"There are many dangerous things in this world. But above all, the most dangerous, is love"
A young girl haunted by war returns to Small Heath to tell Polly gray about the death of a family member, not expecting to be caught up with the Shelby boys...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Tommy's POV:
I cleared my throat as I lay down on my bed, taking a drag from my cigarette as the events of the day kept running through my mind. For the first time in a while, I was angry at myself. I shut my eyes, replaying my time with hazel today; how she looked, how she smiled, the sound of her laugh, the glimmer in her eyes, the feeling of her hand against mine as we danced. God, did she look perfect. If I was religious I would of believed it if someone told me she was an angel sent from heaven. Then the bad thoughts came; how nervous she looked when dancing with Kimber, how she tilted her head to the side with confusion as I told her I was leaving her alone with him, the burning sick feeling in my stomach the second she left, the guilt I felt looking at her glassy eyes and listening to silence the whole journey home.
I couldnt help but think how the night would of ended if things had happened differently. Perhaps she'd be lying next to me, only the sheets to cover her bare skin, exhausted after a night of passion and lust. I shook that thought from my head, although those type of thoughts had been intruding my mind far too often lately.
A knock at the door shook me from my thoughts, and as soon as I opened it, a hand collided with my face, and I didn't have to look up to see it was Polly. "that's for what you did to hazel. How dare you Thomas! She's good and she's sweet, she doesn't ever deserve to be treated that way" she spat.
"you think I didn't realise that ey pol?" I shouted back.
"no, I know you did. you risked a deal with Kimber to go back for her." her voice softened, "she didn't tell me willingly, I had to force it out of her. I'm afraid that she'd do anything if it was for you, Thomas."
"I'm afraid of that too pol. I am." I grumbled as she walked away.
About to shut my door, I heard the voice that was always music to my ears, "Thomas, I'm ready to talk" she whispered softly.
..
Nervousness. A feeling i'd pushed away along time ago. But now, as hazel sat on the edge of my bed in her robe looking as beautiful as ever, I felt nervous.
"Theres so much to say, we'd be here all night. so I can explain something that happened to me that relates to how I reacted today, if that's ok" she looked up nervously at me, fiddling with the tassels on the blanket shed draped over her legs.
"Whatever you're comfortable with" I replied sincerely, knowing how difficult it is to let a part of a wall down and open up. I still hadn't done it with anyone.
"I was in france during the war as a nurse, I volunteered and arrived at the beginning of the war when I was 16. the first month, I was stationed in a proper hospital, that was stable and partially out of the way of any conflict. That's why I volunteered, promised safety and an end by Christmas."
I shook my head in amusement at the last part. we were all promised a short time of conflict, back home to our families by chrstmas. instead we were stuck there for 4 fucking years.
