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In a world full of monsters and insane people, Daisy once again proved she was both after putting Joe, Mindy and Moon next to each other. She knew the two women despised one another, yet she placed Joe between the two fierce hunters, and told him to fix his mess.

But how could he? He didn't even know where to start. Mindy and Moon's hatred towards one another was like ice and fire. He could hear them both click their tongue in disgust whenever the other spoke. And Poppa always warned him about getting caught between two angry women. There was a big possibility he would be the one to end up getting hurt badly - both physically and emotionally. 

Feeling uneasy with his current situation, Joe reached inside his pocket, pulled out a chocolate bar and began munching on it.  

"Daisy said you shouldn't eat anything," Moon said.

"It's chocolate, not the food Daisy cooked. Let him eat in peace," Mindy replied, her hands crossed on her chest. "Can't you just mind your own business, bitch."

Oh no! Joe thought, wide eyed.

"What did you call me, skank?" Moon got up fast, the chair she sat on screeching the floor. "Go on, I dare you to say it to my face."

It wasn't the first time the two were involved in a cold war. Four years ago during Christmas Eve, Moon had alleged that Mindy had lied about being caught by the Doll Maker. Instead, she accused the blonde girl of assisting the Doll Maker in capturing vulnerable little girls and boys, and making them their slaves.

Christmas arrived while they were fighting. Joe and Daisy were forced to intervene before the two tore each other to pieces. Because it was Poppa's birthday, the two were given a second chance and allowed back into the Turner family house.

It wasn't going well.

"You heard me, whore," Mindy stood up too, staring directly into Moon's eyes. "How does it feel knowing that men only want to fuck you, not be with you?" she asked. "You disgust me." She spat on the floor, then continued, "You will live the rest of your pathetic, broke life jumping from one dick to another like you're playing dick-dick-goose, never knowing the true value of having a man who cares and worships you."

Joe gulped, then ate the rest of his chocolate bar. He was glad his grandparents and their friends had left for the art room - Bush wanted to show them his latest masterpiece. But still, there was another spectator in the room. And she seemed to be enjoying the current predicament.

"Are all the birthday's in this family like this?" Nosey Mary asked, her eyes moving between Moon and Mindy, while she chewed on a piece of pork. "And I thought my family was worse." Apparently, she hadn't gotten the memo about not eating any of the food. She had finished all the meat.

Ignoring the chubby woman, Moon retorted, "Well, at least I'm not the one crying over a man who will never love him." She chuckled, then added, "Well, I won't call Joe a man from how he acts."

Ouch! Joe held his chest, feeling Moon's words stinging his heart. Was that why she didn't want to be with him? Because he didn't act his age? But he was only twenty-one, how else was he supposed to behave?

"And let me tell you once thing," Moon said, "if I want Joe, I can have him in a second. You do know how much he loves me, right?" She raised her forefinger and started spinning it slowly. "I have him wrapped like deuce." 

Mindy snickered. "Is that what you think?" Folding her hands, she looked down at Joe. "Tell her what you told me."     

Joe couldn't talk. The lump in his throat made it hard for him to do so. But the truth was, after he and Mindy had sex back in Yonk, he revealed to her that he never thought of Moon whenever he was with her. And if she gave him space and time, he knew he would fall for her deeply. 

"I'm going to get a drink," said Joe, before leaving for the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he grabbed a jar of pineapple juice and poured it into a glass he took from the cupboard. The coldness that sipped down his throat calmed his nerves, and for a second he had forgotten what he had run away from.

"You're one lucky guy," Nosey Mary said as she entered and took a place next to him. 

"How so?" Joe looked at the woman.

"You don't see it, do you?" Nosey Mary shook her head, before releasing a deep sigh. She grabbed the jar - along with Joe's glass, poured the juice into it and drank in one sip. Then she rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand and said, "Men were born idiots, so I'm not surprised that you can't see what's right in front of you."

What is she talking about? Does she like me too?

"Moon loves you, Joe," she said.

"Loves me?" How does she know? Did Moon speak to her? His heart started thumping fast. "She-She doesn't love me. She made it clear on numerous occasions."

"I am not Doctor Love, so she may not love you, but she definitely likes you. I've been around many emotional bitches like you and her to know when two people like each other, and when they don't. She clearly does, but she's seems afraid of what might happen once she gives into her feelings." 

Nosey Mary leaned on the kitchen counter, before going on:

"One thing you should understand about us sluts - assuming Moon is one, of course, is that giving up our sex life to be with one person is hard. We are so used to being alone and not having to care for anyone else, that when we finally meet that one person who we feel like we can be with, it scares us."

"Moon is scared?"  

"Very much, that's why she's overreacting like that. She's scared that if she accepts you, you might change your mind and leave her."

"But I won't."   

"Are you sure? Is there any evidence to prove that?"

Joe paused. He remembered once during a sleepover back in college, Daisy had told Moon about a girl he used to date called Candice. Him and her didn't last long though after he found out that she had slept with half the school teachers there.

He sighed and shook his head. It was like the universe was telling him there was no way he would be with the girl of his dreams. "No," he said. Nosey Mary patted his back, comfortingly. It was a side of her he had never seen. "Since when are you good at advice?"

"Just because I sleep around, or curse a lot, doesn't mean I haven't had my fair share of heartbreaks to understand what other girls are going through." She placed the glass down. "But if you tell anyone about me and my heart breaks I will stick my finger up your bum and make you squeal. Got it?"

Joe nodded.

"Good. Now, you can either wait for the girl you truly love or try to pursue something new with the one who's not afraid to show you how much she loves you. Either way, I don't care." She left the kitchen.

Standing silently, Joe knew he had a hard decision to make. One way or another, someone's heart was going to break. Now, whether that would be Mindy's or his, it was yet to be known.

"Joe," Sly called, entering inside, "what are you doing here?"

Ignoring the question, Joe asked one of his own, "Where have you been Sly? You were gone for like an hour."

"I was in the toilet taking a-"

"Say no more. I understand."  

"So, what did I miss? I could hear shouting all the way from the bathroom."

Joe was about to reply when he noticed the golden watch around Sly's wrist. He had never seen it before. And if his friend had bought it recently, he would have know. Sly usually showed off such things to him. Why didn't he with that one?

He grabbed Sly's arm and pulled it close. Staring at the watch, he saw a skull beneath the black arrows, and the word Proxy written beside it. 

"What does it mean?" he asked.

Sly yanked his arm away. "Nothing." He covered his watch with his jacket's sleeve. "Now, are you going to tell me what happened, or should I go ask Nosey Mary? I bet she'll tell me a better version than you."

Joe gasped. "Tell me you didn't just say that. You know I'm the best storyteller ever."

"Then tell me what happened. I'm dying to know."

He put an arm around Sly's shoulder and said, "It's a long story, but it starts with me sitting between two hot, but fierce women."