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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Asking John Shelby for directions was the worst idea ever. He mumbled a bit before giving extremely confusing directions. Oh yes and calling me stupid, I felt a bit stupid sometimes. Like when John gave directions to Charlie's Yard I had completely forgotten my left and right. Maybe I am stupid?
It took me ages to find Charlie's Yard, I was hoping it would be worth all the struggle of navigating through Birmingham off John's directions. I kept repeating his words in my head, but that didn't help and confused me more. After an hour of searching Birmingham from top to bottom, I finally came across the canal. Just follow the canal.
Narrowboats passed me every ten minutes or so, the majority of them were coming from London. All it took was one canal boat and I would be home. Weirdly, I didn't want to leave. Even though I had been a bit stupid so far in Birmingham, it was nice to be with Freya again. I mean I had only come for a short two-week visit, but I didn't want to go home. I didn't want to face the reality of my life, even if that meant staying in Birmingham till I died.
Breaking out of my thought trance, I looked up. I stood at the edge of a yard, filled with scrap metal, stables, a canal and horses. Finally, I was at Charlie's Yard. It wasn't much, but it was outside and there were several horses. Which honestly was the main reason I came.
Wondering to one of the stables I peered inside, a small horse lay under the hay, maybe it was a pony? Overall it was cute, I could feel my whole heart being captured by this little horse, covered in hay, snuggled up and warm. Moving to the next stable, a huge stallion of a horse stood by the opening, swishing its head from side to side. It wasn't as cute as the pony, yet it was still gorgeous. Its coat was a black silky colour, with a long mane and tail.
Stretching my arm into the stable, I reached my hand to words the horse mane to stroke it. The horse backed off into the darkness of the stable, why was it scared of me? "Hey... " I spoke to the horse in a sweet voice, "What's your name? "
"It's Grace's Secret. " Came the voice of Thomas Shelby from behind me, my heart almost left my body. I did not expect to hear Thomas's voice, I thought the yard was empty. Turning around to face him, he stood in his usual position, hands in his waistcoat pockets, a cigarette resting on his lips and a cold, lifeless stare watching me.
"He's a nice-looking horse. " I replied, pulling my fur coat tighter around myself.
"He's a pain in the arse-" Tommy walked up to the stable door, taking his hands out of his pocket he rested them on the ledge, watching the horse in the darkness. Turning around to also face the horse, the horse stood in the darkness not daring to approach me or Thomas. "Who's Grace? " I asked, "I mean... It's a girl's name and that a... Boy horse? "
"He's a racing horse, it's just a name, " Tommy replied, taking the cigarette from his lips and leaning his body into the stable. For a few minutes, we watched Secret, hoping it would approach us, rather than cower in the darkness. "Who's the little horse? " I asked.
"You mean the pony? " Thomas chuckled, "C'mon you must know something about horses. "
I shook my head. I had only ever seen horses from distances, or pulling carriages. Moving back to the other stable, Thomas followed behind me. The pony was still buried under hay, getting a closer look at it, the pony had a white coat and mane, all covered with hay and muck. "Do you want to go say hello? " Tommy calmly asked. "Can I? " I smiled. Thomas unlocked the stable door, "Go on then. " He placed the cigarette back between his lips, the smell of tobacco and cologne surrounding him like a cloud. Pushing the door open, I looked at my green kitten heels. They really won't built for stables and I proved that theory right. Only after three steps into the stable had I stood in horse shit. Lifting my foot my face grimaced, "Fuck sake... " I huffed. A low chuckle came from Tommy, "Got shit on your shoes? "
"Yep. " I continued to walk towards the pony, trying to ignore the squelching under my left shoe. Slightly dragging my foot across the stable floor to scrape off any horse crap, I could feel the hay sticking to the bottom of my shoe. Looking back at Tommy, he was only leaning against the stable door, judging me as I scraped my left heel across the floor.
"Do you want me to hold your shoe for you?" Tommy laughed.
"No...No," I scraped my shoe across the stable floor one last time, "I am fine-ahh!" The last scrape of my shoe had caused me to trip up mid-sentence, and now I was sitting in the muck, hay and almost landing on the horse. "No-no-no! ugh!" My fur coat was completely covered in hay, clinging to the fur. My hair also hand hay in it, making my neat curls now frizzy and standing up. Both my hands had landed in horse muck. Disgusting.
"You took a tumble." Tommy stated the obvious, moving into the stable, "Almost scared my pony."
"Your pony?" I exclaimed, "What about me...and my nice lovely fur coat."
"We can get you another fur coat," Tommy sighed, reaching down to help me up.
Reaching for his hand, I finally noticed mine, "My hands!?" I shrieked, "They are covered in Muck?!"
"And...." Tommy grabbed my hands, pulling me up, "Never got dirt under your fingernails?"
"Oh yeah and like you have." I giggled until I realized he probably fought in France, so yes he did.
"It's only mud it will wash off," Tommy sighed, his hands quickly running over my fur coat to brush the lumps of hay out.
"It's horse shit...smell," I raised my hand to his face before he backed away quickly, " Your not scared of a bit of horse crap? Are you-?" Once again I shoved my hands near his face as he dodged back even quicker.
"Wash your hands!" Tommy's voice snapped as he left the stable in a rush, before returning with a bucket of water. As soon as he returned I instantly dipped my shoe in it, couldn't risk ruining the shoes there designer. "Really?" Tommy sounded fed up, "The water was for your hands."
"Oh right." kneeling and sticking my hands in the ice-cold water I gave them a quick rub together, Tommy was still watching my every move. To stop him from looking at me, I flicked water straight at his face. Huge mistake.
"Oh," Tommy calmly replied, "You wanna play that game?" In one smooth motion, he kicked over the bucket of water that I was kneeling next to while washing my hands. Water covered me from head to toe, dirty water. My fur coat was not going to be saved.
Looking up Tommy was gone, I was too focused on my fur coat to notice he had left the stable. I had to get revenge on Thomas Shelby.
