G'day!
Welcome to this short-story Anything But Mine.
I hope you're all doing well amidst this crazy world we live in. Every second that passes is a second of your life you cannot get back. So, live life to its fullest. Laugh, love, and share what you most enjoy with those around you. Some of you might have read (or remember) the pre-story notes of Starless Echoes' story Supper's Ready, where they mentioned how their story was created because of an idea I mentioned to them many months ago. If you don't, well... I got nothing. This is the story they're referring to. It's a story that's a little overdue... okay, it's loooooooooong overdue. I first got the idea way back in June 2021, and to be honest, I have no idea why it has taken so long to get things rolling. Well, I do. Reconstructing Eye of the Tiger and my New Year's story The Golden Gift took my time away from this story. Now that Eye of the Tiger is back up and rolling, and The Golden Gift is complete, I have the time to complete this story. I've always wanted to create a story around my favourite song Anything But Mine, so perhaps that's why it's taken a little longer to create this story. It being my favourite song has added extra pressure to make it as perfect as possible.
Just to clarify, this isn't a one-shot, but rather a short-story consisting of 6-8 chapters (most likely - it's not completed yet so that could change). The story is an human AU setting, with the story starting in Cleveland, Tennessee, so just keep that in mind. This first chapter (and kinda 2nd chapter) are more so the prologue, but none the less, it sets up the story, and allows you to get a feel for what's to come. For those who have gone through the rigours of college/university, the moment you realise you have completed your degree/studies is like no other. A huge amount of pressure gets lifted off your shoulders, and you finally feel free. Not only that, but when you realise your days of schooling/education are over, it hits you pretty hard. For good and bad. You've spent the majority of your life focused around school. Now, all of a sudden, it's no longer part of your life. So, there are some self-reflecting moments in the early parts of the story based on my own experiences, having gone through college and university... and completed my degree in 2019.
As mentioned before, this story is based on the song "Anything But Mine" by Kenny Chesney (who is beyond awesome). There's just something about his songs that gets to me. Not only is Kenny Chesney an amazing artist, but his songs can have deep meaning to them. Some are fun, some are sad. This song "Anything But Mine" is my favourite song, so I hope to do it justice. It's one of those songs I can listen to over and over, and never get sick of it. Seriously, I recommend giving it a listen to (it might help you feel in the moment with the story). I understand country music isn't for everyone, but Kenny Chesney doesn't write songs that are just about cigarettes, whiskey, and wild wild women. He puts his heart into his songs, and you can feel it. When you understand the story behind a song, or can relate to the song, it gives it that little extra meaning. If you do want to listen to the song, there are two versions of it. The original and the live version. In my opinion, the live version is better. Well, there are also two "live" versions. The one I'm referring to comes from his Kenny Chesney Live album.
I remember when I discovered Kenny Chesney. Think I was around 13 or 14 years old (so ten years ago). It was a weekend, and had just gotten up. While making breakfast, a song on the radio caught my ears. It wasn't "Anything But Mine" that was playing, but another song called "Big Star". I loved the sound of it straight away, and that's where it began. At first, "Big Star" was my favourite song, but through my discovery of Kenny Chesney's music, came across "Anything Big Mine". Now, some of you may have experienced this, but when you hear a song, it becomes an instant favourite. That's what "Anything But Mine" did to me. It's been my favourite song for many years now, and in all honesty, unless my taste in music dramatically changes at some point in my life, I don't think there's ever gonna be a song that'll replace it. If a song does, I cannot wait to discover it, because it'll have to be damn awesome. Anyway, I think that's enough rambles. You've all waited long enough for this story. As always...
Disclaimer 1: All characters used in this story are property of DreamWorks (the settings are AU).
Disclaimer 2: All songs used in this story are recorded by Kenny Chesney (yes... songs. Meaning more than one song may be involved in this story...)
Last, but not least, to anyone who has experienced a summer love, whether that love has lasted or was short-lived, this story is dedicated for you. Live in the moment, and enjoy the memories.
Without further ado, I proudly (and finally) present to you... Anything But Mine!
Please Read, Review & Enjoy!
