𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 ▻ 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘣𝘺 [1]

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚

...

SHE LOVED HIM and he loved her just the same, at least to the extent that the 18 year olds knew about love at the time. Elizabeth Alder and Thomas Shelby. That was it and they knew it. Heck, all of Small Heath knew it to be frank. With the two plastered at the hip and their laughs forever echoing through the streets, how could everyone not know?

The Alder's and the Shelby's, not only were they neighbours, but life-long family friends. You could go back the family tree five generations on either side and you would still find an Alder and a Shelby man standing next to each other somewhere. So it is to no surprise that Elizabeth and her older brother Benjamin spend most of their days with the notorious Shelby boys, Arthur, Thomas, and John, and but of course not to forget the young Ada Shelby as well. Day and night the five, and sometimes even the six of them would crouse the streets of Small Heath. Everyone in town knew not to make a fuss, as they were the Alder and Shelby kids, and doing as much as complain to a neighbour over morning tea would have them end up with their front door missing off its hinges. And happily (or more like unhappily) for the town, that family would grow just a little more that sunny Sunday morning in February of 1908.

Elizabeth sat by the small fire, sipping a cup of tea her Mother (who has already left for work) made for her not long ago. Doing nothing but hum a tune she heard playing on the street the other day, she gets interrupted, "Don't be singing that stuff off the streets Liz", her brother grunts as he makes his way down the stairs and to the kitchen.

"I bloody sing what I want to", she quickly spits back.

"Mum said—", "Oi Ben, I'm 18, fuck off with the 'Mum said' nonsense come on", the girl cuts him off.

Ben peers around the corner, giving his stubborn younger sister a glare, and she happily returns one with a cheeky smile. Elizabeth, or who a lot of the time is called Liz, has been stubborn since day one. From being born feet first to refusing almost all forms of help, Elizabeth Alder has always been a force to be reckoned with. Most people in the girl's life find this quality to be quite annoying, yet for Thomas it is what pulls him in more each day; When others see stubbornness he sees a girl who knows what she wants. When others see a girl with an attitude and foul mouth he sees a girl who stands up for herself and her family no matter the cost. Although he hasn't admitted it to her, he very well knows his feisty golden haired girl inspires him.

"I'm just sayin don't be lulling that around when Mum's home", Ben warns.

"You think I'm a tart?", Elizabeth retorts, "I—", but she gets cut off by the front door of their house being swung open.

The two don't turn their heads too quickly, as they know it could only be a handful of people at the door since no one else in the town would have the balls to do so otherwise. "Mum's having the baby!", a little Ada squeals.