FicWad

Background information.
Jenna Copeland you could say ran away with the circus. She didn’t get a long with her family and the circus became her home and the people she worked with her family. They was one of the top most talented circuses in the world. Growing up Jenna always had a love for horses they was her escape from family life along side that she was a talented gymnast. Soon she merged both her hobbies into equestrian vaulting and became one of the top equestrian vaulter’s in the country competing in competitions even the Olympics gaining a good medal along side the circus. However she loved the fun and excitement of the circus more as after all she was a bit.. Ok alot of a ‘wild child’ herself. Growing up Jenna used her love for horses and vaulting as her escape from family life spending long hours dedicated to her work/hobbies. Jenna didn't get along with her mother at all she was an unpleasable woman nothing Jenna ever did was right or good enough. Her younger brother was the golden child he never did any wrong, if he did it was always Jenna to blame in her family’s eyes and he always got what he wanted. The family moved around alot due to Jenna’s dad’s work. Jenna’s dad was the only person in the family that she got along with however he was hardly around due to the long hours of his work. Unfortunately in her later teenage years her dad suffered a heart attack and passed away. As there was no relatives on his side and lots on her mother’s side that obviously shared her mother’s views on Jenna, Jenna soon left after her fathers death to where she found her role in the circus and has been there ever since much to the rest of her family’s disgust.

The circus was going to be part of a huge summer festival that included fairs, music and bands for two months during the summer break.
“The circus is in town!” Max shouted throwing his arms up in the air as he jumped out of the horse box as Jenna pulled up at the festival ground. Max was one of Jenna’s best friends younger brother, he was very handsome, ripped with muscles, blonde and pulled off a beard very well. Max worked on the circus with Jenna helping her with the horses and equipment. Which made Jenna and Max very good friends, they was both fun loving and totally crazy there was never a dull moment when they where around they got a long so well and personalities bounced off each other, both never more than friends more like bother and sister. Frankie Max’s sister had a ranch in Texas where she had her horses that she competed in eventing and Jenna stayed with her horses whenever they was off from traveling which was rare.
“shut up you plonker.” Jenna laughed getting out the box herself and stretching. “Jesus that was a long drive.” Jenna sighed.
“right guys let’s get unload and sorted get the big top up and then we can chill out.” Jackie the ‘ring master’ said as she pulled up in her truck. They all worked hard as usual unloading all the equipment and setting up the big top and the RVs, Jenna and Max sorted the horses first and then pitched in to help the others with the big top. It was hard work but they all worked hard together as a big team all as equals and everyone respecting each other, it was one of Jenna’s favourite things about the circus everyone was there for each other. The circus people all lived in RVs and Max and Jenna had the living area of the horse box.
“good work guys now go and have yourselves a well deserved afternoon off.” Jackie called to every one once everything was set up.
“I’m starving are you coming for food?” max asked Jenna.
“I’m not that hungry right now I think I’ll just go for a walk, stretch my legs.” Jenna said.
“alright catch you later.” Max said as he went off with some others for food. Jenna did a check on her horses then went for a walk round the festival ground where people was busy setting up and going about their business the festival started in two days time. They arrive early to give the horses and people time to settle in and practice their routines. Jenna had been walking the grounds aimlessly for almost an hour then decided to start to head back over to the circus set up. She was busy messaging Frankie she didn’t notice a person in front of her and ended up bumping shoulders with him. She looked up to say “sorry and the guy did a double take of her and stopped.
“Jenna Copeland?” he questioned looking a mix of confused, shock and happy. Jenna looked up properly at him for the first time paused and squinted her eyes looking him over.
“Benji Madden, No way.” She let out a laugh of disbelief. “what brings you Here? Well obviously I take it the band’s doing well.” She smiled answering her own question knowing it was probably a silly one. She had been in the same year of school with him for the majority of the last two years for exams their family had decided it was best to have consistency for three years as her brother was only a year below her so the over lap fitted for both their exams. Jenna and Benji had formed a particularly close bond during the time they was in the same place however they lost contact as his band got signed on thier first big tour.
“yea yeh it is.” Benji smiled looking her over taking in her features. She was just as beautiful if not more so if that was even possible from years ago. He couldn’t help but get lost in her big deep blue eye framed with her classic dark eye make up and infectious smile. She was always so grounded and down to earth which was what always drawn him to her. “what brings you Here?” he asked her not really knowing what it was that she ended up doing he just knew she wanted to get as far away from her family as possible.
“I’m with the circus.” She smiled amused at his expression most people who don't know the circus well still think of it as a ‘joke' ‘freak show’ when it’s changed alot especially theirs it was full of extremely talented people.
“really the circus wow.” He said slightly stunned and not knowing what to say.
“I guess you could say I ran away with the circus.” She laughed being her usual witty self. “I’m an equestrian volter when I met Jackie the ring master she gave me a spot in the show, I’ve been with them ever since.” She smiled more seriously.
“you did aways love your horses.” He said seeming more relaxed now she'd explained. “that's great for you.” He smiled finding himself unable to take his eyes off her.
“it is I love it and with such great people its like the family I never had.” She smiled Benji nodded he knew all her troubles from back then as did she about his. They stood in silence for a second.
“so erm you should come and checkout the band some time, or well actually come over and hang out Joel and the guys would love to see you again too.” Benji said slightly nervously.
“yeh that’d be good.” She smiled and they went silent for a second taking each other in. She couldn’t help smiling at him getting the odd flutter of butterflies in her stomach.
“Hey Jen-na! Get your skinny little ass over here I'm not doing your jobs too!” max shouted stood on the box steps so he could over look the ground to see her. Jenna and Benji snapped out of their moment and looked round to see max.
“I’m coming max-i keep your knickers on!” Jenna called back to him laughing. “I best go sort the horses out but I guess I’ll see you around.” Jenna smiled to Benji giving him butterflies.
“Yes definatly.” Benji smiled and they went their separate ways.

