𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

Maeve dragged herself down the stairs, rubbing her eyes and walking into the kitchen. "Hello trouble," Ada teased, making a piece of toast.

Polly looked up from her newspaper, "good of you to join us. Where have you been all morning?" She asked the pair of them.

"Asleep, like a normal person." Maeve muttered.

"In bed. Couldn't sleep, then i couldn't wake up. Then i was cold and then i had to go for a wee. Then i was with this..bear on a boat- that was just a dream. Now i'm hungry."

"Sounds fascinating, Ada. Really does." Maeve hummed looking over at Polly. "Why're you reading the paper?" She asked. Polly didn't once look up, "why wouldn't i be?"

"Well i've never seen you read the paper, only ever light fires with 'em." Maeve said, frowning as Ada began spreading strawberry jam onto her toast.

"BSA are on strikes, miners are on strike. IRA are killing our boys, ten a day." Polly too had noticed Ada eating the jam and frowned. "What?" Ada asked.

"Stand up," Polly said seriously and placed down her tea.

"Why?"

"Just stand up." Ada wiped her hands and stood with her hands at her sides. Maeve crossed her arms, amused. "Side on," Polly said. Ada rolled her eyes and turned. Polly grabbed Ada's breast and Ada squealed, "Polly- what are you doing?!"

"Ada. How late are you?"

Ada looked off to the sides and Maeve clasped a hand over her mouth. "One week..five weeks. Seven if you count weekends, i think it's a lack of iron." She said quickly. "I got some tablets."

"But they didn't work?"

Ada sat down and sighed, "no."

And just like that there was a knock on the door. "Yeah, enjoy your day." Maeve stood quickly and went to retrieve the door. She frowned slightly when she saw Max at the door, leaning against the wall. "What the bloody hell do you want?" she asked, walking back inside so he could come in.

"What, am i not allowed to come see a friend?" He asked, following her up the stairs. Maeve shrugged, "didn't know you had any friends to be honest."

Max's mouth fell open, "that was a low blow, Maeve."

"Want to know what else was a low blow?" She questioned, biting back her grin. He tilted his head, "when you got a blow job off Jane." She tormented.

His eyes widened and he shook his head, "no, Maeve. We don't talk of that, I was drunk. And it was the most awful blow job i've had."

Maeve gagged and sat on her bed, cross legged. "Like you've ever had more than one. And don't even try and lie to me, Montgomery cause i can read you like a book."

He pursed his lips into a straight line and just laughed, "you've caught me." He jokingly held his hands up in defence and finally sat on the bed. "Ay, do you ever like..get ready for the day?" he looked at the light blue pyjama set she was wearing.

Maeve also looked down. "Well it's only eleven so what's the point?"

There was a few seconds of silence. "How's Cameron's nose?" She asked, leaning over him to grab a packet of cigarettes from her drawer. "Broken. Definitely broken." He said, gently placing a hand on her back to ensure she didn't fall.

"Well, he deserved it. Cameron knows exactly what i'm like, especially after a drink. So i don't know why he did it."

Max was lost for words. He knew she was right but at the end of the day, Cameron was his brother. But Maeve had been his best friend since they were in primary school. And he knew that Cameron could be the biggest prick ever.

Maeve pointed the box of cigarettes toward him and he accepted, leaning forward and allowing her to light it. "You know, Thea's been acting awfully strange."

"What?" Max defended quickly. "I think she's been fine."

"Max, which one of us spends more time with her? I think it's me. And when she is with the whole group, she hangs about with Cam or me. Reckon she thinks you have rabies or something," she tormented.

"Shut up, Maeve." He chuckled. Maeve jokingly wrapped an arm around his shoulders and rubbed her knuckles across his scalp. "Fucks sake," he groaned, holding onto her arm as she pulled him.

Suddenly the door swung open and Tommy appeared at the door. "What do you want?" she snapped, Max now sat in between her legs, her arms draped across his front.

Tommy raised an eyebrow and waited for them to move from their positions. Max awkwardly cleared his throat and Maeve tucked a piece of her hair behind her ears.

"You two, come on." He ushered. Max frowned, "me?" He asked. Tommy took a deep breath, "yes you, both of you. Youse need to come get Arthur from the Garrison, he's been causing a bit of trouble."

"Why can't you do it?" Maeve asked, standing and slipping her shoes onto her feet. Tommy grabbed the cigarette from her fingers and pressed it against the wall. "Oi, i was smoking that."

"No smoking in the house. Now let's go- oh and if you think i'm letting you walk round with me in whatever that it that you're wearing, think again."

Maeve rolled her eyes, the thing she did best and dragged Max down the stairs, following after her uncle, completely ignoring his complaint as the jacket she was wearing covered her clothes anyway.

-

The three of them were walking down Garrison Lane, Tommy's white horse beside them. "So why is it us that has to bring him home and not you?" Maeve asked, her arm linked with Max who's hands were in his pockets.

"Because you're the only one he'll bloody listen to-" suddenly the fire from one of the work buildings rose high and Tommy's horse jolted, causing them all to jump. Max had pulled Maeve back slightly and Tommy tried to control the horse.

"Easy- it's just noise," he hushed, getting off the horse and patted it. "In France we used to said it's the musical band turning up, it's just noise. Just noise. You get used to it."

