Zenon's Game Chapter 210

I saw Axel speaking to a girl he met a few minutes ago. Anytime he turned in my direction, I would pretend to be having the time of my life. But otherwise, I was staring at him – feeling that jealousy build up in my stomach.

"Hey guys, Candace and I are going to head home."

I turned back to the group and saw Zenon speaking to Bryce and Oma. Then I saw Candace behind him, standing with a fast food takeaway bag in her hand.

Someone bumped into me and apologized. When I turned back, Candace was gone.

"Zenon!" I exclaimed, pointing to his girlfriend.

She was sitting cross legged in the middle of the dance floor, eating her burger.

"That's why I like her," Bryce said, "She doesn't give a f*ck."

~Candace's POV~

Somehow, we were standing on the balcony. I didn't know this club had a balcony.

The whole group was out here talking. I didn't know what they were talking about. Occasionally, they would look over to me, but I had no more burger to offer. It was all gone.

I leaned over the railing to stare at all the little ant humans down below.

But then I felt dizzy and my stomach turned. I stood upright and brought a hand to my shoulder bone, since that was mid-way between my hurting head and my aching stomach.

Where was Axel? He was the only nice person here. Everyone else has been so cold.

"Candace," Zenon told me, turning his attention to me now, "Bryce's driver is outside, so we're going home now."

"I don't feel so good." My stomach revolted.

"Soon we'll be home and get you-"

I threw up over Zenon.

Someone behind him screamed.

Oh no. This is not good.

Zenon's blue shirt had my not-so-blue barf on it. I put my hand to my mouth to wipe the grossness off. Oh dear. I felt so embarrassed, though admittedly my stomach felt better.

"I'm sorry, Zenon."

He didn't say anything and stared down at the gross stuff on his shirt.

Cynthia came sweeping out of nowhere and threw her arms over me, leading me somewhere else. I let her guide me, though my head turned round to look at Zenon. His friends gathered around him and I felt even more humiliated that they were staring at my barf.

"I ruined the night," I said.

Cynthia pushed the door to the ladies' bathroom open and helped me wash my face and gargle water in my mouth. She didn't watch that part.

"Why did you drink so much?" she asked me.

"I don't know," I exhaled, feeling miserable in more ways than one, "I didn't feel like I was fitting in and I wanted to forget."

"Drinking is so not the answer," she said, "I wish you told me. I didn't realize you didn't feel a part of this group. You're the one who invited me in, so I just assumed you were comfortable."

"I'm not comfortable."

When Cynthia and I returned to the others, I could see that Zenon wasn't in a good mood. Bianca was telling him something and Bryce was nowhere near them.

He had completely distanced himself from the situation.

Bianca was in mid-sentence when Zenon stopped listening.

She objected, "What are you-"

He pulled his shirt off and threw it into the trash.

She then said, "Oh I am not complaining."

Zenon turned back towards us, chiseled upper body on display. He looked over at me and nodded his head. He wasn't playing sweet anymore. "Let's. Go. Home."

"Ok." I squeaked.

Zenon's hot when he gets angry.

Cynthia asked me, "Do you want me to come? I can be emotional support."

"No, you should enjoy the rest of your evening," I told her.

I was in trouuuuble. But I guess I got his shirt off in the end.

Oh, the headache.

The regret.

The desire to forget.

I rolled over to my side and reached out for my phone with eyes closed. Momentarily blinded by the screen light, I typed to Jake my new song lyrics: Oh the headache, the regret, the desire to forget.

I then lay on my back and groaned. I regret so much about last night. I've made a complete fool of myself and I don't even remember what happened after Zenon and I left the club. He didn't look happy.

Heartbreak through expectations. That's probably another song line.

The regret took a darker turn when I thought about my mother. Did I turn to drinking yesterday to forget? Isn't that what she does? I spend so much of my life disappointed in her and now I was on track to follow....

Ow, my head.

My phone buzzed. It was a text from Jake: Rough night?

How does he know? The guitar playing psychic... But then I remembered I had just texted him.

I replied: The roughest

I added the pumpkin emoji for extra effect.

After a minute, Jake replied: Lyrics aren't bad btw

That's the closest to endorsement I've ever gotten from him. Maybe he'll give me credit as co-songwriter. Between my lyrics on bananas, berries and hangovers, I think we've got a hit.

I heard sounds downstairs. The house must be awake by now, but how could I face them?

I checked my phone again in case I missed any messages from Zenon. Zero.

~Downstairs~

The distorted sounds I heard upstairs rearranged into coherent words as I neared the living room. Bryce was watching an action movie and his surround sound system amplified the effects. I saw his brown hair over the top of the couch, as he lay across it, watching the screen.

Oma was at an oval glass table, eating a chive and mushroom omelet. She was in a blue kaftan with bracelets on her wrist. I looked around to see if anyone else was nearby and spotted Bianca sunbathing in the pool area outside.

"Do you want painkillers?" Oma asked me.