Ordinary (Phillip x Reader)

IX

After yelling at my mother, I felt a million times better.

Unfortunately, no one at the circus was feeling quite as good. Almost everyone was mad at P.T. including myself, and Anne was still mad at Phillip, but I had a plan.

"Anne?" I called as I entered her dressing room. She had arrived extremely early which wasn't uncommon and extremely beneficial to me. "I need a favour."

"Sure, Y/n. What can I do for you?" she replied.

"There's an apartment for sale and I want someone to come with me to check it out."

"Sure, when are we going?" She hadn't begun getting ready for the show yet, it was still a couple hours away, so she was still in her normal clothes.

"Right....." I subtly reached for her hand, "now!" I grabbed her hand and ran to the doors as she trailed behind me, both of us giggling.

--

The apartment was nice but it wasn't the main reason I had come.

"So...." I began. "How are you?

"I'm fine. Really Y/n, I am," she replied immediately knowing what I had meant. "He is an ass- excuse my language- I can't do anything about it and that's that."

"You know he's actually really nice," I said, attempting to rectify the situation. When she didn't reply, I continued. "Would you ever give him a second chance?"

"I mean, I guess," she replied after a few moments of silence. "He would have to do something really good though to make up for last night."

"Mhm hmm," I nodded trying to hide my happiness that was bubbling from a successful plan.

--

After we had finished looking at the apartment, I payed the down payment and we headed back to the circus. The show would start in 45 minutes. Anne ran off to her dressing room and I began offering help to everyone who needed it.

As the show started, I snuck up to the office to talk to Phillip, careful to make sure Anne didn't see me.

"Phillip?" I called knocking on the door.

A muffled "come in," came from the room, so I walked in.

"What are you doing tonight?" I asked him.

"I don't think I have anything planned. Why?"

"Do you like her?" My face was completely serious now. "And I mean really like her!"

He looked at me with blank eyes. "What- Who are you talking about?"

"Anne. I need to know you are 100% committed to liking her before I can go any further." I was dreading his reply. A part of me hoped he would say no, and that we could be together. But another part wanted Anne to be happy and I had never seen her smile so brightly as when she is with Phillip. If it was what they both wanted, I wouldn't get between them.

"Yeah, I think I am," Phillip sighed after a few moments of silence. He was staring out the window that overlooked the stage. His eyes followed Anne.

"Then here's what we're going to do."

--

Once the show ended, I began to get to work. P.T. had asked to talk to Phillip after the show. While he and P.T. were distracted, I headed towards the women's change room to speak to Anne.

"Anne!" I called. "P.T. wanted me to let you know that he had a ticket for a concert tonight, but something's popped up, so he wants you to go."

She gave me a strange look. "Why me?"

"I may have let slip that you didn't get to watch all of Jenny Linds concert." My lie was easy for her to accept.

"Y/n!"

"I'm sorry!" I gave her an apologetic smile. "But look on the bright side..."

"I guess you're right. When is it?" she sighed

"The curtain rises at 8:30." It was only 6:15 then so she would have plenty of time to get ready.

"Okay. Thank you," she said as she finished getting dressed and headed towards the door.

"Oh Anne!" I called, forgetting the most important part. "Just tell the guy at the ticket booth you're ticket is under the name Barnum."

She sent me a grateful smile as she waved and left the room.

"What are you up to, Y/n?" Lettie asked. She had been listening to our conversation.

"I'm not up to anything," I said with a sly grin.

"Oh sure," she sacastically replied. "And I'm the Queen of England. Seriously though, I know you didn't tell P.T. anything about Anne missing that show 'cause if ya did, P.T. would've come given her the ticket himself."

"You're right. There may be more than one ticket waiting at that theater, and maybe there's a guy there too?" My grin never left my face as Lettie started happily laughing.

--

Later that night, Lettie, Tom, W.D., myself, and a few others where sitting around backstage when Mr. Barnum and Phillip came downstairs. They were talking when Mr. Barnum turned around and left the building.

"Ain't that a sight for sore eyes?" Lettie said.

"He couldn't even say hello."

"Or goodbye. He is going on tour. Sorry guys," Phillip sighed.

"Pull yourself together, Carlyle. Don't you have somewhere to be?" Lettie asked as I smiled.

"Be good!" I called to him as he ran out to the theater.