Insane

two

"Hey, what took you so long kiddo?" Jim chuckled as I walked over to him and Lee.

"Had to grab my essentials." I chuckled as I held up my cigarettes.

"Those are gonna kill you one day you know." He said as he shook his head.

"Funny, people say that about cops as well." I smiled, which only caused Jim to deepen his frown.

Only ten minutes later we'd finally arrived at the circus.

I already wanted to home. The lights were bright and happy-looking, and the sound of children swarmed my ears.

"I'm gonna go somewhere quiet." I said as Jim got out of the car.

"Ok, meet us at the big top for the big show." Jim said, as he opened the door for Lee. I made a gag sound as I walked off, which made Jim chuckle a bit.

"See, she's lovely to be around." I heard him say to Lee as I ventured to the food stand. I shoved some little kids out of my way and ordered a coffee.

"Bit young for that, don't you think?" The server asked me.

"No." I smiled.

As soon as I got my coffee I walked over to the caravans where the circus cast stayed. I figured since it was their big night there would be nobody around, so I sat at a table and lit my smoke while I pondered in  my thoughts.

"Aren't you a little old to be at a circus?" A voice said behind me. I felt myself jump a little bit before I turned around.

"Aren't you?" I laughed, as I saw the boy that matched the voice. He had ginger hair and wore an infectious grin on his face.

"I don't have a choice, I'm guessing you do." He chuckled as he walked over to me. Once he sat next to me he stuck out his hand. "Jerome, and you are?"

"Hayley." I said, keeping my hand on my coffee.

Jerome brushed it off. "So, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"Smoking and drinking coffee apparently." I smiled, wishing he'd go away.

"And being alone?" He asked.

"If only." I laughed.

Jerome sat and stared at me for a moment before speaking again.

"Alright, I know when I'm beat. Cya around Hayley." He said before skulking away.

I have to admit, I felt bad about being rude to him, and he was the only person to ever try and engage in conversation with me.

I sighed to myself before calling out to him. "So what's a boy like you doing in a place like this?" I asked.

Jerome turned around, and his infectious grin returned to his face.

"Walking, apparently." He chuckled as he walked over and sat next to me once again.

"You said you didn't have a choice about being here, so why's that?" I asked.

"Well, my mother is a snake dancer for the circus, and my dad's kinda dead so I have no choice but to be here." He shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.

"Sorry about your dad." I said as I threw my cigarette butt away.

"It's fine, can't change it I guess." Jerome sighed.

"So what's your story?" He turned and asked me.

"Well, my mother's dead and my father didn't want me, so he shipped me off to live with my uncle." I smiled.