Chapter Thirteen: Hide and Seek

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As the next day arrived and  Ayla sat in her kitchen alone the birds chirping in the distance relaxed her, the sun glaring through the open windows as the wind lifted up the curtains ever so often, the breeze brushing past her cheeks like the tail of a cat. With barely a wink of sleep she sat there in a whirlpool of thoughts. Debating. Everything in the world slowed down around her as she sat there alone with her thoughts.

The sound of a letter being posted through the door broke the silence in her house, the flap lifting and closing rather quickly. This surprised her as no one ever sent her mail, taking a moment to realise the white envelope sitting on the door mat. As she picked up the rectangular letter looking for the name of the sender. Something rang in her mind but she didn't let it stop her from finding out the true purpose of it. Using her small knife cutting the top open carefully. Watching the paper split into two as a piece of paper lay inside. The writing was distinctive it only took a second for her to figure out who it came from. 

"Theres no hole or crack in the world that will hide you from me. I will always be a step ahead, you will always be in my grasp."

Scrunching the paper up in her red bruised hands and throwing it at the wall as hard as she could. She didn't dare read it again as the message was permanently tattooed in her mind. She had been found and there was only one thing she could do. Dressing herself in another one of her outrageous outfits and slipping into some boots.Slipping her knives into her undergarments before flinging her dress back over her knee.Running into her bedroom and finding her suitcases before shoving everything she could in them.Tears forming pools in her eyes she tried to avoid letting them drop.

A loud knock at the door stopped her in her tracks, her bags almost packed she left

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A loud knock at the door stopped her in her tracks, her bags almost packed she left. Tracing her fingers over her knives as she edged closer to the door. Steadily twisting the handle not expecting the bright blue eyes she had come to love. 

"Ayla" Thomas's eyes pierced into hers. She looked away trying so desperately not to get caught in them. 

"Tommy..." he cut her off as he looked at her outfit.She was back in her old outfits which told him something was wrong. 

"We need to talk" he pushed passed her letting her close the door herself. She let out a loud sigh

"Look you need to stay away from me Thomas" She crossed her arms across her crisp white shirt. Her comment took Thomas aback. He hoped he would never hear those words come out of her mouth. He had never fallen so deeply in love with a woman and he wasn't about to let her go. He never knew the meaning of love till her met Ayla.

"This is about Madame Boswell isn't it? I wouldn't take it to heart... What exactly did she say to you?" He lit up a cigarette and placed it between his thin lips. 

"Don't worry" She tried to avoid the conversation but this didn't sit well with Thomas. 

"I only want to help you Ayla" He said as he scanned the room noticing the crumpled up paper on the floor. The tried to get close enough to it without her noticing. 

"Who said I needed your help huh? I've been fine on my own all these years! I didn't have anyone around the help me then so why would I need anyone now?!" she raised her voice unexpectedly. 

"Well thats a load of shit. without me you wouldn't have got out of Chester's grasp!" he said angering her even more

"Then why the fuck didn't you leave me in there? I never asked for your help! I specifically told Arthur not to tell you that I was in there" Her eyes now serious as they looked at him with disgust. The clouds of smoke leaving the corners of his mouth. 

"Maybe I should have" He stood up noticing the the words that had just come out of his mouth. He certainly didn't mean it.The rise and fall of Ayla's chest become more frequent with frustration.

"get out" her voice almost a whisper.Thomas didn't move an inch

"Ayla ple-" she cut him off rather quickly 

"Get out!" she screamed but he didn't wince at her loud words. He steady walked towards her. The anger on her face never disappeared, never dimmed. They stood in silence for a few minutes just looking into each others eyes with fury. 

"I know when something is wrong with you. I've learnt to read your eyes before your lips" Thomas drew in a long breath as he tapped the ashes of his cigarette in a small little ash tray. 

"You know nothing" she pursed her lips together like she wanted to say more but couldn't. He ignored her last comment before walking over to the ball of paper picking it up in his hands. This struck panic in her eyes as he unfolded it. 

"What is this?" His voice filled with anger as he looked up at her. 

"Probably just a joke" She tried to shake it off but Thomas saw right through it.

"Ayla don't play games with me!! who is sending you mail?" His voice now louder than before. The frustration building in his nervous system. 

"This is none of your business Thomas!" She fought back 

"It is my business now you are under the protection of the peaky blinders!" his voice reading the same level as hers."Planning a trip?" He looked over at the bags half packed on her bedroom floor. 

"What happened to leaving me behind huh? Just leave it Thomas" she finally said which hit Tommy in the heart. "You are not my protector" 

"I don't need to be you're protector to care about you... Tell me who sent you the letter" he finally said. He knew who it was from but needed reassurance from her.

"Thomas get the fuck out of my house!" she shouts once again pushing on his chest leading him towards the door. He didn't fight her as she pounded her fists on his chest letting all her anger out on him. He just wanted to hold her, he just wanted to know what was going on in her mind, how she was thinking, how she was feeling. 

"listen Ayla, LISTEN" he shouted grabbing her attention and stopping her from punching him in the chest once again. 

"if he's found you you're not safe here anymore, we need to leave, you can stay at ours till things calm over" he held her parallel to him

"Theres no 'we' its just me tommy"He felt his heart shatter for the first time since his parents died. He had never experienced love like this.Although the words were coming out of her mouth he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. 

"you're leaving because of a stupid little note" he released his grip on her as she continued to pack her bags, following her into her bedroom and watching her hurriedly as he stood in the doorway.

 "I'm not leaving because of the note Thomas!" she stopped to look up at him dead in the eyes so he knew she meant it. 

"Then why?" his jaw clenched a few times as he waited for a reply 

"I'm leaving because you are my consequence..." 


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