𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚. 𝘈 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘮?
...
TO WATCH A FILM IS TO LIVE ANOTHER LIFE, and the ones you choose to watch reflect the life you desire most. Or at least that's what Elizabeth's Mother always said. Where one's life lacks, the brain always seeks to fulfil, and what better way to do so than through a film. That boost of serotonin and adrenaline you get when the lovers finally find each other, or when the hero avenges their Father at the end of the big fight; It all satisfies that empty void, but when it's over it only leaves you wanting more. Like the last puff a cigarette. An addiction.
As discussed the night before, the Shelby and Alder girls sit side by side in the Penny Crush Cinema. Elizabeth watch as the man on the screen swoop his woman into his arms for a kiss, and out of the corner of her eye sees Ada furrow her brows. For what does the young Ada Shelby desire most? A kiss from her lover? Or was it simply a man who can be there to hold her?
The details of Ada and Freddie's relationship became clear to Elizabeth earlier that day as Ada had told it all through joy and through tears. In love with her brother's best mate, or more like once best mate. Freddie Thorne has made a name for himself as a communist, which of course would be bad for business. Thomas of all people knew that to be true, which is why his younger and only sister had to sneak around through the shadows of night just to be with him.
Although still slightly worried, Elizabeth sit beside Ada with confidence that Freddie will return for her and their unborn child.
The sound of the theatre doors opening catch the attention of anyone in the room. Both Ada and Elizabeth turn their head back, and to both of their dismay see Thomas Shelby, an awfully annoyed one at that, waking towards them.
Ada let out a sigh as she had a feeling she already knew what he was gong to say. Before long Thomas sits himself down in the seat to the right of his golden haired girl, trapping her in between. A Shelby sandwich it seemed to be, and not a tasty one might she add.
"Tell me the man's name Ada", he says lowly and Elizabeth continue to stare straight at the screen, because as far as Thomas knew it had nothing to do with her.
"Rudolph Valentino", Ada replies, and not a second after the man gets up from his seat and walks towards the theatre doors.
The heads of both Ada and Elizabeth slowly turn to meet each other, as they both knew that what she had said was a lie; Fore Rudolph Valentino was the man on the screen.
As the seconds go by Ada lets out a sigh of hopeful relief, but Elizabeth knowing her ocean eyed boy knew he would be back in due time. And as if on cue, the once dark room fills with with light and the screen turns to black with the sound of a switch being turned.
Elizabeth bites the bottom of her lip as she know who's doing it is, Ada also thinking the same thing.
"Get out, all of you", the sound of Thomas' voice echoes though the room with the sound of the doors swinging back and forth from the force they were opened with, "Go on, now!"
Taking one last breath Elizabeth stands up from her seat to leave, but only to be pushed back down by her shoulder from the Shelby man who has returned once again to her right, but this time he stays standing. "I said tell me his fucking name", Thomas demands calmly yet with utmost anger in his tone.
A few moments of silence pass by between the three. Elizabeth, having been in many instances similar to this, knows well that silence keeps you safe. "Freddie fucking Thorne", Ada finally says and the silence from Thomas as a response suddenly becomes the loudest thing in the room.
"Yeah! Your best mate since school. The man that saved your life in France", Ada continues, "So go on, go and cut him! Cut him up and chuck him in the cut!"
Eyes down at the ground, Elizabeth could feel the presence of the man leave her side, and the sound of the theatre doors being pushed open indicate that he has in fact stormed out. "Oi!", Ada exclaims as she stands up to look back at the doors, "I'm a Shelby too you know! Put my fucking film back on."
And not more than a second after that the room fills with darkness as it was not even five minutes ago, and the film resumes its course.
Ada Shelby sits back down in her seat next to the golden haired girl with a huff. An exchange of looks between the two last a few brief moments before turning back to watch the film with Ada Shelby's so called lover.
...
A drink seemed to be needed for the golden haired girl after the ever so dramatic encounter with the middle Shelby brother. Elizabeth stand at the bar of The Garrison with the usual whiskey in hand, hoping to calm her thoughts. Poor Ada. Poor Freddie. Poor Thomas even. A girl who is in love with a man she seemingly shouldn't be. A man in constant run from the coppers as if there was a target painted on his back. And another man who cares for both but keeps his heart blocked up. For what it's worth, she was able to see and have an understanding from all sides.
