The Next Step - Season 8 (Fanfiction)

3.

Henry arrived outside Jacquie's house's expensive electric gates. He typed in the code and drove into the big courtyard where in the middle a waterfall was situated. All he could do was marvel at Jacquie's fathers big Greystone house. Only to feel intimidated. Staring up at the massive white pillars which supported a balcony, he slowly stepped up each polished step. What if her dad didn't let him in? He was pretty sure Jacquie's dad didn't really like him very much. Many thoughts crossed his mind as he knocked on their fancy door with the silver lionhead knocker. It was opened only seconds later by Jacquie's dad who looked like he had been crying.

"Um... Hi Mr Emerson..." Henry said, nervously

"Hi Henry. Please call me Ed." Mr Emerson said, drying his eyes and smiling

"I was wondering if it was ok to see Jacquie... and Romelia?" Henry asked, awkwardly

"Sure... Romie is currently napping and I think Jacquie is upstairs. Right this way..." Mr Emerson said, leading Henry into their big hallway, where a fancy chandelier hung

"Third door on the left." Mr Emerson said, gesturing to the upstairs

"Thank you!" Henry said, making his way upstairs

"And uh, Henry?" Mr Emerson said, making Henry stop, "Jac's lucky to have you... she never really got over Zach's death, neither did her mother - Jacquie was just a living reminder of him... and her and Davis were really close but she's gone too now... so it's good to know she has someone to rely on..."

"Thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that." Henry said, thinking over what he was going to say to Jacquie

He soon made his way to Jacquie's big bedroom, the door was wide open and he could just make out a small teenage girl on the super-king size bed leaning over and looking down at a picture frame, sobbing. He passed Romelia's crib which was next to Jacquie's bed, checking on her. She was asleep. Good.

"Jacquie?" Henry said, softly, "Are you ok?"

No response, only crying. He sat down next to her on her bed and put his arm around her. He saw what she was looking at. A photograph, a family photograph. One of her mother, father, brother, herself and Davis on a beach wearing white sun dresses and the boys white suits. They looked so happy, especially her mother.

"Jacquie, I'm so sorry. I know I messed up big time, I should've never told you how to raise your own daughter. I just... I always felt like she was my own... you know... not that idiot, Jack's. I guess I was jealous... that she was his. He doesn't deserve her..." Henry confessed, thinking nervously about how Jacquie was going to respond

"I didn't want to do it. He pressured me, but at least one good thing came out of it all, Romelia." Jacquie said, crying some more

"Oh, Jacquie! I'm so sorry I wasn't there." Henry said, beginning to cry

"You were there... I'm alive because of you! All I ever do is push you away..." Jacquie said

"Do you mind if I ask you something...?" Henry asked

"Shoot..." Jacquie said

"Two years go, you didn't break up with me because of some other guy, right?" Henry asked

"Of course not! I just said that... the truth is... when Zach died... I just couldn't take it! I wanted to die too... I was always upset and I didn't want you to have to cope with me constantly being un-happy so, I thought that if I just made up some lame excuse, you'd buy it... and you did." Jacquie said

"Oh, Jacquie!" Henry said, hugging her

"I'm sorry for shouting at you..." Jacquie admitted

"I'm sorry too." Henry replied