“I think thats a record for even you.” Max laughed to Jenna as they was doing their jobs sorting the horses for the night.
“What?” Jenna laughed looking a little confused
“you pulling a guy and we’ve not even been her 24hours yet.” He laughed. Jenna was always popular with the guys where ever they went. She had a few dates but never got into a relationship not since her bed break up with her cheating ex a few years ago.
“what Benji? No we’re.. erm just old mates.” She stuttered slightly.
“yeh right!” he snorted.
“seriously we went to school together.” She smirked.
“and the rest.” Max eyeballed her laughing.
“that’s it we were and are just friends.” She said as seriously as she could.
“hmm there’s defiantly more to it than that something definatly went on between you I’m not dropping it till you spill.” He laughed.
“ok ok fine we was close very close but never offical or anything.” She gave up knowing he was like a broken record when he wanted to be.
“I knew it!” he laughed. “
“but shh for christ sake just keep it to yourself I don’t want no drama we’ve only just arrived and it’s history.” Jenna brushed off.
“I’ll drop it and ill keep it to myself but it’s defiantly not history, it’s very current from what I seen.” He said.
She launched a hay net at him knocking him off balance but he was a big muscular guy so regained composure quickly.
“it’s history.” She laughed walking past him leaving him to tie up the last hay net.
Jenna sighed sitting down on one of the deck chairs lighting up a cigarette outside the vans exhausted from the traveling, setting up and the emotional history she's just been in a whirl wind off meeting back up with Benji brought back all the old memories bad from her family and good for the times spent hanging out with him and of course Joel billy and Paul but mostly Benji.
“bru?” Jackie said stepping out the van handing her a cup. Jenna visibly jumped almost choking on her cigarette smoke as she thought no one was around.
“Jesus girl away with the fiaries for a moment?” Jackie laughed sitting down with her. Jackie was like younger wise cool mother figure to all the people in the circus.
“ah just thinking.” Jenna smiled vaguely.
“about the guy you was think before.” Jackie grinned with a wink.
“I err.. he's.. we're...” Jenna stuttered flushing a little.
“oh he must be special if he’s managed to get our very own Jenna-I-don’t-do-relationships-too-cool-for-school-Copeland all tounge tied and flushed.” Jackie laughed.
“No no it’s nothing like that we friends from years ago we went to school together.” Jenna managed to compose herself.
“well you best tell his face that as I could see it all over his face he's head over heels for you.” Jackie said in her all knowing way and to hand it to her she was very rarely wrong about anything but Jenna thought this was definatly one of those rare occasions.
“Benji no it’s been years and even then there wasn’t anything to write home about.” Jenna insisted but with the tiniest bit of doubt starting to niggle at her.
“hmm we'll see.” Jackie smiled in her I know better way and walked off leaving Jenna to stew.
“I guess we will.” Jenna said to herself under her breath finishing her bru and her fag then heading back over to the horse box for an early night.

