Zenon's Game Chapter 240

I turned towards him and caught him staring at my lips. His blue eyes raised to meet mine and I blushed. I rested my hand over his and accepted the rope.

"Yes," I replied, trying to keep the butterflies at bay.

An activity that simply involved 'holding on' was something I could easily do. I think.

"Let's tie this around you so you don't fall in," he said gently, frowning slightly in concentration.

I watched him wrap the rope around my waist, feeling the gentle touch of his hands. He tied a knot at the end. He kept glancing at me and I smiled, blushing even further.

"Does that hurt?" he whispered, tugging me closer as he made sure the knot was tight.

He smiled slightly, hearing the sharp inhale of my breath as my body came so close to his. I felt a heat rise to my cheeks.

"Candace," Zenon said quietly.

I looked at him, not used to hearing him sound so... nervous?

He swallowed and his blue eyes stared vividly at me. We were so aware of each other that every movement felt magnified. His hands let go of my waist and his lips parted. He then said the words I only ever imagined he would say:

"I love you."

My eyes opened wide in surprise. Forget butterflies. There was an entire circus in my stomach. I didn't know how to react. I stepped back and-

"WhAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

I'd stepped off the small platform and the rope took me speeding down the zip line, spinning me round in circles, as I was still attached to it from around my waist.

I flew quickly through the air, yelling my lungs out.

Zenon was staring at me in shock. His body became a blur to me as I spun in circles. It was near impossible for me to think of anything else but those three little words.

Three words. Eight letters.

My poor heart was pounding in one direction from all the adrenaline and in another from the emotional excitement. Zenon just told me he loved me.

I found myself slowing down and eventually grinded to a painful halt.

My body bobbed up and down slightly as the rope hung limply in the middle of the zip line. I stared down at my sneakers and the muddy slime beneath it.

Ooh noo.

Since I hadn't pushed off the platform, I didn't get enough momentum to take me all the way across. Now I was stuck in the middle of a ditch. Zenon's knot had kept me securely strapped.

I looked up to see him, so distant now. He was usually quick to react, but this had really stunned him.

I hope he hasn't already changed his mind. No take-backs, right?

Zenon took hold of another rope and followed my path down the zip line. When his rope was close to reaching mine, he let go and landed in the muddy slime with a squelching sound.

He waded over to me, "You're so unpredictable, Candy."

I watched helplessly as he came over, and rotated me towards him so he could untie the knot around my waist. "Did you hear what I said to you back there?"

The knot unraveled in one fell swoop and I dropped into his arms, feeling him wrap his strong hands around me. The mud soaked into my shoes and splashed over my hair.

"I love you," he said.

I saw a tenderness in his gaze and in the way he held me. He cared for me. No, he loved me.

"I heard you," I said, a small smile appearing on my lips.

"And?" Zenon asked, waiting for me to say the magic words back.

Why do you love me?

He told me he loved me and then watched as I went flying on a zipline through the air, spinning round and round like a propeller.

My head was still spinning, partly from the physical trauma but also from all the emotion stirring inside of me. I now know what it feels like to be a sock in a washing machine.

He shifted slightly but kept his grip around me firm. He was being patient, in a ditch.

I pinched myself. I guess I'm not dreaming. It's too weird of a dream to dream I think.

I then spent a quick moment in gratitude that I was not standing in the muddy slime with him. I looked down at the gap between me and that brown bubbling goo. It's bubbling.

Zenon looked at me wriggling slightly in his arms. "Any reaction, Candy?" he asked, encouraging me to speak, "What do you feel when I tell you that I love you?"

Third time now. That's the third time he's repeated those three words.

He of all people should know how I need time to process these events. A lot has happened in the last 38.5 seconds and my reactions in the past haven't been the best.

I took a breath and exhaled.

He wanted honesty, so I gave it to him. My raw reaction and the thoughts swirling in my mind:

"Holy jumping mother of a weasel in a side-car with chocolate spread and a hot cross bun. You love me."

Zenon is not known for patience.

I know he's tried hard this year, but I caught the way his jaw tensed now. He reserved his reaction, which is more than I expected. But I could hear a hint of disappointment in his voice. I could even see it in the blue of his eyes.

"It's OK," he said with the faint echo of a sigh, "I didn't tell you to hear it back. You don't have to-"

"I love you," I said.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my head in his shoulder, feeling his warm skin against my cheek. I felt the weight lift off my chest. I wanted to repeat it, again and again.

"I love you," I told him.