𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐
𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬

Aurora stormed down Watery Lane with her hands clenched into fists. Her heart was pounding and she muttered angry words to herself.

Once she got outside the all too familiar house, she banged on it multiple times, each time louder and harder. It had been a long time since she was seen on Watery Lane.

"Fucking hell!" She heard John from the other side. He finally opened it and she shoved past him. "Where the fuck is Tommy?" She shouted, storming through the betting den.

"Good morning to you too, Rory." John scoffed, following after her.

"Tommy fucking Shelby!" Her voice rang out as she flung the door open to his office. He looked up with a frown on his face. Aurora grabbed him by his shirt and pushed him backward against the wall.

"You're a fucking bastard! D'ya know that— has anybody ever told you you're a coward!?" She screamed angrily, aggressively sticking her finger into his chest.

"What's gotten into you?" Tommy asked her, trying to grab her hands as she began hitting him. "Fucking hell— John!" Tommy shouted as he grabbed Aurora's fists, preventing her from hitting him again.

Finn was the first to get into the office, John behind him. John grabbed Aurora and pulled her backward, his arms wrapped around her front to keep her arms in place.

"Get off!" She hissed.

"Rory calm down." Finn pleaded.

"He's promised my brother to the police!" Aurora told him. "He's promised his best friend since school—" She took a breath, "to the fucking police!"

John relaxed his grip on the girl and looked at Tommy.

"You've promised Freddie?" He asked, also sounding disappointed in his older brother.

Rory's chest heaved up and down and she shoved herself away from John. "Get off me," she hissed, shoving past Finn and knocking him into the door.

"What you shoving me for? I've not done anything!" Finn threw his arms up into the air.

"Shut up, Finn." Aurora retorted, storming back through to the house. "He's a fucking idiot. As if he's doing that to my brother." She muttered to herself.

Polly looked up from her newspaper and raised an eyebrow at the girl. "Why are you talking to yourself, love?" She asked.

"Because Thomas has promised the police that he's going to turn my brother in." She told the older woman. Polly's expression didn't change which raised suspicions in Aurora.

"You knew didn't you?" She asked, her mouth parting. Polly sighed. "Listen, Aurora love, Tommy was just—"

"No don't give me that shit." She interrupted. "Tommys a rat. And we don't like rats around here." She pointed a finger at Polly.

-

Rory sat with her arms crossed at the table beside the chalk board.

"If it isn't Aurora Thorne." Arthur said from the door of his office. She glanced over her shoulder and pursed her lips into a smile that clearly wasn't genuine.

"What's up with your face, Angel?" Arthur asked Aurora as he exited his office. She looked up at him and said nothing before allowed her eyes to trail over to Tommy who was having a very hushed conversation with Polly.

Arthur raised his eyebrow and followed her gaze. "And what's he done?"

"He's told the police he'll turn Freddie in." Aurora said bluntly, her eyes burning in to Tommy's as he looked up, locking eyes with her.

Arthur looked at her in disbelief. "Tommy!" Arthur shouted, his voice raspy. Tommy raised an eyebrow and turned, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Arthur." He replied plainly.

"Is that true?" Arthur asked. Tommy rolled his eyes and shook his head as he looked away. "I'm not having this conversation with you, Arthur. Or you, Rory. What I tell the coppers on our pay roll is none of your business." Tommy spoke.

"Oh but it is my fucking business." Arthur corrected him.

"Arthur, for christ's sake find better words!" Polly scolded. During this time of the bickering between the Shelby's, Aurora managed to slip out of the house and around to the side alley where she'd usually leave her bike.

Quickly, she pedalled over to the canal where she'd hoped some of the boys from school would be. It was nearing on six o'clock so the likelihood of them being there drinking was high.

A wide grin spread across the Thorne girl's face when she heard the laughs of her friends echoing. "Evening," she called out, making her presence known to them. Harvey was the first to pop his head around to see the girl.

"Look who it is." He exclaimed, nudging Mike in the side. "I've told you to stop fucking doing that—" Mike said angrily, smacking Harvey's hand away. That's when he saw Aurora. "Thorne." He said. "Not seen you in a while."

"Yeah, cause you decided to get yourself locked up." Aurora reminded him, taking a seat on the cobble beside them and snatching their bottle of rum.

