He's a Shelby (Peaky Blinders)

The pub knows a lot

(Maxi's P.O.V.)
"Maximillian Shelby!" Screamed the teacher, "turn around". Let me catch you up real quick. My teacher Mrs Harris had caught me talking with a classmate and told me to stand in the corner for interupting her lecture. She told me that I was not allowed to talk to any classmates for the rest of the day. But just simply moving me to the corner near the chalkboard doesn't stop me from talking to the closest classmates and that is exactly what I did. I rolled my eyes and turned back around facing the yellow-grey wall. From the corner of my eye I saw Mrs Harris walk further into the classroom after sparing me one more stern glance. A brilliant idea popped into my head and a sly smile appeared on my face. I slowly turned around and tiptoed towards the paint draw. I picked out a can of paint in the color black and walked behind Mrs Harris, who still had no clue about my little plan. I carefully climbed ontop the desk of my classmate Joe and poured the black liquid over Mrs Harris's head. All my classmates laughed loudly as Mrs Harris screamed in utter disgust as the thick liquid trailed down her head and onto the floor. She soon stopped and growled at me. She was so angry that you could basically see the steam come put her ears like a cartoon. She grabbed my upper arms and pulled me of the desk. She yelled stuff like "I never want to see you here again" or "you little tike" at me while trying to keep a grip on me because I was tugging to escape. But she couldn't hold me for much longer and I succesfully got loose before I dashed towards the door. I looked back and stuck out my tongue, just to annoy her even more, before running out the classroom. I snatched my flat cap, that is also known as the news-boy cap, from the hook and opened the school door. I looked around the street as the door fell close behind me. I smirked with triumph and I quickly put my cap on my head before running into the direction of home. There is a lot to see and do when you run through the streets of Small Heath Birmingham. Factory workers lifting and pulling iron into the factory building. Teenagers filling up a coal truck while an older man watched on. Mother's dragging their kids to the shops for clothes. I turned the corner amd slowed down my pace to a walk. Kids played in front of my house. They had put a rope around one of the streetlamps and used that to spin around it. Finn and I do this a lot whenever we can. I walked up to the dark green front door and opened it. I went straight to the kitchen. Aunt Martha, mom's sister, and her son William where there. Aunt Martha lives next door and comes around regularly to do the washing or prepare dinner because mom comes home to late. "Did you make me some bread?" I asked walking into the kitchen, "Im not your maid go make it your bloody self" she snapped as she folded a shirt. I rolled my eyes and walked towards the cupboard that held some peanut butter. "You got a letter from your siblings" Aunt Martha said with boredom lingering in her voice. I took a bite from my bread and grabbed the letter. It had a picture of a dark brown racehorse running along the racetrack. I flipped it over and read the text.

Hey little Blinder! See you soon

It was a short and simple but it still meant a lot to me. It was signed with everyones initials down at the bottom. I smiled and brought it to my room and laid it underneath my pillow. I quickly finished my bread before telling aunt Martha I had to go. "Softly with the door" she told me. But I still slammed it shut behind me and heard her sigh in annoyence. I made my way towards the pub my mother works at. She had told the owner that I was old enough to work, so I was put to work. I didn't earn anything, well I did, put mom used it for buying groceries and other stuff. I arrived in the pub called the Kings Arms and hung my cap on the clothing hook. My feet dragged me towards the wooden bar where mom was smoking a cigarette. She stared me down as she took a drag from her cigarette. "Can you never be on time?" She asked as she quirked up an eyebrow. I simply shrugged my shoulders. She nodded for me to go to the back where all the drinks are stored and get to work. The owner, Ernie, laid a hand on my shoulder stopping me in my tracks "A beer crate had leaked so take a towel with you" he informed me. I nodded at him and I was let go. I swung the towel over my shoulder and grabbed a bucket before walking to the leaking crate. I mopped up the beer and wringed the towel out so that the beer fell into the bucket. While I did this my mind wandered off. I thought about playing with Finn, especially playing pranks on everyone around us. I thought about the warm embrace of aunt Polly's arms when she first met me. The memory of getting a little box for my birthday that contained my dark grey cap. More memories danced around in my head as the sky outside began to get darker as the night came. I had finished mopping a long time ago and was now serving drinks to customers. I swiftly moved between the dancing couples from the tables to the bar. I had collected empty glasses from the table and put them on a tray. I put the tray on the oak pub bench. "3 beers and 2 vodka" I said and immediatly Ernie filled the beer glasses while mum did vodka. A man stepped next to me. He wore a nice suit and had a fedorra hat on. "Hello sweetheart" he said looking towards my mother. Mom gave a flirtatious smile back. "Two whiskey. Shaken not stirred. And uh take one yourself" the man ordered. Ernie put the beer glasses on my tray but I wanted to listen what this bastard wanted from my mother. "Is that your husband?" The tall man asked nodding towards Ernie who was back filling beer glasses, "maybe" mom replied with a tease. "Max. Hurry up" Ernie said to me, telling me to get the order to the customers. I looked the man up and down one more time before picking up the tray. "Henry" a second male appeared, "you coming?" He asked as he put his hand on the shoulder of the man with the fedorra hat. I delivered the drinks amd walked back to my mother and the man called Henry. His friend had left to go back to his seat. "I would like to get to know you" Henry said as he leaned on the bar. I put the tray down and kicked Henry in his shin making him fall back and onto the ground as the drink in his hand splattered all over the place. I don't want to see someone hitting on my mother like that. I glared at Henry before turning around to walk out Kings Arms. But just my luck I was grabbed by Henry's friend. I trashed around in his arms before mom snatched me from his grip. "You little rat" she screamed and shook me before hitting me in the cheek. I held my cheek that was now warm and the whole pub went silent. I saw a drink on the table and grabbed it before throwing it in her face. She growled before once again grabbing me and shaken me around. "Oi. You don't look good. I can't use you here" Ernie yelled from behind the bar, as he referred to mum's ruined make up. "Fine. I'll go home" she said and pulled me with her. She had a tight grip on my upper arm and I was sure it would bruise later. We arrived home and she basically threw me inside. "Apologize" she sneered as she put her hands on her hips, "never" I replied back in the same tone she used. She growled before grabbing the hem of my shirt and dragged me back outside. "If you don't apologize. Then stay outside" she said before slamming the back door in my face. "Let me in!" I yelled as I banged and kicked against the door. I stepped back and sighed in frustration as I realized she wouldn't let me back in. I sat down on the stones in our garden and wrapped my arms around me. It was fall so the weather wasn't pretty. With each passing hour the night continued to get colder and wetter but I eventually fell asleep with my back against the cold bricks from the house.

Published: 21st of December 2020