Zenon's Game Chapter 96

The door to my mother's room slammed shut in my face.

My mother was devastated about the necklace. She used to tell me that I was a burden in this family. And now, I really was. After so long, she had given me a gift. A gift that my own father had given her, and I had gone and lost it.

The disappointment was apparent. I'd lived up to expectations of being the daughter that ruins everything.

I looked down at my phone and saw that Zenon had texted me: We're still looking. Cleaners are also on it now

I wiped the tears from my eyes. Zenon was still at Bryce's estate, looking for the necklace. He hadn't given up. The boys thought it was lost. But I had another theory.

I think it was stolen... by the very person who had been blackmailing me. Vengeance for the stunt I pulled at school. I had released myself from being held hostage by that photo, and now, this was payback.

My mind went back to my mother. That necklace held a lot of memories for my mother. I had ruined it.

"Ugh! I lost track of time in Target again!" Cynthia announced over the phone. 

I could hear her hurrying along the store aisles, "Yoona and Khloe are coming over for a jewelry swap in twenty minutes and I'm still in the home décor section. Ooh, metal straws."

Jewelry. Sore subject for me right now.

"I'm happy you're back on track with them," I said, lying on my bed, wallowing in my own sadness.

I didn't have the heart to tell her what happened. I was also relieved to be distracted.

"I told you I would be fine. Your friend is the fakest of all time by the way."

"Who? Julia?" I asked, "You spent way more time with her than I did this semester."

"No way. I saw her, like, once a week when we invited her for lunch."

"No, come on. She was hanging out with you all the time."

I could hear a door shut, "I'm in the car now. I gotta go. Have fun being grounded tonight."

We hung up and I was in my room, staring at my vinyl collection. If I sold it and combined that cash with the money in my savings account, could I buy a necklace that would replace the one I lost for my mum?

Monday

"Candy, I know you're in grieving mode right now, but you agreed to a date. Would you still be excited for that?" Zenon asked me on Monday after school.

He had basketball practice and I had my shift at Lola Rae, but we stood in the parking lot. I stared up at him. At his kind blue eyes and treasured how far we had come together.

"Yes, we are still on and I am excited," I said, "What day?"

"You mean what night."

I shoved him and he playfully smiled, "How about Saturday night?"

"That works," I answered and felt the tingling sensation run through my body again. The one that only came when I was about to kiss Zenon.

"I'll make it special," he said.

I smiled at that. I couldn't help myself. He was everything I never expected him to be.

Tuesday

"I want Candace to feel comfortable around everyone," Zenon said at lunchtime.

The whole gang was in the classroom, having lunch among themselves. They played music in the background and had ordered take-away delivered to the school.  

Candace was not at the table and Bianca sighed, annoyed that every discussion seemed to end in a connection to Candace.

"Why wouldn't she be comfortable?" Bryce asked, "I invited her to my party on Saturday, which was epic by the way. Everyone loved it."

Zenon put his fork down and glanced at the girls on the end of the table, "She said she hasn't had the warmest welcome by some girls in this school."

Bianca shrugged, "I don't know what you possibly mean."

"Then why don't you take her out on Friday night?" Zenon suggested, wanting Bianca to back up her words with some evidence, "Show her a good time."

"I'm busy," Bianca answered, "Sorry. Would've been so fun otherwise."

"We're going to a bar that night with other people," Oma explained, "But I'm sure we'd be happy to invite Candace along."

"Sounds great," Zenon nodded.

"And I'll come too," Axel chimed in, "To make sure everyone's kindness isn't misinterpreted."

Wednesday

Jake and I left our English class together. Finally, he was back from his trip to New York City.

"So how did it go?" I asked him, "The auditions must've been nerve wracking.  You've got a lot of talent so I'm sure it went well."

"They seemed more focused on my look, to be honest. It feels like music is more about marketing these days, unfortunately," he answered, looking down at his shoes.

"But you have a good look," I answered, and then quickly made sure that that was not misinterpreted, "After all, your brother sets a high standard."

He gave me a weird look. Even I gave myself a look. A look of absolute horror. What had I just said?

"What?" Jake asked.

"Never mind. I'm saying that I think your brother's attractive, but we weren't talking about that."

"Maybe we should. I don't want him to hurt you."

"Neither do I," I said and joked, "Looks like we're on the same page."

He shook his head. "Nah, not until you and I-"

"Sorry Jake, I really Zenon."

"We'll see."