Animal Instinct | Peaky Blinders [Thomas Shelby]

06 - Too Many Questions

Esme had grown to hate taking the Shelby name. Coming from a gypsy background, Esme wasn't unfamiliar with being an outsider. One of her clearest memories is being stared at like a freak by other, normal children when her and her family passed through towns.

Birmingham was the fresh start she'd always wanted wanted — a place where no one knew her upbringing or her heritage. She wasn't Esme Lee anymore.

She found out soon though, that it was less like a pardon and more like a death sentence. She had given up one gang for another, and this time was much worse. This time, people didn't just give her weird looks, or mumble underneath their breath, they ran the other way.

She couldn't help feeling a little burned whenever someone turned their back to her on the streets.

Just ignore them. That was John's answer to everything, just ignore it.

Great advice, hon.

Because no matter how much Esme tried to, it was next to impossible to ignore the way Vivian's entire demeanor changed when Esme disclosed her surname.

"What are you doing here, ES?" Jeffers hand tugged on the edge of her sleeve, snapping Esme out of the trance she'd fallen into.

ES stands for Evil Stepmother, a nickname given to her by Katie. Ironic, considering Jeffers thought she was one of the nicest people on the planet.

"I'm walking Katie home."

"Oh, yes, her punishment." Jeffers laughed, joining her on the bench. Unlike Katie, Jeffers actually liked Esme. She was a calm, collective presence around the Shelby household, and ever since she moved in, his fathers' blind fits of rage were almost nonexistent and Jeffers was glad for that. His father never lay a hand on them, but when something ticked him off, he would scream and direct his anger on whatever items were nearby. The children had gotten used to sweeping up glass from windows and shattered plates and cups on a daily bases until Esme moved in.

"Who is it that Katie is talking to?" Esme asked, breaking Jeffers from the trance he'd fallen into. He blinked, looking up to see Katie bouncing down the steps of the school, bounding after a boy with curly blonde hair and round eyes.

"That's Leo. He's in my class."

"Is he your friend?" Esme was confused why Katie would be talking to a younger classmate, especially when she made a point to surround herself with upperclassmen.

"Kind of. He doesn't talk much."

She watched, at first from a distance, as Katie ran ahead and blocked Leo's exit from the path, still trying to get his attention. He seemed extremely uncomfortable and he kept his head down, hugging his books close to him. Esme had already started towards them, just as the boy tried to side step away from Katie's intense stare.

"Oh, come on, you must've at least seen 'im!" Katie shrieked, sounding exasperated.

"Sorry, I-um-I don't know what you're talking about," Leo mumbled under his breath.

"What is going on here?" Esme demanded, crossing her arms in front of her, waiting. "Stop raising your voice, Katie. You're clearly making him uncomfortable."

"That's because he's lying."

Leo glanced up from his mop of hair, meeting Katie's accusing stare. "I'm not lying."