Chapter Text
Chapter One „The Freak Circus,“ y/n reads off the pink, shiny ticket in her hand. The tent illustration on the side and the wings makes a welcoming impression, while the huge gold letters paired with the black contrast give the whole thing a creepy retro vibe. As her curious eyes glaze over the ticket, she thinks back to this afternoon.
A handsome man, he must be in his 20s, walked toward me with a bright smile on his face. His blue suit complements his sky blue eyes, while his short, styled hair slightly moves with every step he takes. Though he seemed friendly, there was something weirdly off about him. His teeth were too white, his smile too bright, and his eyes too clear. She can't really put her finger on it, but he looks off. Like a salesman, trying to get you to buy something, always sweet and helpful, but in reality, they don't give a single shit about you. Compared to food, he’d definitely be a chocolate cake. Looks deliciously sweet, but if you eat too much, it'll get disgusting pretty fast.“Excuse me, dear,” he exclaimed in a smooth singsong. “I couldn’t help but notice the flyer in your hand. The new circus in town, isn’t it? “. Though he made it sound like a question, it was more like an observation. „I heard it's pretty creepy. Interested in it? “He asked, raising his eyebrows while a wrinkle formed on his, a minute ago, so smooth forehead. She freezes, not anticipating the sudden social interaction, but manages to squeeze an "uhm, yeah" out of her mouth. She wasn’t interested at all. Yes, the promise of scary performances and a creepy aesthetic is alluring, but there’d be lots of people, and there’s no one who shares her fascination of the frightening. And it'd just be awkward going alone; that happened in enough situations already. Standing alone, not knowing what to do and probably leaving after looking around once, regretting not doing more at the circus. No thanks. "Well, that didn't seem quite convincing," stated the man with a charming grin. "Yes, eh, I'm thinking about going." A nervous chuckle escapes her lips; just wanting to escape, she moves further away from the cloying man.
He backs up a few steps before pulling out a circus ticket from his pocket and offering it to her with this soothing expression. "I happen to carry this around with me; I'd be delighted if you'd take it." "I'd love to see your lovely face in the audience tomorrow night," he declared while shoving this pink piece of paper in her face. Not feeling like continuing this weird interaction, she slowly picked the ticket from his hand, hoping to escape this whole situation. A quiet "Thanks" left her mouth; embarrassed, she lowered her head to make herself as small as possible. "Well, I'll be on my way; I'd be flattered if you'd come," he said before stepping back and leaving as fast as he came.
Wondering what just happened, y/n slowly makes her way to the small shop at the end of the road. Standing there is a cute little house painted yellow, the paint already chipping off in some places on the facade. On the white window frames you can't help but notice a huge variety of flowers, her little fairy tale, as Aunty always called it. As soon as you walk through the white door, matching the windows, you enter a whole other world. A cloud made out of the dozen perfume smells stored here, and a faint smell of coffee greeted her in the doorway of this petit perfumery. "Oh, there you are, princess. What's gotten into you? I've never seen you not on time," says the woman behind the counter. Her hair is up in a messy bun, with flowers stuck into it, while she's wearing a long faux coat with cheetah patterns, a colorful, flowy maxi skirt with a flower pattern fitting to her hair, and a blue lace blouse. Finishing off the cozy look, she has her coffee mug in her left hand and a garden magazine in her right. "Yeah," y/n replies, "some guy from this circus in town held me up and even gifted me a ticket. “.” “Oh, how lovely. Did he look nice? “An aunty asked, grinning from ear to ear. She's such a pain in anything that has slightly to do with matchmaking, with y/n being her favorite victim right now. "Wha—he was just doing his job, promoting. Can you stop saying stuff like that? I'm a happy, single, independent woman. “She exclaims proudly before the conversation is interrupted by the first customers of the afternoon walking in. Except for her aunt trying to set her up with her friend's son and a perfume bottle shattering on the floor, the day went through like any other. Selling fragrances, recommending scents, and cleaning up.
The sun was going down as she left the shop, and as soon as she stepped into the fresh spring air, her mind cleared from all the scents lingering inside of the small space. She quickly made her way to her apartment, not even 20 minutes away by foot. Immediately after getting home, she lets herself plump on the bed and buries herself in the soft pillow she sewed herself. Only after half an hour of just lying there does she decide to change into her pajamas and get ready for bed. After finally being in her comfortable nightwear, she notices the pink ticket peeking out of her pants. After almost forgetting it, she picks it up and, holding it over her face into the air, examines it again. The paper seems expensive, she thinks. It would be such a shame to let it go to waste, wouldn't it? Even if she went alone, it'll for sure be fun. Yes, she'll go, she promises herself.
She will go, and she will look around at everything and will not leave just because she's embarrassed to stand there alone. It will be a good fucking time, and not even her anxiety is going to take that from her.