"Come on Ciara," Theresa began. "They won't be gone for much longer, I promise." She looked at me with promising eyes, before reaching into the pocket of her dress. " Look, I have Isaiah's wallet. He hasn't got much but he'd understand if we went to go get ourselves a pot of popcorn and some water." She finished, while flicking through the few notes and removing some before putting the rest in her pocket.
"I guess so," I responded but I couldn't focus on just getting some popcorn and a drink. I was more worried about the boys, they had been gone for 10 minutes already; it wasn't a large Fair so they really shouldn't have been gone for that long.
The popcorn stand was only a few meters away from where we were stood, so it didn't take long before we were up by the counter ordering two small pots of salted popcorn and some water to share between us. Although it didn't cost much, I still didn't like that we were taking money from Isaiah; I made a mental note to pay him back later, when we got home of course. We got our snacks and drink and moved aside to sit on a bench. I felt horrible, I was constantly shaking and my breathing was staggering- almost as bad as earlier.
Deep breathes. Take deep breaths, Ciara. That's all you have to do, they'll come back unharmed.
That's what I thought until Theresa snapped me out of my own thoughts. "Shit, shit, shit!" Was all I heard coming from her gaped open mouth.
"T, you alright?" I questioned turning my face to her.
"Ciara please tell me you're seeing exactly what I'm seeing right now? That massive crowd over there?" She uttered curiously, pointing subtly over to a large crowd over to the left of us.
"Holy Fuck!" I announced throwing,what I had left of the popcorn on the floor and legging it over to the crowd. As we got closer, I could hear the slight chants of men.
"Fight!Fight!Fight" and the occasional "You're fucking Peaky Boys, let him have it!" Oh no, no, no, no. They have either accidentally got themselves into a fight or they have found out who that stealing Son of a Bitch was. Either way, they have fucked up badly.
"Move out of my way!" I shouted as I pushed past people. "I said fucking move now, or I'll move you my-fucking-self!" Slowly but surely, everyone did move and created a clear path, through the crowd, for me and Theresa to pass through. We got to the eye of the storm, I swear these boys will be the fucking death of me.
"Give me that back, you Dickhead!" Isaiah loudly announced, before edging closer to the man in question. "I said fucking give it back, before I push your head into that ground!" He was only inches away from him now.
Without a second thought, my eyes darted in search of a friendly face. My eyes landed on him, okay so at least one of them ain't lost the plot yet. His ocean eyes met mine and before I knew it he was up close and personal with the same man that Isaiah was.
I hadn't taken one look at the man in question until now; I recognised his face, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Why would he seem so familiar to me? I either would know who he was or not at all but his face was in the deep blurr of my brain.
Then it finally clicked.
Holy shit! It was that copper!
"Theresa we need to go now!" I said abruptly, "Like we need to grab the boys and go back to the camp and I need to go home." My breathing became hitched again. Holy fuck, what was I supposed to do? Do I tell Tommy? No, he'd would already know. But do I need to tell someone about this encounter? No. I can't tell anyone, I need to let the boys know that.
Without thinking, I ran into the middle of the circle and grabbed Finn by the shoulder. "We need to leave now, Finn. Please just trust me. We can find a replacement for my locket, and pay for another photo to get-" I was cut off.
"Well if it isn't the Shelby Whore. You seem to be the only one that remembers me." That thick Irish accent sent shivers down my back. Let's just say I wasn't ready to be confronted by this snobby bitch. I lifted my head up from behind Finn's shoulder and stood in front of the boys.
"Seems it, Sir." I replied looking him dead in the eyes, not for long of course; I ain't that ballsy.
"Sir? That's a new one, considering the slums you were raised in." He scoffed lightly.
Oh, he really wanted to go there.
No Ciara contain yourself, he's a copper. Peaky Blinders don't fuck with outsider coppers.
"The right people raised me, Sir." I added on the 'Sir' for my own satisfactory. I felt the two boy's eyes burning into the side of my neck. The copper started to walk round us, almost circling us.
