Wednesday, Shane's House, 6:32 PM...

With football being over for the time being, Shane's afternoons were for the most part, left wide open. It was kind of weird for the boy, considering he was used to 2, sometimes 3 hour long practices after school. Now, he was free to do basically whatever he wanted, barring the times he had a massive amount of homework to get done or when he had a test he had to study for. Boy didn't play when it came to his grades. However, today, he had none of that. Right now, he was enjoying time with his dad, Papa Price himself. They goofed off like they always did, and now they got to do it on a more consistent level. Right now they were in the front yard, throwing a football back and forth. Of course since he's a parent and it's what parents do, the patriarch of the Price family teased his son about the large amount of female attention he seemed to be attracting since the school year started.

"Okay, so let's see. My son's dating the head cheerleader, he's in a band with 3 chicks, he still keeps in touch with his best friend from back home who just happens to also be a chick, and he's close with both of his best friends' girlfriends. Damn kid, you get around don't you?" He jokingly asked.

"I'm also friends with basically the entire cheer squad, but regardless, no dad. No I don't get around. It just so happens that a lot of my friends are female. Nothing more than that." Shane defended himself.

Kevin laughed.

"Yeah, sure little man. Whatever you say. Alls I'm sayin' is, when I was in high school, I was doin' everything in my power to be around as many attractive girls as possible. You're not in the wrong for doing that."

"But I'm not going out of my way to make that happen though!"

"Okay, but look me in my eyes and tell me that as a teenager, that you're not enjoying being surrounded by girls all day."

Father and son then both stubbornly stared holes into each other, refusing to break. This lasted for at least a minute, until Shane finally gave into the pressure. He sighed.

"Fine, maybe a little." He admitted, kind of embarrassed.

Again, Big Price laughed, catching the ball, walking forward, and patting his child on the shoulder.

"Kid, like I said. You're not in the wrong for it. You're a young dude, it's only natural. Lemme ask you this. That Alexa girl that you're dating, do you really like her?"

"Well yeah, of course. I like her a whole lot." Shane answered.

"And you've been faithful, right? No funny business?"

"None at all. Scout's honor."

"Alright, no harm no foul then. I knew I didn't raise an idiot, and cheating's something idiots do."

"Amen to that. I wouldn't in a million years even imagine cheating on Alexa. One, because I love her, and two... she literally lives right there", He said, pointing to her house, " Like she's right across the street from us. It would take her all of 30 seconds to march her little self over here, and murder the crap outta me. Like, for real, she's small, but she's got a mean streak a mile long if you piss her off."

"Ya know, I've said this before, but she reminds me so much of your mother. You basically just described her." Kevin said.

"You're right. But dad... Can ya stop comparing my girlfriend to my mom? It's kinda... kinda weird." Shane pointed out to his father.

This time the laugh Papa Price let out was a bit somber sounding.

"I guess you're right, buddy. It's just... I miss your mother everyday, Shane. Besides you, she was the most important person in the world to me. And now she's gone. For like, forever dude."

Shane shared his dad's pain obviously.

"I know, dad. Her being gone friggin sucks. But, like you told me a long time ago, she's watching over her boys everyday." He said, gesturing between the both of them.

"Damn right, boy. And I know she's looking down, proud of you and everything you've done over the past few months... Well, maybe not everything... considering you have a girlfriend... and you're a teenager... and teenager hormones are strong as hell-"

"Alright, alright, dad, I get the point! Let's not talk about that!" Shane stated, cutting off his old man, while Kevin chuckled immaturely.

"But yeah, I know she'd be really into the music stuff you're doing now. Your mom had pipes, kid."

"Oh, definitely. I remember her always singing whenever she was cooking or working on something in the house. She's the reason why I know Zombie by The Cranberries by heart actually."

"Makes sense, that was one of her favorite songs. Did you think about maybe trying to play that song with your band?"

"Honestly, no, mainly because the lead singer of that band was a girl, and I think it would sound weird with guy vocals. We have one song down pat as of last weekend though. It's called Hate To Say I Told You So by The Hives."

The patriarch of the Price family was extremely happy to hear that.

"Really?! That was one of my favorite songs growing up. They showed the video on MTV a lot back in the day. You know, back when MTV focused on music and not shitty reality shows. That's real cool, son. Hey, in that case, I got a song suggestion if you're interested."