Anything But Mine - Chapter 1
Life is like a rollercoaster. You have ups and downs, loop-de-loops, twist and turns, making you feel nauseous. This can be true for anyone, but especially for a nineteen-year-old who's on the final stretch of their studies in college. With your degree coming to an end, you're left wondering what lies ahead for you. What will happen once you graduate? Sometimes you're lucky to have discovered your passion long before high school, let alone college. This can simplify your planning, as you know what to study during your tougher educational years. You know the pathway to follow to make your dreams become reality, but that's a lot easier said than done.
Knowing what you want to do for a career can be beneficial for your education, as you have a clearer path to your study program. You can plan ahead, setting goals for yourself to ensure you're not stressed on connecting the steppingstones that'll lead to your dream job. The greater the effort, the sweeter the reward. It's great to have a clear frame of mind, but it can also cause tunnel vision. Everyone dreams of discovering their passion, but if you become too focused on finding your passion, you can limit your potential. You'll end up missing out on opportunities if you don't keep yourself open-minded. Not exploring those options can impact your life. Whether for good or bad depends on fate.
In saying that, when looking from the other side of the table, sometimes you don't have a clue what you want to do. There's nothing wrong with that, but just like knowing your passion, not knowing can have its pros and cons. To not know your passion can make the later stages of education tough, as you don't know what path to follow. Rather than having a plan, you go wherever the wind takes you, hoping to discover something along the way. That's why being open-minded, even after discovering a passion, can be life changing. You may think you've discovered your passion when you end up coming across something you're more passionate about.
Discovering your passion is just half the challenge. The other half of the challenge is finding a pathway to turn that passion into a career. Once you know what you want to do, finding an open door and taking that first career step can be harder than discovering the passion itself. You have this passion for something you envision centring your life around, but you don't know how to get there. These dilemmas can be daunting for oneself, when you fear your love of something will go to waste. How do you express your passion? What can you do to be heard? Trial-and-error? Do you keep trying again and again or wait for opportunities to come to you?
Some say it's better to sit back and let your passion find you, rather than you go chasing it, but what if nothing comes to you? These are the types of questions that can drive you beyond insanity, with no return possible. You're worried about what could be, rather than focusing on what you desire and love. Them what if's make you want to stick a plunger against your ear and suck these thoughts out of your head. Even if you crack open a door, sometimes you wonder if you have what it takes to achieve your goals. As time goes on, these doubting thoughts drain the confidence you once had from your body.
There's no doubt life is always full of surprises, but sometimes we're not prepared for them. Some can be life changing, hitting us before we even know it. The one thing you must be ready for is the curveballs. If we're unprepared, these curveballs can throw our lives into chaos, and when that happens, panic sets in. You feel as though it has tossed you into a labyrinth, and there's no way out. There comes a time when it becomes too much. When life seems overwhelming, sometimes all that's needed is some breathing space to take a step back and refocus. How you do that depends on the situation…
"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Mr Ping shouted as he walked back into the kitchen, looking at Po in disbelief at his unexpected announcement.
Po glanced around the room, avoiding eye-contact with his father as he fumbled out a response, backed by no confidence at all. "I, well… I, I just thought, maybe, I could use a break…"
Mr Ping looked at Po with concern laced all over his face. "A break? What about your career, Po? You've worked so hard to get to where you are! Don't give up on it now, because it would be disappointing to waste the talents you have."
"I'm not giving up on it, dad. I just need a break to refresh myself. It's been a tough year. Maybe something will come from it."
When Po was eight, he discovered a special talent; something many people wished they had. It was a blessing to have uncovered something so young, but for several years, it was just a hobby for Po. As the years flew by, Mr Ping watched Po's love for music grow. First, Po learnt how to play the guitar, then the piano, then the drums, and everything else in-between. You name it, Po learnt it. By the time Po turned fifteen, this hobby had evolved into a full-blown passion. Po's ability to learn all these instruments from scratch and master them in such a short space of time amazed Mr Ping. From nothing, something special had been born.
