Zenon's Game Chapter 101

*Earlier on Friday afternoon*

It was the familiar scent of Zenon Albert.

I put my lunch tray away and turned around. He stood in the cafeteria with a hundred pair of eyes watching him. Now that he was on track to becoming a player on a D1 college basketball team, there were rumors that he could be in the NBA.

"Join us for lunch?" Zenon invited me, "We came to eat here, since that's where you are."

Behind him, Axel was kicking people off the center table and Bryce looked uncomfortable at how unsanitary everything was.

"Is someone going to clean this? Where's the service in this place?"

These boys were used to lunch in a private classroom with food delivery, music and the in crew. Divas.

Zenon slid his arm around my waist, leading me towards them.

"I'd like to join, but I have mathlete practice," I said, declining the offer. "I'm on the team again and my technique's rusty."

If only he found me earlier during lunch when I was eating at LUCKY's table. The entire conversation had been based on him.

Zenon tried to conceal his disappointment, but he was never good at it. I smiled at how adorable that was. His arm around my waist didn't release. If anything, he squeezed me closer to him until I kissed his cheek.

Then he let me go. I didn't want to leave him. Since he was a senior, he barely had any classes with me except for math. And I longed to spend more time with him during the day.

At least we had our date tomorrow.

*Zenon's POV*

Zenon walked towards the guys as they sat at a now empty lunch table. The table remained empty for 0.345 seconds before a group of girls flocked around them.

"We came out here and she didn't even join us?" Axel asked in dismay, watching Candace exit the cafeteria.

Bryce took his muffin back from a girl who had flirtatiously taken it off his tray. He scooted closer to Axel and randomly changed subject.

"Zenon," Bryce said, "there's a girl I want to introduce you to. She's perfect, man. Hot and funny, plays tennis and speaks three languages. I could set you up this weekend. You two would be a great match."

Zenon stared at him. Axel also stared at him.

"What are you even saying?"

"What?" Bryce asked, "Did I miss something?"

After a minute, Zenon sighed and let Axel explain.

"Zenon and Candace are kind of a thing."

Bryce dropped his muffin. "What?! When did that happen?!"

No one knew how Bryce missed this. Zenon and Candace's relationship had played out right in front of him. From the grotto to his own circus party...

"You know I got your back," Axel said, "but you are f*cking clueless sometimes, bro."

Bryce flicked a carrot at him. Axel caught it, "Tonight I'm joining Candace and Bianca and those girls at some bar. I'll make sure Candace has a good time." He promised Zenon, "And there'll be no drama. I swear."

*Four hours later, Candace's POV*

"THE COPS ARE HERE!" someone yelled.

Axel was pressed up against the wall as he was being cuffed for disobeying orders. He'd shoved an officer who was aggressively holding me. Our whole group was being rounded up and taken round back. Onlookers at the bar began to record the scene.

Layton Hayes had made a quick getaway; not wanting to stick around for law enforcement.

I knew Axel was wishing some of the other guys were here for backup. He hadn't been able to stop the me-Kelly-Julia confrontation by himself. 

I didn't expect to blow up at her the way I did. A couple weeks ago, I began to suspect that Julia slept with my ex-boyfriend while we were dating... I'd seen the signs. They call me oblivious, but I'm just collecting receipts.

Anyway, this night was not going according to plan.  

"OW! YOU PULLED MY HAIR!" Bianca screamed as she accidentally landed in the fight.

Kelly yelled at Julia, "BITC-"

"This way," an officer directed them, herding the group to a back office. He was gruff with me, shoving my arms tighter until I felt a searing pain.

"Stop! No one is touching my comedic muse!"

The fighting stopped. Even the security guards paid attention.

Where had I heard that voice before?

"Don't make me come myself," he said.

The punishing grip on me loosened and the police officer backed up.

That's when I saw my rescuer. The gambler in the leather jacket from the Surfside Shack. 

He was still wearing a leather jacket. 

"You like to make an entrance, don't ya?" the gambler picked me up and adjusted my own lopsided jacket, "About time you showed up."

He chatted away, leading me to a front row seat by the stage, while everyone else backed way off. "I told you about my gig a long time ago and I was about to take it personal. Now come on, kid, you'll be sitting in the front row."

One minute ago I was being arrested, and now I was front row in a comedy show.

Sometimes I think my life is the comedy.

Axel slinked into the chair behind me. The officers were allowing us to stay now that the gambler had said so. The others began to recover by the bar. Julia fled in tears.

"Hey Axel, thanks for being there for me," I whispered as the lights dimmed and the gambler got on stage.

"No problem," he muttered, while he stared down at his phone with a frown, "Hey Candace... isn't this your necklace?"

I looked at his phone. He had a group chat open and in the middle of the screen was a picture of my mother's necklace. The one I lost at Bryce's charity event.

"Where did you find it?" I gasped, taking his phone and zooming in.

"I didn't. Bryce and Zenon did. It was on the hood of his car."

What?!