Zenon's Game Chapter 127

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

Nicole was wearing a wool jumper tucked into jean trousers and a Chanel belt. She had a matching backpack.

"I'm going to dinner with Charlotte," she pointed to the hallway where Zenon's sister and her ex-boyfriend were flirting by the coat rack, "What's your excuse?"

Nicole and Bryce's parents were friends. 'Business associates' was the term they used.

"I've been hanging out with Zenon. Something crazy happened next door and I needed to come here to relax."

"With his laptop?" Nicole stared at him suspiciously, "Without him?"

Bryce realized how this was starting to look.

He guiltily held onto the laptop. "By the way, do you know his password?"

They were interrupted by commotion in the hallway as Charlotte and her ex got ready to leave. The front door opened and Charlotte spotted her brother outside Candace's house.

"Is Zenon across the street again?"

The question needed no answer. Charlotte was already marching across the street towards her brother. Her entourage followed.

Axel was the first to notice and tapped Zenon's shoulder. Zenon slowly turned around, arms crossed over his chest. He had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows, revealing his arm muscles.

"Yes?"

Four people were standing in front of him. His eyes went from his sister, to her quiet ex-boyfriend, to Bryce... to the laptop. His look stopped them in their tracks.

"You remember my ex," Charlotte introduced the two of them.

Zenon said nothing.

"We were in the same modeling agency during high school," Charlotte explained to ease the tension, "And now Zenon has a quasi-girlfriend, isn't that right?"

Just as they said that, the front door opened and Candace emerged, dressed all in black. She held a cardboard box and a shovel and walked slowly, sadly out of the house. It was like she was on her own funeral procession.

Bryce turned to Axel, "What did I miss?"

"It's the cat's funeral," Axel explained, like this was normal behavior.

They all watched Candace take sad steps across the house and towards the backyard. The shovel made an uncomfortable screeching sound as it was dragged across the concrete.

Charlotte's ex-boyfriend pointed, "Is that her?"

Bryce shook his head, feeling second-hand embarrassment for Candace, "What an intro."

Candace put on a pair of disposable gloves and went to pick up the cat.

That's when Zenon blocked their view, "Excuse us. We have a funeral to get to."

"I'm going to be sick." Bryce put the laptop on the ground and ran into the bushes.

*Candace's POV*

I scattered rose petals around the cat's shallow grave. May he rest in peace, poor creature.

Take comfort in knowing that life is more painful than death.

"CANDACE!" my mother screamed from the second floor.

I looked up and saw Bryce emerge from the bushes, where he might've just thrown up. Zenon and Axel were also walking towards me.

I had chosen a little patch near the lemon tree to bury our furry, fallen friend.

"MIIIILLLLIEEEEE!" my mother screamed again.

"I'll be just a minute," I called out to the boys as I jogged into the house through the back door.

Entering the house, I felt the air con inside instantly cool me down. I heard Gloria packing up her things in the kitchen and the TV was still on.

"What?" I yelled back up.

My mother was coming down the stairs with a briefcase in her hand.

"I have to go out," she informed me, "and your car is blocking mine in the driveway. There are about four different cars on our driveway right now and I have not given permission to any of them."

"Sorry," I apologized, grabbing my keys. I didn't want to get into any more trouble and I had a funeral to return to.

So I hurried out of the front of the house without complaint. That's when I saw Zenon's sister on the sidewalk.

Her ex-boyfriend was helping put on her jacket for her, and saying, "Babe, your brother's intimidating."

She said something about a reservation and he agreed. I remember the first time I saw the two of them and how I thought they were a couple out of a Tom Ford ad.

I would've said hello but I felt my mom's eyes glaring through the back of my head. I had no choice but to jump into my car and put my seat belt on.

I turned on the engine and started to back my car out of the driveway.

"STOP!"

Zenon sprinted across the backyard at incredible speed and appeared in my rear-view window.

But it was too late. I tried to stop but not before the tires rolled over-

CRACK

The first time I drove over Zenon's laptop, it was a private affair. Just the two of us by a cabin near a lake.

This time... there were eyewitnesses.

"STOP!"

I was backing my car out of the driveway because my mama told me to.

Zenon sprinted across the backyard, abandoning the mini funeral we had planned for Roger the dead cat.

If it slipped my mind that my boyfriend was an athlete, this reminded me. His speed was absurd.

I tried to stop. I slammed on the breaks, but it was too late.

"AAAAAH!" I screamed, right as the tires of my car rolled over-

CRACK

Did I kill him? Did I kill Zenon?

He had appeared in my rearview mirror a few seconds before.

"ZENON?!" I called out.

I stabbed my seatbelt fanatically until it swung off and caught one of my arms. I tried to jump out of the car, but the seatbelt clung to my left hand and I swung around the seat, trying to peel it off me. Arm burn.

There were eight pairs of eyes staring at me.

"That's his girlfriend?" Charlotte's ex-boyfriend asked, again.