XO *MODERN TOMMY SHELBY*

s e v e n

The texts were consistent, everything was going well. My phone was constantly buzzing and alerting me that Tommy was texting me. I got the daily good mornings and goodnights, even some how are you's in the bloody middle of that sandwich. And then, slowly, but surely, the conversations faded.

I didn't get to see Tommy either. He was busy, or in London but our schedules would crash. Because the day he'd fly to London would be the day I have a major test, or a project due. Anyways, the point was, things just fizzled out and that was annoying and heartbreaking to say the least.

I really enjoyed the company of Tommy Shelby, even if it was us having sex.

It's been exactly two weeks.

"I don't think that's fair. Two weeks!" Marie exclaims, and grabs my phone. "Just fucking text him, who cares if he's busy."

"Text him what?"

She gets my password in one go. "Text him: hey fuckface–"

"Marie!" I scowl.

"Alright," She nods, "You text him this: hey, I'm just wondering," She says as she taps her thumbs into my phone, "wondering if maybe you want to continue to get to know me because I would love to get to know you."

"That sounds a bit needy, no?"

"Well when you're masturbating to the man every night–"

I shake my head, covering my disgustingly large smile. "He's no good for me." I sigh.

"You're right!" She exclaims and deletes the words. "Let's just say this then, okay? 'Sex was good but you suck!"

"No!" I reach for my phone but my arms are way too short. "Marie! Fucking no!"

"The man has a million private jets! He should just fly you out to see him. He's being a prick!"

We were sat in the library, where people gave us some serious side eye. To be fair, people gave you side eye even if you opened a pack of crisps. I was whisper-screaming, we were having a whisper-argument.

Finally, she gives me my phone and points a finger at me. "Listen you prune," She gets distracted looking up and opens her mouth, her eyes drifting off, "Y-you need to message him and ask him if— Oh my God." She raises her head and looks far from me. "The hell is he doing here?"

"What?" I turn around hoping, praying, and even a little scared that Tommy would be walking up to us but instead, and to my perfect luck, Mika walks over. "Fuck." I exhale.

Turning to meet Marie's eyes, and turn my back to Mika, she looks up at him and rolls her eyes.

"What do you want?" She asks him.

"Want to talk to my girl." I hear him say.

"I'm not your girl." I scoff.

"She ain't your girl mate, buzz off." Marie replies for me.

"Shayleen, you just not going to talk to me?" He nudges my chair.

"Fuck off, Mika." I snap.

"Yeah, why don't you talk to your fucking girlfriend in Cardiff, Mika?" Oh Marie, I love you.

"What girlfriend? The only girlfriend I've got is youse, Shay." His voice is milky, and I almost fall for it. Damn it. "Come on, talk to me. It's been a fuckin' month."

I turn around finally and look at him, Mika. Ah, such a handsome man. With black hair and these stunning blueish, green eyes. He's got prominent features, a good nose and a good set of teeth too. He's tall and buff and handsome, a good cock too. We met each other in the mandatory math elective. But, we really met at Greg's party.

I really loved Mika. Or at least I felt like I did.

It's a shame he's a damn cheater.

"Fine." I hiss. Standing up, I walk over to the side of the library and fold my arms over my chest. "What is it?"

"You look..." He stops right there. "Gorgeous."

"I feel fucking gorgeous." I squeeze my arms, you go girl! I'm a sass machine. "Honestly, I'm buzzing."

"Are you," He chuckles now, all cool like. Like he can't really believe that I'm buzzing. Fucking prick. He kicks his foot out and tilts his foot, examining his shoe or something. With his hands in his pockets, Mika looks so unbothered. It only infuriated me, set me on fire!

"Yeah. I'm actually seeing someone." I blurt out.

He doesn't take a liking to that. No, instead, Mika stops slouching his shoulders and takes his hands from his pocket. He says to me, "Really?"

"Yup."

"Who?"

I look around and pout. "Don't think that's any of your business." I'm biting at him now. I feel rude, I feel good. Again, I squeeze my arms, arch my back, smirk. "Because if I think about it, it was you who fucked up and didn't tell me about the girlfriend in Cardiff."

"I fucked up,"

"Yeah, you did."

"I want you to give another chance."

"Another what!?" I snap.

People violently shush me. I get a few people kissing their teeth too, with that, I loose the attitude and snap at him, but with my eyes. I remember the way I gasped seeing his girlfriend, her showing me the texts – solidifying everything.

"You know what," I decide to throw my arms up and walk away. "You can fuck right off."

"Oi!" He yells as I push past him, but it's too late. I'm already back to my seat. It's Marie who looks up at me with curious and worried eyes. I'm shoving my textbook and laptop into my backpack, she's in shock.

"You leaving with him?!" She whisper-screams.

"No!" I whisper-speak back.

"Oh, okay."

"We're leaving." I tell her.

She nods, and hurried to put her stuff away too. Yanking her charger out of the shared outlets, nearly dropping her cup of lukewarm tea on the shared tables. People hiss and puff about us, but I don't give a fuck. I feel like this library is suffocating me. Like it's grabbed me by the throat, I, all of a sudden feel like I can't breathe.

In my head, I've decided I was going to get sloshed tonight. It's a Thursday, but I don't really ever attend my lectures of Friday's. And sure, I've got that Econ paper due but that's when Marie, the Econ student, comes in handy.

Finally, Marie and I are out of the old rustic library and walking down the green campus with our arms linked. She's smoking a modest cigarette, a habit she's picked up but really only ever does it when she remembers the broken pack in her bag.

She offers me a toke, and when I take a decent pull, I immediately miss smoking weed. Now, it's not a drug I park take in very much, but I definitely dabble. And tonight, I want to go to the limit.

The thought of the last time I got high and drunk makes me laugh, when I look up at Marie, I can't stop giggling. "Can we get fucked up tonight?"

She takes the cigarette from me and raises her hands. "Fuck yeah!" She shouts like a true wild child.