"The right people, eh? The Shelby family that caused that big fire, two years ago. In the middle of the street, burning up the portraits of the King?" He began smugly, he stopped walking around and pointed at Finn. " You little rascal, I remember you well. Your little tricks and games; trying to send me somewhere else when I was looking for your brother. Thomas Shelby." He just wiggled his finger at him and then moved the tip of his finger to land on Isaiah. "You, I don't think we have met before. My name is Major Campbell. You are?"
Isaiah, please be normal. "Isaiah Jesus." Thank you, thank you. "I ain't calling no one Sir, 'specially not you, Irish cunt." Isaiah spat. I can't take these boys fucking anywhere.
Finn's brain finally clicked and put the pieces together. I saw it in his eyes, the cogs turning and ticking; his eyes widened at the thought of what the copper did two years back. The Irish bastard almost destroyed this family and I sensed that he was here to try again, I knew Tommy wasn't going to let that happen.
"That's rich coming from your mouth, young man." Campbell stated.
I turned round to Finn and whispered into his ear. "Let's leave now, I'm sure news has already got to your brothers. We are fucked either way, doesn't matter if we stay here or not; one of your brothers is gonna kill us." I tried to sound stern but I think my fear over took it.
"Isaiah, grab Theresa. We're leaving." Finn spoke.
"On it." Isaiah followed his instructions and looked round for the forth friend, before walking up to her; grabbing her hand and pushing their way through the crowd.
"You best believe I'll see you you soon Ciara McCann." The prick announced before hobling away, leaning on his wolf head cane. I grabbed Finn's hand and followed the already made path that Isaiah and T had made and left the Fair for good. I didn't say anything to the pair of them, they had completely fucked everything up.
The walk wasn't as long as it had been on our way up, I hadn't let go of Finn's hand and Theresa didn't let go of Isaiah's; we probably had the same thought. If we let go of their hands, they would run off and start another hissy fit. You would never have understood how shit scared I was, walking over that hill and seeing a black Bugatti, parked outside Queen Mary Lee's caravan.
All I was hoping for, was that it wasn't the main man himself. Tommy fucking Shelby.
Arthur stepped out the car; wearing the signature long black trench coat, a dark grey three piece suit and the Peaky crown. Thank the Lord that it was him and not Tommy, God knows the hell the boys would have been put through if it weren't Arthur.
Like I said it didn't take us long before we were back at the camp and said our goodbyes to Theresa, "I probably won't be allowed out for a while but as soon as I can I'll pop over...without the boys." I whispered the last part, making sure they didn't hear because I had a feeling that they would weirdly be offended by that comment. Wrapping her arms around me, Theresa kissed my cheek and went over to one of the many bonfires and joined her Mam.
"Right then, wanna tell me what the fuck you three have been up to then?" Arthur slammed his car door, striding over to where we all stood.
"Look Arthur, it weren't the boys fault. I had lost my-" Why was I always getting cut off?!
"What Ciara is tryna say is that me and Finn were pissing about in the Fair and some dick didn't like it and started squaring up to us, so we stood our ground. Like you always taught us." Isaiah interrupted me.
"Finn, is that right?" Arthur interrogated the two.
"Yeh brother, that's right." Finn hestitatedly responded.
"Good on ya lads!" Arthur praised them both, clapping them on the back. I let out a long, hard breathe that I really didn't know I was holding in. "I think it's time for a drink, eh? What'd you say Ci?" Arthur asked me.
I took a moment to think, before getting in the car and answering him. "Sure, as long as you're paying." I replied with a smirk.
"I'm the only one that actually earns more than a few bob a day!" He exclaimed pulling himself into the driver's seat.
Holy heck, that had gone so much better than anyone could have planned. I was expecting some freak show, that including Arthur probably throwing a few punches here and there; possibly even the Lee's getting involved too. However none of that happened.
I thanked the any God up there, that this family hadn't already started breaking at the seams.
Well, just yet anyways.
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Sorry that I haven't posted in a while, I'm going to be honest I kind of forgot and lost motivation to write for a while. So I'm going to need people to start reminding me that I need to upload more chapters lmao. However apart from that, I hope you're all doing well and are staying safe.
Love C x