Page 2 of The Circus

My teeth slide against one another, gritting so hard a headache blooms in my temples. The voices in my head begin to awaken, each one distinct and refined, but each one begging for the same thing.

Blood.

Because I know what Dick really wants from me. It’s been obvious to me since the first time we met. I can still feel the way his beady little eyes slid over my adolescent body with far too much intrigue hidden in the depths of his gaze. As I’ve aged and filled out into a man, that intrigue has grown. I know I’m on the cusp of the age he prefers, but my youthful face is still enough to get him hard.

He knows I’d rip him to shreds if he ever dared to come onto me, which is why I also know he’s circling like a shark, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to force me into it, to force me into perverted acts with him. He can’t have me unless I’m compliant. There’s enough at stake that I’m far too close to tipping over into that realm as is, so a night like this one may just be my downfall.

Cash glances at me, pulling me from my dark thoughts. “Let me know how it all pans out?”

I nod, pressing my lips into a thin line. “Yup. See you on Monday.”

He gives my mom a bear hug, which she returns with a wide, genuinely happy grin, one that calms my heart a fraction. She’s glad I found at least one friend in this world.

The absence of him is quickly replaced by a dark, ominous cloud in the form of Dick and the two idiots fresh out of academy academy. It’s all I can do to bite my tongue and keep my insults behind my teeth. The tang of copper fills my mouth, and a shiver of pleasure rolls down my spine.

Dick adjusts his glasses before he speaks. “Apologize, Teddy, for being surly about this little…misunderstanding.”

My eyes narrow on Dick’s face. I have to wonder what angle he worked to ensure I stayed off the hook. Since I’m technically an adult, the consequences would have been far more dire for me. Mind still prodding at his defenses, I give my attention to the officers and say smoothly, “I’m sorry.”

They’re disbelieving, but the shorter one has been wearing a shit-eating smirk this entire time. Whatever Dick promised, it has to be sick and depraved. It’s just the way he operates, and I’m learning that just because people are granted positions of power, it doesn’t mean they won’t abuse it. Most salivate at the chance to walk through this world immune to consequences.

“Keep your nose out of trouble, kid,” the taller one says, tapping my bicep with a rolled up piece of paper. The back side is blank, but the innards are shiny, colorful, like some type of flier. Dick must’ve given it to him, and though my eyes linger on the suspicious paper, I begrudgingly return my gaze back to the cop.

“Didn’t you graduate from Prep two years ago?” I say blandly. His smile slips from his face like a droplet of water, and my smirk grows. Before they can say anything else, Dick barks at me to get inside. Casting one last glance at my mother, I silently obey.

Someday, I promise myself, I’ll torture Richard Bird and all his cronies to death, and I’ll grin as I do.

TWO

TEDDY

“Aww, man!”Cash whines, slamming his plastic tray the color of an evergreen tree onto the counter. Everything in this school is the exact same shade, from our uniforms to the lockers. Even our mascot is a green cartoonish spartan. “It’s our last Mongolian Monday.”

Giving him a sideways glance, I roll my eyes, shuffling down the line to scoop a ladle-full of white rice onto my plate. I’m eyeing the steaming egg rolls when someone bumps my shoulder a little too hard to be considered friendly. And since Cash is my only friend in this school full of entitled pricks, then I know without looking who it is that’s attempting to torment me.

“Figured you’d be in jail, freak. Don’t ya know, nose beers can kill you?”

Plucking an egg roll from its nest amongst the others with shiny silver tongs, I plop it next to the scoop of rice on my plate, ignoring Brant. His little prank cost me dearly. After the cops had left and Dick had ordered my mom toherbed (because, thank fuck, they don’t share a room), he’d cornered me in the dimly lit kitchen and explained quite thoroughly how much of a disappointment I am and that I would need to repay hiskindness of keeping me out of prison. I’m meeting him tonight at some warehouse on the outskirts of downtown Seattle. The little explanation Iwasgranted let me know I’d be working for his son Daniel this summer.

Joy.

Continuing to ignore Seattle Prep’s golden child, I toss a pile of orange chicken onto its bed of rice. Mongolian my ass. Our school reaches for diversity and falls flat on its face every single time.

“Hey, freak, I’m talking to you,” Brant harrasses, following me to the corner of the cafeteria where Cash is currently moping over it being our last Mongolian Monday. I sit across from him, keeping my back to Brant. The last thing I need is more detentions and required meetings with the guidance counselor. That fucking bitch has it coming, too, and I cannot wait to carve her pretty face to shreds. If Brant keeps going, if he tips over into the realm of evil, I won’t think twice about ending him. The only thing I will think millions of times about will be how I want to do it.

“Tedster, not to alarm you or anything, but you have a stage five clinger begging for your attention.”

I snort, stabbing at a piece of chicken. Cash’s eyes dance mischievously, shaded thanks to the mop of his dark brown hair. “I’m well aware, thank you. It must be tough, because he can’t share his real feelings with me, ya know?”

My tone is smothered in sarcasm, and before he can bash my skull in with his own tray, Brant is called back to his table across the cafeteria, his groupies hooting his name. I glance over my shoulder, offering him a parting wink, and he steps backwards, pointing at me threateningly. With a sneer on his reddening face, he spits, “Just you wait, fucking freak.”

He turns on his heel, ramming straight into a petite figure. She gasps, her tray hitting his arm full-force, sending all of herfood flying onto her pristine but patched uniform. Brant gives her a look of pure disgust before storming off, leaving little Miss Eden Clemm to stand in the middle of the space, the cacophony of voices simmering down as everyone hisses in whispers to their friends.

If Cash and I are freaks, then she’s the untouchable queen of misfits.

Sleek black hair braided down her back, ivory pale face turning pink in embarrassment, she stands amidst the mess of rice and orange chicken, her starched white button down now smeared with the sticky sauce and becoming more and more translucent by the second.

No one offers to help her. Not even the guidance counselor or the principal. Something nudges me to stand, to extend kindness to someone who doesn’t ever receive it. But I don’t, and the voices call me a coward for it.

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