"Go ahead, pops. Shoot."

"Cool. It's another song from the early 2000s called Fell In Love With A Girl by The White Stripes. Such a good tune man." Kevin told him.

"Oh, I know that band. They're the ones that made Seven Nation Army, right?"

"Yup, but don't do that song. It's been run into the ground by literally the entire world. You can't go more than a week without hearing the damn thing."

"True, true. So, Fell In Love With A Girl you said it was called? I'll get around to listening to it later."

"You'll love it, trust me. It was a hit... almost 20 years ago. Holy shit where did the time go?"

"Ha, you got old. You're a senior citizen now, pops." Shane said to his dad jokingly.

In response, Kevin flexed his right arm to show off his impressive gains.

"Yeah, but this "senior citizen" can bench press 350 and beat the shit outta any man alive, so watch yourself, boy."

"Aight... but that's why I beat you in a foot race last summer." Shane threw back in his face.

"That- damn it! You only won because I tripped halfway through and you know it!"

Shane put a hand up to his own ear and cupped it.

"You hear that? I coulda sworn I heard something. Kinda sounded like, like a BUNCH OF EXCUSES! I was the better man that day, end of story." He continued to gloat.

Kevin cracked his knuckles.

"Keep talkin' shit, and I'll have you running for your life while I'm chasing your ass down the street."

Knowing that his father was most likely serious, he let up on the trash talk.

"Fine, fine, whatever. Anyway, we have a few minutes to kill before you gotta head out for work. What do ya wanna do? I'm getting kinda tired of playing catch."

"Yeah, me too actually. I don't know, you wanna just go inside and watch SportsCenter or something?" Big Price suggested.

"Uh, sure. Let's go then."

As father and son made their way back into their home, something caught their attention.

"Price! Dad Price! Wait up!"

At the sound of them being addressed, they turned around, only to see one of the people they had just finished talking about, looking back at them. I'm pretty sure you can guess exactly who it was.

"Oh hey, Short Stuff." Price greeted his girl as she walked toward them.

"Hi, babe. Hello, Mr. Price."

And just like when Paige called him that, he rejected it immediately.

"Nope, none of that Mr. Price crap. Either call me Kevin or Shane's dad, but never Mr. Price. Shit sounds creepy as hell."

Alexa was taken aback by that.

"Oh... Well, sorry... Kevin."

"You'll get used to it eventually." Shane said to her.

"Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you guys were up for dinner with me and my parents. They've been dying to meet you."

"Really? Do they know that we're like... a thing?"

"Uh... I think? Honestly, I'm not really sure."

"Kid, everyone can tell that you two are "a thing." You'd have to either be blind, stupid, or naive as hell to not see that. But yeah, sure. I'm down. Just know that I work nights, so I can't be around past 7:15, 7:30 at the latest. I already know this one's not gonna say no." Kevin said, motioning toward his son.

"Hey! You don't know that."

That's when Alexa put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at her significant other.

"Oh? It's that so?"

"Uhhh... I'm down as well."

"Great. I'll go tell my mom and dad, and I'll let you guys know the date." She said before pecking Shane on the lips and saying bye to him and his dad. She then walked away.

Meanwhile, Kevin couldn't help but chuckle.

"My boy's officially pussywhipped by his girl. Ya hate to see it."

Price came right back though with this line.

"Yeah, whatever. At least I have a girl to be pussywhipped by, Mr. Single."

...Wrong move, Shane. Wrong move.

"Why you little-"

That's when the Irish boy knew it was time to turn on the jets and run for his goddamn life. Kevin followed him, hell bent on destroying him.

"I'M GONNA CRUSH YOUR SCRAWNY ASS NECK, KID!" He yelled.

"DAD, IT WAS A JOKE! I'M SORRY!"

"YOU AIN'T OUTRUNNIN' ME THIS TIME!"

"HA! SO YOU ADMIT I OUTRAN YOU THE FIRST TIME!"

"AAAAH! YOU'RE DEAD!"

As the Price boys ran from their house to... wherever they'd eventually end up, Little Miss Bliss watched on from the front of her own home. She shook her head with an amused smirk on her face.

"So they're both idiots. Somehow, I'm not surprised. Price men."