My alarm is blaring. Squeezing my eyes tighter shut as though it would turn back time and allow me more sleep, I can't stop from sighing. As I roll over to turn off the alarm, I notice the time on the clock. It was far too early for Darren to wake up and I honestly can't believe my alarm didn't wake the alpha.

Darren's arm is draped over my slightly exposed midriff as he slumbered on. I roll gently onto my side so that I can look at his face. 'He loves me... That's enough for me,' I think to myself. My hand comes up to brush his hair from his peaceful face with a small smile on my own lips. Too bad I couldn't remain in bed all day.

Pulling myself from the comfort of the bed, I saunter over toward the bathroom in our small apartment. The sun was out today and there were birds chirping just outside. It looked like another warm, summer day today. As I pass the calendar in the bedroom, I take note of my scheduled shift. January 5th, 11 am until 7 pm today. Not a bad shift, just a long one.

For some reason, the TV is on and talking about the local weather forecast for Burlington. "Today is another summer day here in Ontario. With the heatwave ending and a cold front coming in, you can expect thunderstorms tonight"

Turning off the TV in the living room, I make my way over to the bathroom. Turning on the water and waiting until it was warm, I can hear Darren stirring in the bedroom. His groans make me wonder if my alarm did wake him up.

I start to undress as the steam starts to fill the room. I notice out of the corner of my eye a large bruise on my arm. Huh, when did I get that?

The warm water is soothing on my back and a relieved sound escapes past my lips. I can hear Darren calling my name and I shout back, "In here."

He steps into the room and watches me for a moment before speaking. "Make sure to leave me some hot water when you're done." His words sound final but there is a hint of love in his tone, or so I think.

As I wash gingerly, I note that we're almost out of body wash. I should pick some up after work.

The rest of my morning before work is routine and normal. I get out of the shower quickly to save hot water for Darren and then set about getting breakfast. A bowl of cheerios and milk, I read the back of the box as I chew. Everything is normal as I leave the apartment and head toward my job. Thankfully, work was only a short distance from the apartment. It was convenient that I worked in the gas station closest to home. It meant I never had far to go. Darren also appreciated how close I was.

As I walk down the street, passing people whose faces are blurred, I wait to cross to the side that the gas station was on. No one catches my interest as I walk into the small gas station-store combo building. At least we were self-serve. I don't think I could handle having to interact with customers when they pay inside and while serving gas to a car. The thought made me want to turn around and head home. It would definitely be too much socializing for me.

My boss, Wilson, was never one to make comments about my appearance, which I was completely thankful for. Being self-conscious of my scars and bruises, I always worried that people would say something. In a way, I knew that Darren was bad news. I shouldn't be with him if he makes marks on me. But I love him and he loves me. Darren always apologizes after all. I can forgive him for that as long as he continues to love me.

"You're early today. Must be nice to have all the time in the world," Wilson says. I offer an awkward sort of smile before shrugging.

"I wouldn't say I have all the time. Just a regular alarm setting in the morning," I state with a jovial sort of tone, implying I was teasing or joking. But Wilson just stares at me for a moment before shaking his head.

"The new merchandise came in today. Make sure to display it in the front." his words direct my attention to the boxes that were sitting near the front.

"Sure thing," I reply. Wilson turns to head over to his tiny office in the back and I think about how this is a regular day for me. There always seems to be merchandise that came in and needs putting out. It was a routine I was used to. A small part of me wanted something different, but what would I even do with different? The notion of change made me feel wary. Nothing needed to change, did it?

* * * * *

Today was dragging on as the shift felt never-ending. The people who came into the store buzzed past my memory in a blur. How many people had even come in today? The door chimed as someone entered and I rolled my eyes. I hated that door chime sometimes. The sound it made wasn't pleasant in any way and always woke me up from a daze. Maybe that was why Wilson had chosen the shrill tone.

My eyes look at the man that entered the gas station's store. His face was obscured from my direct vision, blurred in a way that I couldn't make it out. I was unfazed though. Everyone looked the same.

Looking over at the clock on the wall, I notice it's only one in the afternoon. This man is the third customer of the day, why was it so boring today?

My eyes shift back to the man as he looks through the candy display. My hand slowly comes up to rub at my eyes as I yawn. Was it always so boring here?

...

