Zenon's Game Chapter 291

Mr Laghari used his clipboard to point us towards an unmarked room, "You can wait in here until the principal calls you in. Your parents are on their way."

"You called our parents?" I repeated.

Good luck finding mine

I love how he thinks calling my parents is a threat. If the school can locate my parents, I'd award them a medal myself.

I was way more afraid of Zenon's parents than mine. His are intimidating. And they'll probably blame me for being a bad influence on their star son.

Am I being salty? Probably.

Mr Laghari hovered in the doorway to make sure we walked inside the room and stayed there.

Zenon asked him, "You want to babysit us some more or you heading out?"

Mr Laghari muttered something before closing the door on us. If he wasn't trying to keep his job, I'm sure he would've cursed Zenon out. Or at least tried to. Zenon seemed so unaffected.

How my boyfriend can go from passionate in one second to cool in the next...

"Oh," I said in surprise as I noticed the others in the room, "It's a reunion."

Bryce, Axel, Arturo and Cynthia were all sitting there.

They were on their phones or leaning against the wall, chatting quietly between each other. They all looked up now.

I guess Zenon and I were the last ones to be found. Makes since, since we were out in the parking lot.

Zenon picked up two chairs from the side of the room and dropped them next to where the others were sitting. He offered me one and sat further away.

The look he gave me wasn't as warm as I was used to. We both didn't know how to handle this limbo. We needed to talk, but right now we physically couldn't.

His unapproachable vibe was back, and I couldn't help but feel like the invisible girl whose name he never remembered – that's how I used to feel at the beginning.

I guess we had to put aside our personal feelings right now because this was a big deal. Expulsion is a big deal. I couldn't believe Mr Laghari threatened us with that.

"My parents are going to kill me for this," Cynthia said, sitting nervously on her hands, "Whatever you guys say, make sure you tell everyone how I did not participate in this."

She was wearing a blue shirt that matched the blue ribbon twisted in her box braids and I wanted to tell her how good she looked... but this didn't feel like the right time.

"Are we sure this is about Kaden anyway?" Bryce asked, "Maybe they called us here to elect us to student body council. This school needs a facelift."

"It is about Kaden," Arturo scowled from his corner of the room, "That nerd has done nothing but drag me into messes."

Arturo had once been the up-and-coming basketball player that Zenon was mentoring. Since his 'jersey deal' with Kaden, all of that fell apart and he's faced nothing but a cold shoulder from the entire team.

"We all saw how fast that snitch ran out of there," Art continued, "He probably came straight here to report it."

Zenon was leaning back in his chair, texting with one hand resting against his lap. I was always drawn to him.

Who was he even texting right now? Didn't he realize he was in the most trouble out of all of us?

Bryce laughed, "I keep forgetting Candace dated this guy."

Zenon paused in mid text and looked at him.

Bryce apologized.

I don't get how Zenon was so calm about this. He punched another student on school grounds. He tied Kaden up, threw basketballs at him like he was a net and then punched him – in front of a dozen witnesses.

Zenon was not only facing expulsion, but he could also lose his college acceptance. His whole dream would crash in front of him. His future...

I was finding it so hard not to hyperventilate. It looked like Cynthia was right on the edge with me.

"I need water," she pulled her hands out from under her legs and looked around, "Water?"

Axel checked his bag. He pulled out my empty whisky bottle, "Uh... no, sorry."

"Axel!" I gasped, "Put that away! We're in the principal's-"

The door opened and the Vice Principal walked in with an incredibly angry look on her face.

Axel zipped up his backpack and, with the back of his shoe, nudged it under his chair.

She announced, "We have a zero-tolerance bullying policy at Preston Oakes and you have all been reported for violating that policy."

"Well I'm shocked," Bryce spoke out, "And we're going to need our lawyers present."

Our lawyers? Who else has a lawyer on speed dial? That Bryce... never mind. I'm not surprised anymore.

"Mr Chadwick, there will be no need for lawyers, only parents," the Vice President said, "We will be asking you about an incident that took place today in the basketball courts. The student will remain anonymous as we get to the bottom of these claims."

"There's nothing anonymous about it," Zenon replied.

The Vice President was taken off guard.

"Unless you don't know his name," Axel said to the VP, "But we can call him Kaden for short."

Sometimes, I don't understand these boys. Bryce, Zenon and Axel's reactions had completely surprised her, and she did not look pleased about it.

Zenon had dragged us all into this mess and now he and his friends were playing up to it, like it was no big deal. Some of us don't get second chances.

The flustered VP started pulling files out of her large binder, "My assistant has collected all your files here. When I call your name, please stand up."

"Roland Chadwick the third," she said, pulling her pages in order, "I have your transfer files from Callington Prep here somewhere..."