Zenon's Game Chapter 147

Her husband spoke to her in hushed tones and I imagine she was telling him not to argue with Jake in front of guests. Together, they went upstairs.

Annika sat back, putting a hand over her stomach, "The food was lekker."

"Both of them like to cook," Jake shrugged, referring to his dad and stepmom.

"Is it?" she replied in surprise.

I didn't understand South African slang, but I liked the sound of it.

We cleared up dinner and set the washing machine on. The evening was getting late, and me taking a test this morning felt like a distant memory. Annika suggested watching a movie and was picking one to stream on the plasma screen.

I saw the chocolate pudding Mr Albert had baked in a cast iron skillet and brought it to the coffee table in front of the TV. Zenon had a similar mind and brought the red wine over.

Jake was by the freezer and pulled something out. He threw it across the room to Zenon who caught it smoothly.

My curiosity got the best of me and I watched Zenon scoop ice cream out of the tub.

"I'd offer you some," he smirked, "But you hate vanilla."

"Drama queen," I mocked him, "I don't hate vanilla. My favorite is birthday cake."

"That's the difference between a trend and a classic," he teased, putting a spoonful into his mouth.

He looked so playful and mischievous that I felt my heart melt like his ice cream.

His bland vanilla flavored ice cream.

Jake joined us on the couch, sitting next to Annika. We all got our dessert and Zenon dropped one charitable scoop of ice cream from his bowl onto my chocolate pudding. He didn't have much of a sweet tooth, except for ice cream.

We nestled onto the couch, pulling the soft blankets over us. The crackling of the fire was the only sound we heard in this silent night, out here in the middle of the forest.

"So you met Jake at an audition?" I asked Annika, while we waited for the movie to start.

"Sort of. They made us go in separately, but I wasn't kept long," she answered, glancing at him, "I'm nowhere near as good a singer as Jake. I do more modeling than singing actually."

"You're good," Jake said, adjusting the speakers for our movie, "Your voice is comfortable at a lower register, like an Alanis Morisette."

"Eish no way. She can really belt," Annika sighed and then pointed at a black case in the corner of the room, "Is that your guitar? You should play the song you auditioned with."

"They've heard it," Jake said.

I blushed. There's only one song I've heard Jake sing and it had a lot to do with me.

Annika didn't know the backstory and shoved her blanket aside. "It was about some girl he liked in his English class."

She got up and walked over to the gig-bag. She unzipped it and pulled out his acoustic guitar.

"Oh no, no," we all insisted.

"Then play us something else, if you've all heard that song a hundred times," she insisted, bringing it over to Jake, "Seriously, it's incredible listening to you play."

I wouldn't say I've heard it a hundred times. Once was enough.

"Why are you smiling?" I whispered to Zenon.

His arm draped around my shoulder. "His chances of getting laid are ab-"

I elbowed him. I didn't need to hear that.

We watched Zenon and Annika interact. She was still insisting he sing, having brought the guitar up to him. He reluctantly agreed and then looked for his guitar pick.

Zenon pulled up his phone while we waited for John Mayer.

Jake played a couple chords to tune the guitar ever so slightly. "I think I'll play Enrique. The song's called Wish I was your lover."

Wish I was your lover? Was he serious? Did he want Zenon to kill him?

"You'll have a broken guitar by the second verse," Zenon commented, not even looking up from his phone.

Zenon was lying back on the couch with one arm resting loosely over me. I couldn't see his blue eyes since he was looking down.

I was 101% sure he was on the ESPN app.

"He will?" Annika asked, confused.

A lot of these references were going over her head tonight.

"It was a joke," Jake sighed, putting the strap over his shoulder and getting ready to play, "Everyone's so uptight in this house."

Annika clapped away the bad energy and exclaimed, "OK everyone, get comfortable! Let's hear it for Jake Albert!"

He was about to sing. And if it's anything like last time...

I'm holding onto Zenon.

Maybe there's a secret to happiness.

Maybe happiness is in the little things; the beauty of nature surrounding you, the laughs of friendship and the budding romance you feel for someone.

I felt my heart lighten and my lips lift into a more permanent smile.

I was happy.

We were nestled in the warmth of a cabin, surrounded by a century old forest. The fireplace crackled from the burning wood and cast a glow over the setting. Some movie was playing on the plasma screen, but we were barely watching.

Jake was sitting on the edge of the couch, his guitar on his lap. He was in a t-shirt now and the tattoos on his arms were on full display. He warmed up with a few chords, his head bent as he got settled into a comfortable position to sing.

Chocolate pudding lay half eaten and ice cream slowly melted on ceramic plates beside us. I was lying on the couch, feeling like I found my safe place in Zenon's arms.

He is not the world's most comfortable human since his muscles make for a hard pillow, but I was nowhere near complaining. On the contrary, I felt lucky to be enjoying this weekend with him.