Price Family Book Store (ON HOLD)

Chapter 20- Passionate Progression

"Let me clarify so that you can hear how this sounds to me," Simon said to his son at the end of a school day, having just been given a seemingly very specific request, "Jonah's parents aren't going to be at home for a whole weekend and he wants you to stay there for a few nights, without adult supervision, just the two of you, the whole house to yourself, to 'study'."

Connor stood looking at him from the other side of the desk, taking his perception in, listening to every word and realising quite quickly how this must sound to his father. "Yes," he finally said after a few seconds of silence, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

The father and son stared at one another for a short while, Connor eventually beginning to uncomfortably shift his weight from one foot to the other, awaiting his father's response far less than patiently. At last, however, when Simon finally gave him an answer, for a moment, it really seemed to the teenager that he didn't approve of the idea proposed to him at all. He let out a deep sigh, considering every aspect, including his son's maturity. Besides, he reasoned, it had been a few months now since the couple in question had begun dating, and of course, it would eventually reach a point where him saying 'no' wouldn't be able to prevent them from progressing and taking things further. That was his main concern when considering this answer; what would they end up doing over the weekend? It was true, he thought, that his son was mature enough to make the correct choices when it comes to something so important as this. Following this thought, Simon stood up and began shifting his folders into a pile on the side of his desk.
"Right, here's my idea," he began, glancing at the teenage boy over his glasses, "your mum's at the store until around six o'clock this evening and we both know how she never even checks her phone while she's working alone there. You can go over to Jonah's house, I'll ask your mum when we both get home and, if we both agree that it's a good idea, I'll drop some stuff off for you, okay?"

Connor showed him a smile, nodding in agreement and approaching his father, the teacher stepping around his desk to him. The father and son exchanged a light hug, their arms around each other briefly. Although, despite the short time they spent like this, engaging in a family embrace, it still gave Simon the time to appreciate that his only child grew up, was still growing up, and yet remained close to his parents. Having previously heard his students' ranting and complaining about their poor relationship with their mothers, fathers or guardians, he'd worried that there would be a time when his own son grew to be a distant teenager who complained about him and then return home to shut himself away or argue with his family.
As Connor moved away, he showed another bright smile, uttering a quiet, "thanks, dad."

"Don't get in any trouble," his father told him with a smirk. As the boy rolled his eyes, his expression mirroring the man in front of him who, due to his previous thoughts regarding their closeness, it triggered a sudden sense of pride as he made an observation. "You really have your moments where you look so much like me."

The teen tilted his head, raising an eyebrow, "really?"

"Yeah," the father took another short while to look over his features again. He didn't say it out loud, but he could see obviously that his son had gotten his eyes. Although he had his mother's dark hair and slightly turned-up nose, he had Simon's jaw and cheekbones, giving them both a likeness in their facial structures. "Anyway, it's not important right now. Now, go! Jonah should be waiting for you, right?"

"Thanks," he called back, taking quick steps to the door of the classroom, lightly jogging down the hall and straight towards the student lockers where he had told Jonah to wait for him.
As he turned the corner, he saw him still leaning against them, his hands in his pockets as he stared blankly ahead of him, not noticing as his boyfriends returned from their English classroom.

"Jonah," he called, getting his attention and being met with his radiant smile once he finally laid eyes on him. Kicking off the lockers, he turned to face him completely.