Freaks and Fortune

"Ivy!" Cal roared, grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around. "Listen to me, goddamn it!"
I stared at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Thirty seconds," I said in a flat, cold voice.
"You can't leave," he pleaded. "At least, not because of me. The others would kill me. I'd kill me. It tears me up. It really does. Just 'cause of one stupid thing I did... Just tell me that it isn't because of me. If it helps, I take back the kiss."
"It doesn't help."
"So it is because of me!"

At this point, I was slowly realizing that I had overreacted. In the heat and anger of the moment, I'd decided to quit the best job I'd ever had. Well, the only job, really. I was too embarrassed to let Cal know that I'd changed my mind, so I went along with him, trying to keep up the charade.

"It's because I want to go back to normal," I lied."
"Seriously?" he cried. "Why would you choose normal over... over this?"

He spread his arms out wide, indicating the entire Circus.

I turned away from him to hide the fact that I thought he was completely right. My eyes fell on Anthony, standing about ten yards away. I opened my mouth to yell a greeting, but was cut short when he started booming in his Ringmaster voice.

"Ladies and Gentleman!" he shouted, the words ricocheting off the clouds. "I have an announcement to make!"

I turned around to shoot a confused look at Cal. Our argument was put on hold. He shrugged and we jogged toward Anthony. Ravi appeared next to him, scowling.

"Ant, don't," he warned, grabbing the collar of Anthony's shirt. "Don't you dare."

Anthony shoved Ravi away and continued.

"Today is a special day for Ravi and I!" he yelled to the gathering crowd.

I turned and put a hand on Cal's chest. We stopped moving.

"Oh no..." I squeaked, giving Cal a meaningful look.
"What? What's going on?"

"Today is our one-year anniversary!"
"Anthony, cut it out!" Ravi yelled, his voice sounding pale and weak next to Anthony's.
"It's our anniversary because we're dating, and we're dating because we're gay!"

Cal sputtered. I winced.

Ravi shoved Anthony, but Anthony shoved back. Ravi stumbled. Anthony caught the lapels of his jacket and pulled him close, forcing a kiss on his lips. There was a split second when I thought all was going to be well. I raised my hands from my sides, ready to burst into a movie slow-clap.

But then Ravi broke the kiss. He reeled back and punched Anthony in the face. An explosion of blood burst from his nose, spraying all over the dead grass. Anthony seemed just as shocked as the crowd was. He fell to his knees and cupped his hands under his nose, catching the blood.

Ravi hoisted him to his feet by the neck of his shirt. Anthony seemed to cower away from his rage. Ravi pulled back and his fist connected with Anthony's eye. He crumpled. I screamed, completely unaware of what I was doing. I found myself running over to Anthony.

Cal was beside me. He took Ravi's arms and pinned them behind his back, fighting the Elephant Acrobat as he struggled to break free.

"Anthony," I cried softly. "Let me see, let me see..."

He didn't notice me. I could clearly see the large bruise that was already forming around his right eye. The blood from his nose dripped down into his mouth and turned his teeth red.

"You bastard!" he yelled, leaping up from the ground and pushing past me. "You sick, cowardly bastard!"

His bloody fist connected with Ravi's mouth, who couldn't fight back, as he was still being held by Cal. Anthony's blood was smeared across Ravi's face, whose eyes widened in shock. He slumped over, his knees going weak for a second.

Anthony scowled, giving Ravi a look filled with disgust. He shoved his fists into his pockets, flicked his hood up, and hurried away. The large crowd that had gathered jumped back, clearing a direct path for him.

"Oh my God," I breathed. "Ravi-"
"Get off me!" Ravi exploded, bursting out of Cal's grasp. "Get off!"

He whorled around, his lip split open, and pushed Cal's chest with a force that surprised everyone. Cal fell backwards, landing on the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ravi yelled at him.
"Hey, hey, calm down!"

The fact that he was being told what to do by a boy he hated made Ravi even angrier.

"Stop staring!" he yelled at Cal, but it was meant for the entire crowd.

Ravi wiped the blood from his lip and ran, pushing into people. He headed in the exact opposite direction that Anthony had gone. Everyone began talking all at once. I rushed over to Cal and helped him up off the ground. He looked scared.

"I was not expecting that!" he exclaimed.
"We've got to go back to the cabin."
"They are never going to believe this!"