Mr Ping encouraged Po to show his talents to the world, but no matter how often Mr Ping suggested it, Po preferred to sit in his room for hours playing his guitar. When Po first learnt how to play the guitar, it was using songs already written, with chords to follow, but once Po had mastered the guitar, he began creating his own music. Little did anybody realise Po's talent for musical instruments was the beginning. Po's lack of confidence had hidden his true potential. He possessed something far greater, and the first time Mr Ping heard Po sing, he knew heavens above had gifted his son with something special.
The rawness and power behind Po's voice astonished Mr Ping so much, Mr Ping couldn't believe Po had such a gifted voice. It stunned Mr Ping, but once the initial shock subsided, Mr Ping knew what needed to be done. His son had to be heard. That's when things became difficult for both Po and Mr Ping. Living in Cleveland, Tennessee, presented a wonderful life in a small town on the south-eastern corner of the state. For Mr Ping, it was the perfect place to raise his son. It had everything you needed, but not too much more. While Cleveland may be a small town, it wasn't far from the bigger cities. Chattanooga was a mere twenty miles away, making it convenient for many purposes.
It didn't surprise Mr Ping, given where they were living, that Po had found country music as his niche. Country music is quite popular in Tennessee, with many artists having been born and bred from the Volunteer State. When it includes the cities of Nashville, Bristol, and Memphis, it's no surprise country music is as big as it is. It may not be Mr Ping's preferred taste of music; he liked the good old rock'n'roll folk music, but that didn't deter him from supporting Po. Of course, Po didn't just listen to country music. Nobody listens to one genre of music; that would be quite boring, but whenever Po would play songs, country or not, Mr Ping knew Po's voice, and music, had to be heard.
Since Mr Ping discovered Po's talent, he had done everything in his power to help Po become the artist he had so long dreamed of becoming. Mr Ping knew he couldn't let this natural talent of Po's go to waste. Po had something special, and his voice was beyond mesmerising, but taking that first step had been the issue. Well, there were several things holding Po back. At seventeen, Po first started looking for a record deal, but during that time, he also began his studies at college. This ended up taking time away from him, but he was now in the last semester of his degree, making it the perfect time to land a deal. That was the other issue.
Cleveland didn't have any record studios in town. If Po wished to become an artist, he'd have to leave home and head to Nashville or Knoxville. Or wherever was willing to offer him a deal. Anything would be better than nothing. At the tender age of nineteen, finding a deal would be beneficial for Po's development, but after many failed attempts, Po's confidence in himself had diminished. His hope was running out. Something Mr Ping had realised now, after hearing Po declare he needed a break, was that Po had rarely left home. Apart from going to campus, or seeing his friends, he had never ventured too far from home. During his studies, Po would always return home to help his father with the restaurant.
Mr Ping treasured the loyalty Po showed him; he valued his son more than anything else. Whenever Mr Ping needed help, Po would drop everything, no matter how important it was, to help his father. That selflessness, combined with Po's studies, meant he had put his talents on the back burner to focus on his studies and the family restaurant. With Po's degree finishing in a few weeks' time, Mr Ping had to trust Po, and let him do what he believed was right for himself. He may still be sceptical about Po's break plans, but with all the troubles and stresses Po had gone through, it could be the thing he needs.
As Po's father, Mr Ping had to support every decision Po made, as long as it was legal, of course. He hoped Po wouldn't give up on his dream, but everyone needs time to refresh. Dismissing the doubt from his mind, Mr Ping broke his silence. "Where do you plan to go, Po?"
It surprised Po to see his father react in such a calm manner when he expected an angrier response, but he would not complain about it. Perhaps he worked himself up too much about telling his father that he forgot how supportive his father was. "Um, I haven't really thought it through yet, but was thinking of going to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. I've heard some awesome things about it and wouldn't mind a few weeks away in warm weather by the ocean."
"You could use the break after the amount of stress your degree has put you through. It might be a wonderful opportunity to create some songs too, Po, so when you come back, we can continue looking for a deal."
"Maybe. I wouldn't mind having a break from everything, though. Been going hard at it for over a year now and haven't really gotten anywhere."
"Oh, Po. I'm sure there's someone out there waiting to find a talent just like you. Never give up when you have something special."
"Yeah… I don't know. Maybe. Anyway, I'll probably be gone for a few weeks. Haven't really looked at it yet, though."