Mike pursed his lips together and leaned back onto the wall. "It wasn't my fault, alright. He was just in my way." He tried to excuse.

"He was in your way so you went to his house and bricked his windows in?" Harvey asked in disbelief. "Your story ain't adding up, mate."

"Alright whatever." Mike gave in. "I heard talk about you and Isiah Jesus." He moved the conversation on. Aurora scoffed. "You're kidding, right? Isiah is a stuck up prick who thinks he knows what's best for me."

Harvey and Mike shared a glance. "So you ain't gonna bring him around here?" Harvey asked. Rory looked between the two with confusion. "Why would I do that— you only want booze from him." She said.

"Exactly." Harvey shrugged. "I don't like the lad but he can get his hands on some good stuff." He added.

"I'm not going to use Isiah for your benefit, Harvey. That's wrong of me to do." She said. Harvey threw his head back in annoyance and groaned.

"Since when did you care about the rules, Thorne?" Mike chimed in.

"I don't care about the rules. I care about not exploiting my friend." She said, taking a big swig of the rum and wincing as it travelled down her throat. "Speaking of." She pointed a finger at them. "I'm gonna go find him— i'm missing him." She said, her words already slurring together from the fact she'd drank half the bottle of rum within the short time she'd been there.

"You do that." Mike said, taking the bottle from her. "See ya later, Rory! Don't go shagging Isiah." Harvey shouted whilst she walked away.

Aurora ignored his snide remark and walked away from the canal. She took one look at her bike and winced. Probably not a good idea to be riding that but she was going to do it anyway.

The sky had grown dark and people were roaming Watery Lane — some going home and some going out to a pub.

Aurora practically fell off her bike as she stopped outside Isiah's house. She grabbed the door handle and opened it, letting herself inside. "Isiah?" Rory mumbled, slamming the door.

Finn appeared at the end of the hall with a look of concern on his face. "Jesus Christ, Rory. You scared the shit out of me." He whispered, walking to her.

"Finny!" She exclaimed happily, opening her arms to him. Finn frowned because usually she'd probably try and strangle him. "How much have you drank?" He asked.

"Too much." She laughed at herself, slowly falling against the wall. Finn was quick to grab underneath her arms. She closed her eyes and leaned into him. "How are you, Finny?" She mumbled.

"I'm alright, Rory. But you— you need to lay down." Finn told her, pushing the door open to Isiah's living room and helping her inside.

"Jesus Christ." Isiah muttered when he saw the two. "Three weeks of being friends and you're already turning up to my house drunk, Aurora. What's next?" He joked, helping Finn lay her down onto the couch.

She mumbled a few things but it was completely inaudible to the boys. "Where've you been, eh?" Isiah kneeled down beside the couch and moved her hair away from her face.

"Mike and Harvey." Was all she said. Isiah frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't like them lads, i don't." Isiah whispered to Finn once he stood up. "No thirteen year old should be drinking with sixteen year olds. Especially not ones who get arrested."

"She's probably missing Freddie— you know that, Siah. When she's angry with herself, she does stupid things." Finn said quietly.

"Fuck Freddie." She said, her eyes still closed. Isiah and Finn shared a glance. "Do we call Polly?" Isiah asked. Finn shook his head. "I'll call John." He offered, walking to the phone out in the hall.

"John? Is John here?" Aurora shot up, wincing at the sudden light as she opened her eyes. Isiah was quick to grab her again and slowly lower her back down onto the couch again. "No, no Johns not here, Rory. But Finn's gone to call him."

She hummed and covered her eyes. "Can I have a drink?"

"Water?" Isiah asked. "No, whiskey." Aurora corrected him. Isiah bit his lip, thinking. "No, Rory, you can't have whiskey. We have school tomorrow." He said.

She groaned loudly and waved him away. "Boring!" She said in a sing-song voice.

It took about ten minutes before John made his way over to Isiah's house. He didn't even knock, just walked in. "What's she done?" He asked his younger brother in passing. Finn shrugged. "She was out drinking with them lads again."

John sighed and kneeled down. "Rory." He whispered. She grunted. "It's time for you to go home— come on." John urged, forcing her to sit up. He placed his hands under her arms and pulled her to her feet. "John." She mumbled.

