CHANGES [eric matthews]

Shallow Boy

↳CHAPTER 4.5
Shallow Boy.
✩
『 "I think he likes boys, if you
know what I'm saying!"』
〉〉〉〉

ALAN MATTHEWS WOULD BE cursed for eternity if Beckett could have her way. She had recently gotten a job at the Student Union Cafe as planned, but now when she wasn't busy the man had somehow coaxed her into coming down to 'observe' the shop—which meant doing free manual labor when no one was available!

Today though, Beckett was sitting behind the counter, banging her head against it as a girl sang her heart out just outside.

For some reason she had decided the Wilderness Outpost was the place to play her guitar and sing about sunshine and happiness and throw up!

"If she sings 'the sun shines just for me' one more time, I'm gonna hit her guitar against the wall, I swear. I will do it." The girl groaned bitterly, glaring at Alan like it was his fault.

The voice became infinitely louder when Eric opened the door, causing a dramatic cry from Beck and Alan to sigh,

"Close the door, will ya? Will you please close it?" He practically begged, and Eric grinned at him,

"Aw, what's the matter, dad? A little too perky for you out there this morning?"

"It's a lollipop day!!" The girl began a new song, and a stern look from Beckett forced him to finally close the door.

"How could one person possibly be so happy?" Beckett asked aloud, "Can't she sing about clubs and drugs or whatever people sing about these days?"

"Or nothing at all!" Alan said, "Nobody's coming in here. She's scarin' all the customers away."

"Would you rather have the smelly old guy who used to spit on people?" Eric complained, approaching the counter and sliding Beckett the chocolate chip granola bar he'd picked up at the gas station.

"Used to?" Beckett asked with an eyebrow raise, "It landed on my shoe on the way in this morning. I don't even know why I'm here."

"Because you love me and my family?" Eric suggested, making the girl roll her eyes,

"Your family, yes. Not you." She bit into her granola bar.

Internally, his statement made her heart race. She liked him a lot, of course, but love? She wouldn't dare throw that word around.

"Then I'll take that back!" Eric ripped the granola bar straight from her mouth, leaving half of it behind. The girl lunged over the counter for it, and they threw weak hits at each other until Alan interrupted.

"Alright, alright! Just— get rid of her!" He complained.

"Me? Why me?" Eric groaned.

"'A handsome passerby..'" Beckett sang blandly, referring to just minutes ago when Eric had approached the store. Who else would she have been singing about?

"Well who can blame her?" Eric smugly ran a hand through his hair, "But I can't! Dad you can't do that to me!"

"Eric, we're equal partners in this business... and I'm your father and you do what I tell you to do." Alan added.