• THE ONE • A Thomas Shelby Fanfic •

C11 - The Truth Behind Us

When I was fifteen years old, I fell in love with a young man by the name of Thomas Michael Shelby. How did I know it? Well, the same day I realized I was madly in love with him, I also had to fall out of love with him.

It was a calm, dark autumn evening...

He walked me home, such handsy young teenagers we were. I almost want to laugh now.

We were inseparable. Tommy held my books, had my backpack hunched over his shoulder. He looked darling, his hair falling over his face as he sent me a crooked smile. And he managed to still throw his arm around my small frame, cuddling me up despite us spending so much time cuddling in his bed less than an hour ago.

"You look at the stars a lot." He comments, a low whisper in my ear. One that brings a tickle to my skin.

I get caught in the web of stars easily. Seeing horses galloping, children playing in the beautiful night sky. He doesn't see what I see. No, rather that, Tommy sees what the ordinary human views when they look up at the stars. Twinkling lights in a rather dark sky. 'That's your magic,' mother had informed me, I still remember her words, 'you, you're special, Bria. Don't you forget it. Strange things will begin to happen. This is just the beginning. You'll need to keep this a secret. The world, the people, they don't understand it.'

He doesn't understand it, I tell myself, wishing that I could somehow make him see the beautiful stars tat I see.

I dart my eyes up to his and poke at his side. "And you look at me quite a lot."

"Hah!" He pulls me into his chest. Thomas smells like sex. "You're the only thing I've got me sights on."

Tommy gives the top of my head a kiss as I intertwine my fingers with his. My heart jumps with so much excitement. He's lights me up, it's as easy as that. Somehow, he carried the light to my life.

"Love you, Bria." Thomas smiles.

I grin helplessly, cuddling into his chest. "Say it louder, so that the stars can hear you."

He looks up at the sky and hollers. "I love you, Bria!"

We always had a lot of time to be together. Sure, we were stupid kids, doing stupid things, but we always had that time together. Time for me to get to know Tommy, and time for him to get to know me. I fell madly in love with the interwoven traits he has, the heart and soul that came with the man I loved.

I knew he hated his dad, but he carries so many good memories to allow the bad to get in the way. Tommy was gentle, no matter how much his older brother wasn't. No matter how much he looked up to Arthur, unlike his brother, Tommy couldn't hurt a fly. But he said for his mum, he'd really contemplate hurting a lad if he ought to.

In the night sky, my eyes widen as all I can see is a pitch black evening. There are no more stars, I grow curious and look around feeling a certain emptiness. The wind picks up, leaves pooling around my feet. I'm bare foot, in a white nightgown. I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Tommy?" I ask, spinning around with caution. Where did he go?

I look at my bare arms wondering where the hell my coat was. And where was Thomas. I freeze once my eyes land on a tall man who stands directly across from me. I cannot see a face, but I see a figure of a man.

Before my eyes, a man stands to the end of the street. A man who looks exactly like Tommy, and yet so different. I freeze, paralyzed as he stands in the dark street. He stands under single lamppost, it flickers on and off, wearing a long coat, hat, he's skinny like Tommy. Is that Tommy?

As if he's trying to taunt me, he turns around and begins to walk away.

"Thomas?" I take a step towards him.