The girl in the gilded cage *Completed*

Horses and talking

A week later

*Josh*

I have only seen her from afar the last week, training and doing her show, always watched by her father, not having another chance to talk to her. But I notice her watching me too. By the end of the first week, I find myself totally under her spell. The only thing I am thinking about is her amber eyes.

I have never been good at sitting still, so I have started helping with odd jobs that I am capable of doing, just to have something to do and to get to know people better. One evening, when I have been giving hay to the horses and elephants, I turn around to find Malina standing behind me. She is watching me soundlessly with that gaze that enchants me.

"Hi. I have been thinking about you. I think you have put a spell on me," I blurt out, wanting to kick myself. I feel like a teenager right now, not a grown man. It is like the age difference no longer exists when she looks at me.

"I've been thinking of you too," she says slowly. "I came to see the horses." I nod and wave her closer, holding the horse's head to let her pet it.

The trainer is standing by one of the other horses, and I call out, "Hey Chris, is it okay if I borrow Pegasus for a moment?"

"Sure thing, Josh," he calls back, and I grab her hips, lifting her carefully up on the big horse. She is light as a feather. I untie the horse and lead it out from the stable.

"I bet he can't even feel you up there; you weigh next to nothing," I say, smiling up at her.

She looks very seriously at me. "But I am very strong," she says with pride, and stretches her leg gracefully as a dancer, making me chuckle.

"I am sure you are, Malina. Strong enough to constantly be a distraction to me."

She doesn't seem scared, considering what she had said about being scared of horses. I turn so I can watch her while leading the horse around outside the stable. She looks like a fairy as she sits there on the big horse, a fearless look of determination on her beautiful face. None of us are saying anything. We don't have to. I know she didn't really come to see the horses.

"What are we going to do?" I ask her. I don't really know what is going on here, just that I have never met anyone like her before, and what will happen is up to her.

She smiles and reaches her hand out to me. As I take it, she slides gracefully off the horse. "What about we go get that cup of coffee you offered and talk for a bit?"

*Malina*

I watch Josh put the horse back in its stall. I had known he helped in the stables when I came down here. I have tried to get him out of my head for more than a week, practically avoiding him. But I can't seem to manage. I keep seeing that bright smile and those warm hazel eyes.

We walk slowly side by side to his trailer, not really saying anything, and I cast stolen glances at him. It hits me once again how tall he is. There is something mesmerizing about him, the way he talks and the way he moves. Honestly, I have never met a man like him before.

He said he had been thinking about me. How? Where will this take us? I have absolutely no experience romantically or physically with men. My father is very protective of me, and he would be angry if he knew I was here, alone with Josh.

We get to his trailer and he looks at me. "You want to sit outside or inside?" I don't have to think about it. I don't want people talking. "Inside."

"Welcome to my humble home," he says, opening the door for me, and I walk inside, sitting down at the small table. He starts making coffee, seeming a bit nervous as his hands are in constant motion.

"So have you settled into the circus life? I have heard you every night, you are really good. Everybody is really impressed," I tell him truthfully.

He smiles, putting two cups on the table, and sits down opposite me. "Thank you. I like it here actually; everyone has been very nice and welcoming."

"Everyone?" I ask him, questioning, and his smile stiffens just slightly.

"Well, Ioan has been a bit... Well, he seems not to like me too much, but I get it, I kind of took his job." He admits.

"Ioan is... well, he is a bit difficult at times. He likes to see himself as the big man around here. He doesn't like others outshining him in any way," I tell him.

He shrugs and his smile returns. "Well, he is not going to get my spirits down. If someone hates you, give them love in return. Maybe you are lucky and they change their mind about you."

"Are you always this gracious? You seem to always be nice and friendly with everyone," I look at him. I have truly never met anyone like him before. Honestly, I like the way he thinks. I know he is older than me, probably quite a lot older, but I mean, we are just friends, right? So it doesn't really matter.

He chuckles and takes a long sip of his coffee. "Well, I try to be. I see no reason to be unkind or harsh. I do, however, tend to get a bit cheeky at times, but I mean no harm."

We sit for a bit just sipping our coffee, then he says, "It must be very different growing up in a circus, living your whole life here."

"Well, it probably is. I mean, I have been working hard, training since I was a kid, probably missing out on a lot of things other kids experience, but I never knew anything else, so I have never missed it. Circus is my life," I say with a small shrug.

He looks at me, like he is trying to read something inside of me. "It sounds like a hard life. Your father seems very protective of you. What would he think of you being here with me?"

"He wouldn't like it. He doesn't like me talking to men at all. I have never been allowed to go on a date or anything like that. So, yeah, he is very protective. He wants me to focus on work," I tell him, looking at my hands. I am unsure of what I want, where I hope this will lead.

He bites his lip, looking like he is weighing his words. "So you... I mean, do you ever break his rules? Or have you actually never been on a date or... anything?"

"Well, I am breaking a rule now, but no... I have never been on a date... or anything else," I say. I might be inexperienced, but I know what he is asking. And I am a virgin; I have never even kissed a man.

*Josh*

I might have suspected it, I mean most girls are still raised to wait for marriage, but... well, holy s**t, so she is not only a virgin, she has never done anything. She hasn't been on a date, has never been kissed, nothing. I try to keep my face neutral. I don't want her to believe that I think there is something wrong with her. "Can't be easy training that hard and such."

"Do you think me weird? For not... you know, having tried anything?" She looks at me with wide bright eyes.

I shake my head slowly, smiling softly at her. "No, of course not. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that," I say. And I mean it, but it also means that I definitely have to back down. There is no way I can even consider starting anything with her now.

"So you are an actor? That must be really exciting," she says, clearly changing the subject, and I let her.

We just sit and talk for hours, about everything and nothing. Life in the circus, my job, the pressure of others' expectations, and several other subjects.

She suddenly gets up from the chair and by instinct I get up too. "Oh God, we have talked way longer than I thought. I better hurry back to my own trailer."

"Well, thank you for the visit. You are welcome back any time. Sleep well and I guess I'll see you around," I say, not really knowing what to say or do.

She bites her lip, then she steps closer to me and I open my arms, pulling her into a hug. She feels so tiny, like she is disappearing totally in my embrace. I kiss the top of her head, noticing that she smells faintly of roses. It just feels so right holding her, and I have to remind myself that this can't happen.

After a long time just standing there, her arms around my waist and her face pressed against my chest, I reluctantly let her go. "Goodnight, Malina. Sweet dreams."

"Night, Josh. See you," she says, looking up at me before turning and leaving. I stand in the doorway, watching her disappear, before closing the door and getting ready for bed.