Page 17 of Circus From Hell

“Dude, piss off.” He keeps laughing as I turn around and shove him away. “What is wrong with you?”

He looks down at my erection behind my joggers. “Nothing. I simply like playing with you. And it looks like you do too.”

My mouth opens and shuts as I try to think of a response, but I’m baffled by this man. “Are you kidding me?” I shriek, and his smile drops. “Do you know how un-fucking-fair that was, Micha? You rejected me, asshat. Why are you so intent on hurting me?”

Something flashes behind his eyes. Maybe remorse, maybe guilt. I don’t know, and I don’t care anymore. I’m exhausted. So when he steps forward, hand out like he wants to be kind, I step away.

“No, I’ve had enough, Micha. Enough of the hot and cold, the back and forth. I’ll sort this out and go to that damn circus by myself. Leave me alone.”

I stomp off and slam the door shut behind me, forcing back the tears as I slip into bed and try my hardest not to think about my stepbrother and the girl with glowing eyes.

Micha and I have barely spoken since our argument. It’s been two days of silence, but I think I needed the space away from him.

As I leave the apartment tonight, I have to brace myself to walk past him on the couch because of his night off. I feel his eyes on my back as I grab my coat and walk out, but I don’t dare look at him.

I have more pressing matters right now, like the fact I’m about to confront our intruder. I’ve thought time and time again about what I might say or ask, how I should approach it, what tone I should take in my voice. But what do you say to someone who broke into your home and touched you in your sleep after they stalked you?

I didn’t believe in the supernatural, but there’s no way that girl is human.

Just as I get onto the other side of the road, I hear loud impending footsteps, forcing me to freeze, panic in my chest. She’s found me first, hasn’t she?

“What are you waiting for?” Micha asks as he stops beside me, and my breath comes out of me in a rush. I thought I was about to die.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that.” I don’t know why he’s coming with me, but I ignore him and push on, briskly walking away. He doesn’t waste any time catching up.

“Considering the fact your fight or flight is to freeze, I think it’s a good idea I’m coming with you to talk to our deranged stalker, Pipsqueak.”

“She climbed up six stories and jumped out the window, Micha. If she wanted to kill me, my fight or flight won’t save me. And neither would yours.”

He huffs, but he knows I’m right.

The show should have finished now. I’m not well-versed on what circus acts do after they’ve finished, so I don’t have a clue what I’m walking into right now. I should probably be thankful Micha decided to tag along.

This part of town is filled with dark backstreets. The quickest way to get to the field where the circus is being held is through alleyways straight down the middle, but the darkness makes them feel so much creepier now. At any moment, I expect to see glowing green eyes, ready to strike.

“So, what do you think she is?”

I shrug because I don’t feel like speaking right now. My nerves are already on edge without Micha making it worse.

“Oh, is that how it is then? You won’t talk to me at all?”

“Just give it a rest,” I mutter.

“No, I don’t think I will.”

Groaning, I turn around and place a hand to his chest. He looks down at me, eyes shadowed, and I force myself to ignore the shiver that runs up my spine.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, and I nearly get whiplash from how hard I jerk my head back. The mood swings this man can go through in such a short span of time are remarkable. “You’re right. I’ve been unfair.”

“More like cruel.”

“But I am sorry, Arlo.” He sighs, gripping his hair like trying to be kind is giving him a migraine. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

I want to hold a grudge and snap at him over the way he’s made me feel, but Micha has been my closest and only friend since he moved in with me and my mum when I was fifteen. He takes care of me behind the scenes, making the money so I don’t have to lift a finger. He’s always been hot and cold, especially after what happened to our parents. He’s never brought anyone home, never mentioned he’s seeing someone. Hell, he doesn’t go out besides for his job at the graveyard. It’s just me and him.

“If you’re really sorry, you’ll stop toying with me. You know the way I feel about you.”

He swallows. Micha doesn’t like speaking about emotions. “I⁠—”