Zenon's Game Chapter 134

My pep talks are A+

I hadn't stopped smiling since I walked into the room. Before Zenon, I can't remember the last time I smiled at school. Now, it was a permanent fixture with him. I'd completely forgotten the dozen other guys in here, just because one of them was so-

"Lovebirds," Bryce interrupted, heading over to join us, "You still distracting him, Candace?"

"I had no idea you were part of the team, Bryce," I answered, staring at him in his pristine uniform.

"He sits on the bench," Zenon smirked.

"I know nothing about the game," Bryce confirmed.

"Huh?"

"His parents paid for the uniform," Zenon explained.

"Zenon convinced coach to let me wear the uniform on game days and sit on the bench with the players," Bryce said, "I've barely met half the team... But I've met plenty of girls."

The lengths some guys go to meet girls.

A loud sound emitted from the amp as Axel fiddled with wires to the speaker. Then came a pop and soon after, music. It blasted through the air.

The whole vibe of the locker room changed as heavy rap music blared. Axel was getting them geared up for the game. The guys reacted well to it.

"Oh!" I remembered, asking Zenon over the music, "What did your teachers say about your homework, Zenon?"

"Homework?" Zenon repeated, confused why I was bringing it up now.

"Yeah!" I yelled over the music, "Because of your broken laptop!"

He nodded and shrugged.

"Can I please make it up to you?" I insisted, my guilt overtaking me, "Like last time. I can owe you favors in return."

I'd been feeling guilty about it all day. He raised one eyebrow suggestively, not opposed to the idea. Only this time, I had a feeling the favors would be a different kind...

"It's your mum's birthday soon," Bryce told Zenon, "Maybe Candace can get the present?"

I didn't realize Bryce was still listening to our conversation. He had to be listening attentively to hear it over Axel's deafening music. Axel was DJ'ing like he was on a beach in Ibiza.

"Candace works at the mall so she could easily pick something up," Cynthia added.

OK, I didn't realize she was listening in too.

"CANDACE!" Axel cried out. The party stumbled across a major hiccup, "SAVE THE MUSIC!"

The coach was dragging him outside. There goes the DJ...

I guess this wasn't the first time Axel had to start a party in the locker room. I'd expected Zenon to be much more focused before a game, but I guess he was pretty confident about this one.

The coach dragged Axel away from the speakers and kicked him out of the locker room. The coach hadn't seen Cynthia or me. Zenon and Bryce had blocked the coach's view.

Without Axel, I now found myself in charge of the music. I had 2minutes tops before coach came back in here. Heavy rap was playing, and I looked through the songs. One caught my eye.

I switched to:

Feel the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you

Only you can let it in

The boys all stopped what they were doing. Natasha Bedingfield's gentle lyrics drifted through the locker room.

No one else, no one else

Can speak the words on your lips

Drench yourself in words unspoken

If this song doesn't bring uplifting energy into the room, then I don't know what will. I bet that deep deep deep deep down, guys love this song.

This was such a bop when I was a tween.

The coach returned and took me too. I didn't resist anywhere near as much as Axel.

Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins

As I was being dragged out, the song continued to play.

The rest is still unwritten

I could hear Bryce question my music choice before the entire thing was shut off.

"That's one way to start a basketball game," I mumbled to Axel as we squeezed into spots on the second row of the bleachers.

No one questioned Axel when he made them move over. Instead of filing in the normal way, we'd come in from the players entrance and hopped over the first bench.

"It wasn't fun this time," Axel sighed, "Coach came in way too soon."

I texted Cynthia to see if she wanted to join us. I imagine she must've slipped out of the locker room without being kicked out like Axel and me.

On the court, the cheerleaders finished their routine with some dance moves and cleared the way for the basketball teams to enter.

Cynthia squeezed her way next to us, apologizing to everyone who tried to stop her. Axel had to speak out for her when some guy blocked her from coming through.

The crowd was deafening as they cheered for our players, and the high school announcer was way too passionate about his role. The game kicked off soon after.

"These games are getting crowded," Axel said, not liking how little space he had to move around, "No one used to attend before we started winning."

"And until the hottest guys joined the team," Cynthia added, "Remember Zenon's junior year, when he took his shirt off-"

"Oh, is that why there was a line to get in after that game?" Axel asked.

"ZENON!" someone almost burst my eardrum from screaming behind me.

An opponent on defense was aggressively blocking Zenon.

Zenon threw the ball against Art and it smacked against his back. Then Zenon dodged the opponent blocking him and caught the ball as it bounced off Art's back.

"The humiliation!" Cynthia gasped.

"Why is he doing that to Art?" I asked.

Axel knowingly said, "You missed the saga at the mall. Zenon's taking it out on Art, just like he said he would."

He was rinsing him.