the girl next door ↠ Thomas Shelby [DISCONTINUED]

17; truth or dare

"Fucking hell Arthur, just bloody shut up!" 

"I didn't know I was that annoying," Arthur replied, smirking to Sully sat a few seats away from him. 

"Well, you are," she confirmed, rolling her eyes with a smile. Arthur threw a paper ball in Sully's direction, and she squealed when it fell in her hair. 

"Fuck's sake, I'm going to kill you," she swore, frowning in his direction as he laughed loudly. She watched Tom walked by them, sending her a small smile as she rolled her eyes at his brother. 

"We're not even open yet but you're already fighting," Polly sighed, eyeing her nephew and the tiny blonde whom of which was glaring at the man. 

"I don't fight with losers," she finally stated, bouncing her blonde curls behind her shoulder. "Ain't a fighter with a man that can't drink." 

"The fuck?" he asked, standing up, his chair almost falling from the abrupt movement. "I'm a better drinker than you are, Blondie." 

"Alright, we'll see then," she said, standing up, facing her friend with her arms crossed on her chest, walking slowly to him. "Tonight, we're fucking drinking. It's been an eternity since the last time we hung out." Arthur outstretched his hand for her to shake it, and she did firmly, raising an eyebrow at him. 

"No, I need her sober," Tommy interjected. The blonde turned around, her arms still crossed, looking him up and down. 

"Not tonight," she answered. "I'm out again." Arthur snorted at the same time as her while Tommy and Polly were sighing loudly at their friends' behavior, remembering very well the time when they used to be both drunk, singing in the streets. It was the best and the worst moments in their lives: the best because while they were away, they weren't annoying, but worst because they couldn't sleep while they were singing.  

The day went by while Sully tried to work without getting annoyed by everything, especially by the men around her, speaking too loud about too many things, eyeing her with surprise. Ted passed by, spoke with her for two minutes and then left for a whiskey in a pub. That's all she wanted, being in a pub with a whiskey near. However, she was sat at a desk, surrounded by men that wanted nothing but betting, and her friends all around messing up with her. 

It was finally Arthur that dragged her out of the betting shop a few hours later. As she stepped outside in the fresh breeze, she felt like she could breathe again. 

"I hate this place," she muttered as Arthur laughed loudly, grabbing her hand to guide her through the streets - as if she didn't know where to go. 

"You're gonna find your pub soon, lad," Arthur affirmed, making her giggle. 

"I'm not even the owner but now it's my pub," she joked, looking up to Arthur. "Sorry, it's yours I know." He smacked her shoulder as she laughed. 

If shed didn't know better, she would've said that Small Heath was asleep tonight as she walked through the streets beside Arthur, his large frame catching all the gazes around. 

"Where are we going?" she asked, her eyes floating from Arthur to the street in front of her, not sure about their destination. 

"Since the Garrison is no longer our headquarter," the man sighed, hiking his gaze around him, "the Marquis'll be good, what do ya think?" The blonde nodded with a bright smile, thinking about all the whiskeys they were about to drink; and for once, she wouldn't have to pay her drinks, thanks to Arthur's presence by her side. 

As soon as Arthur pushed the pub doors open, every eye settled on them, especially on her since Arthur wasn't the kind to get accompanied by a woman in pubs, but it didn't last too long because Arthur's voice rose as soon as he noticed the stares.