It was after midnight, and Alex was just starting to study for his chemistry test. He had put it off until the last minute, of course, and now he was paying the price. With debate club, soccer, his part-time job at the restaurant, and homework from all his other classes, it was hard to keep up with everything.
Maybe he should quit his job . . . or quit the debate team. He wasn't enjoying debate as much as he used to. However, Alex knew his dad was proud of his achievements in debate, and Alex didn't want to disappoint him. But what about homework? Well, he'd love to have less homework, but he couldn't exactly tell his teachers that. He thought for a minute about quitting soccer, but then he stopped. He couldn't imagine life without soccer.
Alex sighed. All he knew was that if he failed his chemistry test, his parents would make the decision for him—a decision he wouldn't like, so he was willing to stay up all night, if necessary.