Firecracker- John Shelby

-fifteen-

"Your drinking...alone"Tommy asked
"And what" I said
"What's this about Shirley" he asked sitting next to me.
"Just felt like having a drink" I shrugged.
Tommy sat still for a while then silently nodded.
"You haven't left the house since the meeting with the lees"he said
"Haven't had a reason too"I said
"Suck it up Shirley, we haven't got time for this"he said snatching the glass of whiskey out my hands and downing it.
"Now here's a fact. The lees are waiting for word back from us. Refusal will result in a full scale war, and you've sat home and drank the problem away for too long, they want a decision, today"he said
"I decided as soon as I left" i said
He paused for a second.
"And?" He asked
"I'm not getting fucking married" I said
He looked furious but contained himself.
"Right" he said slowly nodding.
He stood up and stormed out the door, slamming it.

The next morning arthur was at my door.
"Tommy send you" I asked
"He told me to tell you, he found another way to settle things with the lees, and you need to be there" Arthur said
"How"I ask
"I dont know Shirley, do I. Get ready quickly. wear somethings nice,he said"he said
I came down in the best outfit I owned, I had felt disgusting for days and needed the change.

When we got there we all picked out our own weapons, just incase.
"Ready boys, and girl" he said pointing to me
"Shirley, john, ready?"he asked
"Yea" I said cautiously
"I'm fine, yea"John said
"Have a drink" Arthur said.
I reached out for it and tommy held Arthur's arm down.
"Not her" tommy said
John took the drink and had some.
Everyone around us was staring at me and john.
"What?, what are you all staring at us for" I asked
"Good, let's go" tommy said ignoring me
"What is it" John asked everyone.
Everyone just carried on walking and ignored our questions.
"Tommy what's your plan we're in shotgun range" I asked, while all the lees gathered around, on guard.
That's when everyone stopped and turned to us.
"Before we go to battle...there's something you two are going to need" tommy said.
Everyone pulled out a white rose, Arthur handed me the one that still had a stem.
"Thomas what are you doing..." I said as I grew more and more suspicious.
When he said nothing I backed up.
"What are you bloody doing tommy?" John asked catching on
"Smile John, it's a wedding" tommy said
"Who's bloody wedding" John said
"I told you no!" I said realising. I tried to run.
Arthur grabbed my arm but I struggled and fought back every time he tried to reach for my other arm, eventually he got hold and held me still.
"Who's bloody wedding!" John said, now being the only one who didn't know what was going on.
"Ours" I spat
Tommy walked towards me and grabbed my face.
"Now if we'd told you, you wouldn't of come" tommy said.
"Shirleys father is the lees kin, they want her to marry into the shelby name to solidify our alliance" he said spoke to John, without turning away from me.
"you had no fucking right Tommy!" I said
"Listen to me, listen to me" tommy said
"I have already bethroned you. So if you back out, there's gonna be a mighty war breaking out here, it's gonna make the Somme look like a fucking tea party. But if you marry john, the shelbys and the lees will be United forever. And this war will be over. Now it's up to you Shirley, john." He said turning to John for the first time.
"War or peace" he finished.
"Get of me I'm not a fucking horse!"I said shoving him.
Tommy took a step back then turned around to look at John. Then he said.
"Let's fucking do it."