Averil's Puzzle

ONE

    The feeling of insecurity was rather overwhelming.

    As an actress, it was always easy to control those feelings, showing the world a positive side of yourself and virtually, putting on a fake facade. It was a means to survive in a world filled with prejudice.

    All I could feel at the moment, though, was pure insecurity, coupled with the fact that I was just way out of place.

     I watched the movie director barking out instructions to the workers, the filming site was almost crowded with people frolicking here and there, too busy to understand my difficulty and almost ignoring me like I was thin air.

    It wasn't what I had in mind this morning. I had woken up, rather ecstatic, passed the daily morning routine and prepared enthusiastically for the first day of a dream come true.

    I had completely forgotten to weigh the odd ends of arriving without the assistance of my agency and the disappointment I felt was more distressing.

    At the very last minute, my manager had failed me, she caught the contagious bird flu so suddenly and couldn't make it. She was responsible for fixing my makeup and it was totally devastating. I had done all I could too keep away from caffeine yesterday night but old habits are always stuck. So, when I woke up this morning, my face was all puffy and dark circles resided under my eyes from lack of sleep.

    I stood awkwardly by the side, too unsure of what to do next until I felt someone trying to get my attention from behind. I turned to meet a short woman with a dour look on her face, making her look unfriendly. She seemed to be in her mid-thirties, she was also robust and plump.

    "Good day miss, you are Averil Coleman, am I right?" She wore an impatient look on her face and that clearly meant that she had other places to be other than ushering me in.

    "Yes ma'am, I'm the substitute actress for Ellis Hodge." I explained, trying to form a jovial smile, even though it came out crooked, whilst clutching my cold fingers and sweaty palm as I got nervous.

    She gave me a displeased look after scrutinizing my appearance and beckoned me to follow her, I was grateful for the help and heeded her invitation without hesitance.

     "You can call me madame Rita and I am the costume manager. You came late, the others are almost through with their preparation." She said and I glanced at her in surprise. I didn't expect her to speak to me at all.

     "I'm sorry, but it wasn't my fault. My-" she didn't let me finish and lifted her hands to silence me.

    "No need for apology, just try not to repeat the same mistake twice. Well, it is a good thing that you don't have much makeup on, your scene today is a sick patient recovering from a broken heart, as you may already know." She pushed open a black curtain and stepped in while I trailed in behind her.

    It was a large dressing room with makeup cubicles. Almost all seats were occupied, makeup artists and dressing attendants scrambled about, doing their duties. The makeup cubicles were filled with actresses, their degree of beauty were all varying from mine, it made me feel too basic and dull. The beauty I had cherished and spent time in the mirror being proud of, was almost put to shame.

    "Bring in Jasmine Carter's costume." Madame Rita ordered a free attendant using my characters name. The attendant nodded and scurried off towards the direction of the clothes rack.

    I drew my attention back to madame Rita as she scolded a girl, "Hey! You over there. Do you ever do anything right? She is to put on formal wear. Drop those rompers this instant!"

    I concluded that the job of costume manager was a tedious task and apparently involved a whole lot of complaint.

    The attendant responsible for bringing my costume eventually came back and I was forced to break out of my shell to get changed.

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    "And cut!" The voice of the director boomed in the silent background, breaking my way to intimate embrace with the incredibly handsome male lead, Eran Neville.

    I blushed nervously and couldn't help but beam as a wave of applause erupted in the room.

    "Bravo kids, that was fantastic." The director praised with a thumb up.

    I watched Eran nod and disappear behind the curtain as his attendants chastised him.

    I want to believe that I am delusional because my eyes caught sight of a familiar looking face, I dismissed the irrational thought.

    I avoided eye contact with the Eran throughout the day.

    We eventually wrapped up for the day and I rushed to get changed into my former attire, constantly checking my wrist watch. It wouldn't take long before the dressing room would eventually be crowded and I wasn't going to wait in line to get dressed.

    While I was changing, I couldn't help but think back to the last scene.

   Was that how I was really going to end up messing things up and crushing on the handsome leading character? I was really inexperienced and it was affecting my head.

    "Free cappuccino's?! Who is giving them out?" I suddenly heard a voice screeching and my ears perked up at the mention of the caffeine product.

    That was really what I needed right now.

    "The directors nephew, I'll advice you to get yours now. It's only remaining but a few." Another voice cautioned.

   A set of footsteps faded quickly, out of the background and a couple more people flooded into the room. I hastily wrapped up my thing and hurried out of the room, bumping into someone but quickly picked up my shock and ran ahead.

     I stopped a worker who had just finished a cup of cappuccino and was in the process of packing the lighting.

    "Um, excuse me." I cleared my throat, successfully grabbing his attention. "Do you by any chance know where they are giving those?" I shifted my eyes to the empty plastic cup with the coffee logo on it. The worker looked confused at first before understanding shone in his eyes.

    "Oh, those. They were at the table somewhere there a while ago. I'm afraid that they might be finished." He explained pointing at an empty, large table at a corner.

    "Oh..." I trailed off, unable to hide the disappointment on my face.

    "Don't worry, you might just be lucky next time-" The worker started but I blatantly ignored him, heading for the exit and to the parking lot, very sour with disappointment- if I may add.

    I couldn't believe that non was left for me, the workers words weren't even near comforting. I was just so close to getting free cappuccino and all of a sudden, non was left for me.

    They had managed to awaken the coffee-devouring addict in me and it wasn't easily kindled.

    I drove straight ahead, knowing where my next stop would be.

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Word count: 1166