"Well, why don't we have a look after dinner?" Mr Ping walked over to the kitchen stove, turning it on before glancing back at Po. "That way, when you leave, you won't feel lost as you'll have a plan. Could you cut up the vegetables, Po, while I take care of the broth?"
"Sure, dad!"
Po walked over to the kitchen bench and began chopping up the vegetables required while Mr Ping prepared the broth for their meal. Knowing they were preparing his favourite dish gave Po an extra spring in his chopping, cutting up the onions, daikon radish, bok choy, carrots, mushrooms, and leeks in no time. Once the vegetables were ready, Po threw them into the large pot, taking a whiff of the soup that bubbled away below him. Po had to stop himself from drooling into the soup, as the smell always made his mouth salivate with excitement. Nothing could beat the taste of their noodle soup. There's a reason it's the most popular dish on their menu.
With the soup simmering away, Mr Ping added the last few ingredients, before placing the key ingredient, the noodles, into the pot. After ten minutes of stirring the contents around, the soup was ready. While Mr Ping seasoned the soup, Po was over at the table, preparing it for dinner. Po never got sick of eating his father's Secret Ingredient Noodle Soup. He might be able to make it himself, but his father's soup had that extra taste of experience to it. If Po could, he'd eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, while also having it as his morning snack, afternoon snack, midnight snack, and full moon snack. There didn't need to be a reason. He'd eat it whenever he got hungry.
Mr Ping walked over to the table, carrying two bowls of steaming noodle soup, placing them down on the table. "Alright, Po. Let's plan this trip of yours. How long do you plan on going away for?"
Po snapped his head to his father, realising he had been daydreaming (or night dreaming?) about the noodle soup, again. "Huh? Oh, um, ah… what did you ask?"
Mr Ping rolled his eyes, as Po joined him at the table, knowing too well why Po hadn't heard his question. "How long do you plan to go away for?"
"Oh, um, I think a few weeks should be enough. That'll give me enough time to explore the place while unwinding. Thanks for dinner, dad." Po gobbled down a mouthful of the noodle soup before looking at his father confused as Mr Ping reached over and grabbed a notepad. "What are you doing, dad?"
"We should write this down so you can refer to it. If you go by your memory, you'll end up in South Africa."
Po rolled his eyes, sighing. "I'm not that big of a klutz, dad!"
Mr Ping glanced at Po with a questionable look. "If you say so, Po. So, you reckon two weeks will be enough?"
"That's exactly how long I was thinking, dad. Two weeks should be plenty."
Mr Ping wrote something down on the notepad. What it was, Po couldn't tell, given it was upside down to him. "Now, where was it you wanted to stay? Myrtle Beach?"
Po nodded his head. "Yeah, I've heard it's a popular place."
"And whereabouts in Myrtle Beach would you like to stay? Somewhere cheap would be sufficient. Once we find a place for you to stay at, we can work out a budget, travel plans, and other details."
"Um, well, somewhere close to the beach would be nice."
"Why don't we have a look?" Mr Ping stood up and went over to grab his laptop from the lounge room, bringing it over to the dinner table. Sitting down next to Po, Mr Ping opened his laptop, before searching 'Myrtle Beach Accommodation'. A wide range of sites popped up, giving plenty of options to explore. "You said you wanted something near the beach, didn't you?"
Again, Po nodded his head. "Yeah, but it doesn't have to be on the beach if there aren't any decent-looking places."
"You'd rather stay on the beach, though, wouldn't you?" Mr Ping clicked on the first link, bringing up an extensive list of accommodation sites scattered throughout Myrtle Beach.
"Oh, of course. It'd be an awesome view and being so close to the beach would be extra convenient."
"Well, let's have a look at our options. It doesn't have to be the fanciest of places. Just somewhere that has a bed, toilet, shower, and kitchen. Anything more is a bonus."
While Mr Ping filtered the options, and began scrolling through them, it dawned upon Po that this would not take fifteen minutes or so. It could take hours to sort out the details, and given they were starting from scratch, a long night awaited them. This is what made Mr Ping an excellent father. Mr Ping would go to great lengths for Po, who could only appreciate what his father did for him by returning the favour. Po watched his father scroll through the list of accommodations until one particular site caught Po's eye. "Wait! Dad! Scroll back up!"
