Zenon's Game Chapter 158

"We've been looking for Zenon!" Axel answered with a lot of background noise that made it hard to hear him, "We're at his house now and we went to yours too, but neither of you are-"

"I'm going to school to get my car," I said, "What's going on? I haven't heard your voice like this before."

"We found out who took Art's basketball jersey."

The blackmailer? The one who killed Roger, took the basketball jersey and put it on my bedroom door?

"Who? How?!"

Imagine exercising and saying those words with passion. It came out like Hoo - Ha

"Everything ok, Candace?" Axel asked me, somehow noticing that I'd gotten distracted.

"Yes!"

"OK," Axel said, "We need to find him, Candace."

"He's with Layton Hayes," I answered.

"Why the-" Axel said, but that's when Bryce's voice yelled into the phone, "Give us the address!"

"OK! I'll text it to you," I said, already getting my car out of the parking lot, "I'm on my way."

I hung up. I had no idea what was going on – but when did I ever?

I couldn't believe six hours ago I was relaxing in nature, spending a weekend with Zenon and his family. That felt like a distant memory now.

The blackmailer. Could they really have found out who it is? Axel is observant but, I mean, Bryce?! Really?

I never expected needing my car this weekend - and not least to find Zenon. After all this pedaling, I finally opened my car door and put the tricycle in the back seat.

I heaved myself into the driver's seat and exhaled. Drive.

"Stop! Stop!" someone called out, waving at me to stop.

I didn't expect anyone to be at school on a Sunday. I saw the frantic arms moving in my rear-view mirror and immediately stopped.

This may not be a raccoon level story, but I still think it shows quick reaction. My old car jerked at the sudden movement but stopped. I looked like I had seen a ghost.

I had. The ghost of ex-boyfriends past.

Kaden.

What kind of sh*t timing is this?

"Stop! Stop!" someone called out, waving at me to stop my car.

My old car jerked at the sudden movement and stopped. I looked like I had seen a ghost.

I had. The ghost of ex-boyfriends past.

Kaden.

What is that peanut doing behind my car?

You know, I never realized how toxic he was until I breathed clean air.

I used to be like play-doh in his hands. He could say anything to me, do anything and I would believe him. He made me feel like I messed up while he was cheating on me with Kelly and Julia. A broken heart's no joke.

What sh*t timing.

I leaned out of my window and said, "Move or I'll run you over. I have a history of running over objects and you are no more than an object to me."

It was the last thing he ever expected to come out of my mouth.

I may have been play-doh in his hands before, but - (and here's a warning to cringe) - now I'm play-doh no mo'.

Anyway, Kaden needed to go. In more ways than one. He has no idea what I've been through and with who. I've changed over the last six months and the guy who helped me, needed me.

Who did Kaden think he was, commanding my time as if we were still together? My boyfriend is in some kind of trouble and I have to get to him.

"Candace," Kaden said all-knowingly, "People are saying that you're on a wild ride since I broke up with you. Riding some kind of popularity wave caused by emotional instability from our breakup."

He really thinks he's a Greek hero reincarnate. In Zenon's world, Kaden doesn't even exist.

"Did you hear what I said?" I repeated myself, "Get out of my way."

"No way," he stood firmly in my path, "I know you want to talk to me. We ended things so suddenly, we never had a chance to talk."

Kaden hasn't got the memo yet. I used to be a pushover. I'm ready to admit that. But Zenon pushed all my buttons this summer, it actually made me push back.

"You've run out of chances," I said, taking my foot off the break, "I'll give you three seconds to move."

"Don't play coy with me. You're trying to make me jealous."

"Two."

"You know Mathletes train at school every Sunday before a competition. You knew I would be here and you-"

Does he never stop talking?

"Three."

I switched pedals from break to go. The car drove towards him and he started to wave his hands frantically. "You're driving!"

Oh really? Yes you motha-

"Stop! You're going to run me over!" he yelled out, as if I had no idea how to drive.

I saved a racoon, b*tch.

I was driving across town and I didn't need any playlist to hype myself up. That run-in with Kaden did the trick.

Small talk with an ex-boyfriend? No one's got time for that.

I was now focused on getting to Zenon. I knew Axel and Bryce were in a car on their way as well. They were the detective duo I never knew I needed.

Zenon and Layton Hayes had no idea we were all about to crash their heart-to-heart.

I tried not to think about Kaden. He's still on the Mathlete team with me, so he'll be at the competition this week... with Zenon.

And Zenon is uncontrollable in many ways. I had no idea how quickly he'd demolish Kaden, but I'm willing to bet it'd be thirty seconds top.

I arrived at the neighborhood park where Layton lived. It figures that the one place those boys would talk... is on the basketball court.