Zenon's Game Chapter 31

Of all people, Tamara Woodhouse had given me a pep talk.

Hell must have frozen over. Pigs must be able to fly. There was no way this would've happened in the normal world order. 

I suppose I expected her to be as rude to me as she was on the very first day.  Now I realize I don't have to hate the summer camp beauty queen.

This summer had been crazy from the very first day. The day Zenon strolled into my life as new camp counselor.

I packed the last of my bags in my battered car. Before getting into the driver's seat, I took a moment to look back at Apple Cabin. All the campers were gone, all the cupboards were empty. There was no more honey in the kitchen, no more chaos, no more Zenon Albert.

I had gotten used to all that... plus 10 hyper 8-year-olds.

Time to go home.

Picturesque homes lined the street, with rose bushes and white picket fences. We lived on a street that was inspired by Pleasantville. I pulled into the driveway, careful not to knock over any of the garden gnomes perched by our door.

I slipped my key into the lock and stepped inside. The house wasn't decorated much. There was some Chinese feng shui in the living room from one of mum's ex-boyfriend's, but nothing really expensive. We had to sell some stuff a while back.

"Hey sweetie, did you bring home any milk?"

I saw my mother at the table, painting her nails purple. She had green rollers in her hair.

"No." Was I meant to?

She looked disappointed, "Why were you out then? Donut craving or McDonalds drive-thru?"

"I came from camp."

She took a moment to register that. I could see her mind clicking away and then she exclaimed, "Oh that's right! You've been living at some camp this summer. Sorry, that slipped my mind."

Me not being around for 5 weeks slipped her mind?

"I thought you were upstairs," she laughed.

"Well I'm going upstairs now, so when you think that again, it'll be correct."

"Drop the attitude, kid. I'll remember what you do when you start doing interesting things. And if you decide to leave your room, help your mother out by getting some milk. Unlike you, I have actual work."

I nodded and walked upstairs. What a warm welcome home.

My room was just as I left it. Queen sized bed with two pillows on it - I'm not a big pillow person. There was a vinyl player in the corner with a small library of albums.

Before we became tight stripped for cash, I used to collect vinyls. I saved my monthly allowance for a record player and accumulated stacks of old albums. I hadn't been able to add to it in a while, but it had a lot of sentimental value to me.

And then I realized that my 1960s inspired, red upholstered desk chair was missing.

"Heidi!" I called out my sister's name as I marched into the hallway.

Music was coming out of her room. I knocked, but I don't think she heard. So I opened the door and my eyes were scarred by the view.

There was my sister, on her knees, giving a b*low_jo*b to a boy sitting on my red desk chair.

I screamed, slamming the door shut with my hand covering my eyes.

It's too late. I'm blind.

"YOU DWEEB!" my sister yelled out.

I ran to my room before she could chase me.

Family values.

Summer ended slowly. I spent the last of it by myself, reading, eating and applying for part-time jobs. I scrubbed my red chair with a tub of disinfectant and messaged Julia a couple times to see if she wanted to hang, but she was always busy.

I won't lie. I totally kept an eye out for Zenon. My bedroom window gave me the perfect view to his house, but I never saw his Jeep wrangler in the driveway.

He must be busy.  Out on the road still.

I imagined what it would be like seeing him again.  What would he say?  How would he act?  Would he hug me in front of his friends?  Would he even remember me?

You made me a team player, Candace.  Those were the last words he said to me as he hypnotized me with the blue pools of his eyes.

And before I knew it, the first day of school came. Hello junior year. I didn't know what to expect this year but at least I knew one thing - it was only a matter of time before I saw Zenon again.

What are the signs of a bad day?

Is the wind particularly loud or do the birds chirp differently?

If I could tell the signs, I'd never get out of bed. Like today, for example. I should have stayed under the covers all day. Unfortunately, it was also the first day of school.

I slept through my alarm clock and woke up to the sound of Heidi hijacking my car. Hers had broken down and she didn't bother waiting for me. She stole my car and went to school without me. I was stranded.

And late.

I texted Julia and she messaged back: I'm biking to school. If you want to join, I'll pick you up in 10.

10 minutes. I bounced out of bed faster than a rubber ball and picked up a pair of jeans and blue T-shirt that were lying on the floor. I tied my hair in a messy knot, brushed my teeth and splashed water on my face.

I turned the coffee machine on in the kitchen and ran to the garage, digging around for my bike. I found it behind a broken ice cream maker. Bike, I said? More like a tricycle, with pink ribbons flowing out of the sides of the bar handles.