"Hmm?" Mr Ping glanced at Po before scrolling back up the page. "Did you see something you liked?"
"Yeah… THERE! STOP!"
Upon Po's call, Mr Ping stopped scrolling and looked at the place that was centred on his screen. It didn't appear the flashiest of places, nor did it look rundown either. Mr Ping couldn't write this place off without further investigating it, but given it'll be Po's first break by himself, he wanted him to be comfortable with the accommodation he chose. The accommodation you stay at influences your mood, given it's where you sleep, and spend a lot of your time at. If it's a horrible place, you want to leave, but having a decent place means you'll love every second being there. Though Mr Ping was still doubtful about this place. "Are you sure about this one, Po?"
"Yeah, it looks alright. Doesn't have to be fancy or anything."
"Of course not, but you don't want to be staying in a tin can either."
Po chuckled. "I know. Can we, at least, check out the hotel?"
"It's a motel, Po, but if you insist." Mr Ping clicked on the link, taking them through to the site for this motel.
"What's the difference between a motel and a hotel?"
Mr Ping glanced at Po, confused by his question, before looking back at the laptop, wondering what the difference was between the two. "I suppose a motel is like a hotel, in the same way McDonald's is kind of like a restaurant."
This further confused Po. "I don't get it."
Mr Ping glanced at Po again. "Think about it, Po." Seeing the continued confusion on Po's face, Mr Ping reverted both of their attention back to the more important thing. "Let's see what this motel has, Po." Looking at the details, Mr Ping began reading them out loud. "Hmm… it's a hundred-and-seventy dollars per night, however, students get ten percent off, meaning it would be… a hundred-and-fifty-three per night."
"How did you work that out, dad?"
Confused, Mr Ping looked up at Po. "What do you mean?"
"I'd need a calculator to work out the percentage of something."
Sighing, Mr Ping looked back at his laptop. "It's a good thing music doesn't require much mathematical knowledge." Mr Ping glanced up from his laptop, seeing Po stare at him, perplexed. Given it wouldn't help to confuse Po any further, Mr Ping re-centred Po's focus on his summer trip, for the second time. "Look here, Po, and tell me what you think of the place."
Po brought his attention to the laptop, having a quick glance at the details he could distinguish. "What do you think, dad? Does it look alright?"
"You don't need anything big or luxurious, Po. If you can save money on accommodation, you can allocate the money elsewhere for your trip. Two weeks at this place would cost you around two grand, and that's just for accommodation. When you add the cost for travel and other expenses, such as shopping, sight-seeing, and day-to-day purchases, you could be looking at three-to-four grand. Maybe more."
Po knew taking a two-week break anywhere wouldn't be cheap, nor had he realised how much planning was required, but hearing from his father how expensive this trip could cost brought a new feeling to him. While he could afford a four grand trip, if that's what it came to, planning for this trip to be as cheap as possible was something that dawned on him. A trip like this is something he should have planned months earlier instead of now. You don't just leave on the spur-of-the-moment for such lengthy trips. Things will go wrong if you're unprepared for such a journey. That doesn't mean everything has to be planned. It's the travel and accommodation that must be sorted prior to the trip. That allows for the trip to run smoother.
If Po wished on going for a two-week trip to Myrtle Beach, they had lots of planning left to do. It was far more than Po realised, and given it was Po's first trip away by himself, Mr Ping wanted to make sure Po got from point A to point B unharmed, while ensuring he didn't spend more than necessary. Like most trips, accommodation is the most expensive part, so organising that first would be logistical. Once accommodation has been booked, you can then plan for the rest of the trip. There's no point organising travel plans, and what-not, if no accommodation has been prepared. You could leave yourself stranded doing so.
"So, does it look alright, dad? What do they have?" Po asked, snapping Mr Ping out of his deep interrogation of the motel.
"Hmm? Oh yes, this should be fine for you, Po, if you're happy with the place. The bedroom is separate from the main area, which includes a small kitchen. You may even get a seaside-facing terrace if you're lucky."
"Wow! Sweet! I'm already excited! What about the bed and other stuff?"
