Bullets and Brainpower

Ginger Circus Boy

I jolt awake, covered in sweat, and look over at the alarm clock on my side table. 9:02. On a Saturday. Great. I mean, I kinda got used to not having to get up at sunrise. Then, nightmares happened, so most school days, I'm up at five. This is sleeping in for me nowadays. I groan, rub my eyes, and trudge down the stairs.

"Morning, kiddo," Barbara says when she sees me. "You alright?" I shrug. "What's up?" I shake my head. "Cassie," she drags out my name, "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." I sigh.

"I've been having nightmares for, like, the last week," I say. She nods.

"Of what?" I squeeze my eyes shut. "Come here." She leads me by the shoulder to sit down on the couch. I let out a shaky breath. "Come on. Talk to me. What are you having nightmares about?" I gulp and nod.

"A-about my previous families," I tell her. "A-and how they didn't care a-and they just...tossed me out." She hugs me, and I feel a few stray tears slip down my cheeks.

"Shh," she whispers. "I can promise you, we are not going to do that to you." I nod.

"I-I know," I say. "I just, I-I'm scared. I can't s-stop it." She rubs the back of my head soothingly and hums Somewhere from West Side Story. I had mentioned while watching it that it was one of the only songs that could calm me down. She remembered. I pull away and stand up, sniffling.

"I think I'm gonna go for a walk," I say. She nods.

"Are you sure?" she asks. I nod.

"I need some air." I change quickly, grab my key, and run down to the street. I look to the left, then the right, and eventually decide to head into the heart of the city. The sounds of Gotham may remind people how bad our security and crime are, but to me, it's soothing. Before I know it, the sun is high in the sky, and I'm on the complete other side of the city. I look around. I don't think I've ever been here before. I walk a few more blocks and see an open field, currently covered with trailers and tents. I tilt my head in confusion and head towards it. As I get closer, I see a sign. Haly's Circus. Huh. Never knew a circus came through Gotham. I stand there for a while, watching the people going in and out of the tents, before turning around. I continue looking at the people as I walk, and when I turn back to the front, I run into someone, landing on my butt. This seems unwelcomely familiar.

"Oh my god!" the person exclaims. Definitely a guy. "I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I swear!" I look up at the perpetrator to see a boy around my age with bright red hair and dark green eyes extending a hand to me. I grab it, and he pulls me up.

"You're fine," I tell him, looking around. "Not the first time I've done that." I look back at him, and he shakes his head.

"N-no, it was entirely my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going." I snort at that.

"You kidding me?" I ask. "I was literally looking behind me." I laugh, and he starts laughing with me. I pause. "I...I'm Cassie. Cassie Gordon." I extend a hand toward him, and he smiles.

"Jerome," he says, shaking my hand. "Jerome Valeska." I smile.

"Nice to meet you, Jerome," I say. "Do you live around here?" He shakes his head.

"I-I'm with the circus." I nod. "But you live here, don't you? I don't think I've seen you with the circus, unless you're new." I shake my head.

"I live on the other side of Gotham." He nods. "To be completely honest, I didn't even know a circus came through Gotham until today." He laughs.

"Yeah. We come through every winter." I nod. "You should come see it. I think you'd enjoy it, and if you don't, it's on me." I chuckle.

"I mean, if you say so." He holds out his hand, and I glance down at it before looking back up at him.