Zenon's Game Chapter 283

"Bring Art to the stand!" Axel yelled out from beside me, keeping the action going.

I only now noticed that Art was being kept on the other side of the court, also seated glumly with two players sitting on either side like guards.

I asked, "Is it ironic that this basketball court is feeling a lot like an actual court right now?"

"I used to think of it like a runway, watching the hot boys play but-" Cynthia said before gasping as she remembered Axel was in earshot.

Axel turned his head away, but I saw a faint smirk cross his lips.

Is #Austerra a ship again? I looked back at Cynthia with eyes wide open and she mouthed at me I want to die.

"Arturo," Bryce called out, waving his skip rope like it was a judge's gavel, "I only have one question for you because I am disgusted by how you sold this entire team out."

Arturo said with sass, "I sold my team, but you bought yours."

The guys sitting on the benches stamped their feet and howled.

"Reminding me of my wealth is not an insult," Bryce mocked him, "It's unoriginal. Now answer the question. When Kaden offered to buy the jerseys, what did he say was the reason?"

"He didn't," Art replied, "Because the only question I asked him was how much."

"Art!" Axel called out, "Say something useful."

"You're dragging me out here to be beat up by my own teammates!" Art called back, "I was just trying to make some extra cash. When nerds want to buy some of our sweaty jerseys, what interest do you expect me to have? I didn't know they were sick in the head and f*cking dipping it in cat's blood!"

"Oh my..." I whispered, staring down at my scruffy sneakers, "They all know."

Zenon's crusade to take down the blackmailer had brought so much attention to my private affairs. I didn't want the whole world to know about this.

The guys next to Julia scooted further away from her and looked at her like she was crazy.

Julia tried to say she was innocent, "I didn't-"

Zenon interrupted her and pointed at a guy in the stands, "O'Conner, what would you wear to a jersey party?"

"Normal clothes," O'Conner replied. "Bryce called it what it is. A dead party."

"Answer the question," Zenon said.

"Fine," O'Conner shrugged, looking around while he thought about it, "Maybe a Manning brother jersey? I like the NFL."

Zenon pointed at the guy next to O'Conner, "What about you?"

"Kyrie," the guy said.

Zenon pointed at someone else.

"Pelé."

"Bryant."

"Willie Mays."

They were just naming their favorite athletes...

Zenon turned back to Kaden now, who was staring up at the guys on the stands. Kaden looked back at Zenon, confused by what was coming next.

"Do you get it now?" Zenon said, no longer looking so relaxed. He looked angry, "Even if you were throwing that party, no one would go wearing jerseys that belong to a high school basketball team."

"Ohh," Cynthia whistled beside me, "He's smart."

Kaden glanced at Julia, looking very surprised. He then spoke like he was begging Zenon to believe him, "I never thought of that."

"Wrong answer," Zenon said.

Zenon threw the basketball and it dove through the net at an incredibly fast speed, dropping painfully onto Kaden who had been strapped to a chair under it. He tried to shuffle out of the way, his chair toppling precariously.

Kaden flinched and squirmed in pain when he was hit hard by the basketball. He stabilized himself, looking back at Zenon with even more fear.

The ball bounced off Kaden's body and onto the floor, rolling slowly towards Zenon's feet.

"Try again," Zenon said.

This was unnerving.

"I don't know anything more, I swear!" Kaden blurted, "Please man, I haven't done anything to you. I'm sorry for being rude to Candace and I swear I will never look at her or be disrespectful-" something in Zenon's expression made Kaden hasten his speech and change topic, "And I don't know what more I can do. You punched me in the stomach already."

He was blabbering. He was desperate.

The guys on the bench cringed at watching him disintegrate. He was being humiliated.

And I guess Kaden knew that no one was going to help him – not even his girlfriend.

Why did Zenon have to do this? Why did we have to look like such spiteful people? If Kaden is innocent...

Even if he's not. This doesn't feel right.

"Who made you judge?" I asked loudly, realizing I should probably stop talking before I even started, "And who made this the jury?"

I clasped my hands tightly together because I was afraid. Going up against my boyfriend to defend my ex-boyfriend didn't feel right at all. A large part of me didn't want to.

"No, no, no, no, girl," Cynthia tried to pull me back, "Don't do this. Let Zenon handle this."

If roles were reversed, Zenon would stand by me no matter what.

Even if he thought I was doing wrong, he would stand by me. But I guess that's where we're different. I couldn't stand by.

Zenon turned around, surprised to see me here. He looked behind me and saw Axel, who shrugged helplessly.

"Untie him, Zenon," I said, walking onto the court.

A guy in the stands whistled at hearing me give Zenon orders. A couple people sniggered. I really hated the peanut gallery here.

But I had to do this. Maybe I'll regret it in the future. Maybe this will lead to one fight too many for Zenon and me to work through... I don't know. All I knew was that I didn't want to stand by and witness bullying. To me, this was bullying. Straight up humiliation and harassment.

What do we become if we let our own selves down?