NEW CHAPTERS COMING SOON.
Small Heath, Birmingham, was an unsafe place to be. Men stumbling drunk out of pubs, whores there waiting for them on the side of the street, with gang fights happening around the corner. Unsafe for young girls... but not i...
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• • •
"There's no residue of a torturer
inside of your eyes."
• • •
After Thomas had left, Harry decided to get up from her bed and take her mind off life with some good old sport.
Harry trekked down the cobbled streets heading towards the train station, hoping to find a jackpot. It had been so long since her last taste of excitement that she was beginning to forget what the adrenaline felt like.
As Thomas would disapprove of her thieving, it had become a part of her routine to disappear once a week for a couple of hours, far enough from the eyes of any blinders. The train station was an excellent venue for Harry's mischief as there were always people coming and going; you never saw the same face twice.
Walking into the train station, she passed a waste bin, snatching yesterday's paper from the top. As she strolled round onto the platform, her eyes scanned the train timetable seeing that the next train would be along shortly.
Leaning up against the pillar of the platform, she took the paper out from under her arm and made out to be busy reading just as the sound of the train approached.
The steam trumpet whistled out as the chugging slowed to a stop. From the corner of her eye, Harry could see the crowds exit onto the platform as her anticipation built. Ready for the cat and mouse game.
Her eyes instantly drew to a tartan suit... Money. Harry's mind clicked into action as she peered up from the newspaper seeing the suit belonged to a boy, maybe five years older than herself. He looked an oddity compared to the men Harry had met in Birmingham. Definitely not from around here, Harry concluded, whilst deciding he would be her mouse for today's game.
Folding the newspaper back up, she tucked it under her arm and began to pursue the lad as he headed towards the station's exit. Stalking along the path, Harry kept her distance until the lad reached the entrance, stopping to figure out his next destination.
Harry took a deep breath as she surged towards him from behind, bumping her shoulder into his back as her other hand slipped into his side pocket, retrieving his wallet.
"Sorry, my bad." She spoke, turning back to look at the boy, who she had already put a couple of steps between.
"No damage done, good chap." He replied cheerily, unaware he was missing his wallet. Harry replied with a smirk before running off, leaving the boy confused at the exchange.
• • •
Tommy had walked Harry just as he had promised to the garrison reopening as they entered the newly renovated pub in her new suit. The noise of laughter, chatter and music consumed her as the pub buzz lifted her spirits.
Thomas led the way to Arthur, manning the bar with a smile plastered on his face as he saw us approach.
"You alright?" Tommy asked the eldest brother after shotting a glass of whisky.
"The busier we are, the faster time passes." He replied as Harry turned, swiping someone's whiskey as Thomas whispered something privately to Arthur.
"Grand opening and race days only, brother," Thomas concluded as he spun around, snatching the whisky glass from Harry's hands before downing the contents with a smug smirk playing on his lips.
"She can have one beer, Arthur. No Whisky."
"Right, Tommy." He nodded in agreement as Harry rolled her eyes at the older boys.
"Oi, if you so much as steal a penny, I will chuck you in the cut, you hear me? I don't want anything ruining my night!" Arthur teased, poking his finger at her chest, causing Harry to raise her hands in mock surrender with a laugh.
"He might be joking, but I'm not Harry. Not a penny." Thomas declared sternly.
"Ay, ay, captain, no fun." Harry shot back.
"It's good to see your cuts and bruises are fading..." Arthur observed, only to be met with irritation from Harry. Of course, Arthur would try speaking about the attack with Tommy close by to prove to him I wasn't myself still. But tonight, of all nights??
With a quick glare, Harry turned, walking away, as she headed towards Isiah, Zack and Finn.
"Harry! You made it!" Isiah cheered loudly as he saw the young girl approach.
"Of course, I wouldn't miss this," Harry replied, glad to see her friends as she plopped herself down into a chair before picking up Isiah's pint. After taking a gulp, Isiah attempted to retrieve the drink, yet Harry turned further away, still drinking.
Within a split second, Harry's cap was snatched off her head, causing her to seize drinking, turning back towards the boy who held the hat in his hand with a smug smile.
"Isiah, you did not just..." Harry began as she placed the pint on the table, preparing for war.
"Oh, but I did." He shot back, his smirk growing as Fin and Zack sat laughing as they watched.
"You're so dead!" Harry muttered as she tried to snatch the cap back, only to be blocked by Isiah's other hand.
"Isaiah, give me back my cap!" Harry shouted as she tried to reach her cap, only to find that Isiah kept moving it out of her reach with a laugh.
"Isaiah!! I'm going to make you regret this!"
"Awh, harry, stop hiding your curls." He replied in a 'baby' voice, causing Zack and Finn to crack up, crying with laughter. Suddenly the boy's laughter died down as the smug smile was stripped from Isiah's face.
Harry turned around slowly to see a stern-looking Thomas towering over her.
"What's going on 'ere?"
"Um, Isiah, took my hat because I stole his drink... well, not stole, more like borrowed?..." Harry blurted out quickly, knowing he had overheard much of the squabbling
"Isaiah, give me her cap." His voice was laced with ice as Harry tensed, preparing for a lecture from her brother. However, instead of returning the cap to Harry, Tommy stuffed the hat into his pocket, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"He has a point, Harrietta. Stop hind that hair of yours," His voice shifted to a much more playful tone as he toyed with his sister, ruffling her curls.
"Tommy!" Harry groaned, swatting his hand off her as all three boys burst into laughter.
"You drive Pol mad enough with your boisterous ways," he chuckled.
Ay, surprise!! Look who managed to write a chapter the second night in a row XD
What are we thinking, then...
Harry's still stealing - is that going to come back and bite her in the bum??
Harry and Tommy's sibling relationship seems like a brewing storm...
