by Sarah Noffke
However, Zuma wasn’t sensing a shield from Finley, but rather a void. It was like Finley didn’t have any thoughts to shield. Whatever technique he was using to keep Zuma out, it was far more effective than the method Dave taught. She could usually find a back door if properly motivated, but there wasn’t a back door to the invisible building of Finley’s mind.
Unable to resist, she stood and turned around to spy Finley balancing on the slack line that was stretched out at the back of the practice tent. It hovered three feet off the ground. He pranced across it, not an ounce of unease in his steps. Finley moved like he was one with the line, and then she knew exactly four seconds before it happened what he was going to do. He flipped himself backwards in a back tuck and landed on the rope solidly. And then he took the momentum the line bounced back at him into a front flip and full twist and dismounted onto the mat. His back was to Zuma and he didn’t turn to catch the look of amazement she was trying to cover up, but rather marched to the drink and towel station on the far tent wall.
He moved differently from Jack. Not like a gymnast. His flips were different from most too. There was a punchy power to them, less grace but still mesmerizing. And although she was incredibly impressed by this little show he’d just put on, she was growing more furious by the second that he was pretending she didn’t exist. What’s this guy’s problem? He sipped water from a paper cup, disposed of it, and then toweled off before turning around and returning to the slack line.
Zuma managed to keep her frustrated sigh locked inside her, but that wouldn’t last for long. With a firm determination she turned and stalked for the exit. She was almost to the door when Finley appeared out of nowhere two feet in front of her. She halted with a startled gasp. He’d teleported and had a half smile pulling up the corner on one side of his mouth.
“Where are you going?” he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest, a challenging look in his hazel eyes. Were they green or brown? Zuma wondered and then shook the stupid question out of her head.
“I’m going to tell Dave I changed my mind!” Zuma said, her frustration making her voice shake.
“Oh, about being in the circus?” Finley said, nodding like he understood. “Yeah, you’re kind of in over your head.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “No, I changed my mind about giving an asshole a chance to be my partner.”
Finley’s smile widened. “You’re only saying that because you can’t get in my head. A valiant effort earlier though.”
He could sense me trying to read his thoughts? Most never sensed her intrusion. Jack, Jasmine, Dave, and Titus did but that was because she’d formed an established link with their thoughts based on trust and seamless communication.
“Look I get that you’re trying to overcompensate but we respect each other here,” Zuma said.
“Right, rule number one,” Finley said, that amused expression still on his face. “So based on rule number two I sense you and Jon are skirting a dangerous boundary.”
“His name is Jack, and not that it’s your business but there’s nothing going on,” Zuma said.
His eyes took their time running over the features of her face and then when they touched her mouth, they lit up with amusement. “Well, that’s a relief.” Finley took a step closer to Zuma and held out a hand. “Shall we get started?”
She knocked his hand out from in front of her and marched around him.
Again he teleported, appearing a few steps in front of her. “You really don’t get how this works, do you? You leave. I’ll stop you.” He pointed at her and then him. “You and I are working together.”
“You’re not really giving me any incentives to want to work with you. I realize you’re new to the circus but partners in an acrobat act have to actually get along and right now I can’t stand you,” Zuma said.
He bit down on the corner of his mouth and smiled. “But you don’t despise me yet, right?”
She shook her head and sighed heavily. “You just don’t get it.”
He held up his hands as if in surrender. “You’re right. Teach me?”
“Why is it that you asked to work with me? Why was that the deal you made with Dave?” Zuma said, scrutinizing.
“Because I’m new to the circus and obviously you are too, based on your skill, so I thought we’d relate,” Finley said, not even daring to cover the mischief in his eyes.
“I’m not new to the circus,” Zuma said through clenched teeth.
“Really?” Finley said in mock surprise. “Could have fooled me,” he said and was proud of how he’d diverted her question. He could never confess the true reason he’d asked to work with Zuma…because she intrigued him.
She tapered her dark brown eyes at him. And then she made the decision to throw respect out the window and beat this guy at his own game. “Were you studying the circus, trying to find your in when you came to those six shows?” Zuma asked.
His smile faltered slightly.
Zuma stole his grin and plastered it on her own satisfied face. “Did you think that sitting in the back row would keep you hidden so you wouldn’t be recognized when you invaded our circus?”
He studied her. “What’s your other skill, besides telepathy?”
She tilted her head and batted her long eyelashes at him innocently. “Skills.”
“What?”
“I have two other skills beside telepathy.” She turned and made her way back into the center of the practice tent. This game was easier than she thought. And as Zuma suspected Finley teleported right in front of her again but this time only a foot away.
He leaned down. “What are your other skills?”
She looked up at him. “I think you’ll earn that information by showing me more respect going forward.”
Finley rolled his eyes. “That’s not how respect works. It’s something you earn by not treating me like a plague victim since the moment I took the job.”
