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To Fall So Deep

The Newest Adjustment



A month had passed by, and the beautiful warm, autumn leaves of browns, reds, and oranges had disappeared, leaving all the trees bare. The air was much cooler these days, and more dry. Warm teas, and hot coco became more prevalent in the hands of Ashford locals.

In a dance studio, a group of twenty girls and twenty boys danced a waltz to soft, classical music. Debutante Ball practice was underway, and the opening waltz was the most important in the program. Each pair held each other close, awkwardly staring at one another as they counted the beats with each graceful step.

"Ow, Liam!" a girl with dark brown curly hair yelled, looking down at her small feet. She smacked Liam on the shoulder, as a look of guilt formed on his face,

"Oops, I'm sorry, Danielle."

"Mister Payne, that is the third time today you've stepped on Miss Peazer's foot… please be more careful. Be light on your feet, like a feather in the wind," Miss Speckle, an older woman wearing a long dress, and a tight bun explained with an airy tone. "If you keep up this routine, your partner will lose her foot completely."

Harry, Niall, Louis, and Zayn chuckled at their friends' expense, their arms intertwined with their dance partner. Jezabelle turned her attention away from Liam's inability to waltz, and back to Harry. They were still in their waltzing form, and while Harry was no professional, he was able to dance without stepping on his partner's foot.

"Harry, come on. Let's keep practicing," Jezabelle spoke. Harry turned his head to the pretty girl in front of him, and sighed.

"Kay. One, two, three. One, two, three," Harry counted softly, as he and Jezabelle practiced the routine, implementing the rise and fall technique they had to perfect. Miss Speckle stood by the couple, and watched in approval.

"Very good you two. Miss Nixon, you're a natural," Miss Speckle beamed, and Jezabelle grinned. "Mr. Syles, you're doing the routine correctly, but it's a bit… bland."

"Bland? Did you want me to shake some spice into it," Harry joked, ridiculously shaking his body. The entire room giggling from his odd movements. Jezabelle hit Harry in the chest,

"Stop, this is serious!"

"Sorry," Harry sighed, raising his brows and hands in defense. "Miss Speckle, what do you mean by bland?"

"Mister Styles, the waltz is a beautiful aristocratic dance. Firstly, you must hold your partner closer. Chest, to chest!" Miss Speckle pushed Harry and Jezabelle's body together so their chests were touching.

"Ooo," Zayn winked at Louis, before placing his hand at the small of his partner's back, and pushing the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl into his body.

"Secondly, you look at Miss Nixon like you wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole. You must look at her with a look of love," Miss Speckle described with passion in her voice.

She's got to be kidding me, Harry thought.

"Even if you have to pretend Mister Styles, it's important to the dance!" Miss Speckle pressed.

"Okay," Harry sighed, his lack of motivation offending Jezabelle.

"Carry on," Miss Speckle said, before walking away to help out the other couples.

Harry and Jezabelle went through the routine with their chest pressed up against each other, and while Jezabelle looked at Harry with an expression of devotion, it was obvious that Harry was not into it. He looked at her, but more through her. It wasn't until his mind drifted to Nina did he actually let out a smile. He thought about Nina's smile, her loud laugh, and how easily excited she was about simple things. Harry just danced, lost in in his own mind. He forgot whom he was dancing with, and it seemed for a moment like he was dancing with Nina.

"Beautiful improvement Mister Styles," Miss Speckle complimented as she passed by. She stopped the music from the stereo, and immediately all the dancing ceased. She stood with her back against the wall of mirrors and looked at the debutantes and their escorts. She clasped her hands together, "good practice everyone. I see a lot of improvement, some more than others--"

Zayn punched Liam on the shoulder and laughed, before Liam did the same, "Zayn, what the hell?"

"Ow!" Zayn punch Liam back, and before they knew it, they were in a punching battle, hitting each other on the chest and shoulders. Danielle rolled her eyes and looked at the blonde girl next to her,

"They're such kids."

"Boys!" Miss Speckle scolded. Both Liam and Zayn stopped hitting each other, as Niall, Louis, and Harry smirked, trying to keep their laughter in. "Back to what I was saying, the big debutante ball is coming up in two weeks, and I will expect all of you to be able to perform to the best of your abilities by that time. This is a big moment for these girls, and I trust you boys to be respectable escorts. I'll see all of you all tomorrow morning. Girls bring your heels for practice!"

