Run to Me

Chapter Two: Phillip Carlyle

Just a few hours later they arrived at the 'museum'. As soon as Barnum stepped into the ring, his ensemble looked up. Astraea looked around curiously, she never had been there before.

She saw a formal dressed, dark haired, bright blue eyed man she recognised almost immediately, then her gaze shifted onto the ensemble. She spotted a pink haired, beautiful woman, she had a little bit of a familiar feeling with.

A broad, bearded woman stepped forward. "P.T., what is this woman doing here?", she asked. Barnum smiled widely. "I am so glad you asked, Lettie. This is Astraea Chrysalis, she-"

He was interrupted as the handsome dark haired man stepped forward. "She is the most talented and most famous dancer in the world. And still, the society despises her", he added, his eyes couldn't tear apart from the universe like ones.

Astraea stepped forward and bowed. "Well, if it isn't the Phillip Carlyle. I still remember how your father cussed me out that one time when we worked together on a play", she straightened up, a playful smirk playing around her lips and her brow slightly lifted, almost challengingly.

Phillip blushed as she brought back the uncomfortable memory. She just chuckled and then turned to P.T again. "I didn't expect you could win him over", she grinned, "He tends to be a little stubborn" Barnum just smirked. "I have my ways, darling"

Astraea shook her head at his antics. "Well, I have heard you've got a little bit of a choreography problem?", she then asked in the room. The ensemble broke out in cheers.

Lettie, the bearded woman immediately shot forward and occupied her. "Miss Chrysalis, 't is a pleasure to meet you", she greeted her, suddenly a little shy.

The goddess smiled calmingly. "Don't be shy, or nervous, Lettie. I don't bite. I'm just like you all", she told gently, resting her hand on the singers shoulder.

"Not quite, sweetheart", she heard another voice cutting in. It was Charles. Astraea tilted her head and knelt down to him. "Care to explain?", she calmly asked.

"Simple as it is. You are accepted by society", he blurted out bluntly. Astraea let out a chuckle, but it sounded different from her laughter before, more forced, even almost painful. A grimace laced her pretty features.

Phillip, although he didn't hear what they talked about, noticed. In all their time working together, he had never seen such an expression on her face.

She now sat down on the ground. "Tolerated, yes. But accepted? Never", she scoffed, a forced laugh glided over her lips as she made eye contact with Phillip. He guiltily looked away.

Charles had paled. "Freak. Monster. Demon. Witch", Astraea started to count out. "Don't you think these words are engraved in my brain just as much as they are in yours?", she asked, a painful smile on her lips.

"After all, look at me. I have silverwhite hair -and no, that's is not a wig-, I'm Asian, and I dance", she told. "That is nothing I should do, isn't that right, Mr Carlyle?"

Phillip jumped at her sharp words, and when he slowly turned around to look at her, he found everyone -including P.T- staring at him with a shocked expression. He started to sweat. "Uhm- I-", he stuttered nervously, her cold glare sent shivers down his spine.

She turned back to Lettie and Charles. "I'm just tolerated because I have money and a name. They would've already wiped me out long before if they only could have", she closed her story and got up with a huff again.

P.T was the only one who could see all the weight she lifted on her shoulders in this moment. His expression softened for a short moment. But there was nothing he could do for her.