The Runaway • 𝑇𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑦 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑏𝑦

6

    Charlotte had not but that wasn't going to stop her, not when she was so close to convincing him. "If I'm being honest Harry no I haven't, but I've served drinks before at charity events back home. It's different from a bar, I know, but I'm a fast learner, just give me a chance. If I'm going to be here in Small Heath a while I want something to occupy my time."

     While Charlotte convinces Harry to give her the job as a barmaid, John and Arthur made their presence known to Scarlett who was watching Harry and Charlotte with worried eyes.

"Hello Scar, haven't seen you in a while, how're you this fine day?" John questions sarcastically standing next to Arthur who positioned himself in the seat between him and Scarlett. John rolls his eyes as he takes notice of this whereas Arthur sits down casually, leaning back against the bar looking around with his drink in his hand.

     Scarlett looks away from her cousin as she hears Johns voice, seeing both him and Arthur now sitting next to her.

'Ah shit, now it's begun.' Scarlett was definitely going to need another drink.

     Scarlett nods at them both, "hello boys, I'm alright. How're things going for you?" Scarlett tries not to smirk at the fact that Arthur put himself between her and his brother.

"A right sight better than your new cousin you never told us about, over there trying to convince Harry for a job," Arthur says taking a sip of his drink he brought out of the snug with him. Scarlett rolls her eyes at his comment about her 'new cousin.'

"Yeah I told her I'd be seeing her around I just didn't know she would be trying to work at The Garrison." John smirks as they all look over towards them, Charlotte pushing Harry for a job while Harry continues to shake his head at her like a disappointed father.

     Scarlett snaps her head back towards John with narrowed eyes, "you leave her alone John, you hear me? She doesn't need any trouble, especially from you and your lot." She then glances towards Arthur, the same warning meant for him.

     Arthur and John raise their hands up in defense, "I haven't even met the bloody woman yet," Arthur defends. Scarlett just narrows her eyes at him with a raised brow.

"Yeah and she's a big girl, she can choose what trouble she does or doesn't want to get into," John smirks while looking Charlotte up and down just like he had the first night he saw her.

     Scarlett finishes her drink, slams her glass down and reaches across Arthur to smack John upside the head.

"Oi! what the fuck was that for?" John looks away from Charlotte towards Scarlett with a scowl on his face while rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm telling you now John, you go messing around Charlie then you'll not only have me to answer to but my mom too, and I'm the sweet one out of us two." Scarlett narrows her eyes at him. Charlie may be new to town and Scarlett knows the Shelby's don't trust outsiders but she means no trouble. She was just a girl trying to find her way in the world after losing everyone close to her. Scarlett wasn't going to let the Shelby's ruining that for her. Even if Charlotte wasn't heeding her and her mothers words of warning and slowly making Scarlett question her sanity.

John simply nods with a roll of his eyes before glancing towards Arthur who was sipping his drink, giving him a mischievous smirk. Arthur looks at John confused.