As the alcohol burn the back of her throat, the doors of The Garrison swing open, catching the attention of everyone inside. The once loud chatter in the pub simmers down to a low grumble as Thomas strut in. From the looks of it he seemed to still be in a pissed off mood and all Elizabeth does is turn her back with hopes he walks into the room at the front. But one could only be so lucky. One notable thing about Thomas Shelby is that he knows when his presence is not wanted, which somehow only pushes him to do the exact opposite in most cases.
A peaky cap lands on the bar counter next to her whiskey glass, the infamous razor blades making a slight ping as they bounce off the stone top. Elizabeth let out a slight huff while rolling her eyes, as it was clear her wish was not made true.
"How long?", Thomas asks and she girl keeps her gaze down at her glass.
"I haven't got a clue what you're talking about Mr. Shelby", she says as the booze in her system has broken her filter just enough. But it wasn't like she wasn't lying, as he could be referring to anything: How long can she hold her breath under water? How long has she been engaged to William? How long has she known that Ada was with child? It truly could be anything.
"Don't start that with me", Thomas grunts as he can recall his golden haired girl's tendency to be a little more snarky than usual when tipsy.
"Oh come on Thomas", she retorts as she very well knows what he's referring to, "She's 22 for God's sake. She's her own bloody person now, she can be with and do as she pleases without having to ask your permission first."
No response comes from the man which sends a slight sense of worry through the girl's body. Although she is tipsy, she knows that if she were sober she would have chosen some wiser words. As she takes a subtle breath, Elizabeth hesitantly turn her head slowly to look at the man, who's eyes were already staring into her soul.
"Last night", she admits lowly in defeat, taking her eyes from his deathly glare and taking a sip of her drink.
The man loosens his gaze and Elizabeth can feel her shoulders relax a tad. To think that the man wouldn't confront her was a naïve thought she begins to think to herself. If Thomas Shelby isn't one thing, it would be foolish.
The sound of coins being placed on the bar top catches the girl's attention, and her eyes divert down and see a few pounds and shillings being placed and slid towards her by the Shelby man.
"Either you think I'm a whore or that I'm fucking poor and need your money", Elizabeth with a glare on her face as she sides the money back towards him, "Which for the record I am neither so I suggest you stop handing me your money like I am or we just might have a problem."
"A problem huh?", Thomas says with a breath that could be considered a slight laugh. Elizabeth gives a firm nod of her head as she keeps the glare on her face. With everything the golden haired girl has been through since her departure from Small Heath, every penny that had crossed her hand was earned through pure blood, sweat, and tears. Although she tends to be on the more modest side, she does give herself credit for getting herself to where she is now, as she has truly done it all by herself. Even without her fiancé she would still be well within her most comfortable means and she knows it.
"I could only assume you were out frolicking with my sister and... Rudolph Valentino because you couldn't find a dress to buy", he says and the girl raises her one brow at his comment.
The nerve of this man, Elizabeth thinks to herself. Although a little tipsy, she isn't drunk enough to let that thought slip. "What makes you think I haven't already got a dress?", Elizabeth remarks.
Thomas doesn't reply to the girls question as he knows for a fact she hasn't gone out yet. Although apart for quite some time, the Shelby man could still guess where the Alder girl would most likely go to fetch a dress, which is why he had paid the shop owner to hold a dress under her name for when she would evidently arrive. No confirmation of pick up only told Thomas Shelby one thing: she hasn't gone out to get a dress. But of course he would never tell. To tell the golden haired girl that he had done her anything as much as a favour, let alone got her a so called gift, after she left his ass in the mud to dry was out of the picture for the man.
"Just because you tell me to go get a dress it doesn't mean I will immediacy halt my life to do so", Elizabeth says after the pause of silence where usually a response would be, "Like Ada, I've got a life, I've got things to do."
"A nurse laid over in Small Heath", Thomas exclaims, "Of course, plenty of things to do."
Elizabeth could feel the sarcasm off his tone and she gives a little scowl as she furrows her brows. "I can assure you I'll have the dress for when I need it", she says as she takes the last sip of her drink, "That is, if you care to share that information with me."
