When the thirty minutos were up, Hank and Paul's father came back into the room. Paul and Hank still weren't looking at each other, but neither one was quite as angry anymore.
"That's better," their father said. "Now, let me see if I can figure this out. I know my sons, you've always been as different as you can be, but I've seen you be best mga kaibigan and support each other since you could both talk...."
Paul and Hank glanced at each other and quickly looked away again, both slightly ashamed.
Their father leaned against a mesa with his arms folded, looking at both his sons intently. "So you must both have some real concerns to be so angry. Hank - you first. What are you feeling here?"
Hank shrugged. "Well - you know - I just don't want Paul to petsa someone weird."
Paul made as if to jump up again, but a gesture from his father held him back.
"And why is that, Hank?"
"Well - it'll ruin his reputation. He thinks she'll be cool and different and quirky, but she'll just end up being crazy! Then he'll start getting bullied all over again."
Their father nodded. "And Paul? What do you think about Hank's choice?"
Paul sat up. "No one that pretty is ever really nice. She's just using him, and he won't notice how mean she is until it's too late!"
Paul and Hank's father nodded very slowly. "So neither of you wants the other to get hurt sa pamamagitan ng choosing the wrong girl."
"Yeah...." muttered Paul.
"I guess," added Hank.
Their father smiled, glancing from one of his sons to the other significantly. "I would have thought you two would know better than anyone that you can't judge on appearances."
Paul and Hank glanced at each other, and slowly, they both began to laugh.
"I guess he has a point," Paul admitted.
"Yeah." Hank gave his brother a small grin. "Sorry, Paul."
"I'm sorry, too."
"Now, if you really want to approve each other's girlfriends," their father went on, "how about the four of you all meet?"
Hank glanced at Paul. "I bet Charity wouldn't mind a double date. She'll like meeting new people in town. And Maeve must... I mean, what do you think she'd like?"
Paul smiled. "I think she'd pag-ibig a double date."
"That's better," their father said. "Now, let me see if I can figure this out. I know my sons, you've always been as different as you can be, but I've seen you be best mga kaibigan and support each other since you could both talk...."
Paul and Hank glanced at each other and quickly looked away again, both slightly ashamed.
Their father leaned against a mesa with his arms folded, looking at both his sons intently. "So you must both have some real concerns to be so angry. Hank - you first. What are you feeling here?"
Hank shrugged. "Well - you know - I just don't want Paul to petsa someone weird."
Paul made as if to jump up again, but a gesture from his father held him back.
"And why is that, Hank?"
"Well - it'll ruin his reputation. He thinks she'll be cool and different and quirky, but she'll just end up being crazy! Then he'll start getting bullied all over again."
Their father nodded. "And Paul? What do you think about Hank's choice?"
Paul sat up. "No one that pretty is ever really nice. She's just using him, and he won't notice how mean she is until it's too late!"
Paul and Hank's father nodded very slowly. "So neither of you wants the other to get hurt sa pamamagitan ng choosing the wrong girl."
"Yeah...." muttered Paul.
"I guess," added Hank.
Their father smiled, glancing from one of his sons to the other significantly. "I would have thought you two would know better than anyone that you can't judge on appearances."
Paul and Hank glanced at each other, and slowly, they both began to laugh.
"I guess he has a point," Paul admitted.
"Yeah." Hank gave his brother a small grin. "Sorry, Paul."
"I'm sorry, too."
"Now, if you really want to approve each other's girlfriends," their father went on, "how about the four of you all meet?"
Hank glanced at Paul. "I bet Charity wouldn't mind a double date. She'll like meeting new people in town. And Maeve must... I mean, what do you think she'd like?"
Paul smiled. "I think she'd pag-ibig a double date."
Within a few days of the release of their album, Union, New Religion and the Radiant Terriers' collaboration became very popular. "Bittersweet" was released as a single, and it reached number two on the Modern Rock Charts, right behind "Inside of Us" sa pamamagitan ng The Devil Wants Peace. The Radiant Terriers decided to stay with New Religion until the end on their tour. Leila said, "I'm glad things are going so well now. I hope things continue to go well when we tour." The susunod morning, the two bands began to prepare for their tour.
The Radiant Terriers were on their way to Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They had agreed to collaborate on an album with New Religion. Along the way, Leila said, "This is so exciting. We're going to be collaborating with one of my paborito bands." Abigail said, "Indeed. Plus, Paul is kind of dreamy." Greeley said, "You realize he's an aromantic asexual, right?" She said, "I know." Sammy said, "Abigail has been a hopeless romantic for a long time." She said, "Yeah. It seems all the best guys are either deceased or wouldn't have me." Leila said, "Don't worry, Abigail. You'll get your chance at romance someday." Abigail said, "You really think so?" Leila said, "Sure I do. You deserve it." This made Abigail smile. She thought, For someone who has been through Hell and back, Leila sure is an optimistic girl. Pretty soon, the Radiant Terriers made it to Oak Ridge.
One day, New Religion had an interview where they talked about their song, "Stuck", and Fritz's retirement. Shortly after the interview aired on television, Paul got a call from his mother. She said, "I want to congratulate you on your new song. It's good that you asked for help when you realized you needed it. I always stressed to you the importance of asking for help. I also want to congratulate Fritz on his retirement. When you go on tour, I'll gladly stay with Fritz." Paul said, "Thank you, Mother. Yes, you did stress the importance of asking for help." She said, "That's right. I always told you that there's no shame in asking for help when you really need it." He said, "That's right." Paul talked with his mother for a long time. Finally, she said, "I have to let you go now. I'm getting ready to fix dinner." He said, "All right, Mother. Goodbye. Take care." She said, "You take care, too. I pag-ibig you, Paul." He said, "I pag-ibig you, too, Mother."
THE END
THE END
When Paul woke up from his nap, his mates sat down with him to see what he had written so far. He said, "You see, I keep getting stuck with the chorus." Lola said, "I think I know what will work as a chorus." She wrote down some words. Paul sang what he had written and what Lola had written. He said, "That works very well. Thanks, Lola." She said, "You're welcome." Erin and Carl added the segundo verse and the third verse respectively. They sang the song, and Paul said, "This is going to be a hit. Thanks for the help, my friends." Carl said, "No problem, Paul. If you ever feel stuck, tell us right away. Don't be afraid to ask for help." Paul smiled and said, "I won't." Erin then said, "To the recording studio!" The others said, "Yeah!"
