Jennie didn't have to yell out that the intruder is Mina. I recognize that loud, wolf hair wearing girl from the café. After all, I've done my fair share of research on her and the uncle.
That's the only reason why my knife isn’t covered in blood.

Jennie's light footsteps approach from behind me when Mina swats my knife away from her throat. This girl has definitely got some nerve to–

"Get out of my way." She shoves me with both her hands. I stumble a few steps to the side as Mina rushes towards Jennie, enveloping her in a hug.

Did she just fucking push me??

"You okay, Jennie?" Mina asks. Her voice is sweet and soft, compared to the animalistic growl she gave me just a few seconds ago.

Jennie nods. "I knew you'd come, Mina!"

"Sorry to interrupt this reunion." After stashing the knife back into my pocket, I fold my arms across my chest. "Actually, no. I'm not sorry. What the fuck is she doing here?"

They release their hug and Mina steps in front of Jennie, blocking her from my view. Darkness has already settled, but the ambient lighting from the tiny stupid porch lights provides me with a good view of Mina.

She's definitely taller than Jennie by several inches, with the way only the top of Jennie's head is visible behind her shoulders. Mina's bangs cover her eyebrows while her wolf-haircut fits her round face perfectly, much to my dismay.

What stands out to me though, is the clear difference between them. Black cargo pants and steel toe boots adorn the lower part of her body while a beige crop top and a black jacket decorated with sports logos completes her upper look.

"I think it's clear what I'm doing here." Mina gives me another cold glare, her voice turning deeper. "Apparently, Jennie doesn't want to be with a murderer."

"No! That's... that's not the reason!" Jennie stammers.

"Oh yeah? What was the reason then?" I take a few steps towards them and frown when Mina grabs Jennie's hand.

"I... I just thought we could use Mina for help."

"You thought that?" Mina and I speak at the same time. We exchange cold looks before returning our attention to Jennie.

"Yeah..." Jennie glances between us nervously.

"So you just what, talked to her in some secret code while I gave you the fucking chance to call someone?" I snap. "I knew you would do something like this!"

Mina gives me a piercing stare. "Hey, don't you talk to her like that!"

"Don't talk to her like what?" I scoff.

"Like she's someone you can freaking own!" Mina releases her hold on Jennie and stomps towards me until she's only several feet away.

"Oh yeah? Well guess what, she is mine. Mine to fucking protect, so get your fucking face away from me." I shove Mina.

Mina pushes me back. "You just love cursing like a bitch, don't you?"

With a growl, I retrieve my knife when Jennie appears between us and shoves us apart. We both stumble backwards, much to my surprise.

She does have strength in those twig arms of hers after all.

"Enough, you two!" She glares between us, which is more like a cute kitten trying to be angry. "I don't think this is the time to fight!"

I scowl. "Then why don't you go ahead and leave with your stupid fucking bodyguard? Maybe she can protect you until you turn into a fucking pile of blood and guts within a few minutes."

"You don't freaking know what I'm capable of," Mina says, her hand reaching behind her.

"I said stop!" Jennie yells. Her voice pierces the air in a volume I've never heard before. A dog barks in the distance as we both stop and look at her. Folding her arms across her chest, she pouts adorably, although I can tell she's trying to look tough. "I need both of you, okay? So please, please try to work together!"

A few seconds pass as Mina and I exchange cold glances. Her cheek twitches with hate while her glare shoots through me like a laser. She glances at Jennie for a brief moment before inhaling deeply.

"Fine," she mumbles, regret stemming from her voice.

Jennie turns towards me with her stupid cute, kitten eyes. "Ava?” Her bottom lip juts out as she silently begs me.

With a sigh, I roll my eyes. "Okay."

"Yay!" Jennie exclaims before throwing her arms around me. Keeping my cool at her sudden reaction, I place my hand on the small of her back.

"Oh come on, why don't I get a hug?" Mina huffs.

"Because you already got one," I smirk at her over Jennie's head.

Mina thrusts me a middle finger and quickly hides it when Jennie releases me.

"So, do you have a plan?" Jennie asks me.

"Um... so far we only have two options." I wish I could twirl my knife in my hands right now, as it usually helps me think better. But I don't want to frighten Jennie or send Mina into attack mode, although as of now, she seems like a frisky Chihuahua.

Mina raises an eyebrow. "Which are?"

"Option one: we fly to Hawaii and stay there. You'll have to cut off all contact with anyone here, including your parents. Optio-"

"Why Hawaii?" Jennie and Mina ask at the same time. They grin at each other before looking at me again.

I sigh irritably. "Because Hawaii is the one place where KSD never dares to enter. No," I say as Mina opens her mouth, "I won't be saying why. It's not important right now. What's important is that we would be safe there as long as we don't poke outside."

Jennie nods in understanding while Mina narrows her eyes at me.

"Option two... I will eliminate Eve and take over KSD."

"Who's Eve?" Mina asks.

"This mean lady who is her boss," Jennie chirps.

"Yeah, that," I grumble in annoyance at Jennie's interruption.

Mina scoffs. "And there's... like... nothing else you could think of?"

"Excuse me, are you the one who fucking knows these people?" Kicking away a pile of soil that had fallen from the garden box beside us, I take a step towards her.

"Well, I'm sure that if I were, I would have thought of something else other than those two shitty ideas," Mina snaps.

"So what about option three?" Jennie asks as she steps in between us again and faces me.

"There is no option three. Not with one that ends up with all of us alive, at least."