“What are you talking about? You didn’t even acknowledge me when you came in here a little while ago,” Zuma said.
“Oh, and it would have killed you to be the first one to say something?”
Zuma blinked blankly at Finley. “No, you’re right. I could have. But I’m also not forgetting that you’ve insulted me multiple times during this conversation. Do you want to work with me or not?”
“I do,” Finley said.
“Then why are you going out of your way to make me dislike you?” Zuma said.
It was Finley’s turn to corral the emotion that tried to spring to his face. The last thing he wanted was Zuma to dislike him. Still, he had his reasons for treating her the way he had. But now looking at her disappointed eyes his reasons felt like fault lines underneath his feet. He stared at Zuma and she stared back, her unrelenting gaze twisting his doggedness into a fraying rope. “We’ve obviously started off on the wrong foot,” Finley admitted after a pause. “Why don’t we start over?”
She considered him and then nodded. “Fine. I’ll give you one more shot.”
“Thank you,” he said, looking pleased. He stuck out his hand. “I’m Finley. I’m notorious for being an asshole, but I make up for it in other ways.”
She couldn’t help but smile slightly. “Nice to meet you, Finley. I’m Zuma and I have no shortcomings.” And when she took his hand he pulled her in tight and leaned down and whispered close to ear.
“Nice to meet you, and I look forward to learning if that’s true, Zuma.” He parted with a satisfied smile when he spied the goose bumps surface on her neck. And just in time for Titus to enter the tent.
Chapter Twenty
Titus had spent the last two hours wisely before his meeting with Zuma and Finley. He didn’t have a few ideas for their act, but rather one exceptionally solid one. Titus wasn’t the excitable type. That was Dave’s role at Vagabond Circus. Titus kept things calm and running in spite of the many distractions Dave created. But after brainstorming alone in his shared office, Titus couldn’t wipe the eager grin off h
is face. Creating an act at this stage in the season was crazy, but based on the talent they now had, the possibilities were brilliant. Titus had to give Dave credit. This was a risk worth taking and would have people talking up and down the west coast.
“What we’re going to do is create a new story that the circus tells,” Titus said, sounding strangely breathless.
“Wait, we’re changing the story? That’s major,” Zuma said in disbelief.
“Yes, but it’s a great idea. It will be the most inspiring story the Vagabond Circus has ever told. And for you, Zuma, it’s the break you’ve been waiting for,” Titus said.
“Why does everyone think I want to be the star?” Zuma complained.
“Everyone wants to be the star,” Finley said dryly before focusing on Titus. “What’s this new story?”
“Well, the good news is that we don’t have to change much to tell it. The narrator will take care of most of the changes and the acts won’t be altered too much. But we will add a few acts with you, Finley, and of course, add your quadruple to the trapeze,” Titus said.
“He can do high wire too,” Zuma said, surprising herself with the sudden disclosure.
Titus arched an impressed eyebrow at Finley. “That will come in very handy.” He coughed to clear his throat. “All right, so the show starts with you, Zuma, being imprisoned in a room. You’re a girl whose father locks her up every night before dark, afraid of the creatures that prowl outside at night. However, you escape one night and meet the monsters, which will be our various existing acts. Zuma, you will be in the ring most of the time. As the story progresses, you approach one of the monsters and duel him. During the battle you end up taming the monster and you two fall in love.” Titus ends this with a triumphant smile. “What do you think?”
“The monsters I meet?” Zuma asked, looking skeptical.
“Well, they’re the triplets, the acrobats, Sunshine, and Oliver. The cast,” Titus said, like this should have been obvious.
“And the one I duel and fall in love with?” Zuma said, lowering her chin and giving him a measured glare.
“It’s Finley, naturally.”
“Naturally,” she said dryly.
“What, don’t you like it?” Titus asked. He was always sensitive when it came to his new ideas.
“No, I like it, it’s just…” Zuma’s face flushed although she couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t like the story was really about her.
“I think,” Titus began, “that pairing your skills to create a beautiful fight scene will really be impressive. We can even do part of it on the high wire.” He stopped and smiled at the idea. “Yeah, two acrobats on a wire. It will be simply brilliant. Then the fight will morph into a dance and a series of flips and holds as you two fall in love.”
Zuma tried three times to swallow the lump in her throat. She sought to cover up her nervousness with a compliment. “Titus, that’s beautiful. You came up with all that over lunch?”
“Actually the whole idea popped into my head when I was in the john,” he said with a guilty shrug.
“It is really beautiful,” Finley admitted, his eyes not on Zuma for once. Then his face fell with a worry he quickly covered up. This act would put him much closer to Zuma than he had thought. And although he craved the idea of working with her, he also knew he needed to keep a boundary. Two parts of Finley battled. His deal to work with Zuma was his indulgent side, and the one that pushed her away was his pragmatic side. And currently the two parts were even.
“Then it’s settled,” Titus said, rubbing his hands together eagerly. “We have a new show!”
