β β-norman . . . had a bad night, i - i got . . . caught up. i was gonna call . . . β she meets his gaze with an air of finality, punctuating matter of factlyβ- thatβs it, thatβs all sheβs got. a beat hangs heavily in between them, and she shuffles her feet awkwardly, doing her best to ignore the rapidly compounding tension. but itβs no use. something in the way @chiefhcp meets her gaze tells her heβs not letting up so easily. she deflates, leaning against her front door, arms pleating across her chest defiantly. β what? donβt look at me like that. i didnβt think i was scheduling an appointment when i agreed to meet up with you, i just thought it wasssss . . . optional. β sheβs not exactly helping her case, is she? β i mean, cβmon, i canβt be the only woman you βseeβ . . . around here, . . . right? β her mouth contorts so that her words exit out the side, an elongated half-humored half-grimace that encases her lips in a tongue and cheek fashion.
