Jake grabbed Alexander’s hand, leading him out of the basement and back to his room. After shutting the basement door, Jake sat on the bed, gesturing for Alexander to join him.

"Sit down," Jake said, pulling the still-standing Alexander to sit beside him.

"I was expecting you to throw a punch when you found out," Jake joked, trying to lighten the tension.

Alexander frowned. "I don’t remember saying I needed a comedian," he replied coldly.

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Did you forget Hailey is home alone?"

"I didn’t forget for a second," Alexander shot back. "So, can we skip the jokes and get to the part where you explain why...