Mr Ping scrolled down the screen and read out the smaller details of the room to Po. "They say it includes a double-sized bed, so plenty of room for you, with an Ensuite joining the bedroom. There's air-con and heating, a TV, and free Wi-Fi. The kitchen includes a stove top oven, microwave, sink, and fridge/freezer. It's got your key essentials. They even have a pool."
"Oooh! A pool?! Wooow! This place sounds awesome!"
"You don't need a pool when you're right next to the beach, Po."
"Oh, yeah. I guess it gives you the option, though. What else do they have? Seems like a lot for a small place."
"That's about all, Po, but based on what they have, I'd be comfortable with you staying here. Seems like a decent place and isn't too expensive. You've got some extras in the place, so you won't feel completely bare. Now, the most important question: when are you going?"
Po glanced at his father before staring down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs around and around, deciding when the best time would be to go on this trip. Truth is, Po did not know. He hadn't looked into it at all, but with the semester ending during the last week of May, in a few weeks' time, it would be the perfect way to celebrate the completion of his degree. In saying that, he wouldn't want to go right away. He'd like to wait for his results first, while also spending some time at home with his father before going on the trip. "I'm not sure. Maybe we should see if there's anything going on at Myrtle Beach in June or July?"
"I've never been there myself, Po, but I know the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk has carnival rides, stores, and other festival stuff you'd enjoy. Think it's also known as the Myrtle Beach Miracle Mile, or perhaps I'm making that up. Even if there's nothing special going on, every town has things to explore, so you won't be wasting your time or money. Plus, being on the beach, it'd be worth taking your surfboard. Gives you another thing to do."
"Yeah, suppose I could. My degree finishes in three weeks, but I'd rather wait until after getting results before going. They release the results about two weeks after the semester finishes. If I left before getting them, I wouldn't be able to relax as much."
"That's reasonable, Po. When is your graduation?"
Po widened his eyes at the mention of his graduation. "Oh yeah! I forgot about that. It's on June thirty. Maybe it's best to wait until mid-July. You know, by then, it'll be finished and blown over, but I'd like to have a few weeks at home and help you with the restaurant before leaving for the trip."
While Po was saying this, Mr Ping brought up the calendar on his laptop, making notes of all these events Po mentioned. With the graduation being on June thirty, it left one question in Mr Ping's mind to confirm the day Po leaves. "Would you rather spend two or three weeks at home before leaving, Po?"
"Ahh… two weeks should be fine."
"How does July fourteen sound? If we book that in, we can plan the rest of your trip."
"Wait! You're not booking yet, are you, dad?!"
"Of course not, Po. I'm just confirming the dates, so we don't spend all night on this. I'd like to get to bed before dawn arrives."
"We can continue this later-"
"No! We're doing this now, Po! If we don't, you'll never plan it. So, how does July fourteen sound?"
"What day is that?"
"It's a Monday, Po. If you leave on the fourteenth and stay two weeks, you'll return on the twenty-eighth."
"Ah, yeah. That should be fine."
"Well, that's final then. Once we sort out your travel plans, we'll confirm the booking." Mr Ping finalised the accommodation booking details, with only the payment and confirmation left to do. Before doing that, Mr Ping wanted to plan with Po how he was going to travel to Myrtle Beach. Mr Ping opened another tab and searched for the travel options as Po took their empty bowls over to the sink, rinsing them out before placing them in the dishwasher. While in the kitchen, his body craved a snack, causing Po to walk over to the kitchen pantry. The rustling from the kitchen caught Mr Ping's attention. "What are you doing, Po?"
Po rummaged through the pantry before peering over his shoulder. "Huh? Oh, I thought I'd get a snack to munch on while we do this."
"How can you still be hungry, Po? We just finished dinner."
Po grabbed a packet of chips from the pantry before turning to his father. "I don't know. I can't help it." When Po opened the packet, the smell of the lime and black pepper chips made his olfactory receptors tingle, while his mouth salivated with excitement. Not being able to resist, he dug into the packet before throwing the chips into his mouth, munching on them with great satisfaction.
Mr Ping shook his head. "No wonder there's no food in this house. Come back over here, Po. We have to sort out your travel plans now."
