PEAKY BINDERS

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PEAKY BINDERS

By SF Guillermo 

PRELUDE

A brown haired boy made his way to campus. His look, determined; his steps showed dominance; the movement of his hands was characteristic of him and his hair was short. He was and still is Will Leach.

‘Birmingham University: Superior Degree in economics’

At least that’s what the place he went into said.

It was his first day in college. You would have said he was new to this. He might pop inside, look around, stay in a corner looking for someone who catches his eye and looks friendly to make colleagues.

That’s not him.

He pushed both doors open with his hands and he came in as the doors closed behind him. Everyone inside, teachers, students- both new and old – stopped whatever they were doing to get a glimpse of the guy. Birmingham University had never seen a guy more sure of himself.

He crossed the hallway captivating everyone’s looks, interrupting every conversation as he went through.

A black shirt, a dark, long coat and a side bag were part of his outfit.

He finished his trail extending a hand to a group of guys leaning against the wall, looking menacingly.

“Oi, looking sharp brother,” Barnaby Leach shook his hand, “Welcome to college.”

The rest did the same. Will put his hands in his pockets.

“Alright, that’s what I’m talking about, boys,” he smiled, “This building is already ours.”

You would be wrong; he wasn’t new to this.

INTRODUCTION

“He’s here,” Hannah Bolt crossed her arms in a gesture of both ‘yes! He’s here’ and an ‘oh, he’s here’.

Will gave her cousin a hug. It was very interesting how all the family, around the same age, were all in the same city studying the same thing.

It would be a common thing back in the 1900’s and far before to be part of the family business, but in 2019 this was a rather odd image to contemplate.

A whole brotherhood of people in a place like a campus, having rooms next to each other booked for the year could be kinda sus for the other mates.

 This was an image the rest would have to get used to.

The older brother of the four, Barnaby, was known all around for his boxing skills. He had been a two-time boxing champion in the last couple of years, but was mostly known for hosting parties in his room at night, totally disobeying the rules of campus. 

It was at these types of parties that the whole brother and cousin family attended, as well as some trusty friends, and other girls and boys who sure knew how to have fun.

The other two brothers, both older than Will, but younger than Barnaby, were Reuben and Adam. Both were close to each other, but Adam had always been more of a pacifist, while Reuben was always able to do anything if it meant getting free drinks.

They never looked for fights. Quite the contrary, they always tended to avoid them, and that was just as good for them as it was for the others.

The day Will arrived at campus, it was as if the wheels that were missing on a cart had suddenly popped on. Now all was coming together.

CHAPTER ONE

By Will Leach 

“To celebrate that the last member just got into university, we’re partying tonight in our rooms.” Barnaby Leach said.

“T’was about time!” Reuben exclaimed and patted him on the back, as he nodded to some other guys I didn’t know from across the hallway.

Reuben had almost failed his admission exams in order to get into college, but somehow things always worked out for him. 

“Bring some girls, Adam!” Reuben called to his other brother, and Hannah and Louise both puffed.

I had this ‘Just smile and wave’ look on my face that could be seen from a mile apart.

Luckily, the bell rang for the first and only class of the day.

The hall was huge, bigger than any other school’s hallway, that was for sure. Not to mention the length and dimensions of the blackboard in the coliseum-style room where they taught Introduction to economics I.

I got my apple laptop out with a mixture of indifference and astonishment. You’d wonder whether that was even possible.

“You must be a Leach.” The girl next to me, blue eyes and blond hair, said.

“Well, you’re not wrong there,” I grinned, “The only question I have for you is how you were able to tell.”

“Anybody who doesn’t know your family lives under a rock or something.” She replied.

I smirked.

“Well, nice to meet you,” I shook her hand, “Will Leach.”

“Emma Silver.”

“Why not Gold?”

“Taken.”

“Too bad.”

I got back to face my laptop and turned it on.

“Well, since you know me so well, surprisingly, I’d like to invite you to our party tomorrow night.”

“Oh, I’d rather you didn’t-“

“You don’t like parties? Is that the problem?”

“I don’t drink.” She smiled.

“Well…” I put a toothpick in between my lips, “There’s a first time for everything. Besides you’re of age, you’re 18.”

“And you’re taking a long time to get that computer started, here, let me help you.” She did something weird with it and it worked.

“Yeah. New computer you know.”

“I can tell.”

After class, I couldn’t help but notice the giant billboard that took up most of the wood-covered wall.

ELECTIONS FOR COUNCIL-ENTER YOUR APPLICATION

“This still on?”

Emma walked behind me, “Yeah, everyone’s got this great idea of some guy named Mark Twain.”

“Twain?”

“He’s probably getting elected. He runs the news, he’s the center of attention of the whole campus and what he does, the others do.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Sweet of you to tell me.”

“Well, I’m not much on his side, but depending on the quality of the party next Saturday, we’ll see.”

I smirked and ended up smiling.

“So, you’re coming?”

“Maybe.” She walked off 

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