Zenon's Game Chapter 146

"How are you?" I asked him, happy to see a friendly face.

Voices sounded upstairs followed by footsteps coming down the stairs. I recognized Zenon's voice instantly, but I didn't know who the other person was.

Their feet came into view first and then I saw her. She had an incredible figure and a bright smile. Her hair was dyed a striking auburn color.

This must be Jake's guest.

Zenon smiled down at me when he saw me. I smiled back and I couldn't stop my thoughts from wandering into an insecure place. He and this girl looked perfect together – worthy of being another photo in the Albert family frames.

How could I ever fit in here?

"Candace, I don't think you've met Annika yet," Jake introduced us, "We met in New York, while I was auditioning at a record label."

"Oh hi," I greeted her, "Nice to meet you. My name's Candace."

I guess Jake just said that.

She greeted me back, "How d'you end up with these guys, Candace?"

I noted her foreign accent and made a mental note to ask later.

"We go to school together," I explained, "A more boring story than your record deal one."

Zenon said it slowly in his deep, confident voice, "There was nothing boring about our summer."

"Sure, some magical camp that brought you both together," Jake rolled his eyes, having clearly heard some version of the story a few times now, "Now that we're all here, you guys up for a game?"

I don't know why I accepted to play a game. Everyone knows I'm not the best at games. But it was a good excuse to get out of the house.

We walked past the cars parked outside the cabin and took a right turn. The lake was in clear view from here. It was calm today, a perfect backdrop for our game.

A volleyball net was set up with very faint markers of the boundaries. I saw a trampoline further out, and I imagined they use it to jump into the lake. This lake house seemed ideal for family memories.

"Everyone knows how to play volleyball right?" Jake asked, walking towards a shed where he went to collect a ball.

The shed was small and wooden. It had a basketball hoop drilled against the wood.

"Candace?" Zenon asked.

"What? Yes, I know how to play! You just hit the ball over the net."

"OK, you'll be a pro then."

The sarcasm was real.

Annika tried to hide her smile.

"Teams of two!" Jake called out, returning with a ball in his hand, "Annika and me versus Zenon and Candace."

"Can we switch up teams?" Zenon asked, moving out of the way just in time to avoid my playful punch.

Annika joined Jake on their side of the net and asked, "Aren't they dating?"

"Yeah," Jake said, "My brother's ultra-competitive and she sucks at sport. This is going to be good."

"You set them up," Annika realized.

"They're mismatched," Jake shrugged, "That's not my fault."

"Candace, it's not that hard. You just hit the ball," Zenon explained for the fifth time.

"Easy for you to say!" I replied and served.

The ball dropped three feet from me.

"Over the net!"

"OK you can say it in as many ways as you want, but it's not easy!" I exclaimed back at him.

The ball slowly dribbled to the other side of the court while we were busy arguing.

Jake crouched and picked it up. He got into position and warned us that he was about to serve. Zenon and I were still arguing when the ball came flying over the net.

Zenon reacted by reflex. He stopped mid-argument to catch the ball with his right hand.

The second he caught the ball, he smacked it back in a slam dunk that hit Jake hard in his chest.

The sound of the smack echoed.

I cringed for Jake.

"HEY!" Jake yelled, rubbing his chest where a bruise would later be.

"Broke a nail?" Zenon taunted.

"You don't need to attack people with the ball," Jake criticized.

"Cool off," Zenon told him, "We weren't ready."

Sometimes, we forget we're playing against an athlete. Zenon worked out every day like his career depended on it. Because it sorta did.

"I told you," Jake turned to Annika with a sly grin on his face.

"I don't know what you thought this would do," Annika replied, "Because all I see is a lot of s*e*x*u*al attraction brewing between the two of them."

"You know what," Jake dropped the ball, "Let's take a break!"

"Nah," Zenon smirked, letting the ball roll towards him before picking it up, "Your serve, smoker."

Mr Albert had laid the table for dinner. They were serving spinach stuffed chicken breast, roast potatoes and a side of roasted broccoli and grilled halloumi. Red wine was poured into some glasses, which he offered us as well.

I hesitated.

The view of the sunset was incredible in front of us. We ate dinner as the sun's rays cast red, orange and yellow light over the dinner table. The sound of fire crackled in the fire place behind us.

"I live in New York now," Annika answered Mrs Albert's question, "I come from Joburg, so I am not used to the cold."

That explains her accent. Annika came from South Africa.

"Johannesburg is such a lovely place," Mrs Albert said, "My husband and I went there for our honeymoon. We stayed in-"

"Westcliff," Jake snorted, "He takes all his wives there."

The glare Mr Albert shot his son was cold enough to freeze water.

Jake's mother was Mr Albert's first wife, before he cheated on her with the now new Mrs Albert.

"Your father made some dessert, but I think we'll leave you with it," Mrs Albert said, standing up, "You kids probably don't want us hanging around."

She removed herself from the conversation along with her glass of red wine.