Zenon's Game Chapter 307

I pressed pause and listened to the voice outside my bedroom window. Was it talking to me?!

I walked over to my open window with my makeup brushes in hand. I looked out and saw...

Jake mothertrucking Albert.

He had a beanie over his dark hair and a shirt with rolled up sleeves. He looked like so much trouble. If that didn't make me want to jump out the window and drive into the sunset on his motorbike with him, I don't know what will.

He stared up at me. "Hey Heidi," he said, pressing his hand on his beanie, "Isn't this Candace's room?"

What do you think?

"No."

Serenading the wrong window. Maybe he isn't the brightest bulb.

Just then, I saw Candace walk up to him from whatever she'd been doing in the backyard. Probably tending to that animal grave again. I leaned on the windowsill to get comfortable and observe.

"What are you doing here, Jake?" she asked.

Jake turned to face her and lowered his hand into his back pocket. Is the bad boy nervous? Aw.

"Do you have thirty minutes? I need a really big favor," he said.

I don't have thirty minutes, so I really hope they speed this thing up.

I didn't catch what they said next, and leaned further out my window to eavesdrop. Candace sounded reluctant to help and they started to walk away from my window, which made it harder to hear.

Eventually I heard a car engine start up in the driveway. When I ran into Candace's room to look out into the driveway, her car was gone.

What in the world is wrong with that girl?

She has a boyfriend - who isn't Jake.

Sometimes I really question her life choices.

When you have a boyfriend that half the school masturbates to, it shocks me how she doesn't have more pictures of a half-na*k*ed Zenon in her room.

Her vinyl collection was still a shrine to our deadbeat dad and her books were all math related. I spread her papers out to see if anything of interest was lurking there.

When mom and I left, we left her behind to stay with her new, perfect in-laws. Candace had no idea the h*e*l*l Mr Albert caused when dad became friends with him all those years ago. And now Mr D was so angry about his son's relationship that he was sticking his annoying head in our family's business again.

Mom needed a break and that includes a break from Candace. She's turned over to the dark side now.

But I don't blame her.

If Zenon Albert invited me to dance with him in flames, I'd wear my nicest dress.

The doorbell rang. I skipped down the stairs and walked to the front door.

"He... oh hi!" I perked up at the sight of Zenon Albert at our doorstep.

Speak of the hot devil himself.

My makeup was only half done, but I'm glad I just finished straightening my hair.

Zenon was wearing black sweatpants and a grey hoodie that made his s*x-me-now blue eyes pop. He has the most incredible jawline that can cut like butter. And skin so smooth I bet if felt like marble.

"Is Candace home?" he asked.

This boy has been an idol of our senior class and I still don't get why he's always looking for my nerdy oddball of a little sister. What do they see in each other? What happened in that summer camp – did she slip something into his pre-workouts?

"Oh, you just missed her," I pouted in fake disappointment. I then spent a split-second deliberating whether I should make things worse for my little sister.

More like a nano-second.

"She went with your half-brother," I added helpfully, "They got into her car and drove off together. Somewhere private I'm sure."

Zenon frowned and his beautiful dark eyebrows folded down. "She's with Jake?"

I pretended to be confused, "Like romantically or?"

He gave me a hard, s*e*xy look and I realized that the guy can't take a harmless joke. Well I guess when you're gifted with such good looks, you lack some other features to balance out the mix.

He was already walking away, and I was happy for the great view it gave me of his a*s*s in those black sweatpants.

~Candace's POV~

At the red light, I texted Zenon. How we left things off last night made me feel like going on a trip with his brother wasn't a good idea.

But Jake didn't have anyone else to go to. And this was important.

"I'm nervous about tonight," he admitted, staring out the window, "I wrote the song overnight and I'm not sure it's the best one to share. I don't think it'll change the label's mind though."

"You know what I'm going to ask," I said, putting my phone down as I started to drive again, "Did you use the incredible lyrics I sent you?"

"You'll have to wait and see," he replied.

I smiled. It felt good to get out of my head space. Jake was not involved in any of this mess. He had his own to deal with and it sounds like he's working his way out of it.

"I think it's a left here," he said, staring down at google maps on his phone, "And then a left again directly after."

I followed his instructions as he led us further into Alpine. I took the wrong turn and, after a few roundabouts, made it back to the right area.

"Bring everything with you," Jake told me as we got out of my car, "And be careful with your valuables, especially your phone."

I zipped my jacket up and slipped my keys and phone into the pockets. We locked the car and walked onto the gravel lining the pavement under the apartment complex.

"Thanks for coming. I wouldn't have been able to do this without you."