“I was blessed with extraordinary luck! Everyone who knows me considers me the most beautiful woman they’ve seen. Men treat me well wherever I go. Entering the world of acting was extremely easy. When I started with modeling. I literally didn’t have to do anything! They saw my photos and videos on social media and offered me the job. I was lucky to have seen the message among the dozens of messages I received from men! The job was so simple. I just went to the studio, struck a few poses, and got paid what an average salaried worker makes… in a month! It’s incredible how there are people who endure working up to 10 hours a day! I couldn’t do it. If university already feels like a lot of work, I can’t imagine having to work on top of that!
But this has changed recently. My life was so easy when I just let it flow and didn’t actively strive for something. But… I stopped being so lucky when I finally discovered what I wanted to do with my life, when I finally found what truly excites me. When I made this great discovery, I told all my friends and family. I had finally found what I wanted to do… I innocently thought it would be like everything else I had done in my life… easy. But it wasn’t. My life right now is the worst it’s ever been. In my first audition, I was accepted. I thought I had done it again. But when they revealed the role I would have, I realized I didn’t even have any lines. I was just a simple waitress who appeared for 10 seconds! And the worst part was when the lead actor simply called me a flower vase! How dare he?
Although, several days later, I realized that I really was just a flower vase. I hadn’t done anything. I just stood there, made a few movements, and left. Not that I really mind doing that. They paid me what a salaried worker makes in 15 days. And this has not changed in the three years I have been acting…
But it’s not money that I want. What I truly want is to act. But… It seems like I won’t succeed. Recently, at my acting academy, I expressed my concerns to the academy director through a text message. He acknowledged me and even knew my name! It wasn’t very difficult to persuade him to help me. A few messages and I managed it. Throughout my life, I haven’t met many men who have ignored me.”
“I was lucky that the academy director agreed to support me. He gave me an appointment from his busy schedule for three days later. Now I’m outside his office, waiting for him to introduce me to the best manager he knows. I’m not yet important enough to have a manager; what he’ll do with me will be more like coaching. It seems like my luck is finally coming back!
After a few minutes, the person the director was previously meeting with left his office… Finally, it’s my turn!
“Eliza, please come in,” said the secretary, inviting me into the director’s office.
“Hello, Director, good day. Thank you so much for seeing me,” I said with the best smile I could muster.
“Oh, don’t worry, Eliza. It’s a pleasure. Come, have a seat here.”
“How has your day been, Director?” I asked, trying to make conversation.
“Let’s get to the point, Eliza,” said the Director.
“Look, I’d like you to meet Abraham. He’s the person I mentioned in the message. The biblical name might confuse you at first, but he’s the best manager I know. He’s managed several stars. He’s currently on a break, but it seems like he finally wants to come back. I told him the details of your case and showed him your resume, and he agreed immediately.”
Of course he agreed immediately. I’m quite special, you know? But well, I can’t really say that.
“Pleasure to meet you, Abraham. I’m Eliza,” I said to Abraham while putting on the best smile possible.
He’s quite handsome for such an uncool name…
“Pleasure to meet you, Eliza. And yes, your case interested me quite a bit. I’ve been discussing your situation with the director, and it captivated me!”
Obviously, it would captivate you! Who wouldn’t be captivated by me? I wonder, why do men always treat me like this?
“Yes, Abraham, her case is quite captivating. She’s probably the most arrogant and self-centered girl I’ve ever met. I’m surprised you agreed. I actually only sent you her resume as a protocol. I’ve sent you dozens, and you only accepted this one. Do you really see potential in this girl?”
Exactly, I am all of that… I’m amazing… wait… Is he insulting me? How dare he talk to me like that?
“Well, yeah, I saw a lot of potential. In fact, I called the person in charge of the audition she participated in. He said he gave her an insignificant role because of her difficult personality. If we manage to correct that, her potential would be limitless! When people’s lives are too easy, they don’t develop the emotional skills that most of us develop through failure and constant disappointments. We need to help her develop those skills.”
“Are they really talking about me? How dare they speak ill of me? And saying I haven’t suffered? Why do they think they know me?!
“Girl, you had the unfortunate luck of developing a genuine aspiration, but I believe you haven’t been able to adjust to the extremely competitive environment where there are hundreds of equally beautiful women competing for the same jobs. Honestly, if you had stayed on social media and modeling, you would have earned enough money to live without doing anything,” said Abraham.
