circus ★ crygi

chapter five

˚₊✩‧₊

CRYSTAL eagerly grabbed her keys and her phone, and put them inside her bag. She couldn't be more thrilled — the so anticipated moment had finally arrived! Crystal found it so surreal, she couldn't explain what she was feeling, and didn't really know why did she feel like that either.

She visited the circus every year, it was obviously a special ritual to her, but nothing out of the ordinary. Still, Crystal felt deep in her heart that, for some odd, baffling reason, this year would be different, but for the better.

Without giving it more thought, Crystal picked up her phone and dialed Jackie's phone number, as she got inside her car. As the phone rang, Crystal prayed that her friend would pick it up — she really needed someone to talk to, and she knew Jackie would definitely know what to say. Per usual.

''Hey!'' Jackie said, when her face appeared on Crystal's screen.

''Hi! Today's the day! Today I'm going to the circus! Um, I'm really excited!'' Crystal hastily announced.

''Whoa, someone's excited! That's unusual — this is the first time you've called me before going. Is something wrong?'' Jackie worriedly asked.

''No! Quite the opposite. And, um, I don't really know why am I suddenly so excited... Um, I guess it's because this was my mom's favorite circus, and it's... getting me today.'' Crystal half lied, wiping a fake tear out of her eye.

''Hm, no, I don't think it's that... — Jackie gasped — Crystal Elizabeth Methyd, are you hiding something from me?'' She said, pretending to be offended.

''No, Jackie, what, okay, BYE!'' Crystal felt as if Jackie was distrusting her, so, almost without another option, she started speaking non-sense, to hopefully distract her friend, and immediately hanged up.

But Jackie, once again, was right — Crystal was hiding the truth from her, but not because she didn't trust Jackie; but because Crystal knew Jackie would preachify her about how she should go to the circus because it's her hobby, and not because of a chick who probably won't even notice her.

''Hm, I guess that I'll just have to wait, and live it firsthand.'' She thought, starting the engine.

✧˖*°࿐

GIGI, on the other hand, was discouraged. She didn't have one reason to be so, though. Gigi Goode was one of the main causes The Moonlight Circus was so successful — with her excellent features, and her flawless execution, she had more than a motive to be proud of herself.

However, she wasn't. Gigi was almost convinced that her job saw more merit in her appearance than in her achievements; that the circus wouldn't be as affluent if her mien was any different; or that the vast majority of visitors, mainly cishet white elders, annually came to solely enjoy Gigi's act, which they saw as eroticism rather than art.

And Gigi was jaded of it — she was sick and tired of people seeing her as nothing more than a pretty girl; of not saving herself not even once from older men stalking her after every show; of being seen as simply a form of entertainment. A service. An object.

And the worst part was that Gigi couldn't quit — that job was practically what fed her. Before the circus, she was nothing; and she was in no position to go back to that.

''This sucks. I wish that, at least, I had someone to talk to. I mean, Sure, Jan, I have you; but I want to talk with someone about something other than my filthy job.'' Gigi said to herself, staring at the moon, as she slowly fell asleep on the bus.