Po walked over and sat down at the table. "You want any chips, dad?"
"No thank you, Po. Unlike you, it doesn't take much to fill me up. Isn't there more soup in the pot?"
Po looked at his father with a guilty expression. "Yeah, but I was kinda planning on saving it for tomorrow. My brain was craving something crispy. I'll probably eat the soup tomorrow for breakfast."
"Of course, you will. Now, travel. How do you want to get there? Would you rather travel by car or plane?"
"Ah, well, how far is Myrtle Beach from here?"
"If you're thinking about travelling by car, you're looking at a seven-to-eight-hour trip, depending on the route you take. You've got one route going down the I-75 S, through Atlanta, then onto the I-20 E. That's longer by distance, but shorter time travel. The other route, which is shorter by distance, cuts through the Nantahala and Chattahoochee National Forest, but you've got road tolls on that route. If you're to drive, I'd rather you go via Atlanta."
Po nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, yeah. By Atlanta seems the better route. What about flights?"
"To fly to Myrtle Beach, you'd have to travel to Chattanooga and get flights from there. They're listed at around three-hundred bucks, but there are no direct flights to Myrtle Beach from Chattanooga. They stop at either Charlotte or Atlanta. The other option is to drive to Atlanta and get a direct flight from there, but if you're going to drive to Atlanta, you might as well keep going. Given the choices, I think driving to Myrtle Beach is the way to go. It's cheaper and would probably take the same time as flying."
By this stage, Po struggled to keep up with everything his father was telling him. Despite his head spinning around, lost in all this information, Po had decided what he'd rather do. "So, you think it's better to drive there?"
"Only if you're comfortable to do so, Po. I know it's a long journey, so if you don't want to drive there, you don't have to. Never do something you're uncomfortable with. There are always flights, but if you decide to drive there, I'd get your car serviced before you go. The last thing you want is to be halfway there and have your car breakdown, leaving you stranded on the side of the road."
"Yeah, okay. I'll book it in for a service. It's due one, too. I'd rather drive there, anyway. Get to see many places along the way."
"Well, if you're happy to drive there, let's confirm your accommodation, hmm?"
For reasons unknown to Po, he felt a slight hesitation about confirming all of this. There was no turning back once he booked it. As much as Po felt the need for a break, the realisation of having his trip almost confirmed gave him a weird feeling. Whether it was being excited or anxious about going away on his own, Po couldn't tell, but what he knew was that once he arrived at Myrtle Beach, he wouldn't regret his decision. Something inside of Po made him halt. "Wait!"
Mr Ping glanced up at Po with a raised eyebrow, seeing the anxiety on Po's face. "What's wrong, Po?"
"I, uh… can we just double-check everything?"
"Of course, Po, but the only thing to check is the accommodation, which we've already done. As you'll be driving there, the only thing we need to worry about is getting your car serviced, but there's plenty of time for that." Mr Ping could still see the anxiety on Po's face. "Alright, we'll check it if you insist. Just remember, Po, this is your decision. Do you really want a break?"
That question almost ripped all the anxiety out of Po's body, replacing it with confidence. This is something he had been thinking about for a while. He couldn't back out now. "Yes, dad. I really want this break, but going by myself is something that's just struck me."
"I understand, Po. The first time travelling on your own is a strange feeling, but once this is all confirmed, you'll realise how much of a mistake it would have been not to go. Everyone needs to have breaks from life."
"Yeah, I know. Alright, let's confirm it before I change my mind again."
With a few clicks, Mr Ping closed his laptop and turned to Po. "Done! You'll be leaving on the fourteenth of July and returning on the twenty-eighth. How do you feel?"
Po couldn't help but unleash a smile out of relief. "Awesome! I'm really going to Myrtle Beach. Wow… what a strange feeling." While saying this, another thought struck Po's mind. "Wait! How did you pay for it, dad?" Mr Ping tried playing ignorance to the question, which only raised Po's suspicions. "Dad?! Please tell me you didn't pay for it?!"
"I, ah, might have, p-p… aid for it with the business money."
Po widened his eyes at his father. "Dad! Why?! Now, I'm gonna have to pay you back! That's like, how much was it? Two grand?"