Harry grabbed his hoodie that was sprawled on top of his duffle bag. He pulled it over his body and when his head met the opening, he was face to face with Jezabelle, "Harry, are we ever going to get back together?"

"What?" Harry was taken aback.

"I don't know… I just had to ask. You know Harry, there was a time when you were actually happy with me. And it wasn't until Nina---" Jezabelle paused, and her voice cracked. There was a little sense of authentic pain in her eyes as she spoke, "I still love you, Harry."

"Jezabelle you need to move on," Harry protested. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same way about you. And I don't even know if we can be friends. You've hurt Nina in the past, and that's just not cool with me."

"I'm sorry Harry. I'll change, I promise you! Please baby, take me back!" Jezabelle pleaded. She grabbed ahold of Harry, pulling him into a hug. Harry took her hands off of him, and softly pushed her away.

"Stop, no. I can't,"

"You're still with Nina aren't you?"

"Wh-what? No," Harry's voice trembled and he looked away. "Why would you say that? I'm with no one, and I don't really want to be."

"You just seem… forget it," Jezabelle sighed. She turned and walked away, exiting the studio. Liam, Zayn, Niall, and Louis approached Harry.

"Oi mate, want to come over?" Liam asked. "Have a man-over?"

"Man. Oh-Ver?" Harry cocked his head in confusion, raising a brow.

"Like a sleepover that girls have. Only we're men, so we have man-overs," Liam grunted, morphing his tone to a much grizzlier one.

"Dude, that's so lame," Harry chuckled.

"Oh come on," Louis started, "we've had sleepovers before. I will admit, the term 'man-over' sounds stupid and makes this shindig unappealing, but we're best mates right? Let's order some fucking pizza--" Louis stopped for a moment to look at Niall before continuing, "or a lot of pizza, and watch some films, play football, talk about our emotions… I don't know. It's been a while, man."

"Louis, did you miss me?" Harry flashed a goofy dimpled smile. He held out his arms, "come on, group hug."

"You're a dork," Louis claimed, but then wrapped his arms around Harry followed by Liam, Zayn, and Niall.

"So does that mean you're coming over?" Liam yelled through the bodies that barricaded his voice.

"I have some things to handle first, but yes. I will be there for a the man-over. Onsies lads?" Harry questioned.

"Yea!" the boys erupted in deep 'manly' shouts before separating from their group hug.

The wolf pack exited the dance studio together before separating into their respective cars. Once settled in on the leather seats, Harry looked down at his watch. It was almost 6pm which meant he only had thirty minutes to run a quick errand and make it downtown.

* * * *

The ear-piercing shriek of steaming milk, the strong aroma of espresso beans, and the happy conversations of locals combined together generated an ambience that Le Petite Cafe was known for. As small and lavish Ashford was, this was a town that did not have a Starbucks. And while signature Frappuccinos, or Caramel Macchiatos weren't on the menu, Le Petite Cafe was still a favorite among many in town. The store was slightly busy with about ten people in line, and seven others waiting for their drinks. Nina stood behind the bar, swiftly making each and every drink with care, crafting them to the owner's liking.

"I have a small triple Americano ready at the bar," Nina shouted over the loud cutting noise of the steaming milk as she placed a paper cup on the granite counter top. A tall man in a business suit approached the hand-off station and grabbed his hot drink.

"Thank you Nina, have a good day," the man smiled and nodded his head, "tell your dad I say hi!"

"No problem Mister Maher," Nina beamed as she lifted the steaming wand out of the scorching hot pitcher of soy milk. She looked up from her hands and back to the tall man, "have a good day!"

She poured the milk into the espresso and vanilla mixture in a cup, topping it off with a swirl of whip cream. She securely placed a lid on top, and in the same fashion, set it on top of the counter of the hand-off area, "I have a medium soy vanilla latte with whipped cream!"

Nina began making the next drink in the line of cups, not noticing the customer who grabbed a hold of her hot cup. It wasn't until the customer shrieked, and the splashing sound of hot liquid filled Nina's ears that she looked up from the iced tea in front of her.

"You forgot to double cup and add a sleeve you idiot!" it was Jezabelle with her arms strained at her sides, and her white blouse stained light brown.

