Zenon's Game Chapter 313

I half waved at the other girls. Stacey and Bianca were already dancing beside us, looking up at the stage. Oma was the only one who waved back.

I turned back to Zenon, thinking that maybe we could get out of here for a moment. But his attention was already elsewhere.

He was focused on the entrance, and at the boy that just walked in. It was the same boy he's been hanging out with at school lately.

"Excuse me," he muttered to me, with his eyes barely glancing at me.

I felt the fleeting touch of his hand brush my waist as he walked through the crowd and towards the boy. The boy noticed him almost immediately and met him half-way. They started talking and I wish I knew what was causing such a serious conversation.

I thought we agreed to communicate more, so why was Zenon still so mysterious?

"Him again?!" Bianca exclaimed, watching the same scene I was, "That sophomore kid has been trailing Zenon all week. They're joined at the h*ip now."

For once, Bianca and I can relate.

Instead of watching silently though, Bianca wanted answers. She turned to Axel with an expecting look. Axel blinked back.

"I'm going to duck out of this one," Axel said, raising his hand in a peace sign as he disappeared into the crowd, "The bar's calling me!"

"I'm coming with you!" I exclaimed, running after the floating peace sign in the crowd.

"So," Axel said, propping his elbows against the crowded bar, "This is a little awkward, Candace."

"Why?" I asked, trying not to smile. I couldn't help it. I found Axel so funny sometimes.

"You and me at the bar," he replied as if he was telling a grand old tale, "It's not been our finest moments."

"Let's get water then," I suggested, not wanting another beer anyway.

I slid onto a bar stool and felt comfortable now that Axel was here. The music had also died down as the rock band headed off the stage and a new act came on. It was nice to be able to speak instead of shout over the music.

Axel called out to the bartender for two glasses of water.

"And make it on the rocks," Axel added, leaning over the bar table to pluck an olive out of the open jar.

"So you want water with ice?" the bartender confirmed the odd request, watching him steal an olive.

"Correct," Axel nodded, chewing on his olive.

The mic on stage made a screeching sound. Then we heard someone tap it and say:

"Can you hear me ok?"

I spun round on the bar stool and stared at Jake on stage. He had the guitar strap strung over his shoulder. One arm was holding the neck of the guitar and his other hand was wrapped around the mic, tattoos on display.

He had a cute, nervous look which was winning the crowd over. Jake had a stage presence, that's for sure.

"I won't waste any time," Jake spoke softly into the mic, "But I wrote this song a couple days ago. It's inspired by a friend who's gone through a lot, but always shows up with a smile on her face. She's taught me to do the same. It's called Still Here."

A slurping sound next to me was distracting. I turned to Axel who raised his eyebrows at me and stopped slurping his water so loudly.

I was scared of what was about to happen. The last time Jake sang, it didn't end up well for our friendship or my relationship with Zenon.

Slowly, Jake started to strum his guitar, reminding us all how incredibly natural he is with it. It's hard to think he only bought the instrument today. And then he started to sing.

And it took my breath away.

Coming home but I don't want you here,

All you do is bring back the fear,

Forced into your world,

Thought it's already starting to tear.

There's a pain in my soul as I break from a whole,

And lose control of the mind that they stole:

I'm still here.

Living in the fear but I'm still here.

It could've been different, but different doesn't mean better

She made a mistake, but I stood by and let her

Took my heart and gave it to the weather

If only she knew how much of her I treasure.

There's a pain in my soul as I break from a whole,

And lose control of the mind that they stole:

I'm still here.

Living in the fear but I'm still here.

When you're eighteen but you don't know what your dream is,

When you're broken but you get broken again,

Watch those parts get turned into art,

And they give medication to make the healing start.

Living in the fear but I'm still here.

Wishing I had a life to steer, but I'm still here.

Here.

Jake's eyes were closed as he sang his last words into the mic and his eyebrows were furrowed in a frown as he let his emotions pour out of him. His fingers slowly pulled away from the guitar and the last of the song faded.

He opened his brown eyes and stared into the crowd, waiting for a reaction.

Living in the fear but I'm still here.

Wishing I had a life to steer, but I'm still here.

Jake's voice gently faded with the music, as he raised his hand away from his guitar. He was standing so close to the mic, his other hand brushed up against it, sleeve rolled up to his elbow showing the dark lines of his tattoos. Jake's eyes were closed as he poured his heart out.

Here.