Zenon's Game Chapter 200

I stretched my finger out to ring the bell, when I hesitated. I bent my finger and retracted it. "OK, you win!"

"We win. Come on, we can pick up something baked from my home and come back," he suggested, leading me down the steps.

He's a mischievous one, Zenon Albert. He's managed to entice me back to his home so we can talk and get over our Bianca fight. I see through his ways.

But we came face to face with the frail old lady and her cane.

"YOU'RE BACK!" she screeched.

Oh yes, I forgot how friendly she was.

She was in a long black coat and stockings. Her angry head had a fashionable black bonnet on it. And she was waving her cane at the two of us, climbing up her front steps.

We took a few steps back, finding ourselves backed up against the front door.

I feebly tried to say, "Good afternoo -"

"YOU MURDERED WINNIFRED AND NOW YOU'RE BACK FOR MORE!" she screeched, taking very small and unstable steps towards us.

Zenon greeted her in a louder voice, "Ma'am we can hear you. You don't have to scream."

"She's screaming murder," I whispered to Zenon, "The old lady is calling us murderers."

"I can hear her," Zenon replied.

"WHO ARE YOU?" she waved her cane at Zenon.

Honestly, it's a weapon.

I took the opportunity to step around her and make emergency hand gestures for Zenon to escape with me. He glanced over the old lady's head and towards me. He made a subtle nod.

"We'll be back with cookies," Zenon told her, "My girlfriend insists on bringing them-"

"WHAT?" she panicked, "WHY?!"

"Must be your charm I'm sure," Zenon said sarcastically.

She got riled up again and started to shout obscenities, but Zenon jumped over the railing and landed on the grass. He walked towards me and opened the front gate, back to the street.

He followed out after me and after a couple minutes of walking, the faint sounds of abuse faded into the distance.

"That was a good idea, Candace," Zenon applauded me, "It sounded like she'd love your cookies."

I stared at my baked cookies in disappointment. All I was hoping to do was to bring some festive cheer to her on this cold day. I felt like she didn't have many people around her.

"I'm sorry," Zenon said as he tried to see my face. Strands of my hair had fallen across my eyes as I stared down at the ground. "I should've told you what was happening. You've been understanding of my friendship with Bianca, despite her behavior towards you. I'm trying to make things right, but I'll do it in a way that makes you feel comfortable."

"Thank you," I mumbled, "Please just tell me next time."

"I will," he said, lifting his hand out of his pocket and wrapping his arm around me.

"Your hand will get cold," I pointed out.

He didn't care. "You want to come back to my place?"

"Only for the banana bread," I teased.

"But you'll stay for more," he said confidently.

The last time I looked in a breadbasket, I found a pound of weed – courtesy of my mom's new boyfriend.

Orange juice was only ever in the fridge when mom planned on drinking screw drivers. And pop tarts were a staple.

But the Albert household was very different. Bowls overflowing with fresh fruit. Their fridge packed with cheese, greens, protein, salad, milk, juices. And sourdough bread in their breadbasket. Not weed.

"Everything ok, Candace?" Zenon asked me from behind the countertop.

His arms were leaning against the marble surface as he watched me. He was in a t-shirt and the fabric cut off just around the level of his biceps.

I'd opened the fridge five times now, gaping at it each time.

"Look! Avocado yogurt," I pointed.

Zenon smiled. He was about to say something when his sister walked into the kitchen. She wore jogger pants, a matching tank top and appeared flushed.

"Just did an hour on the bike upstairs," she told us, grabbing a bottle of cold water from the fridge.

She twisted the bottle cap open and drank ice cold water. "I've always wondered what people think about staying friendly with exes."

"Where do you keep the banana bread?" Zenon asked, changing subject.

This was a sore subject for us.

"OK, let me rephrase," Charlotte responded, putting the bottle down, "How does everyone here feel about staying friends with exes who want more?"

She may have said everyone but she was looking at Zenon.

"How's your ex, Char?" Zenon responded, "He traded places with your boyfriend yet?"

"Zenon!" I gasped.

Charlotte glared at her little brother and fixed the cap back on her water bottle. I almost expected her to throw it at him. If she didn't, I will.

Zenon walked past her, "Hard to keep track when you're seeing two at the same time."

Zenon searched for banana bread in the breadbasket and the oven, like he hadn't just roasted his sister.

"If you want something, you'll have to make it," Charlotte told him, "And you never bake, Zenon, so I guess that'll be another chicken sandwich as a snack."

He does not bake but apparently he knows how to roast.

We found an easy bake recipe for chocolate chip cookies that only required a few ingredients. And in Mrs Albert's magical kitchen, all those ingredients were present.

We'd already laid out a bowl, spoons and a mixer. I found it surprising that he was helping me bake. Maybe I should take a sneaky picture and send it to Bryce...

Zenon pulled out a carton of milk and eggs from the fridge. "Don't even think about it, Candy."

It's like he knew.

I found a frilly apron beside the cabinet and offered it to him. Zenon rejected it.