughed softly.
"How could I sleep?"
"You've been rehearsing that script for three days."
"And I'm still scared."
A few minutes later, Samuel walked into the dining room, buttoning his shirt.
"So..." he said. "Today's the big day?"
Tiana nodded.
"I hope this one goes well."
"It will," Samuel replied. "But even if it doesn't, don't come home thinking you've failed."
He slipped a few naira notes into her hand.
"For transport."
"Daddy, you already gave me money last week."
"And I'm giving you more today."
She smiled and hugged him.
"Thank you."
A horn sounded outside.
"That must be Adrian," Grace said.
Tiana picked up her bag and hurried outside.
Adrian leaned against the old bus stop, two bottles of water in one hand.
"I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind."
She rolled her eyes.
"About acting? Never."
They boarded the first bus to Lagos.
The journey was long and uncomfortable.
Passengers squeezed into every available seat. Hawkers pushed snacks through the windows whenever the bus stopped.
Tiana barely noticed any of it.
She held her script in both hands, reading the same lines again and again.
Adrian glanced at her and smiled.
"If you read that script one more time, you'll know everyone else's lines too."
She laughed.
"I can't help it."
"You're overthinking."
"What if I forget everything once I enter?"
"You won't."
"And if I do?"
He looked at her.
"Then you'll try again."
Hours later, the bus pulled into Lagos.
Tiana stepped onto the busy street and froze.
Cars filled the roads.
People rushed past without slowing down.
Huge billboards of famous actors overlooked the city.
She swallowed hard.
"There are so many people."
Adrian stood beside her.
"And every one of them started somewhere."
They arrived at the audition venue.
The waiting area was packed.
Some actors came with managers.
Others had professional photographers following them around.
A few spoke confidently about movies they had already starred in.
Tiana looked down at her simple dress.
For the first time that morning, she felt small.
She leaned closer to Adrian.
He looked around the crowded hall before meeting her eyes.
"Everyone in this room came here hoping for the same thing."
He smiled.
"The difference is, only the brave ones showed up."
Tiana took a deep breath.
When her name was called, she stood up, and walked toward the audition room.
Whatever happened next...
She was ready to face it.
The weeks turned into months.
"Next!"
Tiana walked into the audition room with confidence.
She introduced herself, performed her scene, thanked the judges, and walked out.
Two days later, she received an email.
Thank you for auditioning. Unfortunately, you were not selected.
She stared at the screen for a long time before quietly closing her laptop.
Another rejection.
The following week brought another opportunity.
This time, she waited nearly six hours before her name was called.
She gave the performance everything she had.
As she stepped outside, she couldn't help smiling.
"I think I did well this time," she told Adrian.
He smiled.
"I know you did."
Three days later, her phone rang.
"Hello, am I speaking with Tiana Adebayo?"
"Yes."
"We're sorry to inform you that you've not been shortlisted."
The call ended.
She slowly lowered the phone.
Adrian didn't ask what happened.
He already knew.
The rejections kept coming.
Sometimes they arrived by text message.
Sometimes by email.
Other times, nobody contacted her at all.
She would wait for days, then weeks, only to realize someone else had been chosen.
Each rejection stung.
Each journey back to Meirean Hills felt longer than the last.
One evening, she sat outside her parents' house, staring at the fading sunset.
"What if they're right?" she asked quietly.
Adrian looked at her.
"Who?"
"The people who said acting isn't for girls like me."
He shook his head.
"They're wrong."
"But how many times can one person be rejected?"
"As many times as it takes."
She laughed weakly.
"That sounds easy when you're not the one being rejected."
"No," Adrian replied. "It sounds hopeful because I've seen how hard you work."
She looked at him.
"I don't want you wasting your money on me anymore."
He frowned.
"Who said it's a waste?"
"I haven't gotten a single role."
"You've gained experience."
"I've gained rejection."
"And one day," Adrian said, smiling, "all these rejections will become the story you tell after you've made it."
Tiana was quiet for a moment.
Then she took a deep breath.
"I'll go again next week."
"I know you will."
"How?"
"Because giving up has never looked good on you."
For the first time in weeks, she smiled.
But as long as there was another audition to attend, Tiana wasn't ready to let go of the dream she'd carried since she was a little girl in Meirean Hills.
Three months after another string of rejections, it was almost noon when Tiana's phone rang.
She was helping her mother arrange freshly baked chin chin into plastic containers for customers.
Without checking the caller, she answered.
"Hello?"
"Good afternoon. Am I speaking with Tiana Adebayo?"
"Yes."
"This is Bright Star Productions."
Her heart skipped.
"We're calling about the audition you attended last week."
Tiana held her breath.
"You weren't selected for the role you auditioned for."
Her shoulders dropped.
"Oh... I understand."
"But one of the actresses couldn't make it to filming tomorrow. We have a very small role available."
She frowned.
"How small?"
The woman laughed softly.
"You have two lines."
Tiana looked down at the floor for a second.
Only two lines.
After everything...
She almost said no.
Then she remembered all the bus rides to Lagos. All the auditions. All the times she had gone home disappointed.
"When do you need me?" she asked.
"Seven o'clock tomorrow morning."
"I'll be there."
The moment the call ended, Grace walked into the room.
"What happened?"
Tiana smiled, though it wasn't the smile she'd imagined wearing when she finally got a role.
"I got the job."
Grace clapped happily.
"I knew it!"
"It's just two lines."
Her mother held both of her shoulders.
"My daughter, stop saying 'just.' Somebody watched you and decided you were good enough to be on their set. That's how careers begin."
Later that evening, Adrian came by after work.
He noticed the smile on Tiana's face immediately.
"What's the good news?"
She folded her arms.
"You have to promise not to laugh."
"I won't."
"I got a role."
His face lit up.
"Tiana!"
She quickly added, "It's only two lines."
He looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.
"You're looking at it the wrong way."
"How?"
"You've gone from sitting outside audition rooms to standing in front of a camera."
She smiled.
"I didn't think of it like that."
"I know."
He gently tapped her forehead.
"That's why you have me."
- Writer
