The Girl in the gilded cage (A Tom Hiddleston story)

Running away with the circus

*Tom*
That night when I lay in my bed, I find myself thinking of Malina and her dangerous act. I can't get the image of her out of my head. I can still see her up there on the tightrope, walking backwards and then forward again high above the audience.
  I have a dream about it, seeing her float through the air like a vision of beauty and grace. Then the dream changes into a nightmare and I am seeing her fall. And in my dream I reach for her, trying to catch her, but I can't reach. She falls down into a deep hole of silence, and she looks at me the whole way down, until she is gone. I wake up, drenched in sweat and I am still thinking of her when I drift back to sleep.
When I wake up in the morning my mind is still clouded in the dream. It had seemed so vivid, so real. It is one of those dreams I have a hard time shaking of me and I end up taking a long shower to clear my head of the night.
But as if my mind had been trying to tell me something, I get a call from my agent later that morning about the circus, leaving me a bit dizzy but elated and happy. I pick the phone back up and call my mom, wanting to tell someone.
"Morning my dear. What's happening ?" She asks.
"Well, I am calling to tell you that I am running away with the circus". I say chuckling slightly when I hear her gasp. "What are you talking about ?"
"My agent got a call from the ovner I visited with Sophie and the kids, apparently he saw me do the introduction yesterday and he liked it, so did everyone else according to him and he offered me a job until their ringmaster is back". I tell her.
"But Tom you can't just.. oh who am I kidding, it is you I am talking about, you just do what you feel like as always". She says and I know she is shaking her head but smiling.
"I have nothing else to do, it sounded like fun and it is easy work. It doesn't pay much, but I get a trailer and free food, so it is kind of like a vacation". I tell her, I am sure it is going to be loads of fun.
She laughs. "You are crazy, you know that right ? But I am sure you are going to have a great time and you are going to be amazing Thomas".
"Thanks mom. Well I need to go talk to the owner, so talk to you soon and I see you in a couple of months then". I tell her.
"Take care my dear and as always be yorself and everyone will adore you. Talk to you soon". She says, ending the call.
It might seem odd for an actor to accept such a job. But well I will be the first to admit that while I wouldn't call myself struggling by any means, I am not exactly Hollywood A list. I have my returning role as Loki, some leads in smaller movies and not so mainstream movies. Doing 'The night manager' raised my star and so did King kong, I am no longer box office poison. Honestly I am known, well known and I have loads of fans, but not really in high demand for the big blockbusters.
I don't have anything on my schedule the next couple of months and as shows and movies are cast long before being shot the chances of a role is slim. I can use this as practise. Threat it as a role and well a vacation I have been working non-stop for years. I love meeting new people and see new places and this seems like the perfect way to do that.
I keep myself busy between roles, I don't lead a glamorous life and I diddle in a lot of things beside acting. That is how I manage to lead a comfortable life and be able to follow dreams and ideas.

*Malina*
"How can he do that ? Some fucking actor. Not even a real man, someone soft that knows nothing about the life in a circus". Ioan complains. Joe has just told him about the boss decision to hire Tom Hiddleston as the ringmaster until Joe is ready to work again.
I choose my words carefully. I totally get the choice, but I don't want to anger Ioan. I know the man has a bad temper. "Well the boss must have seen something in him and you know, you already has so much on your shoulders, with the knife act and the tigers".
"Yeah you are right. I mean it takes a real man to throw knifes and handle wild animals, everyone can stand there and just talk". He says and I keep my thoughts to myself, just smiling and making an excuse to get away.
Ioan is exactly the kind of man, that is the reason why I have never had any problems following my fathers, no dating rule. He is a chauvinistic pig, a player that sees women as nothing more than a thing to possess. He is rude and loud and I know he wants me, but he is the last man I would want.
I walk to my trailer. I had finally gotten my own last year, before that I slept in my fathers trailer, it is nice to be able to be alone. Cirkus is loud, busy and bustling and you don't have much privacy as it is, so being able to go somewhere and close the door is needed.
Laying on my bed, my hands behind my head mind thoughts slide to the very tall handsome man from yesterday. So he was going to be here in circus the next couple of months. I hope he can jumble things here a bit. Be a breath of fresh air. This place could use it for sure.