𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐲 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 | 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

The Ball Boy | Arthur Shelby

"Don't know his name though do ya?" He smirks.

"Don't have to." I argue back.

"Can I have it?" The boy beside him asks.

"No." Me and the other lad say in unison.

He rolls his eyes and leaves me and this other boy to continue our little bicker.

"John." We hear a shout.

"Shit, now you've gone and done it." The little boy curses under his breath.

"What are you doing with me ball?" The voice I now recognise as the ball boy from yesterday's.

"Mickey wanted to play and wel-"

"Not you." He cuts off his little brother. "You." He turns to me.

"They were fightin' over it and I recognised it." I explain handing it back to him. "I were only making sure it got back to you." Crossing my arms I see his expression change.

"Oh....cheers." He says softer than before hand.

"It's alright."

"I was looking for you actually."

"Why?" I turn defensive, glaring at him.

"My aunt and your mum got along, apparently you're coming round for lunch." He laughs as he holds his left hand up in surrender at my mood change

"Oh right." I soften.

He just nods and it becomes extremely awkward.

"Who even are you?" The younger one asks.

"Oh um, I'm Y/n." I finally introduce myself to the two brothers.

"I'm John and this is me brother Arthur." He grins.

|| Time Skip ||

•••••

"You referred to me as the ball boy?" A now 36 year old Arthur Shelby asks, opposite me on the dining table of the Shelby house on Watery Lane.

"What else was I going to call you?" I laugh as I butter a bit of toast.

"The handsome lad next door, maybe?" He grins.

"Cocky much?" Ada rolls her eyes at her older brother.

"You should be thankful he broke your window, without that you two wouldn't be such good friends." Polly points out, her usual stern look on her face.

'Friends' is the word that sticks out to me, in a disappointing way, Me and Arthur have been close ever since, God I've even spent nights in his room after the war and I can't even name all of the situations where we have had to pretend to be a married couple or to fake a proposal for free drinks.

Polly's statement makes me and Arthur both grin.

"I suppose you're alright." He teases.

"Alright?" I repeat sounding offended whilst he chuckles.

"Not too shabby I guess." He shrugs cheekily, rushing as he downs his tea.

"Prick." I mutter and he leans over the table slapping a big kiss to my cheek before grabbing his coat and heading for the yard.

"Christ almighty get married and make me an Auntie already." Ada huffs.

"Well don't be too blunt about it." I say sarcastically laughing at her frustration as I help clear the table, Polly thanking me once it's finally barren of any dirty plates or cups.