Zenon's Game Chapter 90

Cynthia grabbed me and we walked towards the door. I saw Jake getting his lunch and told Cynthia I'd catch up with her later.

Jake was chatting with a lady who worked in the cafeteria. He had a bottle of kombucha on his tray.

"You're not going anywhere," Cynthia chuckled. She pointed at Zenon and then at Jake.

Zenon was walking directly towards his brother. He hadn't seen me.

I could not believe this was about to happen. After the fight that erupted on their living room floor, I could only imagine what'll go down here - in the cafeteria, in front of our entire school.

Zenon. does. not. care.

He faces up to situations. And he got to Jake before I did.

"You. Let's talk."

Jake turned to his brother, looking somewhat surprised but mostly unfazed.

"About time. You've been avoiding me at home."

"I haven't been home."

Bianca swept in, "Let's take this outside, boys. Everyone's watching. No need to make a scene."

"We can talk outside," Jake accepted and then riled Zenon up, "You talk better with your fists anyway."

"OK," I exhaled and took a step forward.

But two hands planted themselves firmly on my shoulders and pulled me back. I looked up and found Bryce glancing down at me in amusement.

"Not you, Candace. You have a rep for turning these situations into mayhem."

Boys gossip, huh? I didn't realize he knew.

Bryce looked up and nodded to Axel who was already on the other side of the dessert bar. Axel took it as his cue to intervene.

He shoved the dessert bar forward and mowed it into them. Since the brothers were determined to take each other down in public, Axel had resorted to this to stop them. 

But the brothers had fast reactions, and pressed down on it, forcing the dessert counter to stop.

I scrutinized the cakes to see if anything had flipped over...

"What are you doing?!" Jake called out.

Axel slid over the glass counter and replied, "I'm making a scene. Let's go before the principal comes in."

The chef was already exiting the kitchen with a giant ladle in her hand. A man who worked at the cafeteria called the principal's office, swearing.

The boys had no other options except to leave.

And behind them, Bryce, Bianca, Cynthia and I followed.

Zenon and Jake were surprised to see the rest of us walk out of the crowded cafeteria behind them.  The hallway was not busy during lunchtime and we appreciated the privacy it gave us.

Zenon saw me. He walked towards me and memories of last night flashed before me.

I felt the butterflies rise in my stomach again, as his hands touched my arms. His left hand squeezed mine and he leant down to kiss me. All I wanted to do was kiss back.

"In here!" Axel said, walking into an empty classroom and waving everyone in behind him.

He gave Zenon a sharp look.

I tried to decipher what it meant. Axel and Zenon had been friends for so long, that so much could be communicated unspoken between them.

"He doesn't want me to kiss you in front of Jake," Zenon explained, knowing exactly what I was thinking.

Axel wanted us to be respectful in front of Jake.  I glanced over.

Bianca was busy complimenting him, "That was an unbelievable performance last night, Jake. I didn't know you could sing like that."

"Thanks, I've been working on that song for a couple months now," he answered, and his eyes flickered over mine.

I blushed. Come clean, my conscience said. But not like I did back at the Albert house. My confession had caused a total meltdown there.

"He can't shut his mouth," Zenon muttered, noticing the look Jake gave me and was not pleased by it.

"You've got something to say to my face?"

They were head-to-head in a way that immediately reminded me of the last fight. Thankfully, Axel wriggled in between them and shoved them apart.

Zenon got straight to the point now, not wanting to hang around any longer than he needed to. 

"I heard you've been talking sh*t about me," he said, "to her."

He gave me a look. He knew I didn't like when he swears.

Jake fired back, "So insecure that you're spying on us."

Zenon glanced in my direction and winked. "See, I'm not overconfident."

It's true. I call him cocky all the time.

I tried not to laugh. I didn't want to undermine Jake.

"Anyway Jakey, thank you for that, but no," Zenon said, "People like to tell me things. Be careful what you say in class. You should stick to your Shakespeare."

My mouth dropped open. Who is listening to us in English Lit?

"I don't know what's going on anymore," I stepped up to the conversation.

It was a sticky, ugly one but we needed to have it. All three of us. And despite the romantic moments Zenon and I have had... there was still something on the back of my mind...

"You're both calling each other insincere," I declared, "Saying that your motives for liking me are deceitful. Imagine how much more insecure that makes me. One of you is lying. Or both of you."

Eenie, minnie, miney, mo...

I've been cheated on before. I've been lied to before. And I've been told I'm not worth much by most of the people around me. Sue me for being cautious.

"Jake noticed you because I noticed you," Zenon said, "Simple."

"Don't even try that, Zenon. I met her in a class. I didn't run her down the street-"

"No you didn't," Zenon objected. "That's our story."