MEANWHILE
“Hey who’s that hot girl Benji's talking to over there?” Dean said walking over to the good charlotte bus where Joel billy and Paul where relaxing sat outside in the sun. Paul billy and Joel stood up to get a better look.
“hey I think I recognise her.” Paul squinted.
“know her face from somewhere.” Billy said.
“is that... No it can’t be..” Joel began to smile.
“who?” Paul billy and Dean said at the same time.
“Jenna, Jenna Copeland.” Joel said.
“ho-ly shit it is!” Paul exclaimed laughing.
“who is she?” Dean asked confused.
“She was in the final years of school with us we was pretty good friends with her she’s a good laugh.”
“not forgetting to mention Benji’s high school crush.” Paul said what billy and Joel was thinking but didn't voice.
“looks like more than just high school.” Dean laughed.
“she’s still pretty hot though.” Paul noted.
“I wonder what brings her here?” billy wondered out loud.
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough, be good to catch up with her again she was pretty awesome.” Joel said as they seen Benji and Jenna split up and Benji heading back over.
“Alright guys.” Benji said as he got back to the bus she seen them all looking at him.
“would that have been Jenna Copeland that you was chatting too before?” Paul cane right out and asked him.
“you guys been spying on me?” Benji laughed.
“maybe a little.” Dean laughed.
“don’t avoid the question.” Billy laughed.
“yeh it was actually.” Benji couldn’t help but smile thinking of her.
“Benj don’t tell me you still have a high school crush do you.” Paul teased.
“n-no we literally just bumped into each other we’ve not see her for years.” Benji stuttered his cheeks a little flushed.
“well why you blushing then.” Dean laughed.
“what’s she doing here?” Joel asked quickly trying to save Benji a little as he knew deep down whether Benji admitted it or not it was way more than a high school crush for Benji. Benji looked somewhat relieved for Joel’s intervention.
“she erm she's an equestrian vaulter she's part of the circus.” Benji explained.
“sounds like her perfect job.” Joel smiled knowing it combined Jenna’s two favourite hobbies.
“yeh she always was a bit wild wasn’t she.” Paul laughed clearly meaning in a good way.
“so have you made plans for her to come hang out and catch up sometime?” Billy asked.
“erm I've mentioned it but not made any exact plans.” Benji shuffled.
“I’m sure we’ll see her around anyway.” Joel aimed to wrap the conversation up and pick it back up with Benji alone later. They hung out the rest of the night and it wasn’t long before Dean and Paul had gone to bed and billy was on the phone to linzi where he would be for a while. Joel decided it was a good time to have a chat with Benji
“hey Benj you ok?” Joel asked him.
“yeh why?” Benji replied generally.
“how you feeling after seeing Jenna.” Joel asked more specifically.
“fine.” Benji lied.
“don’t lie to me Benj I helped you out earlier but you have to tell me the truth at least.” Joel said.
“there’s nothing going on Joel.” Benji laughed awkwardly.
“but you’d like there to be?” Joel pushed.
“No don’t go putting words into my mouth.” Benji defended.
“come on Benj I know it was always more than a high school crush those feelings don’t just go away.” Joel said.
“it was a long time ago... history.” Benji tried to brush off but clearly bothered.
“and you don’t feel that way now?” Joel asked knowing the answer anyway whether Benji answered truthfully or not he could read Benji like a book call it twin intuition.
“no...” Benji said after a long pause Joel raised his eyebrows at him. “...I don’t know... maybe.” Benji sighed. Joel looked satisfied at an almost confession. “we’ve literally spoke for like five minutes so don’t go getting all carried away and everything it was a long time ago we’re both probably very different people to who we where then and even back then there was never anything serious. Not to mention there was some guy she seemed pretty close to.” Benji rambled.
“and also Mia.” Joel added.
“leave Mia out of this its got nothing to do with her actually it’s not even anything in general its just high school mates that have just bumped into each other again.” Benji rambled slightly more nervous being remind of Mia... his girlfriend. Joel just nodded and dropped the subject for now.

