Primed for sin // Peaky Blinders

Part 7

The next day, to take a breather of things to perhaps forget all the chaos in their lives, Ada dragged Rose to the pictures.

They sat in the best seats and ate popcorn, watching the silent film flicker before their eyes.

In the midst of their peace, the doors to the cinema flung open. Rose turned around, her eyes widening as she saw Tommy Shelby marching towards them.

She started hitting Ada on her arm, catching her sisters attention who ended up catching Tommy as he sat next to them, Rose sandwiched between them.

"Tell me the man's name Ada" he demanded, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Rudolph Valentino" she spoke, no tremor or halt in her words. As Tommy left, Rose smirked thinking they had won.

Her smirked dropped, though, as the movie turned of and lights turned on. She put her head in her hands, whispering "shit"

"Get out! All of you. Go on, out!" He shouted walking back into the theatre.

Rose stood up, going to leave with the others. Tommy grabbed her by her shoulders, however, and shoved her down. "Not you".

Rose sat back down, practically dissolving into her seat if only to get out of this awkward encounter.

"I said, tell me his fucking name" Tommy said, anger in his voice.

"Freddie fucking Thorne" Ada admitted. Rose's eyes widening as she released a false gasp.

"Whattt??" She whispered, fake surprise in her tone.

"Yeah, your best mate since school. The man who saved your life in France. So go on! Go on and cut him! Cut him up and chuck him in the cut!" She shouted, tears coming into her eyes.

Tommy stood up from his place, dragging Rose up with him, pushing her in front of him as he stormed out.

She didn't risk glancing back at Ada, her heart hammering as she walked out side.

"Tom-" she began.

"You knew. You knew about Ada and Freddie and you didn't fucking tell me" he said, lighting a cigarette.

She scoffed at him "what, like how you tell me things?"

"That's different" he said.

"It's not entirely different. You're finding things out on your own, just like me in this fucking family" she said.

Tommy clipped her round the ear "watch your fucking language and don't speak to me like that"

Rose just huffed and rolled her eyes. She stared at him, and hardened her stare.

"What?" He asked.

"You better not do anything to Freddie" she warned.

He raised his eyebrows and stepped closer to her "yeah? Why, what will the great Rosella Shelby do to me, eh?"

He was mocking her. She knew that. She hated that. Nobody took her seriously in this family. Whether that was because of her age or her gender or maybe it was both, she didn't know.

"You're a real cunt, Thomas" she spat. Before he had time to react, she stomped on his foot and ran off. She ran until her lungs burned and she was coughing up the little oxygen she had left.

She ran until she couldn't feel her legs, until her unconscious mind took over and lead her mindlessly.

She was so sick and tired of everyone in this family treating her like a child. Hell, Finn was 4 years younger than her and already running around Birmingham on errands for the blinders.

She ended up by the cut. She lent her head against the brick wall behind her and sighed.

"Fucking idiot" she whispered to herself.

"The first sign of madness is speaking to yourself, you know" came a voice behind her, which caused her to jump in surprise.

She turned around, on high guard. A boy, looking around her age, stood in front of her. He had a cocky smirk on his face and midnight black hair. His eyes twinkled in the sunlight, highlighting his forest green.

"Who are you?" She questioned him. She shouldn't have, she should've ran of as soon as they spoke. She was always told not to speak to strangers, but due to her dislike to Tommy right now, she decided to go against his orders.

"Alexander. Zane Alexander" he introduced himself, hand sticking out for her to take.

She eyed it wearily, shaking it anyways. "I'm Rosella"

He chuckled "I know"

She raised her eyebrows, he laughed "everyone around here knows your name, your face. I didn't mean to come of as a stalker"

She nodded her head, a tight lipped smile sent his way. "Well, it seems my reputation proceeds me"

He shook his head "no, not yours. Maybe your families. But I'd quite like to get to know you"

Perhaps she should've been weary of him, perhaps she should've ran for the hills. But the green in his eyes reeled her in and she felt...comfort.

"Sure, if you're not scared enough" She smirked.

"Everyone's a little scared of something, miss Shelby. But I'd quite like to overcome that fear, if you'd let me"

After that, the two sat by the cut under the warm hug of the sun, their laughs disintegrating into the wind.

She found out a lot about Zane that day. His favourite colour was red and his favourite flowers were dahlias. He loved the muffins his mother made but hated her pot roast. He had three sisters and a brother, his farther died in the war. And he absolutely despised pigs.

He was 16 years old and had recently moved to Birmingham, his mother grew up in Small Heath but ended up moving to London where she met his father. But when the war took his father, his mother wanted to move back home, to feel a sense of safety and security.

After the never ending conversation, the two parted ways, laughing at each other whilst looking over their shoulders to see the other walk away.

Even when she could see him no longer, she still had a slight smile on her face. James found her, wondering around the streets with that same smile and lost in a daze.

"What's got you so happy?" He asked, bumping his hip with hers.

"I've made a friend" she smiled smugly.

"Oh, yeah? What's his name, twinkle toes?" He laughed, blowing out some smoke from his cigarette before passing it to her.

She punched him, before inhaling some smoke herself "no. He's real. And his name is Zane Alexander"

He looked confused, as if trying to figure out if he recognised the name "never heard of him"

"I wouldn't of expected you to, he moved to Birmingham a few months ago"

"Be careful, Rosie. Wouldn't want you getting hurt. And don't bog me off for him either. I'm you're number 1" he warned, eyeing her carefully and making a mental note to personally look into this guy his best friend was so infatuated with.

"You're my number 1 forever, pinkie promise" she wrapped his pinky finger with his, pressing their thumbs together to lock it in. He threw his arm around her shoulder, a move he noticed he did a lot, and they pushed and shoved each other as they walked home.

Rosella was just happy. Happy that someone else would finally see her as Rosella, the human being. Not Rosella Shelby, the peaky princess.

Happy to also have her best friend by her, always and forever no matter what.