"Hey, if there is an option where you're dead, I'd pick that." Mina bares her teeth in amusement.

This bitch… "I swear to–”

“To Satan?”

“You–”

“Guys, seriously, stop!!” Jennie exclaims.

Her voice holds a hint of disappointment and irritation, making me flinch on the inside. Almost as if I… hated that she is upset with me because of how I'm acting… which is weird, because the only person I've felt that way with is Eve. I've never cared about how other people feel about what I do.

Nobody seems to have noticed my inner dilemma when Jennie resumes. “Anyway... I don't like either option.”

I sigh. "Neither do I, but unfortunately, those are the only ones available for now."

A few moments of silence ensues as neither one of us comes up with any other ideas. Mina traces the garden box to her right and Jennie bites her lip in thought, looking awfully adorable. The full moon peeks out from the clouds, immersing us in its silvery light.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Jennie's voice breaks through the stillness.

I blink at her in bewilderment. “Can't you hold it?”

“I’ve been holding it for hours,” Jennie huffs. “Thanks to you.”

Mina curiously raises an eyebrow, glancing at the both of us.

I wave my hand around the open greenhouse. "Okay, just find a stupid flower to fertilize then."

"No.” Jennie's face scrunches up in protest. “I... I need to go outside."

“I'm coming with you then," I say.

"Alone." Jennie walks past me. Grabbing her arm, I turn her towards me.

"You're not going out there alone," I lower my voice.

"She's actually right, Jennie." Mina walks up to us and stops beside me. "It's too dangerous."

"You know I can't go if there are people around." Jennie pries her hand from my grip.

I cock an eyebrow. "Can't your bladder make an exception?"

"No. You two stay here and I'll be back in two minutes. Tops. Okay?" Jennie glances at us.

Two minutes is enough for anything to happen, especially outside in a dark alley. But I don't think that enough time has passed for anyone from KSD to find us. Or at least, I want to believe that.

I sigh. "Alright, fine. But if you're not back in under two minutes, we're coming. Got it?"

Jennie nods, and looks at Mina who waves her hand dismissively. Jennie skips towards the back door and disappears through it.

Once she closes it behind her, I grimace at Mina before stepping away from her. Leaning back against one of the flower boxes, I cross my arms. She scoffs and proceeds to pace back and forth between the rows while I switch my watch from her to the back door.

I still can't believe that Jennie has the guts to bring Mina into this. Especially since she's a mouthy bitch who apparently thinks she can handle me. Like a yapping Chihuahua. Well, I'll definitely show her who the fuck I am when it comes to it.

"So... Jennie sure seems to like you," Mina's taut voice disrupts the quiet as she continues to move around. "I have no idea why though. You seem like the complete opposite of what she goes for."

I cock an eyebrow. "Sounds like someone is a little jealous."

She scoffs. "Nope, I'm not jealous."

"Oh really?" I grin. "You definitely seem like one of those people who don't have a chance with their friends."

"Yeah, I am so not one of them." Mina stops in front of me. Tilting her head at me, her face darkens."I love Jennie like a little sister, and I won't have some freaking killer ruin her life."

"And what are you gonna do about it?" I ask, curiosity reeking from my voice as I lean a little forward.

Mina proceeds to roll up her sleeves. "Trust me, you have no idea what I'm capable of."

"Sounds more like you don't know what I'm capable of, you overconfident bitch." I smirk, pushing myself off the box.

Mina's lips twitch into an amused smile."You wanna bet?"

Suddenly, I realize that I've lost my attention on a particular little twig. "Hold on. Shit… Two minutes have passed, and Jennie still isn't here."

Mina's smile drops as she follows my look. We exchange glances and nod silently, all signs of competition and hate disappearing for the moment when our concern for Jennie takes over.

We step outside, with me in the lead. Cautiously looking around, I'm aware of the deadly silence. The back area is empty, save for a few garbage cans and bags of topsoil together with other garden equipment.

But Jennie is nowhere in sight.

"Jennie!" Mina whisper-shouts, her voice easily echoing from the murky walls. "This isn't funny!"

Dread burns my heart when I notice a distinctive red note lying on the ground. I bend down to pick it up. Chills crawl up and down my spine as the words greet my eyes.

That handwriting which can only belong to one person in this entire fucking world.

"What is it?" Mina asks. She bounds up to me, her footsteps pattering against the cement.

I don't reply as I read the black-colored message written on the paper:

You know what happens to backstabbing bitches. ~Eve

Mina inhales sharply when she looks at the note. With each short, deep breath escaping me, I try to keep myself under calm control. I might be a cold-blooded assassin, but this... this is threatening to break me. Maybe Jennie was right… maybe her warmth is penetrating the ice inside of me.

I know exactly where Eve would take her. It's a good couple miles away, but at least my motorcycle is still in one piece-

It blows up in flames right before my eyes, the explosion nearly deafening me as the sizzling heat hits my face. My body is thrown backwards like a rag doll, slamming against the hard ground. A ringing sound appears in my ears, my skull feeling as if someone is hammering a nail into it.

With a groan, I manage to prop myself on my elbows. Debris falls all around me. Through my dim vision, I watch as my motorcycle - the one I had custom engraved in my mother's honor - becomes devoured by the blackening flames.

Eve knows how much that motorcycle means to me. That I had it personalized the same day as the knife after I avenged my mother's death, whose memory I honored by having the red dragon/rose logo lasered into the metal.

And Eve fucking destroyed it. Like it was nothing.

Word Count: 2220