By Order Of The Fucking Peaky Blinders

3 - Crystal

"Miss Shelby. Get the fuck up." Her teacher screeches pulling her from her seat. "Don't fucking touch me." Charlotte glares, pulling her arm out of the mans grip.

"You're such a disappointment. I had hope for you, but you're just like your brothers. Failures." The man jibes. "Shut up." Charlie says. "You've proved what the town already thought. Your family are nothing more than worthless drunks and gyppos." He continues.

"I told you to shut up." She yells, taking her knife from its holster, pressing it into the mans neck, backing him against a wall. "Just shut up. You know nothing about me. About them." Charlie says, "hey, calm down. Come on." Diego says, gently pulling Charlotte away from their teacher, taking the knife from her grasp.

"Go get Mr Morris." Mr Jones barks out towards a student, who rushes out the door, returning minutes later with the headteacher.

"Miss Shelby." Mr Morris says, gesturing for her to step out the classroom.

"What?" Charlie asks bluntly, once it was just the two of them in the hallway. "You going to hit me too? Just like that bitch Mrs Brandon." Charlie questions as she follows him down the corridors.

"Hitting is never a way to discipline anyone." Mr Morris replies. "Then where are we going?" Charlie asks. "To your Uncles Yard. Due to the events, I have no choice but to temporarily suspend you. It's in the school rules." Mr Morris informs.

"There's a rule about pulling knives on teachers?" Charlie scoffs in disbelief, "I believe it was added by my predecessor." Mr Morris says. "Of course it was." Charlie laughs dryly, as they exit the school premises.

"You're a smart woman, Miss Shelby." Mr Morris states. "But?" Charlie continues for him. "But what?" Mr Morris asks, "whenever someone compliments me it's always followed with a 'but'. But you need to control your anger; but you need to act more lady like." Charlotte lists, kicking a loose pebble.

"Nope. You're smart which means you understand the responsibility that comes with knowledge. Knowledge is power. And with power comes responsibility. You're still young. You're bound to make mistakes, and because you're smart you understand they come with consequences. Are the consequences always worth it?" Mr Morris says.

"I get to miss school, how's that a consequence?" Charlie retorts.

"You miss out on your youth, if you're constantly facing consequences. It's all life becomes." Mr Morris tells her.

"Why?" Charlie asks. "Why what?" Mr Morris asks.

"Why are you here? Why are you still trying? Why haven't you given up yet?" Charlotte questions, and as the teacher looked upon his student, he realised that she thought everyone would eventually give up on her, that's why she never tried to make anyone like her. She never believed anyone would stay.

"Patience is a virtue." He states. "That doesn't answer my question." Charlie replies. "Are you sure?" Mr Morris says. "Fuck off with your mind games." Charlotte mumbles.

"It's not a mind game. I haven't given up because I'm patient. You're young, you've got time." Mr Morris clarifies, as they enter the scrapyard.

"He'll be down here, melting some shit." Charlotte says, opening the gate allowing the man to step through before guiding him to where her Uncle sat.

"Leah? What you doing 'ere? Who's this?" Charlie asks. "I'm Mr Morris, Miss Shelbys headteacher. Just needed to make sure she'd get here safe. I trust that she'll tell you what happened." He replies.

"Bye Chief." Charlotte murmurs as he begins to walk away, "chief?" Morris questions.

"Chief." She repeats.