The Blue Moon village buzzed with life again. Though they had been going through with their regular lives when Joy was there, they were commanded to ignore her completely in order to allow her to adjust to the environment. Though their thinking was rather irrational, the villagers agreed with their leaders so as not to scare Joy away.
"I wish I could have just said 'hi' to her," a boy spoke. His eyes shined as he flipped through the magazine he was holding. "When I go back to school in the human world, I'm totally applying for my internship at her company. Or even at one of her pop-up stores. I heard she makes regular appearances there."
"I want to work there too. And did you see her body, and her style. I want to be just like her." A girl this time, squealed. Her orange head of hair bouncing in delight. The rest of the group nodded and hollered their agreement, except for one.
"Please," she scoffed. "She's so entitled and narcissistic. And a very unlikeable person."
"She is classy," the boy responded, giving her a nasty once over. "Not that you would know anything." He kissed his teeth at her.
Jemima was walking past them when they gathered around her with wide grins on their faces.
"Jemima, is Joy ever coming back?" One asked.
"Yeah, will she be here for the Blue Moon?" Inquired another.
"Is she and Jude Protector?"
"Will we ever see her again?"
"Ummm..." She mumbled, glancing up at Jude who had frozen in his steps a few meters from them. "Why don't we keep the questions and discussions to a minimum, okay?" She uttered and moved to Jude.
"Are you okay?" Jemima asked, patting Jude's shoulder.
"I feel how you felt when you and Krii fought before your wedding and he moved to the human world for a week. The only difference being that he came back. I don't know if Joy will ever come back."
"Okay," she mumbled. "Then why don't you do what I did?"
"What?"
She shrugged, stepping away from him and heading towards her hut.
'Go to her.'
***
One of Joy's favourite charity events was the art exhibition she held every three months for the orphanages she took care of. Being someone who struggled with abandonment, she felt the need to help children who she saw as her younger self.
The upper class citizens attended such events, flaunting their pretty things. From the hair to the shoes and everything in-between, the people were bedazzled. Glimmering with jewels and silk. Only the finest wine and sublime dishes were served. Joy put in a lot of effort into it, planning the whole function on her own. She was dressed in an elegant white body hugging number of her own creation. She matched it with black six inch pumps, diamond earrings and a bare neck.
"Welcome Sasha," Joy greeted the manager of one of her stores with a soft smile.
"Thank you Joy. Everything looks great as always." She looked around the gallery they were in. "Have people started bidding?"
"A few. I'll go and greet Mr Richard, I haven't seen him yet. I only spoke to him over the phone." Joy excused herself and approached the curator of the gallery.
"Mr Richard," she stretched out her hand to her father's longtime friend. "How have you been sir?"
"I've been well my dear." He took her outstretched hand into his. "I'm glad to see you look well."
"I'm okay." She forced a wider smile. "I've just been putting everything back into its place."
"I'm glad to hear that. And David? He hasn't returned still?"
"No. It looks like his meeting is taking longer than expected."
"That's strange. The David I know would have flown straight back on news of your safe return. Have you spoken to him over the phone since you returned?"
"No." She shook her head. "But I'm sure there's a valid reason."
"Of course my dear."
"Mr Richard," Mandla's irritating voice sounded as he approached the pair. Both Joy and Rieka groaned. He placed his hand around Joy's waist and she shuddered, feeling cold and disgusted. To avoid a scene she let him keep it there, making a mental note to ask Rieka to rip it off later.
"Mandla," Mr Richard said. "Congratulations on your merger. Looks like David is pleased with his future son-in-law, he didn't waste time." He chuckled and Mandla joined.
"So, have you two set a date?"
"Well-"
"No." Joy cut Mandla off. "We don't want to rush into anything."
"Well, I hope it's soon." Mr Richard smiled before excusing himself.
Joy loosened herself from Mandla's disturbing grip. "What do you think you are doing?" She hissed.
"Lower your voice darling. People are staring," he mumbled.
She gestured for him to follow her to the hallway near the entrance. When they were a safe distance from the chatter and eyes, she turned to him with a scowl on her face.
"You are not allowed to touch me," she growled. "Do it again, and I will forget who I am." Her eyes burned a deep reddish flame. "And rip that arm off."
"Okay." He raised his hands, and she saw his Adam's apple bob up and down.
" I didn't invite you, so why are you here?" She questioned, folding her arms.
"Your fiance needs an invite now?"
"Ex-fiance," she corrected. "I don't want you here."
"You didn't even let me explain what happened."
