The first laugh came in the wrong place. Lora spoke a line about a lost sister, and mocking snickers rose from the third row. She wondered whether she had overlooked something funny in her costume. She glanced at her scene partner, who continued as though he had heard nothing. The second laugh was louder. In the amateur theater's small hall, every sound had a body, and this one stood between her and the rest of the play.

She had received her first leading role after eight years of smaller appearances. Her colleague, Viktor, said she deserved it, although he had previously promised his girlfriend the role would be hers. After the premiere, he brought Lora water and said she mustn't be so sensitive. Lora cried in the dressing room, angry at herself for rushing the final scene. She didn't know that the three loudest spectators were Viktor's friends.

One of them, Miran, came to the next rehearsal. He waited by the door until they finished, then asked to speak with Lora. Viktor had told them to play a joke, he admitted, claiming her nerves would supposedly improve if the audience weren't too serious. Only after the performance had he realized how cruel it was. He didn't ask for immediate forgiveness. He offered to repeat the account before the company.

During the discussion, Viktor claimed it was a misunderstanding. His girlfriend, Mina, sitting beside him, asked why he hadn't told her about the joke beforehand. He fell silent. Mina stood and moved to the other side of the table. She said she hadn't wanted a role obtained through someone's humiliation, especially the humiliation of the woman who had helped her learn lines for months.

They removed Viktor's responsibility for arranging audiences and asked him to leave the next production. Lora didn't want to cancel the play, but couldn't simply repeat the premiere. The director gave her time for another rehearsal before a few acquaintances. She could stop whenever necessary. On her first attempt, she did stop, drank water, and began the line again. Nobody turned it into a lesson about courage.

At the second public performance, the third row was full. Lora didn't avoid looking at it. During the final scene, someone sniffed quietly, and she continued at her own pace. After the applause, Mina helped unfasten her tight costume. She said the final pause had been good. Lora replied that she had finally heard the silence written into the script. They went for a late dinner together, still bearing traces of stage makeup behind their ears.