Two Friends have recently arrived back in Birmingham, both trying to create a new life for themselves in style and riches. Jazz clubs and nightlife are typical scenes to them until one night they bump into the Shelby's.
Both the girls wish for a...
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After returning to Freya's accommodation, she rested a hand on my shoulder and turned to me. "Are you alright? " she asked, squeezing my shoulder for reassurance.
"Yeah?! " I awkwardly laughed, "Why wouldn't I be ok? "
"Because you pulled a gun out at a Jazz club. "
"I'm fine, " a loud sigh escaped my lips, "Who were the men you were talking with anyway? " I asked, trying to dodge the subject of how I felt.
"Funny you should mention that... They uhm well... " Freya seemed lost for words, "Well they are The Shelbys, "
"Do they live here?" I asked, hoping to god they didn't. Otherwise, I would never hear the last about taking a gun to a nightclub.
Freya nodded. "They will be here soon... They followed us home. "
"Oh. " oh? That was all I could say, I wish I could go to a hotel for the night. Get away from this mess I made, leave all my problems behind. But I was stuck.
"Are you sure you're alright? " Freya asked again, starting to walk up the stairs.
"I just need the toilet... "
"alright... I will be upstairs. " Freya smiled.
I didn't need the toilet. I just needed a minute alone. Rushing into the kitchen, I shut the door behind me quickly. I didn't even bother to look up before I slid down onto the floor. Resting my hands on my face, I could feel the heat rising from embarrassment. My face felt bright red, all I wanted to do was scream. How could I be so stupid?! A gun? A thud came from the other side of the kitchen, looking up I saw a man with dark hair and a suit on, who I had been completely oblivious to when I entered the kitchen. For a few seconds, he stood on the other side of the kitchen, in complete silence. His face was defined, and his eyes were cold and judging me.
"Sorry... " I muttered, getting up off the kitchen floor.
As I turned the door handle to leave, he replied, "And... Who are you? "
"Bonnie... Darcy? " as if my last name made a difference.
"Bonnie? Let me guess... " his voice had a thick Birmingham accent, "Are you one of Freya's friends? "
"Yeah, " my voice turned high-pitched and awkward before I fell silent again. The sound of this man lighting a cigarette filled the silent atmosphere, he took a long drag before resting his blue eyes on me.
"Do you smoke? " His hand moved towards me, offering me the cigarette.
Plucking the cigarette from his hands, I looked up, "Thanks, Mr... "
"Shelby, " he replied watching me take a drag from his cigarette, "Thomas Shelby. "
I watched his eyes follow my hand, watching me take the cigarette from my lips and offer it back to him.
"Keep it, " he sighed, "It's only a cigarette. "
"Cheers." I smiled, before turning to leave.
"Before you go-" His voice grew harsher, "Tell Freya that Finn was asking for her earlier. " A small chuckle escaped his lips before I left the kitchen.
Walking up the stairs, Freya appeared at the top, "You took a while in the toilet, " she giggled, "What were you doing? "
"Throwing a party-" I replied sarcastically, taking another drag of Thomas's cigarette.
"And where did you get that from? " Freya asked pointing at the cigarette resting in my fingers, "Did the toilet give it to you? "
"No-" I laughed entering her room, "Thomas gave it to me-"
"Tommy? " Freya quickly replied, "Tommy gave it to you? "
"Yeah...? "
"Did he say anything? About the gun situation? " Freya asked, lying on her bed.
"I don't think he knows but he did want me to tell you-"
"What? " Freya jerked up a bit, a smile forming on her face.
"Finn was asking for you earlier, "
Freya's smile became bigger as a quiet giggle escaped her lips.
"ok... " I replied, "Will Thomas be angry about the whole gun thing..?"
"yeah. " Freya looked up, "He probably just sees you as an extra... Along as it doesn't affect him, he doesn't care. "
"Oh. " an extra?!
"It's more Polly I would be scared of," Freya looked up at me from her bed, "That's their aunt, she and Tommy kinda run the household." Freya yawned, looking up at me again, "Bonnie..."
"Yeah-" I smiled, sitting next to her.
"It's one am." Freya yawned again, "I think I'm going to sleep."
"Oh...Goodnight." I replied, standing up from her bed as she buried herself under the covers.
I waited for a goodnight back but got no response. She really must be tired. Heading back downstairs I decided to head back to the kitchen. to see if anyone was there, mainly to see if Tommy was still there, for someone to talk to. Entering the kitchen, Thomas was gone. Like smoke, he had disappeared. All that was left was the butt of a cigarette, stubbed out in an ashtray.
Looking through the door, I saw my bed for the next two weeks. A two-person couch in front of the fireplace. Great.
***
Finally, after lingering around the house for half an hour, I decided to accept my fate on the couch. I was changed fully into my nice silk pajama set. For another five minutes, I searched the house from top to bottom for a spare blanket. No spare blankets. Even better, in the middle of winter I had no blanket and only the dying embers of the fireplace to keep me warm.
I ended up with a sort of makeshift bed, using the sofa cushions as pillows and my fur coat as a blanket. Crawling up into a ball so I could fit on the couch, I could feel the springs penetrating through the top layer of the couch's fabric. Jabbling sharply into my skin.
Watching the fire, my eyelids felt heavy. Before I knew it I was asleep.
***
I woke up to sunlight streaming through the living room windows. My whole body was in pain, cramped up, and squeezed onto the tiny couch. My nice silk pajamas had gotten caught on the springs of the couch. My hair was a mess. But I wasn't cold. The fire had a new piece of wood dumped in the middle of the fire, reaching down to pull my fur coat back around me, I noticed that it was no longer my coat resting on top of me, but a thick cotton quilt.
