Zenon's Game Chapter 141

Zenon's smile is well-known. I've thought of it as captivating before, because even just a cheeky smile of his, can make people want to join in on the secret.

Zenon has a lot of eyes on him. He knows that. People are innately curious about him, they want to talk about him – whether good or bad. This school has an unhealthy infatuation with him.

I know that, because I'm living in the shadow of it.

"I don't know," he answered, "There are some things I need to figure out. But look, it's something we can talk about later. I don't want you to feel alone. I want to make sure you don't feel afraid of anything here. Ignore what others say. Jealousy is a widespread flaw in all of us."

Zenon kissed me on the lips before he opened the computer lab door. He waited for me to walk through it. I wish we had the luxury of time to spend all afternoon together, but the reality is that our schedules rarely overlap. And the bell had rung.

"What about the lake house?" I called out.

He shrugged, "I had other things on my mind."

I shrugged back. Fine.

"Did you want to come?" he asked me, pausing in the hallway, "I didn't think you and nature were a natural mix."

He didn't have to remind me of our trip in the woods this summer.

"I have SAT subject exams this weekend anyway," I answered.

"We can go after. It's on Saturday right? We can get to the lake house on Saturday and spend the rest of the weekend there. It's not far."

"OK," I smiled, "Thanks."

"Just one thing," Zenon added, "Promise me you won't pack honey."

One hour later

"Psst," Cynthia whispered, "Take my advice and get a sick note."

"How bad can this be?" I whispered back, sitting in class.

"Zenon is sitting at the top of this school. He's untouchable. Of course he's going to tell you to ignore it. He doesn't know what it's like for the rest of us."

Maybe she's right. Maybe this was about to get a whole lot worse.

It's turtleneck season.

My favorite kind.

I was sitting in the library and happily ordering an olive-green turtleneck online.

$10 including shipping. If it came in a couple days, I could even wear it to the lake house this weekend.

I was excited about the Albert's lake house. I've never been invited somewhere like this before. I was imagining a cozy cabin in the woods, like something Goldilocks would visit.

Would Zenon and I share a bed?

As for Jake, who was he bringing? I hope she, he or they were nice.

I glanced down at my English textbook. Studying for the SAT English test was not going well. I don't even know why I signed up for this.

"Candace."

Bianca was standing in front of me, with one hand on my laptop, closing it.

I sat back, removing my hands from the keyboard just in time.

Her other hand was on her h*ip. She was wearing a tight white shirt and dark purple leggings. She rarely acknowledges my presence, so I wondered what had happened now.

"Candace, Candace, Candace," Bianca sighed, tapping her manicured nails on the metallic surface of my laptop.

"You know you can say my name once and I'll know you're talking to me, right?" I pointed out.

"No need to get b*tchy. You're just a junior, you know that?"

"Am I? My dementia really gets me sometimes," I answered sarcastically.

"Just a junior," she repeated, "You've never shown up to his games before. You weren't voted hottest new freshman or the girl with the most valentines."

"No," I answered, "But none of those things should define a girl anyway. I hope you-"

"Don't give me any of that self-righteous bullsh-"

"We're in a library," I interrupted, pulling the laptop from under her grip, "Best to keep the cursing to a low volume."

I started to pack up. I've never seen Bianca this boldly confrontational with me before and I didn't like it.

"You're a nerd. You're a nobody. And I don't know what you're giving him, but he'll turn away from you soon," she told me.

She didn't say his name, but I didn't need three guesses to figure out who she was talking about.

It's always about him.

"Mark my words," Bianca continued like a fortune teller, "Zenon Albert knows many girls. His interest switches from one to another. But you know who his one constant has been?"

Let me guess...

"Me," she said.

I washed my hands in the girl's bathroom. The walls had graffiti on them, and the mirrors weren't so shiny anymore. If only I could wash my memory in the same way.

You're a nobody, Bianca had said to me.

How many times must I hear that before it really sinks in? I'm a somebody.

Two girls came into the bathroom just as a toilet flushed and a third came out.

"Are you Candace?" one of them asked.

I looked up and saw a redheaded girl in the reflection of the mirror.

"Are you really dating Zenon Albert?"

I didn't want to answer. Why did it matter?

"It's you, isn't it? Is it true that you asked him to take your vi r gi nity?"

That's bold.

Another girl joined in on the conversation, "I heard you took a picture of Stacey at summer camp and threatened to release it to the school if he wouldn't take you on a couple dates."

"What?!" I exclaimed, "Where did you hear that?"

That was the exact opposite of what happened at camp. Stacey took that awful photo of me.

She shrugged, "That's what people are saying. Zenon wanted to protect Stacey's honor, so he agreed to take you on a couple pity dates."

"Apparently you wanted fame at this school," the first girl said, having clearly heard that rumor too.

"And a bit of Zenon."