FOR THE ONE WHO STAYED ─ A peaky blinders fanfiction
━ IN WHICH, Elizabeth Shelby has to come to terms with the fact that sharing a name does not necessarily mean family.
━ AND IN WHICH, a father and daughter must learn how to find each other again...
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1916, Spring
The school was ramshackle, with corridors like trenches in the war. The forsaken floor was run over by dusty patent shoes that were supposed to be shiny. The heavy breathing belonged to two scraggy figures, with hairs blond and black. The Shelby kid skidded at the turn, the blond one slowing down instead, and Effy almost fell on her face because of her shoelaces, but her friend stopped the tragedy in time with a glorious save.
"They comin' Effy, let's go!" Urged the angel-faced.
"I'm tryin' Jane" Huffed Effy, stuffing the mud-drenched laces in her shoe. Jane tugged herarms, and they started running again.
"Get back here you pikey witch!" Screeched through the hall a girl with others behind her.
The two fleeing girls laughed at the others chasing behind them, knowing very well they were too far away to catch them. Jane pushed the door open, letting Effy practically fly out of the school, and she landed in a puddle of mud, painting her white and blue uniform brown. Jane burst out laughing, her beautiful smile taking over her face. But the furious girls after them were not slowing down, making Jane go into action, and pulling her friend out of the puddle with one energetic tug.
"You'll pay for that, gypsy dirt!" Shouted the red-faced lass, spitting after the two receding figures.
Effy and Jane were out of breath when arriving at the betting shop, and yet they were still snickering at one other.
"What in the name of Jesus happened to you?" Yelled Polly with an honest concerned expression, dropping a clean dish loudly in the sink. Ada, who was sitting at the table, bit her lips suppressing a laugh. Effy grinned, covered in slimy, brown stuff, her hair dried up from the mud too.
"I was chased by Nancy Chapman and her pack" She explained, not bothered the slightest bit. "Fell in mud" She looked down on herself and getting out of her shiners, the dried filth scattered everywhere.
"Oi!" Screamed Ada, lifting her feet to avoid the dried mud flying in her way. "Don't get my new shoes dirty!"
"Piss off Ada" Effy spat, but Pol was not bothered by the bickering girls.
"Why?" Polly demanded, tilting her head sinisterly. Effy hesitated and side-eyed Jane for some kind of help, but she threatened with her eyes not wanting to share on Polly's anger.
"I-I may have told her to give me five bob if she wanted a fortune telling" Said Effy innocently, and Ada grinned at her antics.
"And?" Shot Aunt Pol impatiently.
"I told her future husband would leave her for me, and that she'd grow a giant wart on her forehead" Effy stated with ease, and digging deep into her pockets, she whacked the five bob on the table without a word. Ada warily glanced at Polly, and she saw as she closed her eyes feebly.
