Casting Rooms and Silence

[ Lyrics ]

Smile through the silence, ghosted again today.

Third call this week, said they’d ‘be in touch,’
nine minutes early, hair pinned just enough.
Mirror in my bag, I checked one last time—
perfect fake smile, but my chest feels lined.
The girl before me? They lit up like neon.
I booked the same coat, wore it just as keen.
But my name never lands, just a read receipt,
and a calendar full of maybes that never repeat.

Sip my lukewarm coffee, fake it through the chat,
breathe in, breathe out—don’t let the cracks show.
Scrolled past another ‘chosen’ on their story,
wonder if my face just doesn’t carry glory.

Smile through the silence, ghosted again today,
even when the doubt starts creeping in to stay.
I show up anyway, with my head held high—
but the silence speaks louder than they ever tried.

Text my roommate, ‘Nailed it,’ with a wink emoji,
while my boots pinch tight from the walk back to the D line.
She says, ‘Next one’s yours,’ like it’s fate on a string,
but I’m starting to wonder if ‘next’ means nothing.
Saw my rez in the glass of the casting room door—
blend in when I’m close, fade out when I’m far.
Is it the look? The vibe? Did I not laugh right?
Or is ‘almost’ the best that I’m built for?

Wash my face slow, peel off the base,
watch the water run gray down the drain.
Used to think a dream was a spotlight ahead—
now it’s just echoes I can’t seem to trace.

Quiet hits different when you’re begging for noise,
when your worth’s on a list and your name’s without choice.
They don’t hate me, I don’t think—they just don’t see
the heartbeat behind the image, the me they can’t keep.

Smile through the silence, ghosted again today,
but I’ll walk in again, even if I decay.
They won’t hear me beg, won’t catch me undone—
I’ll be flawless and fading till something is won.

faint: 'Thank you for your time...'