Chapter Text
Beth looked up from the book in her lap when she heard Mike laughing. He was walking into the Pit Stop garage backward so that he faced Mr. Dugan and Rick, who were following in after him and giving the kid amused looks.
“Hey, Rick!” Beth greeted, clutching the book to her chest with one hand and waving enthusiastically with the other. “Hi, Mike. Good morning, Mr. Dugan.”
“Hey, Beth,” Rick replied, stopping at a metal stool that Courtney had tossed her sweater on twenty minutes ago before she plopped down on the couch.
Mike lazily threw his hand up in reply, but kept his eyes on his dad and asked, “So what do you say, Pat?”
“There’s no way in heck I’m letting you do that, Mike,” Mr. Dugan drawled as he ruffled his son’s hair and then looked over to the couch where Beth and Courtney were relaxing. “Court, why is Beth reading the book I told you to read?”
“Because it’s boring, Pat,” his step-daughter whined without looking away from her sketch pad.
Courtney was seated with her head and back rested against Beth’s shoulder. Her legs were outstretched so that her sneakers, covered in star doodles, were propped on the other end of the couch. Beth was comfortably sunk into the cushions with her ankles crossed and the tops of her giraffe-themed socks showing.
Beth said good-naturedly as she lifted the book slightly, “I don’t think it’s boring, Mr. Dugan. And I like giving Courtney a summary. It’s fun!”
“Fun?” Mike murmured in disbelief. He raised his eyebrow at Rick, but the older teen’s gaze was fixed on Beth.
Courtney tilted her head upward so she could smile at Beth. “And you’re so good at it!”
“Beth, give Courtney the book. Courtney, go up to the loft and read,” Mr. Dugan instructed as he leaned casually against a table littered with gadgets and tools. “You have to read more than just old JSA case files and books for missions if you want to get into a good college, Court.”
“Like Stargirl needs college,” Mike said as he picked up a screwdriver and then tossed it back on the table. “Let’s get a move on, Pat. Are we taking Rick to Lorenzo’s or what?”
Rick wasn’t actually in a hurry to leave now that he knew Beth was at the garage this morning, but he could tell by the look on Courtney’s face that she did not want Pat to start questioning her about college. So, Rick pulled his fingers through his hair and nodded. “Yeah, can we…”
Mr. Dugan folded his lips, internally debating if he should let the subject drop. But Courtney didn’t waste another second. She hopped up from the chair and gently tugged the book away from Beth. Without looking back, she ran up to the loft. Mike chuckled as he watched his stepsister. Rick tried to suppress a smile that was fighting its way onto his lips from the pouty look on Beth’s face now that she was without the book.
“Sure,” Mr. Dugan sighed. He leaned away from the table and added. “Let me just grab some boxes from the back.”
“Sounds like you need some muscle. I got you,” Mike said as he patted his dad on the shoulder and then jogged towards the door to the back.
Beth stood up from the couch once the Dugans left her and Rick. She furrowed her brow and thought out loud, “Why would Mr. Dugan take Rick to a barber?” She blinked and then directed her gaze at Rick to repeat her question. “Why is Mr. Dugan taking you to Mr. Lorenzo’s?”
Rick shrugged and pulled his fingers through his hair again and said without any malice in his tone, “Why else does anyone go to a barber? I need a haircut.”
“Aw, no,” she frowned slightly and tapped her foot lightly. “I kind of like your hair grown out more.”
“You...you do?” Rick asked, lifting his eyebrows.
Beth nodded as her eyes traced the shape of his hair. She smiled to herself as she thought about all of the times that she had seen him absentmindedly pull his fingers through it. She more than kind of liked that. But as much as she loved to talk, she didn’t think she would say that out loud to him anytime soon.
“Uh hum,” she hummed, looking into his eyes.
“Oh.” Rick tucked his hands into the pockets of his hoodie to keep from fidgeting. “So, no haircut?”
“Oh! I’m sorry, Rick,” she gasped with her eyes wide behind her glasses. “How you like your hair is what’s important. And you always look great to me!”
Rick breathed in through his nostrils to maintain his neutral expression. Inside, however, he didn’t feel neutral. He didn’t like talking nearly as much as Beth liked talking, but if she thought he always looked great then he wouldn’t mind talking about what that could mean. But instead, he broke eye contact and looked down at his sneakers.
“Thanks,” he mumbled.
“You’re welcome.”
They stood there in silence for a few moments. Beth slowly twisted from side to side with her hands folded together in front of her. Rick kept his eyes on the ground and messed with the random scraps of paper in his pocket.
“Alright, all set,” Mr. Dugan said as he and Mike carefully lugged three boxes from the back.
Mike grunted as he walked past Rick and Beth to take the boxes out to the car.
“Lorenzo’s great, Rick. He’ll take care of you,” Mr. Dugan said as he rested his box on the table beside Rick. He opened the lid and started picking out a few things to leave on the table. “And anybody that can deal with how particular Mike is about a cut, is alright in my book.”
“Yeah...I’ve only heard good things about Mr. Lorenzo,” Beth said, trying and failing to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She looked up at Rick, hoping she could will him to pull his fingers through his hair just one last time before it didn’t have the same effect at a shorter length.
Rick felt Beth’s stare and he was powerless not to look back at her. He had never thought staring could be a weapon until he started spending time with Beth Chapel. She was looking at him like she wanted something. And he wasn’t used to people wanting something from him. Without thinking, he pulled his fingers through his hair. Beth gave him one of those smiles that made his heart do weird things and his mouth smile back without being forced to do so.
“Yep,” Mr. Dugan said as he finished organizing his box. He hadn’t noticed the way his newest JSA team members were gazing at each other. “Beth, as soon as I leave, we all know Court’s not going to be reading that back. So, please, talk to her about the importance of a college education. There’s a chocolate milkshake in it for you.”
“Yay,” Beth said cheerily as she looked away from Rick to Mr. Dugan. “Just no whipped cream, please.”
“You got it,” Mr. Dugan said as he lifted the box. “Come on, Rick.”
“Sure, but um…” Rick glanced at Beth and then returned his focus to Pat. “Is it cool if I just go to hang out. I, uh, don’t need a haircut anymore.”
Beth bit her lip but it did nothing to hide the grin on her face.
“But I thought…” Mr. Dugan started but Rick interrupted him.
“I changed my mind. Beth will let me know when I need one.”
Mr. Dugan looked to Beth for an explanation. She lifted her shoulders but her eyes were shining and she was still grinning. The dad shook his head, not even trying to understand Rick’s sudden change in plans.
“No problem, let’s roll,” Mr. Dugan said as he turned to head out of the garage, patting Rick on the shoulder as he left.
Rick pulled his fingers through his hair as he gave her a small smile and said, “Bye.”
“Bye,” Beth replied as she gave him a tiny wave goodbye.