"Yes Joy." Tanya's voice sounded as she walked in. Her heels clicking on the tiled floor.
She stood next to Mandla in her pink, flared gown.
"What is this?" Joy seethed. "I didn't invite you either, how did you even get in?"
"That doesn't matter. Just let us explain. maybe you can understand," Tanya said.
"You want to explain? Okay... explain. What happened?" She gestured for them to speak.
"We had too much to drink that night. And I thought she was you. We made a mistake and regretted it in the morning when we realised."
"And the bracelet?" She raised an eyebrow.
"It was meant for you, babe." Mandla pointed at her, the pathetic desperation evident in his tone and expression.
"Mandla," Joy huffed a laugh. "I don't wear bracelets. That is something you know. I get irritated when I wear them." She rubbed her wrists in front of his face. "You are pathetic. So, do yourselves a favour and leave." She turned around.
"You know you did this to yourself." Tanya spoke up. Her voice filled with scorn that matched the expression on her face.
Joy turned back, narrowing her eyes at her. "How so?" She inquired.
"You weren't even a good girlfriend to him. I did what you couldn't."
"If getting naked for him makes you a good girlfriend, then congratulations." Her lip twitched up. "I want you both out of my life."
"How stupid are you?" Tanya hissed. "Neither of us ever wanted to be in your life. You are nothing but a spoiled daddy's girl who gets everything she wants and the rest of us have to grovel at your feet. You're nothing but a burden. Your birth mother left because she realised that early, your step-mother wants nothing to do with you, and where's your father? Gone. No wonder they all left, who could love you? I should have pushed off that cliff myself."
Joy maintained her composure, her head held high and a smirk still on her face. "I'm glad you got to let that out. Your heart is at ease because you don't have to put up with me anymore, and I will have no regrets for what I'm about to do to you." She turned around and entered the gallery, stepping towards her assistant.
"Is the projector ready?" She inquired.
"Yes ma'am. I'll play it the second you give the instruction."
"Forget about that one. Go to the surveillance room and ask for the footage from the hallway three minutes ago. I'll ask Mr Richard for permission but go in the meantime." She waved her off.
***
Joy moved to the center of the room. "May I have your attention please," she spoke in a loud voice and her guests turned to her, quieting down. Mandla and Tanya were at the back of the crowd, whispering to each other. Cameras flashed at Joy's face as she continued to speak.
"A lot of you have been wondering what happened to me a few weeks ago. Why I disappeared and was even presumed dead. I'll reveal the reason personally." She exhaled. "My fiance cheated on me with my best friend." Cameras flashed faster and brighter, at Joy and at the pair who gaped at her.
"I didn't know that it was her at first. But I discovered it on the camping trip we took together. When she tried to kill me."
Gasps erupted from the audience, followed by looks of disgust and scorn directed at Tanya and Mandla.
"I've prepared a short film for you all to enjoy. I'm going to call it a night, because I can't stand being in the same room as them." With that, she gestured to her assistant, Lana who began to play the recording. Joy stepped away from the crowd and the camera flashes and questions followed after her. Two security guards rushed to help her exit safely.
In the gallery Tanya blanched, hanging on to Mandla's arm. He was frowning in the direction Joy had just left. The gossip crazed socialites began to text and call their friends, the worst punishment for Tanya whose dirty laundry was being aired directly from her own mouth.
Joy's trip home was quieter than usual. Her trip on the elevator felt emptier than usual. Her apartment seemed darker than usual, even when she turned the lights on. She had been alone all her life, but had never felt so lonely.
Not bothering to change, she curled herself up into a ball on her couch, her nose tickling as a stray tear glided across it.
"How did I begin to allow people to screw me over?"
10 YEARS LATER
Joy sat on the side walk, waiting for her father to pick her up from her extra lessons. The sun had set, the silver moon rising. She looked up at the glowing sphere and sighed.
"The moon looks so round, doesn't it?" A voice sounded next to her. A boy with long, black hair and a lopsided grin wriggled his eyebrows. "You know, this is when werewolves shift. On a full moon."
"You think werewolves are real?" She questioned, standing up.
"Of course." He leaned a bit closer and whispered. "I'm one of them."
"You should go home." Joy blinked, and stepped away as her father's car approached. Before entering the car she turned back and gave him a once over. He was dressed in a full leather outfit, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"You should cut your hair," she mumbled, and he smirked before winking and turning away.
"Who is that?" David asked as his daughter settled into the car.
"Just a weirdo."
The boy watched as their car sped past him, running a hand through his hair.
"Should I?"