As the minute hand made its way around the clock, they waited. Chloe stared down the wood of the table with determintation.

“Well,” Alex said, rising out of his chair after ten minutes, “Since we’re going to be here for a while, how about I go grab a couple sodas—”

“Sit down, Mr. Hanson. We are not having a party here, we are trying to come to a conclusion.”

With a defeated huff, Alex flopped down in his chair again.

“Chloe,” Alex grumbled after sitting in silence with Mr. Cook and his best friend for an hour. He was beginning to run out of patience.

“Alex,” Chloe answered with an equally unpleasant growl.

“I’m tired of this. Can’t you just give it up? It isn’t like you did anything wrong.”

Lip quivering, Chloe answered in a voice she struggled to control, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Alex. As far as I’m concerned, the personal things that happen between me and anyone else are none of your business.”

Forget impatient, Alex was furious.

“Go ahead, Chloe, hurt me again.”