Hazel Middleton's Story

---

This. This is what she lived. This is what she was born to do. The roar of the crowds enveloped Hazel and her attuned ears could hear some people screaming for her alone. She loved it. It enthralled her, sending rushes of adrenaline and joy through her. She raised the torch to her face one last time and blew out the alcohol. If anyone but a professional had done it, it would've looked sloppy, but she made the fire look like it had been tamed by one person alone. Hazel twirled the torch, laughing joyfully as she threw it into a bucket of water and bowed with the other performers. Then, it was over.
She sighed softly as the last of the crowd trickled out. She was one of the last people remaining in the tents aside from the trainers, who were coaxing their animals into their cages. Hazel finally regained her senses as the adrenaline wore away. She didn't want to go back to the car she shared. No, she wanted to perform for the rest of her life, until the moment she dropped dead. Unfortunately, not all dreams can come true.
The fire-eating girl was still a little dizzy from the heat of the tent. For her, it was always three times as worse. She couldn't actually control fire, no one in the world could possess such an ability. Hazel merely guided the fire, like a shepherd guides his sheep. Outside of performing, the most she ever did with fire was light a few candles. She never went as far as starting a bonfire. As unusual as it was, Hazel was extremely cautious of even the smallest flame, even if she possessed a little bit of fire within her.
She finally exited the tent, craving a nice dinner. She had saved enough money to do many things, because she was not one to buy things on a whim. All of her costumes were handmade and most of the fabric was left over from one-time acts. It made her quite proud of herself, and she knew that her mother would be proud of her too.
At the thought of her mother, Hazel's dazzling smile faded slightly.
She walked past the other performers, forcing another smile onto her face. The cool New York air was refreshing for her singed skin and she simply reveled in it's feel as she walked along. New York vaguely reminded her of New Orleans, the only real difference being that New York's humidity was not nearly as bad. She was on her way to her car when she suddenly stopped in front of "Mr.Petrov's" personal car. A thought suddenly popped in her head.
Tonight, she deserved a night on the town. She wouldn't let anyone take it from her, not even the owner himself. And she knew just the person to bring along.

---

With her typical smile plastered on her face, Hazel made her way over to the bonfire. She had stripped off her flamboyant costume of silk and mesh, trading it for a more conservative dress. There was a slight bounce in her step as she wandered over. Evelyn was as close to Clay as possible. They were all acting like normal people instead of circus freaks. That was something Hazel still found interesting. When the curtains fell, everyone became just like everyone else. Even Hazel became a new person. If she had been walking down the street at that moment, no one would've given her a second glance. With a small content sigh, Hazel continued to the bonfire.
She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, offering Evelyn and Clay a small smile and scratching behind Argos' ear. Then, she made her way over to the big tent. Inside were Evee and Belle, talking. Hazel walked up to them. "Hello, Belle," she paused here.
Like everyone else at the circus, she knew that it was not her real name. The only thing Hazel could really figure out about her was that she was Arabian. The fire eater couldn't help but be curious about the exotic dancer. She was new, not well acquainted with the acts. It made her interesting and Hazel wasn't really sure what to think of her. So, she decided that tonight she'd drag "Belle" out of the circus grounds to see how she did around other people, whether the Arabian dancer wanted it or not. However, Hazel was not one to push things on people, so she acted as if her greeting was just that. A simple greeting. Hazel turned to Evee, "What have you been up to?"
It was one of Hazel's favorite pastimes to tease the younger girl. She was just so naive. Hazel briefly wondered what her mother was doing. She loved watching Ana's act. She could do simple things on the floor, but nothing like what the Parisian Princess could accomplish. At the last moment, Hazel ruffled Evee's hair. She turned towards where the bonfire was, a distant and thoughtful look on her face. She thought back to when her stepfather had first taught her fire breathing. Who knew she would end up doing it for a living? With a small chuckle, she turned back to Belle, "How about a night on the town? Just us?" she questioned, leaning forward slightly. "I'm dying for some better vodka and I need to get some stuff for my act. I could use the company."
Hazel smiled widely as if to show that she was friendly. Curiosity destroyed the cat's social life, she thought as she waited anxiously for Belle's answer. The Arabian continued to move, her skin glowing in the firelight. With her smile still on her face, Hazel ran a hand through her long blonde hair. This was the make or break it moment.