Even Angels Fall (Harry Styles)

Chapter 2

Even Angels Fall ~ Chapter 2

I placed the last of the white porcelain mugs into the cupboards, snatching a wet cloth from beside the sink and proceeding to wipe down the crumby table tops. Breathing a sigh of relief, I untied the black apron from behind my back, slinging it up onto a hook as I made my way towards the front of the small coffee shop.

I was given the late shift again, left to deal with a few unruly strings of customers that popped by before sundown for a quick cuppa, maybe a nibble or two. I nudged a few stray chairs into their places, my hands moving to straighten the salt and pepper shakers on the table as if I were programmed to.

As I trudged through the empty shop the only sound that could be heard was the soft scuff of my ballet flats on the chocolate floorboards and the faint clinking of coin hitting coin as my small tip pouch jiggled with my movements. The new dress I’d worn had certainly drawn in a few more tippers, all reeking of testosterone of course, but hey I got something.

 It had been a busy day, tiring to say the least, but I needed the money; it was my only way of finishing my arts course in university and pay off my rent for the apartment up top. Art was my life – sketching in particular. I used to envy my elder sister for being able to draw so well and then, as I grew up, I fell into the habit of picking up a pencil and paper whenever my emotions overwhelmed me, and then it would all just come pouring out. Every curl and curve, every edge and crevice conjured through some sort of emotion; particularly anger.

Things weren’t the best at home – mum and dad always fought, they stopped getting along like they used to, and things were tough financially too. We weren’t poor but we could never afford anything fancy, we just scraped past. When mum and dad split I think we all saw it coming, not a surprise really. We’d hear them each night, their booming voices all but leaking through the paper-thin walls. Mum went off, found herself some other man, and took my sister with her, too. Dad as left with me, but he hardly had time, what with his business finally hitting off he didn’t have the time of day to sit around and take care of a growing girl.

I was snapped out of my reverie as the little sound of the bell twinkled, signalling a new customer. My head snapped up, my own blue eyes landing on an all too familiar set of jade ones. He was back. I groaned internally, turning away and trying to make myself look busy with nothing in particular. As I came to back away into the kitchen however, I knocked into a sturdy figure, my back pressed against a warm chest.

“Hello Princess.” He cooed, his hot breath tingling against my ear.

“I told you not to call me that.” I nudged his stomach with my elbow, hoping to knock him back enough to move away. When my elbow only hit against a well-defined set of abs I felt my shoulders slump, the thought of not being able to hurt him downing my mood. His deep chuckle vibrated against my back as he snaked an arm around my waist, tugging me further into his body.

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing in here?” He asked, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear as he spoke softly into my ear.

“I work here.”

“You work?” I could hear the genuine surprise in his voice, almost picturing his dark eyebrows raised against his forehead.

“Yes Harry, I work. We’re not all famous pop stars; some of us actually have to work to get what we want.”

He spun me around by my hips, turning me so that there was a sparing distance between our chests. His dark eyes locked on mine, scrounging for some sort of emotion it seemed. What are you after, Styles? I couldn’t help but wonder.

Several moments of silence passed between us and I took it as my chance to break free of his hold, turning away from him and off behind the counter where I belonged. “You work here.” He mumbled softly, eyes roaming the quaint coffee shop as he said so.

“Is there something wrong with here?” I asked, reaching up to grab a mug from the shelf.

“No, it’s just I didn’t picture you in such a…quiet place.” He perched himself on one of the many stools before the front counter, leaning his elbows on the caramel-coloured surface. Of course he couldn’t picture me in a place like this! All he’s seen of me was a wild, flirtatious party animal that was probably the first girl to resist giving him what he wanted.

“Yeah, well it’d be hard to when you don’t really know me.” His eyes landed on me as I filled the cup with steaming black coffee, folding the milk in to make an intricate design of a leaf on the frothy surface. “How much sugar?” I asked. “None thanks.” I slid the mug over to him, packing away what I had used and then returning to face him from over the bench.

“Okay,” he began, “then tell me a bit about you.”

I shrugged my shoulders, leaning back on the bench top as I fiddled with the belt on my dress. “Not much to tell.”

“There’s gotta’ be something.” He peered at me from over the rim of his mug.

“I left home when I was old enough, started out washing dishes in a downtown restaurant. When I’d saved up enough I applied for an arts course in uni and I came across this place on my way back home one day. They were looking for workers, I needed the money. Now I work here part-time and rent out the flat up there.” I jerked my chin towards the ceiling, gesturing towards my flat above us.

He was silent for a moment. “Why’d you leave home?”

“Why so many questions?” I picked up his mug and washed it out at the sink, using it as an excuse to turn away from his unwavering gaze.

“Go out with me.” He randomly blurted after a few moments.

“What?”

“Go out with me.” He rose from the stool, coming around to my side of the bench as I dried my hands off on a tea towel. “Let me take you out Saturday night. Me, you, dinner at say…seven o’clock?” I quirked an eyebrow at the curly-haired boy, going over all the possibilities in my head.

My first thought was he just wanted a reason to have sex, but then someone like him wouldn’t waste his time romancing a girl, he could get sex wherever he wanted. Then, a little dinner couldn’t hurt, right?

I flicked my gaze back to his, expectant orbs watching me intently. “Alright, pick me up at 6.”