The first thing noticeable was the sound of organ grinder music slowly filling the room. It started out quiet and then faded in louder and louder. Sniffing the air, Evan was assaulted by the scent of salty popcorn and sweet cotton candy as he breathed in more.

Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was people sitting beside him. Turning around, there were people behind him as well. They were cheering and laughing at something ahead of them but the omega wasn't sure if he wanted to know what it might be.

Slowly turning around to face the front again, he was shocked to see clowns juggling. They were juggling various objects; colourful balls, bowling pins, but nothing held his interest. If only one of them were juggling chainsaws, that would be interesting. Off in the distance, a clown car enters into the middle of the circus ring.

What was he doing at a circus? His mind races for an answer but comes up blank. Had he been there the entire time? He could have sworn that he was doing something else before he came here, but what was it? Evan was suddenly reminded of the last time he had been to the circus. His father had taken him and they had had tons of fun. Of course, that was before he left...

Sighing, Evan shifted his position so that he could rest his elbows against his knees with his head against closed fists. For some reason, this seemed oddly familiar...

Bored with the show, Evan closed his eyes for another brief moment, expecting to return to where he came from.

However, as he opened his eyes he is no longer in the crowd watching clowns juggle but is instead high up in the air. Dizzy and uncomfortable at the new height, his hands search for something to hold onto. The feeling of falling off the platform enters the pit of his stomach. Like turbulence when flying, he starts to feel as if he might be sick. Grabbing hold of the only object around, he latches onto the tall post that appears to hold the tent up. Quickly searching the platform for a ladder, he swallows hard when finding none. Guess there was no way down from here after all.

"Hey!" Someone calls out to him. Looking up and forward, he sees an alpha. He is dressed in a brightly coloured, tight, bodysuit that sparkles in the light. Looking down at himself, he is wearing a matching suit.

"You can do this Evan," He shouts. Shaking his head, he notices that the alpha suddenly has a trapeze bar in His hands.

"I can't, I'll fall."

He smiles at Evan. A feeling of attraction blooms when He smiles like that.

The alpha takes a step back and Evan watches as He swings off the platform and into the air, His body contorting so His knees hang over the bar.

"C'mon Evan, the crowd wants to see you," He tries to coax the omega off the platform. The crowd starts to cheer loudly from below and he swallows hard. What was he about to do?

In a split-second decision, Evan swings off the platform and into the air, gasping and chattering words of nothing, he can't believe that he did it!

"Jump Evan, I'll always catch you," The alpha's voice is soft and comforting as Evan suddenly lets go of his bar and jumps out for His hands. Sweaty and a little slippery, He catches him easily and they swing back and forth through the air for a moment, the crowd cheering loudly.

"I knew you could do it," He states, but it is hard to hear Him over the roar of the crowd below. How was he able to hear the alpha so clearly before with so much noise in the room?

"Evan?"

He looks up, confused at the changing tone in the alpha's voice.

...

"Hello?" I jolt up, almost smacking my head off the cupboard behind the counter that houses the cigarettes. Immediately looking around, I realize that I must have been daydreaming at work, as I am no longer at the circus. But, where did that voice come from?

"Ahem," It was then that I notice the man from before was ready to pay for his items. He wore an irritated look on his face, holding out a twenty-dollar bill.

Still confused, I look down at the bottle of coke, the large bag of chips, and the smaller bag of skittles sitting on the counter.

"S-sorry," I mumble quickly before scanning the items into the register. Taking the money from the man, I quickly hand him his change, not wanting to irritate him further. Lowering my head in shame for daydreaming on the job, I flick my eyes up to watch the man leave, mumbling about 'lazy omegas' as the door chimed again.

It was a good thing that I am working alone today or else Abby would have told my boss that I was sleeping at work. Abby was the sort of beta who loved to see him in trouble.

I would have to make sure not to fall asleep so easily again. I couldn't afford to lose this job, no matter how much it bored me. Darren would be mad if I lost this job...

Resting my head back in my hands, I hear a different chiming noise coming from my pockets. Quickly looking about nervously, making sure no one else was watching, I quickly pull out my phone to see a text message from Darren.

"Make sure to get body wash."

That was right! They were out of body wash. Texting back a 'sure' with a heart emoji, I slide my now closed phone into my pocket. My mind drifted back to the alpha in my dream. For a moment, I wonder who he was, as I've never seen him before. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me.