Zenon's Game Chapter 306

His fingers clasped against my b-ra strap and lifted it to reveal the red mark underneath. Then he leaned forward and kissed it, his lips softly touching the red on my skin.

"Pain is a sign that something's not right," he muttered.

That sentence had too many layers to it. I looked at him and saw his eyes still had hurt in them. There was disappointment in his voice.

"Maybe we need to ask ourselves when that pain is too much," he said, "If we can't change. If we don't want to change."

I don't think I can handle a breakup.

Zenon said that the scariest twenty seconds of his life was when he ran from his house to mine. My scariest twenty seconds? I'm looking at it.

I felt my chest tighten, but maybe that's because of my b-ra size - what an insane comment for him to make. What is wrong with him?! He goes from kissing my neck to saying we may not be right for each other?!

A break-up would break me.

"My mom is about to come home," I whispered, almost surprised that I had any breath left in me, "Maybe we can talk about this tomorrow?"

Or never.

I haven't slept. Today has been an endlessly long and terrible day. A stream of events that went from bad to worse. And my mom was coming home, I hadn't lied about that. But I also hadn't told the truth – that I was terrified of hearing his feelings.

I couldn't take on such a heavy conversation right now. I'd probably break down in front of him or yell something I'd regret. Talking about if we can change, if we don't want to change... what happens if our answer is no?

"Fine," Zenon nodded, slowly pulling his hand away from mine, "We can talk tomorrow. You should sleep."

He stood up while I stayed seated on the edge of the bed. Maybe he was just being the realistic one.

"Will you call me if you can't sleep?" he asked. His voice was soothing and deep, "I know your mom's back but I can climb the window-"

"I'll be fine tonight," I said, already feeling at a loss for words, "If she's home and Heidi's home... I think I'll be fine."

"Just call me," he repeated and leaned down to kiss me on my forehead.

My forehead.

Ten minutes after Zenon Albert walked out of my bedroom, I slept.

The events of the day had knocked all the energy out of me. With tiredness, I feel the optimism leak out of my body. I was looking forward to tomorrow, just to get rid of the stench of today.

My sleep was so deep that I didn't dream. Time passed and I had no idea if my mom came home, if she watched TV in the living room or went straight to her room.

I had no idea if Zenon went back to his place or if he took his car and drove somewhere else.

My batteries needed to charge. They were long on empty.

I woke up and checked the time on my phone.

7 AM.

I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

I woke up again and saw the sunlight outside my window. I hadn't drawn the blinds last night and then I realized I hadn't even changed out of my clothes.

Or brushed my teeth.

I rolled over in bed and slowly got up. I pressed my hand to my head, feeling groggy from the many hours of sleep. But it's what I needed. It's what I desperately needed.

The drawer of my bedside table was partly open and I saw the butcher's knife in it. For a split second I thought it was Halloween.

Then I remembered: it's just Saturday. I picked the knife up and walked downstairs, deciding to return it to its place. Except that I'd forgotten how I didn't live alone anymore.

I walked down the stairs and saw Doz sitting in front of the TV, eating chips. I saw Heidi walking with her hair straightener to the dining room table and I saw my mom in the kitchen.

And they all saw me with a butcher's knife.

Full house.

"She's gone crazy," Heidi commented, plugging in her straightener and turning the heat on, "All that time alone here has turned her into The Shining."

I stared at my sister, wondering how she can disappear from my life, not return my phone calls or texts, and then just return like nothing happened. We're back to cohabitating.

"Woah," Doz said, dropping his bag of chips and stepping very far away from me, almost knocking the TV over, "Are you feeling well, Candace?"

"Sort of," I replied, stepping off the last stair and walking towards the kitchen, "I'm just returning this. I was, uh, eating cheese in my room last night."

"With a butcher's knife?" Heidi called out as she started to pat oil on her hair, "That feels like overkill."

I walked into the kitchen and passed my mom, who was opening all the cabinets, looking for something. I put the butcher knife back in its rightful place.

My mom's head was buried in the alcohol cabinet and she exclaimed, "What happened to my drinks? Candace, did you take any of the bottles?"

Yes.

"Someone broke in, remember?" I lied, "I think they stole the alcohol."

She slammed the cabinet shut, "We need a lock on that door."

"I can call a guy," Doz replied, sitting back comfortably on the couch again.

~Heidi's POV~

I put my straightener on my vanity and started to unpack my makeup now that we were back home. I've missed having my own room and not sharing a bathroom with my mom and Doz.

Music was playing from my phone, but I could hear a voice faintly call out. "Psst! Hey!"