Zenon's Game Chapter 94

I entered the tent again, surrounded by all the fanfare.  The acrobats were still performing (do they never get tired?) and waiters were still serving drinks and popcorn buckets.  I reached down to touch the 'court.'

It felt like a hard yoga mat.  At least the basketball would bounce.

I was on my knees, tapping my fist against the floor, when a pair of purple high heels stopped in front of me. I looked up at their owner.

Charlotte Albert.

I stood up slowly.

Charlotte was gorgeous like her brother. She had long blonde tresses that cascaded down her back and a little glitter on her cheekbones.

"Did Zenon ever tell you how I like to meddle in his affairs?" she asked lightheartedly.

"He mentioned that you like projects," I said, remembering the day Zenon forced me into his car because he was worried about his sister's curiosity in me.

"That's true," she laughed, "I am curious. Now that you have my brother wrapped around your little finger, what do you plan to do with him?"

Charlotte was bold.  The same kind of boldness I saw in her brother, and she was fiercely protective of him. 

"He's not wrapped around my-"

"Are you two exclusive or is it still a game?" she asked.

"It was never a game," I answered, as determined as she was. "We had an agreement in the beginning, when I owed him for something. But our relationship has changed since then."

She heard me and then sighed. "Candace, my love life is a sh*t show. I take after my dad in that department.  And I don't want my little brother to follow in our messed-up footsteps.  I don't want him to get hurt," she said, truthfully.

"I don't know what you want me to say but I can't promise the future," I said, "My dad also left a messed-up trail, and there's no way I'm following his footsteps."

Wherever those lead.

We could hear the crowds around us getting louder as the basketball players walked into the tent, wearing uniform Bryce's father bought for the occasion.

Charlotte waited for me to continue. She would not left me leave like this.

"I like Zenon," I told her, the most confident I have been in confessing it, "A lot.  But we are still in high school.  Having a crush can feel like the love of a lifetime. It consumes you, it's all you think about... but in a few years, what will it be?"

Too late to stop, the emotion was pouring out of me now.

"Zenon's going to college next year and I'll be a senior in high school.  Movies make high school relationships look like destiny all the time. Eternal love seems to be as common as my cornflakes."

Charlotte laughed a little at that last part.  Her eyes warmed, "You're a good public speaker. I didn't expect that after you blurted out your confessions on our living room floor."

"About how I kissed Zenon?" I blushed.

"Yeah.  Tip for next time," she offered, "Parents don't like hearing that kind of thing."

We both smiled. I guess this was us... bonding. 

"You're right, you know," she sighed, "But why not enjoy it while it lasts?  Isn't it a great feeling; the feeling that you're totally in love with someone?  Even if it doesn't last?"

A deep voice said from behind us, "You should be with me."

My heart sank. Was he listening this whole time? Charlotte melted away.

I turned to the most attractive boy I had ever met and said, "That's a big statement."

"Why do you think I'm joking? What are you afraid of?"

Zenon was the same caring, charismatic Zenon I knew... now dressed in basketball uniform. His outfit reminded me of the competitive, aggressive player he turns into on court.

"I'm afraid of us not working out," I confessed.

"Why wouldn't it work?"

I thought about how best to reveal my insecurities. I am not a confident girl. How do you explain that to someone who has buckets of what you lack?

"It's hard to compete with all the girls around you," I said, still not sure this declaration was the right thing to do. "I know you don't think of it as a competition, but they do. And I've had to endure a lot of cr*p as a result."

And now I'm bringing out the receipts

I cringed as I said, "Tamara is a gorgeous girl and your relationship with her lasted three weeks. Jamie is your dream girl and she's the basketball coach's daughter-"

"You want me to bring up Jake now or later?"

I had to smile at that. He had a point.

"I decide who I like," he said, "And I like you. If you don't like me, that's a different thing. And if you think it's too hard dealing with the fallout from other girls, you tell me who they are and I'll take care of them one by one."

I wish I could see a snapshot of his mind right now. He must think I'm crazy and, yet, he's not backing off.

"Maybe you're doing this because your brother asked me out first or because it was all a bet," I added.

My lack of self-confidence was really coming out now.

"That's a lot of if's," he said, "But you missed one out."

"I did?"

He nodded and said the if I never expected, "What if it works?"