"I'm sorry about that Jezabelle, I'll go ahead and remake your drink right now," Nina couldn't let Jezabelle's presence and condescending tones get to her. She was in a work environment, and actually loved her job. If there was one thing that's certain, coffee was definitely Nina's calling.

"You better make it right," Jezabelle sneered.

Nina took a deep breath, and glanced at the line of cups she had on the counter. They were understaffed by one person, and with Nina the only one making drinks, she knew she had to move faster without compromising efficiency. With dexterous movements, Nina swiftly remade Jezabelle's drink, this time correcting herself with an extra cup and a paper sleeve. She handed the queen bee her newly crafted beverage, and proceeded onto the next lattes and teas in line.

"This tastes too bitter. You're the worst barista," Jezabelle's tone was sharp and could easily cut Nina's ego. But Nina was determined to not let it get to her. Miss queen bee was doing it on purpose, "make it again. And I want more whipped cream."

"Of course Jezabelle," Nina smiled curtly. She gripped the cup and threw the perfectly made drink into the garbage can, never ceasing eye contact with the ghastly ginger. She then progressed to fulfill Jezabelle's request.

Once again, Nina went through the motions of making Jezabelle's latte. She prepped the other drinks in line, trying to catch herself up. A customer approached the bar, peering around Nina's body, "excuse me, what's the hold up? I've been waiting several minutes for my tea."

Nina lifted her head and turned to the woman wearing a fancy pantsuit. She noticed Jezabelle in the background with her arms crossed and a smug expression on her face. Nina sweetly smiled at the woman, "I'm extremely sorry ma'am, I'm trying to best I can seeing as we're understaffed. You ordered the Earl Grey tea, correct?"

"Yes," the woman nodded.

"I'll go ahead and upgrade your drink from a small to a large, free of charge," Nina sincerely expressed. The woman gave a light gesture of acknowledgment, before stepping back to let Nina continue working. Jezabelle scoffed.

With a sleeve surrounded, double cupped soy vanilla latte with extra whipped cream in her hand, Nina gently placed it on the hand-off station with a smirk, "Jezabelle, I have your drink ready. And I promise that it's been made with more care than you could ever ask for."

Jezabelle took a sip of her drink, glaring at Nina with a raised brow. Nina simply turned away, back into the motion of drink making, calling them out at a faster pace. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the queen bee approach the counter with her drink in hand. Nina grumbled to herself, awaiting for what complaint she'd have this time. Though before Jezabelle could open her mouth, she was interjected by another customer,

"Excuse me miss?"

"Yes sir?" Nina faced the handsome man.

"This is by far one of the best tea lattes I've ever had. You've done a marvelous job working," the man complimented. Nina's eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock, trying to find the words to say.

"Really sir? You have no idea how much your words mean to me. Thank you, you're really kind," Nina bowed her head, completely taken aback.

"I've been watching you for the past few minutes, making drinks like some kind of coffee connoisseur, and you still manage to do it with a big grin on your face. Even when a snooty girl tried to say otherwise," the man praised, his cheeks red from his chuckles. Jezabelle scowled and stomped away in anger, a smile forming on Nina's face.

"Stop sir, you're making me blush," Nina touched her flushed cheeks.

"I'm only stating the truth little lady. What did you say your name was?"

"Nina Dela Vera sir,"

"Dela Vera?"

"Yes?" Nina instantly felt a nervous tug to her insides. Maybe that was a mistake.

"Ah, your dad is great man," he commended. "I've done business with him when he still worked at Piers. He'll definitely have my vote, though he never mentioned he had such a lovely daughter."

Nina blushed again. Who was this man?

The man looked down at his wristwatch and gasped, "oh my. I've got to get home soon. Can't keep the misses waiting. She's been home all day with our baby boy, but Nina…" the man sat his beverage down on the counter and pulled out a wallet from the inside of his jacket pocket. He pulled out 50 Euros and handed it to Nina, "this is for you. You certainly deserve it."

"Sir, I can't," Nina pushed the man's hand away, shaking her head. 50 Euros was almost 70 U.S. dollars, and this generous tip was something she couldn't accept.

