Freak Show

Mikey stood behind the curtain, his entire body shaking as if there was an earthquake inside of him. His sparkly Fender bass (fondly known as Excalibur by everybody) was slung against his shoulder and covering his lower stomach. His hands were tapping his thighs in the beat of what he was about to play. He carefully watched from behind the curtain, watching Alicia perform.
Generally, in the month he'd been in the show, things had been looking up. He had Alicia had (miraculously) worked out a stable relationship past friends. Despite the initial awkwardness, their relationship had progressed to the point of not being intensely giggly after kissing. They still hadn't gone public, since, after all, it wasn't the best idea to date someone whose entire act was based around attracting men.
"Folks, you are all fortunate tonight, for now, we have one of our more recent inductions! Please welcome, the Kobra Kid!" Mikey strode out, attempting to keep his composure. It'd only been his tenth or so show and he wasn't the kind to take pressure very well. Nonetheless, he sighed deeply and started to play his tune. Thank god for sunglasses, he thought, since then he wouldn't need to get the best view of everybody's faces, and vice versa, though it generally wouldn't matter. Within moments, the audience was literally hypnotized by his bass playing. Mikey had no clue how he did it, though Lindsey mentioned something about his encounter with Sarah the month prior. How black magic could lead to him being able to control people by strumming some notes, he had no clue. He decided to try a new formula that night. He squinted his eyes (even though he'd gotten Lasik eye surgery, his vision still wasn't the best) and spotted a man with brown hair sitting next to a black haired lady. He played his bass a little louder and hit some experimental notes in their direction and they both stood.
To be honest, Mikey hated doing this, but he knew if he wanted to prove his worth as a performer to everybody, he'd have to take risks. The two started to walk down towards the main stage, following the notes like puppets controlled by strings. Mikey strummed some final lines, causing them to pose before taking his hands off his bass. The two looked around in surprise for a moment while Mikey spotted three people laughing their heads off. He bit his lip, bowed and rushed behind the curtain. He briefly bumped into Patrick before setting his bass down next to Alicia's wardrobe.
"Not bad, babe." Speak of the devil (or angel, in Mikey's eyes). Alicia wrapped her hands around his neck and pressed her lips against his. She was usually the one who'd initiate the kisses in the first place, and it wasn't like Mikey was about complaining. They broke the kiss and grinned at each other from ear to ear.
"I'm never getting tired of that." Mikey murmured. Alicia blushed a bit before changing into her regular clothes. Mikey did the same and couldn't help but notice Alicia staring at him as he exited the changing room.
"Enjoying the view?" He asked sarcastically. Alicia looked down, flushing with a small smile on her face. As Patrick returned, the performers began to gather their items and stuff them into their suitcases. Mikey and Alicia returned to their separate bunks, Mikey now bunking with a sick Ryan. He opened the door slowly, afraid his bunkmate was sleeping. Mikey crept to the small lamp on the nightstand before hearing his bunkmate shift in his bed.
"I'm awake." Ryan groaned, his voice muffled by the pillow his face was flat on. Mikey chuckled before placing his suitcase into his side of the closet and climbing into bed. He laid there for a couple minutes, letting the darkness of the night envelop him. He stared at the pale beige ceiling. Ryan’s soft snores filled the room not too long after. Mikey blinked; he simply wasn't drowsy yet. He shook his head and suddenly heard a thumping noise. He then heards some muffled shouts and pleads for help, a sound which was not as rare as you might think according to the older performers. He rubbed his eyes and rolled off his bed and pressed his ear against the door.
"Where the fuck is Wentz?!" He heard Bob shouting.
"Let us GO!" A voice screamed at the top of her lungs. Mikey stepped back, surprised that amidst all the strongmen (who usually performed these operations, but with Pete's assistance) she was still able to scream. He slowly pulled the door open, letting a sliver of light cast onto his face. He watched as Ray, Bob and the Letos roughly shoved two people towards Brendon's office. He squinted hard and noticed that they were the same people from earlier.
Well, shit.
----
Alex remained almost completely silent compared to his best friend. She was flailing and screaming while all Alex did was look around confused. He'd even sworn that he'd received a pitiful look from one of the men dragging him to an unknown room. If he could be oddly critical for a moment, he'd lament that these men didn't even think of tying neither Jamia's nor his hands. Finally, they reached a certain room. A man who stood waiting by the entrance had an apologetic expression before pushing the door open for them. A tall young man stepped towards Jamia and Alex. They both looked fearfully between one another.
"Well done, you four! Ray, Bob, you both should get some rest. Letos, would you mind staying for a while?" He asked, glancing momentarily the friends' terrified expressions. The Letos looked between one another and nodded, stepping against the wall.
"What do you want with us?" Jamia asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The man - whom Alex recognised as the ringleader from earlier - picked up and lit a cigarette.
"You see, I'm - or rather, my show - is running out of performers, due to an unfortunate incident. We've already gotten one replacement, however we need one more." He blew out smoke in Alex and Jamia's direction. "And that's where you come in."
"You seriously think we'll join this fucking freak show? After kidnapping us?!" Jamia yelled. Alex silently pleaded for him to stop, since he knew it would only provoke the young man.
"I'm not giving either of you an option. So make yourselves comfortable-" The ringleader was cut off by Jamia slapping him so hard he staggered back. Jamia grabbed Alex's wrist roughly and bolted for the door. The Letos blocked their path, causing them to fall back. The ringleader shoved Alex away and grabbed Jamia by the collar. The former's eyes widened.
"NO! Leave her alone, please!" He begged as the ringleader pushed Jamia against a wall. The ringleader turned his head towards Alex almost robotically. His mud-colored eyes glared at him.
"She misbehaved, thus she needs to be taught a lesson. Unless," The ringleader paused. "You want to take her place."
"I... Well... Compromise?" Alex stuttered. The ringleader raised an eyebrow, barely loosening his grasp on a gasping Jamia. "I'll take... half, of her, uh, lesson."
"Hmm, your offer is indeed tempting. Tell you what, I'll reserve, let's say, your punishment for another time. However, if either one of you do anything defying my orders for your own self-benefit, I will not be so merciful. Understand?" The ringleader stated coolly. Alex inhaled and exhaled hard before slowly nodding his head.
"I-I understand." He mumbled. The ringleader finally released Jamia, who fell to the ground almost hyperventilating.
"Good. Now follow the Letos to your sleeping quarters." The ringleader stated, walking back to his desk. Alex shakily got to his feet and helped Jamia onto her feet. The Letos looked at him expectantly as they escorted them out of the room, ignoring the guilt knawing at both of their consciences.

Notes

well shit