Zenon's Game Chapter 300

"I didn't do anything," I said, really feeling like my arm was about to fall off.

I was getting tired of people telling me how the world works. I choose how I want to live in this world.

The world can, the world should, and the world always changes. We change too.

"It doesn't matter if you didn't do anything," mom told me, "They need scapegoats and that ends up being you! What happened to you? I gave you tough love growing up and you still came out weak."

A small distance from us, I noticed Cynthia's mom getting into her car and looking over at us a couple times. She had been lecturing Cynthia in the parking lot for the last fifteen minutes.

I tried to hide the pain in my face.

My mom shook me, "Aren't you paying attention?! When we get home, you're going to go to your room-"

"You're coming home?" I asked, surprised and relieved to hear that.

I was exhausted from the responsibilities of taking care of a home – it's hard. And I was scared of being alone at night. I really needed my mom back.

She shook me again, "Are you listening to me?!"

A car rolled up beside us and Cynthia's mom leaned out the window, "Sorry for interrupting, Mrs Turner. Candace was invited to our home for dinner tonight. It'll be the last time my daughter is social in a very long time, so would it be OK if Candace still joined?"

I was surprised to hear the offer. I had no idea I was invited to their home this evening. Cynthia's head popped out of the backseat window, nodding enthusiastically.

"Sure," my mom shrugged, letting go of me, "I suppose that's fine."

I adjusted my shirt and looked from my mom to Cynthia's. Were the Akils really willing to take me? Forever?

Cynthia's mom smiled warmly at me and encouraged me to get in the car. I didn't need to be invited twice. I swung open the car door and hopped inside faster than you can say 'bean.'

Vanilla coffee bean, to be precise.

Cynthia scooted over to make room for me in the back. I found a couple power rangers wedged between the seats as I buckled my seatbelt and looked over at her. Her mascara was smeared from the crying she'd been doing a few minutes before.

The car started to drive off and Cynthia asked, "Mom, you invited Candace round? Does that mean I'm not grounded?"

I watched my mom and Doz getting into their car until we drove out of sight.

"Candace," Mrs Akil asked me, ignoring her daughter who she was still angry with, "Does your mom often treat you like that?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She seemed to be hurting you," Mrs Akil said, looking at me in the reflection of the car mirror.

"She doesn't do that often," I said, covering the marks on my arm, "Almost never."

~Cynthia's home~

The commotion in Cynthia's home was becoming a familiar feeling to me. Her siblings ran between the living room and their bedrooms and I was learning how to dodge the flying toys. There were a lot of personalities under one roof.

Cynthia and I were sitting at the dining room table, where we'd been told to do our homework until dinner was ready.

"You can say goodbye to Cynthia, Candace," Cynthia's mom told me as she walked out of the kitchen, "Because she won't see daylight for a month."

Cynthia responded from her side of the table, "The fact that you can smile while saying that makes me see how sadistic you really are."

Cynthia's mom laughed as she placed a stack of plates on the table and returned to the kitchen, where her husband was cooking dinner. She was keeping a watchful gaze on us every few minutes.

"Your hair looks incredible, by the way," I said, trying to cheer Cynthia up.

I'd been meaning to tell her that all afternoon, but the principal's office didn't feel like the right time.

Cynthia sighed and stared down at her textbook. She'd been forced to give up her cell phone too.

Her younger siblings blew past us like a hurricane, screaming that they were hungry. They got kicked out of the kitchen seconds later, after being told that collecting us from the principal's office was the reason why dinner was late. That made us very unpopular.

"Hey!" Cynthia yelled at her little brother after he threw a lego brick at her.

A mini-Zenon in the making.

After the sibling storm passed, Cynthia leaned over the table and peered into the kitchen to make sure her parents were busy cooking.

Then she slid out of her chair and came over, "We need to talk, girl. I want to see you happy, and I am worried that you're about to make moves you'll regret."

"What moves am I going to make?" I asked, peering up over my math worksheet.

Cynthia sighed and flicked her braids over her shoulder. She sat on my math worksheet. I tried to tug it out from under her.

"Listen," she stopped my hand, "That's not important right now. You have the hottest boy in school waging war in your name and you want to break up with him for that?"

I felt a chill run through me.

"Why are you trying to change him?" she asked, "Zenon Albert has changed plenty enough for you already. From everything I heard, he used to be wild before you came along. You know that everyone's obsessed with him. Aren't you anymore?"

"I am," I whispered, not sure how to open myself up like this. My emotions weren't as clearly defined as Cynthia's.