"No, I insist. Please! You come from a great family," he pushed the paper money back to Nina, who hesitantly took the bill. "It's my pleasure Nina. Tell your dad that if he needs anything, he'll have my full support."

"Thank you so much sir," Nina breathed, still in awe. Just as the man turned away, Nina quickly realized that she didn't know who this mysterious and generous person was. "Wait! What is your name?"

The man turned around and with a smirk he announced, "Greg Horan."

Horan? Nina wondered if Niall had an older brother. She let his name linger in her mind as she continued making every drink. The small rush they had stopped, and her coworker who was on register jumped on bar to help with the line of beverages. There was a tap on her shoulder and Nina turned around. She became face to face with a burly man with greying hair--- her manager, Mr. Hamilton.

"Sir, can I help you with something?" Nina asked, holding a pitcher to her chest. Mr. Hamilton was always a stern man and often intimidated the entire staff.

"Come to the back, I need to talk to you about something," Nina looked behind her at the cups waiting to be filled with Le Petite Cafe's trademarked hand-crafted drinks. Sensing her worry, Mr. Hamilton shook his hand, "don't worry about the drinks. The rush is gone, and both Jane and Heathcliff will be here at any moment to start their shift."

"Okay," Nina nodded. She followed Mr. Hamilton through the back hall, past the office, and towards the small storage closet where they kept extra espresso beans, syrups, and cups.

Mr. Hamilton turned his head back at Nina and smiled. This was a side not many got to see, but as a supporter of Nina's dad, Mr. Hamilton couldn't help but to be very accommodating, "you may take your dinner break now. Someone's waiting for you."

Mr. Hamilton unlocked the back storage room, punching in a four-number code into the keypad. There was a click, and Mr. Hamilton pushed open the door. He held it open, gesturing for Nina to walk in first. She walked into the large closet, steel shelves lining the walls, filled to the brim with supplies. And in the center was a round table draped in a white cloth. There were paper boxes of takeout on the table, and sitting there with a goofy grin and a snapback hat to maintain his unruly head of curls, was Harry.

"Baby! I brought you dinner!"

Notes

Hola Ladies,

Just got back to school, and I decided to post Chapter 30 today. I hope you all like it, and this story so far. I started planning out the rest of this story, and it's about half-way done. I don't know how many chapters it'll take to finish, because I know once it winds down to the very end, I'm going to take lots and lots of time to make it as perfect as I can get it! Thanks so much for taking the time to read my story, and leaving feedback if you have. I really appreciate it.... If you haven't read my Author's Note that I posted earlier, then I'd like to tell you about my newest story called ZERO TO EIGHTY.... Please do check it out and see if it's something you'd like to read. Please vote up, subscribe, and leave feedback on it too.

Thanks,

-Erica Jaine

Comments

OMG ARE YOU FILIPINO TOO?!

Infinite Love Infinite Love
10/12/14

Pleasee continueee!!! Howw cann doo thiss to uss!! Firstt youu kill Gemm!! Then Nialler!!! Andd noww Ninaa?!!! Andd i'vee been thinkingg thatt Harry died too,, i mean, the last sentence makes it seem like itt!!!!! Pleasee gurrlllll PLEEEEASEE postt the epilougeee iff you dont want me to die with thosee three (four in mi opinion) beautiesss!!!!!! Ii lovee the storiii andd argggg i wantt, i mean, i NEED to noww whatt happens!!!! Luvv yaa

Tommo_Be_Like Tommo_Be_Like
8/12/14

@ThatRandomUnicorn Haha nonliteral murder is what my stories are here for! Yass, Jezabelle has major issues that she totally needs to handle. Thank you again for reading and sticking with this story for such a long time! I seriously appreciate it!!

<33

ericajaine ericajaine
8/6/14

@Ray_Haque THANK YOU UBER MUCH!! <3333

ericajaine ericajaine
8/6/14

Commenting is the least I can do to tell you how much I love and appreciate your story, and it doesn't take too much time to do so, so I figure why not comment? But oh my gosh, I cannot believe that was the last chapter and all that's left is an epilogue. And this chapter just… I think it slightly killed me - more than you already nonliterally have that is - when you killed her off and then with Harry and everything. And freaking Jezabelle… Don't even get me started on how much I want to murder that bitch right now. The chapter is written beautifully nonetheless, and I can't wait for the epilogue. xx