Getting up from the table, Mr Ping placed his laptop back in its case. "Oh, no you won't, Po. I used the restaurant's money. We'll put it on the expenses. It'll be fine."
Po placed his hands over his eyes before dragging them down his face. "You can't use the restaurant money, dad! It's for the restaurant."
"We own the restaurant, Po. Besides, with your birthday coming up, consider it an early birthday present."
"Dad… my birthday is in December."
Mr Ping walked over and placed his hand on Po's shoulder. "I know, but if I hadn't, you may have changed your mind again. The least I can do is help."
"You have helped! If it weren't for you, I'd still be thinking about, thinking about it. And that's no typo."
Mr Ping smiled, tightening his grip on Po's shoulder. "Well, now it's confirmed. I'm going to bed."
Po stood up from the table and hugged his father. "Thanks, dad. You really shouldn't have paid for it."
"I know, but you need the break. As your father, the least I can do is help. That's what fathers are for. Don't stay up too late. Goodnight, Po."
"Goodnight, dad." Po released his father from their hug. Mr Ping headed to his bedroom, leaving Po to his own thoughts. He couldn't believe what had happened. Not only was he going to Myrtle Beach in two months, but his father had paid for it without asking. Po couldn't be more grateful for how awesome his father was, but he knew he'd have to pay the money back into the restaurant's budget. Despite his father insisting, he couldn't allow himself to use the restaurant's money without giving it back. The only problem was Mr Ping kept close tabs on everything that goes in and out of the budget.
There was no way Po could put five bucks into their restaurant's budget, let alone two grand, without his father finding out. Even if Po tried, Mr Ping would see it for sure and return the money to Po. Whatever plan Po thought of had some flaw to it. Sighing in defeat, Po reached into the chip bag only to grab at thin air. Upon looking into the bag, Po groaned, displeased at having eaten all the chips. Po placed the empty packet on the table, almost acting in auto-pilot mode as he stared into space, thinking about his upcoming trip. While the prospect of the trip excited Po, he couldn't let it distract him from his final few weeks of study. He had two major exams to pass first before he could shift his focus onto anything else.
The thought of finishing his degree was one that had rarely crossed Po's mind, but it's all he could think about now. He hadn't realised just how close he was to finishing his degree. The end is near, but there's a long way to go yet. These two exams will be the toughest exams of his life, and he needs every second to prepare for them. If he failed any of those exams, it would cost him the completion of his degree. That was something he couldn't let happen. Because of that, Po knew he couldn't let anything distract him. Once the exams blow over, he can look forward to Summer. With that in mind, Po picked himself up from the table, and headed to bed, knowing that, from tomorrow, his final exam studies would begin.
Wish him luck!
[End Notes]
That concludes the end of this chapter. What did you think? Are you excited for what's to come? Lemme know in the reviews (or PM me if you want).
There is no schedule for when the chapters for this story will be released. This is a story that's been sitting in the back of my mind for literally a year now, so I wanna get it done, but not rush it. Hopefully each update isn't too spaced apart from the previous one, but considering I'm juggling this and Eye of the Tiger, updates will most likely be separated by a 'minimum' of four weeks. Eye of the Tiger is my priority, but won't neglect this story in the process. I'll also ensure updates are not made on the same day as Eye of the Tiger. I understand getting hit with two or more updates simultaneously can seem overwhelming for some, so I'll ensure the uploads are at least a week apart.
Now... a little game I'd like to play during this story. Given this story is based on my favourite song, there will be many Kenny Chesney song references in this story. What does that mean? Well, it means the titles of his songs and lyrics will be incorporated throughout the story. Some chapters might have one reference. Other chapters will have multiple references. Your task is to spot those references.
Hint? Sure... why not. This chapter had one reference. Did you spot it? It's a song from Chesney's album Get Along...
Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this first chapter. Hope it has given you a little taste for what's to come, because the fun has barely begun. I mean, heck, we haven't even left Tennessee yet. Wait until we get to Myrtle Beach. That's when the real fun starts. And I am not apologising for the motel/hotel joke.
Until next time, take care and stay safe!
Footrot Flats :)