Zenon's Game Chapter 99

"Where are we?" I asked Oma, as we arrived in a neighborhood near Alpine High.

"We're meeting some boys from another school," Oma answered, "Bianca's been flirting with one of them." 

Oma waved me over to join the rest of the girls plus Axel.  Heels clacking against cement was the main sound as we walked towards the place.  I looked up at the name: Laughing Heads Bar.  I didn't bring ID.

It didn't seem to matter.  Bianca had a good relationship at the door and we all entered free of cover charge.  I don't come to bars often, so I was feeling out of my element.  I looked around.

The countertop was made of red marble and bartenders served drinks in test tubes. Yellow lamplights were set on every table, but the room still had many dark areas. A boy waved us over from one of the bigger booths.

They must be who were meeting.  Boys from Alpine High. The reason I knew that, was because Christopher Hayes was amongst them.

Oh shiiiii

Bianca waved back at him and then clicked her fingers at a girl, "Amy. Spot me."

Amy checked Bianca's make-up, making sure her bronzer was blended and mascara hadn't smudged under her eyes.

"Yo, I can't join that table," Axel said, flat-out refusing to go any closer.

"Why not?" Bianca pouted, "You planning to hook up with random girls? I can tell you already that we're the hottest."

"You tell me a lot of things B, but somehow you didn't tell me who we were meeting tonight."

"So what, Axel? They're some cool guys from Alpine."

"He's our arch rival in basketball," Axel glared at the back of Layton' head, "Zenon and Layton have mad issues."

Bianca exclaimed, "Why does everything always lead back to Zenon? It's like he brainwashed all of us to fall at his feet. He doesn't own me. If he doesn't want to hook up with me, I'm free to be with whoever I want."

"OK," Axel said, "and I'll be at the bar."

Bianca wanted him to stay, but Axel had already moved on. He was ordering six test tubes by the bar before anyone could do another hair flick.

"We should get drinks though," Amy said, as she stared longingly after Axel. "I'm thirsty."

Axel was oblivious to the admirers he had. I looked at him now, already cracking jokes with one of the bartenders. The girl next to him was listening in and laughing. And that's when I realized who she was. I knew that ponytail and scrunchie. I knew that laugh.

It was Julia.

There was a stage in this bar.  Faded green lights shone in the background, creating a misty glow over the wooden stage.  One lone microphone stood in center stage, waiting for a performing to take the attention.

I walked up to the bar and squeezed myself in between Julia and Axel.

She was taken aback by the interruption, having cozied up to Axel very quickly in the last 30 seconds. Axel gave me a friendly, one arm hug.

"Can I have one shot of worst friend ever and a side of betrayal?" I asked.

Axel's arm went stiff around my shoulders.

I was staring at Julia. She suddenly realized that it was me under all this anger and makeup. She took a step back and laughed.

"What are we, in a teen movie? You need new lines."

"I need new friends," I said.

Oh, come at me, girl. I am so ready for you.

The bartender placed a row of test tubes in front of us, filled with a pale green drink. Axel put his card on an open tab, but his eyes didn't leave me.

He slid a test tube near my hand to give me liquid courage. I didn't notice. My attention was fully focused on Julia.

It felt like another life when we were in my room, talking about summer camp, Netflix and the player next door.

"You came into my home, you pretended to be my friend," I started, "But you were poison in my life."

The emotions were boiling up inside of me and I tried to control them so I wouldn't explode... any more than I already was.

"Oh, she knows her?" Bianca said, sliding onto a bar stool to Axel's left, "How nice."

Bianca drank one of Axel's test tubes and was about to leave when she heard me say:

"You slept with him."

Bianca slowly put the empty test tube on the counter and whispered, "Oh, this is getting good."

"What are you talking about? You sound completely crazy," Julia answered, nervously glancing back at the crew behind me.

Bianca Rodriguez, Chioma Dozie, Axel Thomas, Kelly Mathers, Amy... and the Alpine boys who started coming over to see what was taking us so long.

"Don't test me, Julia," I accused her, "You slept with my boyfriend."

Oma wanted to separate us and cool the situation before it got any hotter, but Bianca pulled her back. "Plain jane Candace Turner finally has some courage. Let her go off."

"Like I said," Julia took her purse and got ready to leave, "You're crazy. Now that you have some friends, try and keep them. They'll soon realize what a compulsive liar you are."

"I am crazy for trusting you all this time," I answered, "You were my best friend and you slept with my boyfriend."

"Oh!" Axel exclaimed.

Amy gasped.

Bianca reveled in the drama, "Boyfriend... with the best friend... It's always the best friend, isn't it?"

Oma narrowed her eyes and Bianca hastily retracted her statement, "Except you, Oma. You're an OG."

"Excuse me," a bartender said, leaning over the bar so that we would pay attention, "Can you all take your seats? The show is about to start."

"This is a show right here," Bianca answered, "I'll have another test tube, please."

Everyone went back to watching the showdown between me and Julia. The Alpine boys were confused why none of the girls were paying them any attention. Kelly Mathers had moved to get closer to the front. This was her current boyfriend we were talking about, after all.

Julia pointed at me, "Bartender, maybe you can escort her out? She's had too much to drink."

"I stopped drinking your kool-aid a while ago," I said.

"You're throwing accusation at me with no proof, girl," Julia answered, "Get a life."

"I did. You've been telling me how busy you are with the LUCKY girls, but they barely see you. Then I bump into you coming out of a math classroom, where you tell me how you're being tutored. But mathletes only tutor on Wednesdays," I said and then glanced at the crowd behind me, "It wasn't a Wednesday."

"It wasn't a Wednesday," Amy repeated to others behind her.

The crowd murmured.