Zenon's Game Chapter 45

He smirked and started to tell me words I never thought would come out of his perfect mouth.

"You're a pain, a nuisance, an addiction. I crave your reaction. You make every situation ridiculous, but you've got your head on straight," his blue eyes pierced through me with a passion, "I respect you. And I need you to keep mine straight." 

My heart stopped at the word addiction.  Zenon was my addiction.  Was I really his?

"We can go back to how we were," he said, "Forget what happened at Axel's.  I won't do that again." 

He apologized, though I really wish he wouldn't. All I could think of now was kissing him. A part of me wanted him to do it, even though another part didn't trust him. A player doesn't change his ways.

He didn't notice my internal debate to myself and continued, "I don't know why the thought of us kissing freaks you out, but I'll back off."

I don't know what came over me, I swear I don't.  I walked towards him.  I walked right up to him.  We were almost touching.

His breath was on my cheek.  His scent was in my nostrils.

And then I pushed him out of the shop.

I pressed a button on the side wall and the doors locked.

He looked at me through the glass, confused but handsome as usual, "I said I respect you, Candace Turner.  You can't run away from that."

I swapped the 'Open' sign for 'Closed'.

My heart was thumping through my chest like drums. He couldn't be saying this to me. I... I was lost for words. He'd stripped me clean.

"Wow," a voice said from behind me, "If that was Zenon Albert right now, there's a lot you've been hiding."

I turned around. The curtains from the dressing room were pulled apart. Her face was one of utter shock, but she was wearing a glorious new dress.  Julia.

Julia and I sat opposite each other at the Mad Batter bakery.  We were drinking vanilla bean frappes out of china teacups and eating our feelings. 

"This is huge. You must be the first non-model that Zenon Albert has ever talked to."

"It's been a crazy summer," I said.

Cupcakes and a topsy-turvy cake were on plates between us. The tablecloth was green like grass and a plastic pink flamingo had salt and pepper shakers on its back. 

I had told Julia the entire story. She had forgotten all about her South Beach diet.

"I am so jealous right now," she said, stuffing a piece of cake into her mouth, "I can't believe I haven't been around to see this. I always knew your car was lucky."

"Lucky? You do realize I am at his beck and call until I pay off the damages. That isn't lucky in anyone's books."

"It is when your master is Zenon Albert. It's as kinky as Fifty Shades."

"If I was the Playboy model type," I swallowed a spoonful of frosting. "Your phone's ringing."

"Advertisements," she said, switching her phone off.

Not before I saw the caller ID: Cynthia. 

That's the first time she has ever ignored Cynthia.

"Oh my god. Speaking of gods," Julia stared at someone behind me, "Jake just walked in.  Have you heard about him while you've been flirting over broken laptops?  He's the delicious new kid at school.  Lexi said-"

"Hey Candace."

Jake was coming over to our table. He didn't realize he was interrupting Julia talking about him. Julia dropped her spoon.

I waved at him. 

"I didn't expect to see you Tuesday night," he said in his usual laid-back style.

"Not my scene?" I guessed what he meant. Axel's grotto was a mood.

"Not mine either," he smiled, "I don't want to intrude on your chat but I bought textbooks for school so you won't have to strain your neck sharing yours."

"I didn't mind," I smiled back.

"Well thanks anyway.  You made my first week." 

He walked away and I took another bite of the topsy-turvy cake.

I looked at Julia. "What?"

She was staring at me like I was an alien.

"Did you inherit the world's wishes?"

I didn't know how to respond. So my body pressed repeat. "What?"

"Where's your genie in a lamp?" she went on, "I can't believe you. You have no friends at all except for the two hottest boys in school."

I considered it for a moment, "It is weird, isn't it."

"It's plain crazy."

We finished our dessert at the Mad Batter before going home.

Heidi was waiting for me in my bedroom. She swiveled around in my red chair like Dr Evil.

"How did you know about the party on Tuesday?"

"I was invited to it," I replied, expecting some flashlight to shine in my face like in an interrogation room.

"Liar.  Were you spying on girls in the bathroom?  Did you overhear someone say something?"

"No.  I was invited."

"Stop pretending to be cool!  You wouldn't be invited to Axel's party if h*e*l*l froze over, a contagious disease infected the female population and you were the only girl left standing."

"That's a bizarre combo of scenarios..."

"Why do you even exist?" she stormed out of my bedroom, "I was here first!"

Maybe this is sisterly love.