They then continued walking toward the Garrison and for whatever reason that fucking blonde barmaid decided to chuck dirty water out at their feet.

"I'm so sorry Mr Shelby," she stepped out. "Are you taking the fucking piss!" Maeve threw her arms up. Tommy frowned. "I'm Grace, by the way."

"Yeah we know who you are, jog on." Maeve huffed. "Shut up Maeve and go get your dad, i've got somewhere to be." Tommy said plainly, not taking his eyes off Grace.

The pair pushed the pub door open and scanned the room. "He's over 'ere, Miss Shelby." Harry, the barman called out to her. Maeve let out a breath and kneeled down beside her dad who was half asleep on the floor.

"What're you doing, eh? Not even one in the afternoon." She whispered, pulling him up from the floor so he wasn't on his back.

"Oh Maeve..my girl. Maeve Lillian Shelby," he slurred, cupping her face.

"Yeah..dad. It's me. You need to go home, come on." She urged, grabbing his hands and dragging him to his feet. "Thanks for the help Max." She said sarcastically, placing her arms underneath Arthur's and slowly walking him to the door. This time with Max's help.

"You're a good one, you know that? I don't ever want you to be like me." He mumbled, barely able to walk. "Bit late for that," she whispered. "Dad it would be a lot easier if you tried to walk.."

"I'm sorry, Maeve. Y'know i'm not the best dads out there but.." he began giving her the classic drunken heart to heart which she started to drown out as he said the same things every fucking time.

-

"What movie are we watching?" Maeve asked Ada as it began playing. Ada let out a frustrated sigh and continued eating her popcorn. "Watch and you'll find out."

"Right..sorry." Maeve shrunk in her seat, staring at the black and white screen and trying her best to enjoy the movie. But thankfully, the door swung open and the one and only Thomas Shelby stormed through.

Now it was interesting. Ada peered over her shoulder and winced. Tommy took a seat on the other side of Ada. "Tell me the man's name, Ada."

"Rudolph Valentino." She said sarcastically and he got up and walked out. "Now you're in trouble," Maeve whispered when the screen was turned off and the lights came on.

He returned, "get out, all of you go on. Now." He ordered, standing at the end of the row. "I said tell me his fucking name."

Maeve knew. There was only one man it could be, Freddie Thorne.

"Freddie fucking Thorne!" Ada's voice was shaky, "yeah, your best mate since school. The man who saved your life in France. So go on, go and cut him, cut him up and chuck him in the cut!" she shouted as he walked off.

Maeve decided to sneak out too, not wanting the be the one who suffered from Ada's wrath. The last she heard was Ada shouting, "i'm a Shelby too y'know! Put my fucking film back on."

Maeve hummed in amusement and found herself on the way over to Theadosia's house. The walk was shorter than intended but by the time she'd gotten there she was freezing.

"What're you doing here, it's almost eleven." Thea's mum answered the door. "Hello Mrs Roberts," Maeve smiled politely, "Thea in?"

"Yeah, upstairs." The woman her her inside and Maeve made her way straight up to her friends room, entering with a wide smile on her face.

"Hello Shelby," she greeted, not taking her eyes from her book. "Roberts," Maeve hummed, sitting beside the dark haired girl, "what ya reading?"

"I'm not sure..i'm not even reading it to be honest. Just staring at it," Thea admitted, placing the book face down on her bed. "Something on your mind?" Maeve tilted her head.

"Yeah..but it's okay. How's your day been?"

"Well, Max was at mine at fuck o'clock this morning before Tommy forced us to go get my dad from the Garrison. He then gave me one of his silly heart to heart's and i ignored it. Me and Max smoked for a bit by the canal and I spoke about Cameron. Who by the way is the biggest dickhead known to man. I can't believe he thought he could say what he did and get away with it-"

Before Maeve could finish her sentence, Theadosia had smashed her lips onto hers, catching her by complete surprise. Maeve closed her eyes for a moment and her hand hovered over Thea's knee. Her lips began burning and several emotions flooded through her but yet she didn't pull away.

What was going on and why the fuck had Theadosia Roberts kissed Maeve Shelby? Then it had hit Maeve fully that she was kissing a girl. Her best friend. So she pulled away, now completely flustered.

The once confident and cocky Shelby persona had been replaced with a shocked and unsure one.

Her heart was racing and not in a good way. Maeve quickly retracted her hand from the girls knee and stood to her feet. Thea's eyes widened, afraid she'd done something wrong. "I'm sorry- Maeve i didn't mean to.."

But Maeve just shook her head, apologised and left as quick as possible. Thea had kissed her. Like actually kissed her, on the lips. Maeve found herself speed walking to the canal by Charlie's yard, her hand on her chest.

She was in shock and not a good type of shock. A type that made her feel ashamed of herself. A girl had kissed her. What would people think of her if they found out.

Maeve was certain she didn't like girls in that way. And she certainly wouldn't mind being in love with someone like Theadosia if it didn't mean being in love with a girl.

Meanwhile Thea has rushed to her window and watched the Shelby practically run off. What have i done? She thought. Theadosia all of a sudden regretted kissing Maeve because although deep down she knew that she'd had felt something toward the girl for a long time. She never knew she'd have done something like that.

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