A Frozen Account (2)
August trudged on, on his way out of the amusement park, his face hidden under a low-brimmed cap, his jacket zipped up tightly over a white polo shirt, and his hands clenched around a small pink bag of candies.
His phone was pressed to his ear as he talked to Celine, his voice low and frustrated, almost lost in the noisy atmosphere around him.
"Celine, they still won't unfreeze the account? For christ sake, we've been running around for two weeks, and they won't even listen to us. How am I supposed to keep us afloat if I can't access our money?" His voice wavered slightly, a mix of anger and desperation, while the sound of laughter and rides whirred in the background.
Celine's voice came through, tight with concern from the other line. "August, I'm still at the bank even. I've been begging them, but they look at me like I'm just some desperate woman, like I don't belong there. They're not even taking me seriously."
"Why would they? The system is rigged, Celine. They're all out for themselves, and we're just in the way. They've frozen my account because it's got more money than they think I should have. As if I'm some criminal. It's the government's doing, I know it. They're probably waiting to swipe what they can and leave us with nothing." His voice hardened, his grip tightening on the phone.
August really hated the government. Starting from when he was abandoned by his dad alongside his mom because the stupid government forbade a man from having a child with two gender sexual organs.
"They called me a 'free show,' August. They don't even pretend to care." Her words were edged with bitterness, and August could hear the strain in her voice.
The frustration bubbled up, and he bit back a curse, kicking at a loose pebble on the pavement.
"And what about the auditions? Was it successful?" Celine asked.
August sighed, his voice barely hiding his exhaustion. "Celine, they kicked me out before I even had a chance to speak. I barely said my name, and they just... they just dismissed me."
Celine's voice, concerned but steady, came through the line. "What? They didn't even give you a chance? And what about Mr. Hackmann? Did he at least accept the photo?"
August shook his head, even though she couldn't see him. "No. Nothing. He said it was fine at first, but then he just... changed his mind. I don't know what's going on anymore. It's like the moment I walk in, they've already decided."
Celine sighed, the sound heavy with both understanding and worry. "August, this is the twenty-ninth rejection in two weeks. What are we supposed to do? We can't keep this up."
"I know, I know." August's voice was strained as he weaved through the crowd, trying to find a quieter spot. "But what choice do we have? I'm doing everything I can, and it's still not enough."
As he spoke, his frustration boiled over, and he kicked at a pebble on the ground. The sound of it skittering away seemed to echo his own sense of helplessness.
"Maybe it's this place," Celine muttered, almost to herself. "Maybe you and little Reed should've never come back. It feels like everything's against you guys here."
August didn't know what to say to that. He just wanted to get home, to find some sense of peace, even if it was fleeting. It was barely a month and he's already dropping to a pauper status.
He was lost in thought when he suddenly bumped into someone, his phone slipping from his hand and clattering to the ground.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath, bending down to pick it up.
"August? August, are you okay?" Celine's voice, now tinged with alarm, crackled through the phone.
"Yeah, I'm here," he replied, his tone flat as he straightened up, brushing off the front of his jacket. His thoughts were scattered, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface.
As August pocketed the phone, a scent hit him—familiar, almost painfully so.
It lingered in the air, teasing his memory, pulling him back to a place he'd rather forget. His mind raced, trying to piece it together, but the feeling was unmistakable.
He looked up, wanting to see who he had bumped into, but the person had already stepped back, almost blending into the crowd.
He was about to turn, his thoughts swirling, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person, to confirm if he knew them. The scent—it was too distinct to ignore.
His heart skipped a beat as he considered the possibility. Could it be? No, it couldn't.
And then, just as he was about to push the thought aside, he heard a voice that sent a chill down his spine.
"Hey, Uncle."
August froze.
He didn't need to turn around to know who had that voice. Sean.
Hearing his voice confirmed everything. He stood there, motionless, willing himself not to look back. The last thing he wanted was for Sean to notice him.
'What was I thinking?' August's thoughts spiraled. 'That maybe the person who fucked me over four years ago wasn't Sean? You're mightily ahead of yourself, August? Your hate for this man is blinding you. Sean is Reed's father and you know it. You have to live with it as well!'
Yes, he was going to accept his life the way it is!
But that scent... it was unmistakable. It was the same scent from four years ago.
The memory was hazy, but it was there, burned into his mind. And though, when he met Sean at Mason's engagement event two weeks ago, Sean hadn't been wearing any cologne, he still couldn't deny the resemblance in both Sean's and his baby's face.
'How could someone still carry the scent of a perfume after all this time?' August wondered, his thoughts muddled, foggy. 'Wearing it four years ago and even now too? Sean knows no evolution? Tch!'
But four years ago, before he left that room, the scent had clung to the air, intoxicating him. And now, after all this time, it was back. It made him question everything.
A scent—a perfume—something so simple, now twisted into something he despised, because in August's head, it all belonged to Sean!
Without another glance, August walked out of the amusement park, his steps hurried, trying to escape the ghost of that scent, and the memories it dragged with it.
No To Sean!
No To Past Mistakes!
Yes To The Future With… With Mason, If Mason Accepts Him! He will, right?