Zenon's Game Chapter 117

The next scene was Act IV, end of Part I – Petruchio's declaration of love.

I'm sure Mrs Hathaway thinks of us as her personal Netflix show. Teachers can be sneaky when they meddle in our love lives. A confused Cupid matching me with the wrong Romeo.

"I have a sore throat," I excused myself.

"Not sore enough to keep quiet during my class," she retorted, "So give it a go. And try to be as committed as Geoffrey was when he read out the last scene."

Geoffrey.

"He's lucky Game of Thrones resurrected his name," Jake muttered.

My mouth almost dropped. Jake firing shots.

"We don't have all day now," Mrs Hathaway urged us to get started.

I grumpily glanced at the clock to see if we were anywhere near the end of class.

"Class started fifteen minutes ago, Candace, so you have no chance of getting out of this," Mrs Hathaway said, pointing me to page 120 of the play, "You can begin. First line is Katharina's."

While the class sniggered, I said, "OK, but let's not assume. Uh... Jake? Do you want to be Petruchio or Katharina?"

Yes, I was stalling. And yes, I was also proving a point.

Jake said, "I'll take Katharina."

Some more people sniggered. I looked around while Jake geared up for his first line. Lexi and Yoona were sitting in the front. I hadn't seen them since Cynthia snapped at them at lunchtime. They used to be a tight group of friends called 'LUCKY' and now...

What's LUCKY without the C?

Zenon-y

"Husband, let's follow, to see the end of this ado," Jake declared to me.

I almost jumped at the sound of him calling me husband.

I read ahead at my next line and internally gawked at it. I reluctantly said, "First kiss me, Kate, and we will."

"What, in the midst of the street?"

"What, art thou ashamed of me?"

"No, sir, God forbid, but ashamed to kiss."

Jake played the part of Katharina very well. I was a bit stiff in my role as Petruchio but I'm not trying to win any Oscars here.

I glanced up sheepishly to the front of the class. Mrs Hathaway was watching us with a huge smile on her face. In front of her, I saw a phone being lowered. I think Lexi was filming us.

I know I haven't handled the Jake-Zenon drama well in the past. I know that. I tend to close off rather than express my feelings...

Which doesn't work well now that I'm seeing Zenon.

Apparently, being part of a relationship requires 'honesty' and 'open communication' and all those things mature people say. It also requires patience. Because I've made mistakes before and I'm sure I'll make them again.

As will he.

"Zenon," I spoke into my phone, "Are you still at school? Let's talk about your brother. He's back from New York now and we should figure out how best to do this."

There was a silence before deep voice echoed through the phone, "Do what?"

"Do... life?"

Why am I like this?

When I open up, I need to actually make sense. Not just spew out whatever comes to my mind.

"I think we're doing life, Candace," Zenon said, "And Jake is doing his."

Touché.

"But Jake and I get along and you obviously have a very complicated relationship with him. We can't just ignore him. Also, hetextedmewhenwewereonourdate," I said the last part as quickly as I could.

I heard background noises on Zenon's side of the phone. Then I heard the clicks as he increased the volume to hear me better.

"Whenever you stop making sense, it's either adorable or bad news," Zenon said.

I didn't say anything.

"I'm going to murder him."

I guess Zenon took that as the bad news option.

"What?" I exclaimed, "No! It's not that bad."

"Well, it's good you told me. If my own brother is going behind my back, we got issues. I'm at practice now, but I'll call you later."

"Zenon! Please, please don't do anything rash."

"I won't," he said, "But I'll do something."

I wish I could monitor Zenon after school, or tackle my increasingly messy social life. Buut I had to work. I work part-time at Lola Rae, where the dresses are so expensive that it's my excuse for bad fashion sense.

I can't afford it.

"Who works here?" a guy shouted, walking into the store with a dress in his hand.

Since there was no one else in the store, it was pointless to raise my hand. He walked towards me and flung the dress at me.

"My sister needs this in a size six. Someone gave this to her in a size four," he said.

His sister was with him. I smelt her perfume before I saw her... and I immediately recognized her.

Bianca Rodriguez.

The senior even the freshmen knew about. She was notorious for her beauty and – cruelty. Her dark haired curls were tied up in a ponytail. She was in a sports b-ra and leggings.

"Fetch the dress," her brother said, "We don't have all day."

Bianca was glued to her phone. She approached the counter and her eyes trailed judgingly from my employee badge up to my face... where she suddenly recoiled.

Bianca recognized me. A few months ago, she would never have known I existed.

But now, I'd say we go way back.

"I won't fetch the dress," I told her brother, "But you could try the pet store."

"Don't give me attitude. Where's the manager? I'm going to-"

Bianca interrupted him, "Please, let's not argue. I know her and she knows..." Bianca stopped short of saying his name.

She hesitated before continuing, "She knows... someone. We have friends in common that I don't want to annoy."

"Whatever, sis. You hurry up and sort this out. I'll wait outside," her brother pulled his own phone out and walked off.