The next morning Joel was up early he knew Paul and Benji would defiantly still be in bed but he wasn’t surprised to see Billy already up but no sign of Dean so he must still be in bed too. Joel poured himself some coffee and joined billy at the table.
“everything ok?” billy eyed Joel.
“yeh.” Joel shrugged.
“I seen you having a chat to Benj last night seemed a bit serious.” Billy persued.
“oh it was nothing.” Joel tried to brush off.
“are you sure? Wouldn’t have anything to do with Jenna being here? I know Benji always had a thing for her.” Billy said quietly in his wise old owls way billy knew everything and understood everything he never judged he was a great guy to go to with problems.
“I was just checking how he was and where he was at seeing Jenna again as I think you might have already guessed it was always more than just a high school crush to Benji.” Joel gave in knowing billy would be sensitive about the subject.
“he never openly said anything but yes I always guessed there was more to it. Not to mention there's Mia now.” Billy said.
“well I know that's what I was concerned about.” Joel said.
“I don’t know what he sees in Mia anyway it’s not even like their that into each other, they hardly see each other and when they do they don’t even seem bothered about each other. However that being said I’d really love to be able to avoid drama at all costs but it would be nice to catch up with Jenna again.” Billy said.
“I know exactly what you mean hence my little conversation with Benji.” Joel agreed.
“Do you think you got anywhere?” billy asked.
“not particularly he was more in denial that there was anything between him and Jenna and it was all just history.” Joel said not sounding convinced.
“you don’t sound too convinced.” Billy said.
“no, I’m not..” Joel said then Dean walked out so they stopped the conversation.
“morning.” Dean yawned.


AT THE CIRCUS AREA

Jenna and max was doing the horses stable jobs and as usual joking and messing around as they was working. Jenna had three horses Trigger, Sully and Puzzle that she rotated in her shows which meant each horse could get a day off and in case of any sickness or injurie it wouldn’t be too much pressure for the other two to share the work. Sully was the slightly more quirky and firey of the three but was a great show horse always a hit with the audience. Trigger was the oldest and the horse she'd had the longest she also won her gold medal with him. Puzzle was just the sweetest he was like a little puppy and would often just follow her round the yard without any halter.
“so have you made plans to see lover boy again?” max called with a smirk to Jenna in the next stable as they was mucking out.
“no and less of the lover boy.” Jenna sighed knowing she was never going to hear the end of it.
“don’t be so touchy, don’t tell me Jenna Copeland actually has real feelings for a guy.” Max joked.
“it’s nothing just drop it we went to school end off, now give me a lift with this bucket.” Jenna said slightly irritated but knowing max didn’t mean any malice. Max made his way out of the stable he was in to help her but one of the guys from the bike stunt team walked up to her.
“Jenna Copeland fancy seeing you again looking as fine as ever.” Dave from the bike stunt team grinned cockily.
“Dave did you come here for anything in particular.” Jenna rolled her eyes. They had done a few shows in the past where Dave’s stunt team had also been at the same time. Dave was always the sleazy type thinking he was gods gift to women. He was always hassling and trying to come onto Jenna but she was repulsed by him.
“just wanted to let you know my door is always open to you.” He winked putting an arm around her shoulders. Jenna instantly shrugged it off her.
“look were busy here so if you don’t mind, whilst we get on.” Jenna hinted for him to leave, No such luck.
“oh that’s fine carry on I quite like the view here.” He smirked leaning on the wall looking her up and down.
“look mate why don't you just take the hint and do one!” max said hearing enough walking over. Max was always cool and collected he didn't often loose his temper but when he did he really did and he wasn’t anyone to be messed with.
“oh here we go, you need to let her go so she can find a guy she wants to be with cause I hate to break it to you she's just not that into you.” Dave snarled at max and max looked fuming.
“everything ok over here?” Jackie said walking over with the best timing Jenna thought herself.
“Yes Dave was just leaving wasn’t you.” Jenna said quickly.
“ah nice to see you Dave but we’re very busy so must get on.” Jackie said quickly giving save no other choice but to move on. He left not before giving max one last glare.
“you ok?” Jackie asked Jenna.
“yeh I’m fine he's just such a creep.” Jenna said.
“he’ll get whats a coming to him one day, he can’t keep treating women like that.” Max said still a little angry.
“he will but you won’t be the one to do it.” Jackie eyed max warningly. “any way what’s your plans for working the horses and getting your practice in today? I'm struggling to sort every one a time in the big top I can get you a slot after lunch at around two thirty but then it may get later on this evening if you need a second everyone’s very keen to get in and get practicing.” Jackie said to Jenna.
“two thirty’s fine it'll give us chance to finish up here, ill probably take puzzle in that slot and maybe me and max could take Sully and Trigger out for a hack round the grounds for today.” Jenna suggested.
“I’m happy if your happy.” Jackie nodded.
“do I not get a say in this.” Max said amused. He was happy to help wherever he did ride and was comfortable around the horses but it wasn’t his forte.
“no.” Jackie and Jenna said at the same time with a laugh.
“fine but I’m not riding physco sully.” Max said.
“no your fine you have Trig's.” Jenna laughed as they turned to head back to finishing off their stable jobs and Jackie turned to head over to the big top amused at the banter between Jenna and max.