by order of the fucking peaky blinders

15

"Fancy seeing you here, aren't you a bit too young to be drinking?" A voice speaks from beside Charlie. "Miss Shelby, is this man bothering you?" Harry asks. "It's fine Harry." Charlotte replies downing her drink turning to her father. "What are you doing here?" Charlie questions. "Personal invitation of the owner. He also told me that my little girl was performing, that's not something I could miss." He smiles but she glares at him, "I know you want something, I just don't know what. Money maybe? For you drugs and whores. But I sure as hell know you aren't here for my family." Charlie tells him, "you always were smart, even as a child, but what's one thing I always reminded you." Arthur Sr says, "fast women and slow horses will ruin your life- great lesson to teach a daughter by the way." Charlotte retorts, "not that thing" her dad says, "it's okay to be smarter than everyone else, just can't go round always pointing it out because people don't like it- I'm guessing you're one of those people. Don't like people being smarter than you, makes it harder to manipulate them." Charlie replies. "I do what I can to get by.. same as everyone else." Arthur Sr shrugs, "not everyone abandons their kids, scamming them. Forcing his sister and oldest son to raise teenagers and toddlers." Charlie says pointedly.

"Charlie, there you are." Diego says approaching her with Isaiah making her breath a breathe of relief. "This your boyfriend." Her dad asks, "no, not that anything in my life is your business, nothing." Charlie replies bluntly. "I'm just trying to get to know my daughter." Arthur Sr says defensively, "you'd know your daughter if you didn't walk out on her when she was 7 years old." Isaiah says, lighting his cigarette blowing the smoke in the Shelby dads direction. "And who the fuck are you?" Arthur Sr says, "Isaiah, Isaiah Jesus." Isaiah replies, "do you know who I am?" Arthur Senior asks, "given my previous comment, that is an extremely stupid question to ask." Isaiah replies making Diego and Charlie laugh. "Why don't you just back off, she obviously wants nothing to do with you." Diego says, "I can see where I'm not wanted." The Shelby dad shrugs walking to the other side of the bar. "Well obviously you can't or you would have left before he said that." Isaiah retorts.

"You alright?" Diego asks, "yeah, that man just gets on my last nerve, makes me want to strangle him." Charlie replies. "Do it" Isaiah jokes, "ohh believe me one day, i might just." Charlotte laughs. "How long until you're on?" Diego asks, "probably another 20 minutes" Charlotte shrugs, gesturing for Grace to bring her a drink. "We going happy or sad tonight." Isaiah says, "what are you guys feeling?" she asks raising an eyebrow at the boys, lifting the glass to her lips. "Love" Diego says over dramatically fanning himself and leaning on Isaiah. "Get off me, twat" Isaiah says pushing him away. "You feeling love for Florence?" Charlotte teases. "Frigid Florence?" Isaiah asks and Charlie hits his chest, "that's not going anywhere, she's a commie." Diego says in disgust. "She's fucking mega loaded, her house is like the size of a palace." Isaiah says in disbelief. "That isn't her money though, that's her parents." Diego points out, taking a sip from his drink. "Yeah, I'd doubt she'd like to leave that life behind though." Isaiah scoffs, letting Charlie take his cigarette and finish it. "If she's so upper class why did she come to school here?" Charlotte asks, "because she's a fucking commie, didn't want that rich girl life, wanted to come to school with the working folk." Isaiah says, "we ain't the average working folk though Ziah." Charlotte says, "well we ain't rich as fucking kings, like her." Isaiah tells her. "Enough about that biatch, decided on what you gonna sing Char?" Diego asks.

"Happy because that fucker is not going to get under my skin. Nothing changes, he's not got any affect on me." Charlie tells them, "well get up there then Miss Cheerful" Isaiah teases. "I've still got 10 minutes, you know I think you're looking for an excuse to get rid off me." Charlotte says gasping, "you'd be correct, fucking pain in my ass." Isaiah chuckles, "don't be mean to the little baby." Diego teases, "oh I'm sorry old men, would you like a walking stick?" Charlotte retorts kicking his shin, "I'm good" Diego winces.