Zenon's Game Chapter 269

And that led to one of my first experiences with bullying. I was bullied for telling such a ridiculous lie that no one believed. The one person I was trying to fool was myself – a lie that I tried to believe it. A lie that I deeply wished was true.

I braved my next question, "How do you have his number? Can you give it to me?"

I don't know what I would do with my dad's number. I wonder if I would even call, but just having it, would mean so much to me.

Mr Albert rejected my request outright. "I can't share it with you because that's not what he wanted. We were friends back then. Before he left, he gave me his new number."

"Oh," Mrs Albert sighed, her heart aching from the pain of her husband's cruel words. She reached her hand out to mine, "I'm so sorry, dear."

I swallowed the giant ball that was in my throat. My eyes were stinging but I didn't care. At least he was being honest.

No one's told me anything for years. Even if the truth hurts, it's at least the truth. My dad's reachable.

"What did he say when you, uh, called him?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from cracking, "Is he coming back?"

"I've already told you more than I ever thought I would," came the strict reply.

It felt like a door had closed on my face. Mrs Albert berated her husband and tried to console me at the same time, but I couldn't stand here anymore. I think, after all this time, and all this sh*t, I've hit breaking point.

I felt sick.

I slowly walked backwards, not sure whether I could say anything anymore. I gave up and turned around, trying not to trip over my feet. I needed to go home. I couldn't face more of anyone or anything. I tried to concentrate on walking, on making sure one foot walked in front of the other.

I'm losing this mental game.

~Zenon's POV~

I was listening to the boys, but my eyes were on Candy.

I watched her talking to my parents, but her back was facing me. I couldn't see what they were saying, but I didn't trust my family with her.

She then started to walk backwards and in my direction. I shoved Bryce out the way since he was blocking my view.

Candy was staring down at her feet and the concrete. Her hair tumbled over her lowered face so I couldn't see her eyes. She was so expressive with her eyes.

I looked back at my parents, wondering what they've ruined now.

I caught my mom's gaze and she quickly turned away with the look of shame on her face. She grabbed my dad and they fled back to the house.

I wanted to go after them, but Candy passed me by wordlessly and that stopped me in my tracks. My anger dissipated and all I felt was pain. Her pain.

I told Axel and Jake, "Go home."

The boys were staring after her too, having watched the showdown with her mom earlier. Her family problems had just been exposed to everyone on our street. I hadn't realized how bad things had gotten for her.

Even Charlotte and Nicole were standing at the front steps of my house, watching us. Another pair of f*cking eyes.

"Go home," I ordered loudly to all of them.

Can everyone give us a break? It's been one f*cking drama after another.

"Go!" I yelled out.

Sometimes, we just need to be alone. Axel, more than anyone I knew, understood that. He looked down for a moment, before walking away.

The girls jumped at the anger in my voice, and headed back into the party. Jake mumbled something about anger management but my patience for his sh*t was nonexistent.

I walked into Candy's house, hating how empty it felt. I never used to mind it until now.

It used to be cool that she lived in an empty house, with just the two of us...

She could fill an empty room.

Going upstairs, I remembered the last time I ran here in the middle of the night. Last time, I didn't even have shoes on.

Now my sneakers stopped just outside her door. I looked down at them while I raised my fist to her bedroom door and hesitated.

It's my fault.

I should've paid more attention to her, than be so obsessed with my own life. Since day one, she's called me out for that. Have I had any positive influence on her? Her whole world has crashed since she started dating me.

I pressed two knuckles against her wooden door and knocked.

"Zenon?" her sad voice called out to me.

When did I get this soft?

~Candace's POV~

The ugly tears were coming out, just as my handsome boyfriend walked in. It felt like the beginning of beauty and the beast.

Why did I have to put myself down like that?

I turned away from him so he couldn't see, but the way my shoulders shook was a dead giveaway. I tried to stay silent, but a sob escaped my lips like the sound of a frog's croak.

I was breaking.

"Are you choking?"

Really, Zenon?

"Your humor is not what I need right now," I replied, though my voice was cracking.

"It was a genuine question," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry I don't cry pretty!" I exclaimed, and the emotion just poured right out of me. Sadness and anger blended into one mess.

"Why do they all leave? Why do they all f*cking LEAVE?!" I yelled out, feeling a sudden surge of anger take over me and then this release.

I wanted to break something. I wanted to see something physically break because right now, I was the one breaking. I was always the one breaking. It's not fair.