“I just have one more question though.” Finley paused and then turned his pensive gaze on Zuma, putting her back under his spell. “What are these skills of Zuma’s that complement mine?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Titus blinked in surprise. “Wait, you don’t know?” He eyed his watch. “I realize I’m early, but what were you two doing before I arrived? You were supposed to be getting to know each other’s skills.”
“We didn’t get to that,” Finley said, his face turning dark. “Zuma was too busy going on about how much she didn’t want to work with me.”
Zuma shot Finley a startled look of fury. “I was not! He was the one acting like he didn’t want to work with me!”
“Oh, right,” Finley said with a huff. “By putting on a spectacular show for you,” he said, throwing his arm at the high wire.
She tied her arms across her chest. “That’s what you’re calling spectacular? Ha!”
He matched her pose and tapped his foot, irritation heavy in the movement. “I did ask her what her skills were and she refused to tell me,” he said to Titus, who looked confused. The creative director didn’t do well when it came to conflicts between performers. Thankfully it happened rarely. He didn’t have Dave’s way with the circus family.
“Zuma, is that true?” Titus asked, growing more uncomfortable by the second.
“What happened to starting over?” she said, glaring at Finley.
He gave her a cold smile. “We did start over and this is where we are now,” he said, hoping this was working, hoping she couldn’t see through his act.
Titus slid his hand over his graying blond hair. “Okay,” he said, drawing out the word. “You two obviously have some team-building opportunities here. I realize that you, Zuma, are used to being with Jasmine and Jack, but Dave is giving you an incredible chance.” He turned to Finley. “And I’m going to be bold here and tell you that antagonizing Zuma is probably not going to work in your favor.”
Finley smiled. “Oh, I don’t know, I like the way she looks when she’s angry. And she should be thanking me for provoking her,” he said, staring straight at Zuma.
“Thank you? For what? For being a bipolar jerk?” she said.
“Exactly,” Finley said, nodding. “Having strong emotions is great for performing.”
“He’s insane,” she said, pointing to Finley and staring at Titus.
The creative director shrugged, looking defeated, and backed away.
“Titus!” Zuma yelled. “You can’t just let him get away with disrespecting me.”
He shook his head. “As far as I’m concerned, this is something you two need to get through on your own. And lucky for you there will be an ample opportunity. I want you creating an act based on my ideas for the rest of the day. I will review what you have tonight and then you will rehearse while dream traveling for all of the night. So, I’d advise you both to change your attitudes toward each other since you’re spending the rest of the day and night together,” Titus said.
“But it’s my day off,” Zuma argued.
Titus almost laughed at this, but controlled himself. “We all know there’s no days off at Vagabond Circus. And besides I have high hopes for you two. I want to do a run-through tomorrow morning with the whole cast and then we will produce the new show tomorrow evening for Seattle before heading to Portland.”
“This is crazy, Titus,” Zuma said.
He nodded in agreement. “Yes, completely. But I think that it will boost sales and that means we all keep our jobs, so please do try your best to get along.” Titus then turned to Finley. “Now, to answer your question, besides being telepathic Zuma also has combat sense and—”
“Wait,” Finley said, swiveling his face to Zuma. “So…” He prepared to pivot on his back foot and before he did her eyes shot to his foot. He stopped. Smiled. “So if I go to kick you—”
“Then she will sense it seconds before you telegraph,” Titus answered for her.
Finley nodded in approval. “That will make a fight between us quite interesting.”
“Fight scene,” Titus corrected. “You two will be creating a fight scene, and I agree. Most wouldn’t be able to keep up with your super speed, Finley, but Zuma should have no trouble.” He turned and nodded at Zuma proudly. “I had my doubts but Dave encouraging me to pair you with Finley was genius. The old man still has it, I’l
l admit.”
Zuma couldn’t help but nod with him in agreement, although her eyes were still narrowed with frustration.
“And what’s your third skill?” Finley said, breaking in.
Zuma sighed, resigning slightly. “I have an eidetic memory, meaning I can recall images after only a brief exposure with a high degree of detail.”
“Ahhh…” Finley said, piecing it all together. “So you can remember everyone in the crowd. And you know how many times they’ve been in the audience and where they sat. Is that right?”
“Yes,” she said plainly. All her secrets were out now.
“That’s a lot of information to catalogue,” Finley said, looking impressed. “How does it help you in the circus?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe it doesn’t. But I see everything and with the right intention I can go back to memories and study them to learn more information. Reasons behind why someone would stalk the circus,” she said, her tone filled with meaning.
For the first time that afternoon Finley’s cool features shifted with stress.
“Well, I think at this point you two have everything you need from me to get started,” Titus said, feeling the tension between the two and wanting to get away from it quickly. “No breaks until dinner and then I want to see what you’ve come up with.” Titus turned and stalked for the exit, but halted just before. “Oh, and Finley?” he called back.
