Zenon's Game Chapter 273

OK, top five.

I really need to rethink my life

"Why is she not moving?" Charlotte blurted out.

I snapped out of my daydream and back in reality. I was standing outside the Albert's window, with my phone ringing loudly in my hand. I had just been caught hiding outside their window, while they were talking privately about my family life. Now they all stared at me as I stood still.

I slowly picked up the phone. "Hi."

That sums it up nicely.

Mr Albert's expression looked like he was about to explode in anger. I tried not to show fear on my face. The rest of his family was looking confused.

"Candace," Mrs Albert intervened, trying to calm her husband down, "Why don't you come inside?"

I glanced at Zenon, doubtfully. I'd much rather stay outside where there were witnesses.

"Uh... ok," I agreed to come in, keeping my eyes on Zenon. He's like a center of gravity to me right now.

I gripped the windowsill and raised my leg over-

"What are you doing?!" Mrs Albert panicked and calmed her voice, "Come in through the front door, Candace."

"Oh," I lowered my leg and mumbled, "Sorry, I thought it was more convenient this way..."

I didn't think it was possible to feel more embarrassed, and yet, here I was. A new low.

Without saying anything else, I walked around the flower patch. I could hear my heart thudding in my chest. Zenon had opened the front door for me and was waiting for me to reach him.

I saw those dreaded balloons still hanging out at the entrance.

"Sorry," I whispered to Zenon as I brushed past his body, "This is meant to be your day."

A day to celebrate his achievements. But here we were, talking about our parents' mistakes.

Zenon's fingers wrapped around my wrist and pulled me into him. His parents were in the other room, but he didn't seem to care.

"It was never about me," he whispered, while his hand trailed down the back of my shirt.

"Your hand..." I whispered, blushing, "You know I can't concentrate when you..."

He smirked and stepped back. He was so hot, it created such an air of temptation around him. I tried to focus on what he just said, but I was struggling.

His blue eyes looked from me at his parents. And I finally understood: today was a party his parents threw for themselves, to showcase their son's success to their friends.

I'd like to think Mrs Albert had the best intentions for her son. But Zenon doesn't like balloons and a sheet cake. The guy doesn't like cake.

He's also wanted to keep quiet about his college acceptance from the beginning. Zenon is actually private, despite all the attention around him.

Zenon stood behind me as I entered the living room. He said, "Can you back up, mom? You're freaking her out."

Mrs Albert backed up, trying to make me feel more at ease, and she went all the way back to where Charlotte was standing. Charlotte raised a hand to me in greeting, though her face was somber. She could see the emotional turmoil I was in.

No one said anything, but everyone had their eyes on me. Like I was some kind of zoo animal.

"You wanted my mom's number?" I asked Mr Albert, owning up to how I'd listened in on their conversation from outside.

Mr Albert's eyes glazed over me and focused on his favorite son, "It's your idea, son. Do you really want to step deeper into this?"

I stood there, with my left arm holding onto my right, and muttered, "You have my dad's number so you might as well take my mom's."

Charlotte snorted, "Ooh shiii.... sorry," she piped down when she saw everyone's reaction.

The tension was so thick you could cut it with Zenon's blunt cake knife.

"Mr Albert," I said politely, breaking the silence, "I'd like to know why you called my dad."

Mr Albert peered at his wife for backup, "I'm not into this kind of drama. I don't want to involve myself in-"

"You're involved, dad," Zenon shut him up.

The silence returned.

Then Mrs Albert tried to lighten the mood and stepped forward, until she remembered that her son had told her to step back. So she stepped back and said, "Why don't you come sit on the couch, Candace? We don't want to be rude and you're a guest here."

She extended her arm like she was a conductor, inviting me to sit down. I went to the couch, though Zenon didn't join me. He continued to stand and I could see that he wanted to keep the pressure on his dad.

Charlotte came to sit down next to me, providing me with some kind of comfort.

Reluctantly, Mr Albert turned his chair round so he was facing all of us. He had to know that this situation could only be diffused by him talking. I looked up at him but couldn't hold eye contact for long.

I ended up looking past him, staring out the window.

"You don't know the whole story," Mr Albert told me, "You were just a kid when everything happened. And I know you're looking to me for answers, but I don't have them. This is about your mom and your dad, not us. We're not the villains here."

But my parents are?

I continued to stare out the window, and said, "It sounds like you know a lot more than nothing."

Mr Albert acknowledged awkwardly, "It's not my place to tell you. This is your parents' story and you're their child. I can't interfere in their parenting."

He called social services on my family... is that not interfering?

I tore my eyes away from the window and stared at him, "No offence, Mr Albert, but from everything I've heard, it sounds like you've done quite a lot of interfering so far."