"Go to the shop today", Thomas says not exactly answering the girl's request. Without another word the man slides the money along the bar back towards the girl and then places his peaky cap back on top his head and walks out of the pub.
...
For reasons beyond herself, Elizabeth found herself walking along the streets of Small Heath later that day to find a dress, as Thomas Shelby had said to back at The Garrison.
One thing she made sure of was to note that she was out looking for a dress not because the man told her to, but because she didn't know when the races were and she didn't want to fall through with her promise of having the dress on time.
As she turn off Garrison onto Witton Street she spots a sign of a shop that instantly brings back memories: The place where she got her dress on her 16th birthday, the place where she and the young Ada would dream of being women who wear such elegant dresses, and most prominently the place (or one of the places) where Thomas Shelby sent her on the night he told her he loved her.
The blonde haired girl manages to break out of her thoughts about her past before she got too far in and going to look in the shop was something she felt was a must.
As she push open the door a little bell gives off a ring. To Elizabeth's surprise the shop was quite the same as she could recall, but as she thought about it, not much around Small Heath has changed at all.
Elizabeth run her hands along the clothes as she walks through the store. Dozens upon dozens of dresses pass by her hand yet not one pops out to her.
"Mrs. Flander", a woman's voice says and as she look up her eyes meet a family pair which belong to the barmaid Grace.
"Please Grace, call me Elizabeth", she says and the barmaid gives a small nod and smile, "We're no business partners."
"Must be the day for dress shopping", Grace says as she herself briefly scans the dresses in front of her.
"Clearly", Elizabeth responds, "What has you out to find a dress?"
"Mr. Shelby has invited me to the races", The Garrison barmaid replies and roaring signals begin to go off inside the Alder girls head.
"Thomas Shelby?", she asks and the girl gives a nod as she fails to hide her growing smile.
A slight moment of silence sits between the two blonde haired girls. "Well that's just lovely isn't it", Elizabeth says with a smile on her face. On her face was the only place the girl was smiling though. Inside was a ball of anger rapidly growing from the overwhelming feeling of confusion and embarrassment that the Shelby man has caused her despite his lack of actual presence.
"What about you?", Grace asks, oblivious to the ticking time bomb of a girl that's standing in front of her.
"Me as well", she decides to respond, "With Mr. Arthur Shelby Jr."
Just then in that moment Elizabeth had decided that she was to no longer be going with Thomas as it has come to her attention he has two apparent dates to the races. What man needs two dates? The girl thinks to herself. Her thoughts begin to twist as she thinks of the scenarios of how Thomas Shelby could have ended up with two dates to the races. The first the girl could think of was that he asked the barmaid first but then decided he would rather go with his childhood love and Grace just simply didn't get the message. The second was that he asked the barmaid after he asked her, which to Elizabeth sounded no better than the first scenario.
Elizabeth blinks a few times to end her thoughts as it didn't matter what the scenario was, it didn't change the fact that Thomas had asked the both of them and neither of them knew, at least until now.
The girl looked down at the dresses that hang in front of her and a a flash of green jumps out to her hazel eye. She grab the dress and holds it up to see one of the most elegant satin green dresses she has ever seen, and there were many she has seen not just that day but over the past few years.
"It's stunning", Grace says and Elizabeth looks over at her.
"Yes it is", Elizabeth agrees and she can feel the corners of her lips turn upwards, "This is the one."
As she is seemingly no longer attending the races with Thomas her need for a red dress has gone out the window with it (which honestly to her was a blessing).
With a smile on her face the golden haired girl walks up to the man at the counter and places the money that Thomas Shelby had given her to buy a red dress. And still with a smile on her face walks out of the store with a green one because fuck Thomas Shelby.
...
[ Chapter Status: Not Edited ]
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a/n— 8k reads!! wow! thank you guys so much! i am speechless... i truly appreciate all of you, your guys' support, as well as patience lol. i am at the end of my semester so i'll have a lot more time to write and update! again, thanks for the patience, this chapter is pretty long so i hope that helps to make up for the long wait. i hope you're all enjoying! much love <3
p.s. for people who enjoy visuals, here is the dress that i image elizabeth picked out. for more photos just look up "atonement dress" and it should pop up. :)