Chapter 2: A Chance Encounter
673 Words
Lucia sat nervously outside a small theater, her hands clenched into fists on her lap. The audition flyer crumpled in her pocket, a reminder of the risk she was taking. She had lied to Annabelle, saying she would be selling bread late today, but instead, she had come here—chasing a dream that felt impossible.
“Next!” a woman’s voice called from inside.
Lucia swallowed hard. This was it. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the dimly lit theater. A few men and women sat at a long table, watching her expectantly. One of them, a man with glasses and a kind smile, gestured for her to step forward.
“Name?”
“Lucia… Lucia Clemmings,” she said softly.
“Age?”
“Fourteen.”
The man nodded and handed her a script. “Read this line. Put emotion into it, as if you are truly feeling the words.”
Lucia stared at the paper. The line was simple: ‘You said you would come back for me… but you never did.’
Her heart pounded. The words cut deep—too deep. They reminded her of her mother. Of the promise she had waited for all her life. Before she could stop herself, emotions rose to the surface.
Tears burned in her eyes as she spoke, her voice trembling yet powerful. “You said you would come back for me… but you never did.”
A silence fell over the room. The judges exchanged glances, impressed.
The man with glasses leaned forward. “That was incredible. Where did you learn to act?”
Lucia hesitated. “I… I’ve never acted before.”
The woman beside him raised an eyebrow. “You have raw talent, child. Have you ever considered becoming an actress?”
A small spark of hope lit in Lucia’s chest. “I would love to… but I don’t have any experience.”
“You can be trained,” the man assured her. “We’re holding auditions for a small role in an upcoming play. If you’re willing to work hard, we can give you a chance.”
Lucia’s breath caught. A real chance. A way out.
“Yes,” she said firmly. “I want this.”
The man smiled. “Welcome to the stage, Lucia.”
—
That night, as Lucia hurried home, excitement and fear battled inside her. She had done it—she had taken her first step toward freedom. But what if Annabelle found out?
She crept through the front door, hoping to sneak to her small cot in the kitchen.
“Where have you been?”
Annabelle’s cold voice sent chills down her spine.
Lucia turned slowly, finding her aunt standing in the dim light, arms crossed. Beatrice and Henry stood behind her, smirking.
“I was selling bread,” Lucia lied.
Annabelle stepped closer, her sharp eyes narrowing. “Don’t lie to me, girl.”
Lucia’s heart pounded. If Annabelle found out about the audition, she would never allow it.
“I was just trying to sell more… to bring home more money,” Lucia insisted.
Annabelle studied her for a long moment. Then, with a scoff, she grabbed the small cloth bag tied around Lucia’s waist and ripped it open. A few leftover coins spilled to the floor.
“This is all you made?” Annabelle’s voice dripped with disappointment. “You’re useless.”
Lucia swallowed back tears as Annabelle turned away. “Go to bed. And tomorrow, don’t come back until you have triple this amount.”
Lucia clenched her fists but said nothing. She knew better than to argue.
As she lay on her small, thin mattress in the kitchen, staring up at the wooden ceiling, she whispered to herself, “One day, I’ll be free.”
Little did she know, fate had already started working in her favor.
Because the very next day, William Anderson—the man who unknowingly abandoned her years ago—would finally find her.
And nothing would ever be the same again.
- Writer