“Um, why are you telling me all this? Weren’t you going to teach me how to be an actress?I” said, quite frustrated. Are they implying that I won’t achieve my dreams?
“Yes, I will teach you, but first, you’ll have to strive to reach it,” said Abraham. I don’t really understand what he means.
“Oh do you? Then why did you choose this Academy? No offense director but this a very mediocre academy… Could it be… that you are afraid of competing?” Said Abraham in a very arrogant way, I hate him!
“But I do try hard!”
The director chuckled slightly at my comment… but it’s true!
“Girl, do you really put in effort? Do you really think there’s nothing wrong with you? How many teachers have you fought with because they just criticized you a little? How many times have you left class before it’s over? Besides… Do you think I didn’t notice you were trying to manipulate me? I’ve been in this business for many years, enough to recognize that kind of thing,” said the director, accusing me of something I didn’t do.
“I wasn’t manipulating anyone! I just… I just wanted you to help me!”
“Eliza, we often deceive ourselves in unimaginable ways, we distort reality in incredible ways. This prevents us from taking responsibility and we hide our problems by blaming others,” said Abraham, with a look… quite attentive and warm, I would say. With a subtle smile.
“I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me! Are you going to help me or not? Or are you just going to insult me?” I said, frustrated and wanting to escape.
“No one has insulted you, and yes, I will help you. But here’s your first lesson. For me to help you, you’ll have to ask me in an appropriate way. I’ll also evaluate your acting skills to see if you truly deserve it, and obviously, you’ll have to pay me. Look, I’m sure there are men out there who give you lots of things just because you’re pretty. Life doesn’t work that way. Most people, to earn the amount of money you make just by existing, have to work dozens of hours a week. You could have lived that way for many years, you could have found a husband to support you. But unfortunately for you, you developed a dream without having the tools to achieve it…”
“Can I leave now? If you’re not going to help me, I’d rather go. I don’t have to endure insults anymore!” I can’t stand this anymore! I’m leaving.
“My offer stands, Eliza. Think about what you want to do and consider if your dream is powerful enough to overcome yourself. You already know my number.”
Eliza leaves the office with her eyes swollen from tears due to the frustration she’s been put through, despite not having said anything insulting.
After a few minutes of conversation on other topics, the director and Abraham return to the subject of Eliza…
“Do you think she’ll come back? I hope I wasn’t too harsh, but sometimes truths have to be told directly for them to be understood,” said the director, feeling somewhat bad for making a girl cry.
“Well, it was to be expected. I think her emotional reaction is a sign that she at least heard what we said,” said Abraham, analyzing what just happened, hoping the message was understood.
“Hmm, I hope you’re right… argh, please don’t ask me to do something like this again. I don’t like making girls cry… changing the subject, did you really see that much potential in her?” The director asked, curious about what Abraham saw.
“Yes, I checked recordings of some auditions. Even without really trying, her level was quite high. They’ve given her insignificant roles because of her extremely difficult personality. Directors tolerate people like that when they’re already famous, but she’s not there yet, and she won’t get there unless she learns to put in effort,” said Abraham, clarifying that he does believe she has potential, but she needs to change certain things.
“If she manages to change and become a humble person to collaborate with, along with her beauty and skills, she could become something incredible,” said Abraham, curious about the future that could unfold.
“Hmm, your hobby of finding diamonds in the rough and then trying to help them…”
“You would be a millionaire by now if you’d stayed in acting,” said the director, disappointed about what Abraham could have become.
“Unlike that girl, acting isn’t my dream. My dream is to become a person who helps others. My area of expertise is psychology and acting, that’s why I chose this job, to help actors with potential to surpass themselves. In the years I’ve been doing this, my success rate is about 30%. I think that’s quite high,” said Abraham, unsure whether helping only 30% of the people he’s worked with is a good job or not.
“Now we will confirm if her passion is as intense as she claims, we’ll see if she can overcome her pride and ask for help,” said Abraham, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to clean and polish that rough diamond.
Down the street, a few meters away from the acting academy, an 18-year-old girl is walking home with a rather irritated expression.
“How does that ‘Abraham’ guy feel, thinking he can insult others just because he’s good-looking?”
“There’s no way I’m going to hire him! There’s no way! It won’t happen! It’s 100% IMPOSSIBLE!”
