Chapter Text
The Smoke Club, plus Oliver, had gathered at Beanies, and they where just waiting on Deb. The coffee shop smelled, shockingly, like coffee and creamer. Emma, the local exhausted barista, was trying to make coffee for people, and not punch infuriating customers. Nora was trying to hide the fact that she had romantic feelings for Zoey. Paul Matthews was down the street, walking to the shop and wondering if today was the day that he finally asked the cute barista out. Deb was also walking to the coffee shop, thinking about Alice. Henry Hidgens was going to the coffee shop so that his favourite student would stop worrying, and he tried not to think about his past too much.
Deb was the first to enter the shop. She immediately noticed the Smoke Club, because Danny was being loud and Grace was trying to shush him. Oliver was just sipping on hot chocolate. She walked up to the table, pulled out a chair, and then slammed her hands on said table.
“I have some news so you all better just shut up and listen.”
“It's 'y'all'.” Danny said in response.
“Shut up Danny.” Grace smacked his shoulder and rolled her eyes.
“Guys,” Deb started. “Alice is moving in with her Dad because her Mom was super homophobic and her Dad was getting worried so she's moving to town, and I am so excited. But, that means that she has to meet all of you, and that all of you are probably going to be meeting her dad. So,” Deb paused. “We need to start behaving like a well-respected group of teenagers, because otherwise her Dad is going to think that we're a bunch of degenerates, and that cannot happen.”
“But we are degenerates.” Danny said. “Except for Oliver.”
“Well then we are all just going to have to act like Oliver.” Deb said, sitting down.
Oliver raised his hand. “Um, since I'm new here, who is Alice?”
“Alice is Deb girlfriend.” Danny answered, wrapping his arm around Oliver's shoulders. “There, like, super in love, and are gonna get married and have a dozen children.”
“Shut up, Danny.”
“That's exactly what you want, Deb.”
Deb rolled her eyes. “Look, I just want him to like me.”
“You want a guy to like you? That's a first.” Grace smirked at her, and rolled her eyes when Deb glared. “Look, just don't be rude or get high before meeting him.”
“Yeah, don't introduce yourself as, like, the guy whose doing his daughter.” Danny said.”
Deb smacked him again.
Meanwhile, at the actual counter at Beanies, Henry Hidgens had entered, and was waiting in the line. He was marvelling at how much the coffee shop had changed, because he hadn't been there in a little under ten years. The walls where green instead of yellow, for example. The glass was clean, instead having the usual watermarks from the rain. The group of teenagers in the corner were less rowdy then any teenagers he remembered. There where six new flavors of muffin.
Despite these changes, it still hurt his heart to not see Chad working the counter, or Stew working the machines.
Luckily, his favourite student, Emma Perkins, was there, and she gave him a huge smile, and even waved when she saw him. He smiled back. When he got to the front of the line, she smiled at him again.
“Hey Professor!”
“Hello Emma. How are you?”
“I'm good, I'm good. Kind of a slow day. So, what would you like to order?”
“I will have a...black coffee frappuccino.” He didn't know what a frappuccino was, but he did hear some of his students using the word.
Emma looked quite confused. “I don't think that exists, Professor.”
Henry looked at the floor in frustration. “Fuck.”
Emma laughed slightly. “Do you want a black coffee?”
“Yes please.”
As Henry waited for his black coffee, Paul Matthews entered the shop! He just wanted to get away from the fucking office. Speaking of the fucking office, today had been terrible. Melissa got in a fight with her brother, and was being crabby. Ted was either sexually frustrated or actually frustrated, and for the life of him Paul could not figure what which one it was. Bill was super excited and super nervous about Alice moving in, and the combination of these two emotions cause him to break a printer. He had walked in on Mr Davidson watching pornography while on the phone with his wife.
But the worst of it was Charlotte. Or rather, Charlotte's husband.
Charlotte was honestly, one of the most beloved people at the office. And, it was no secret that everyone hated Sam with a rage that was usually reserved for the sun. But, the only way that anyone could see the effects of Charlotte's marriage was her nerves. Not today, though. Today, Charlotte was crying. Like, sobbing, smearing mascara, almost on the verge of hyperventilating crying.
So, Bill got her some water, Ted flipped out and threatened to murder Sam, Melissa silently raged, cleaned up the mascara, and hugged her. Mr Davidson sort of just stood there, awkwardly. Paul himself gave her a hug. They all asked if she needed a place to stay. When she said no, they all looked at each other with worry.
So, you could understand the kind of day they where having at office. And why Paul was going to buy Charlotte a muffin.
Anyways, so Paul was waiting in line and staring at the barista and it was all very romantic, even though Paul only knew her first name. At one point, she smiled at him and his entire body felt like jelly.
He finally got to the counter, and ordered a black coffee. She asked what size. He said large. She smiled at him again, and Paul pretty much swooned. Real gripping stuff.
While Emma got Paul his coffee, he smiled with an unusual amount of softness for someone so nervous. Then he heard her yelp. When Emma came back out, she looked frustrated.
“Are you alright?” He asked, after he convinced his mouth to start moving.
She smiled at him-for a third time!-and just signed. “Yeah, sorry, my coworkers just keep on thinking that the back where we make the coffee is just the best place to make out.” She shrugged. “It's stupid.”
“Oh, no, I totally get it! My boss calls his wife and watches porn, like, every lunch break.”
Emma laughed, before looking at Paul curiously. “What's your name? I see you in here all the time.”
“Oh, um, it's Paul.” He gave her finger guns.
“Hi Paul. I'm Emma.”
“Hi Emma.” He just grinned at her, and she grinned back. Then, he remembered her tip. “Oh, here's your tip.”
“Thanks-Woo! Twenty dollars! Holy shit thats sweet!” She was practically glowing. “Um, you meant this just for me, right?”
“Oh yeah, I don't give a shit about any of them.”
“Well then, thanks Paul.” Emma gave him the biggest smile yet, and squeezed his arm. “I think your my new favourite customer.”
“Happy to be your favourite.”
Paul left smiling. Today was a good day.