"Yeah it's me— come on." He said again, moving her arm so it was around the back of his shoulders. "You shouldn't be doing this on a school night." John said.

She scoffed. "Oh leave me be, John!" Aurora said, almost falling over her own feet as she walked with him.

"Right, Finn don't be out too late and Isiah don't let him do anything stupid. You all have school tomorrow." John pointed a finger at them both once he got to the front door.

"Goodnight!" Aurora shouted loudly. All three of the boys quickly shushed her. "You'll wake up the whole of bloody Watery Lane— shut up!" John hissed.

She laughed at herself and leaned into him. "Right, off to bed the pair of you." He nodded and Finn and Isiah, letting them close the door behind him. "What're you playing at, eh?" John asked Aurora as he practically dragged her down the road.

Aurora said nothing.

"Is this because of Freddie?" John questioned, carefully opening the door to Polly's house since she'd being staying there over the past few weeks per Tommy's orders.

"Who's that?" Aurora asked spitefully, sniffing and pushing herself off John once they got inside. John pursed his lips into a straight line and followed close behind her whilst she ascended the stairs.

"Rory if there's something you need to talk about, you know i'll listen to you. I'll always listen to you."

"I know, John." She snapped. "I'm tired, that's all. So please— if you don't mind, I want to go to bed." Aurora looked at him with glossy, pleading eyes.

John put his hands into his pockets and let out a breath. "Go on then. Make sure ya lay on your side— don't want you to die in your sleep." He said jokingly.

"Well that would be a miracle wouldn't it John. And you and I both know miracles don't tend to happen to people like us." Aurora said with raised eyebrows. John shook his head slightly and turned on the small lamp in the corner of the room.

"Get some sleep, Angel." He said.

Angel. The nickname him and Arthur had given her when she was a little girl. It felt like ages since she'd heard either of them call her that but it gave her a certain sense of comfort.

"Goodnight John." Aurora said under her breath when he turned away. "Goodnight." He said, the floorboards creaking underneath his feet.

-

To say Aurora was tired would be a severe understatement. Every time the clock ticked, it felt like she was going insane. She looked around the classroom and tapped her pencil against the desk.

After a few minutes, she'd had enough and decided to place her head on the table. It was only when the chair beside her screeched against the floor, Rory sat up.

And to her surprise, Finn Shelby was sat beside her. "Good afternoon." He said with a tormenting grin.

"Fuck off." Was all she said, placing her head back onto the table. Finn leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Not having a good day then I take it?" He guessed.

"Finn I swear if you don't be quiet i'll rip your tongue from your mouth." She said with her head still down.

He shook his head and let out a breathy laugh. A few moments passed and she sat up once more. "Why the bloody hell are you in here?" Aurora asked with a frown.

"You've just told me to be quiet— now you're wanting to talk to me?" He asked. "Precisely." Aurora nodded, tucking her dark hair behind her ears.

"Got sent out." Finn admitted. Aurora laughed loudly and quickly smacked a hand over her mouth.

"Something you'd like to share?" the teacher asked her. Multiple others turned in their chairs to stare at her and she just sat, slouched with her arms crossed. "No that's okay. Do continue." Aurora flashed him a smile.

Once he turned to the chalkboard, she looked back at Finn. "You got sent out?"

Finn rolled his eyes at her. "It's not that hard to believe, Rory." He said. She shrugged. "I thought that after Tommy got Polly to ground you for your behaviour in school, you'd get yourself together."

"Like you can talk." Finn argued.

"Yeah well Tommy can't ground me. I ain't his sister." She said. "And he ain't my brother." She added.

"Yeah— yours fucked off." Finn blurted out. Rory sat up straight and glared at him, unable to believe what he'd just said. Finn couldn't believe it either. He didn't even mean to say it, it just slipped out.

"Listen, Rory—"

He couldn't finish his sentence because Rory had got up from her seat and stormed out despite the attempts from her teacher to stop her. She walked through the hall with her hands at her sides, fists clenched and her chest heaving up and down.

What the fuck. Was the thought that repeated in her head. If she hadn't been in a classroom and on the verge of being kicked out of school, she'd have grabbed him by the collar and smashed his head off the table.

Aurora swung the door open to the girls lavatory and let it slam against the wall. She placed her hands either side of the sink and looked down.

"Fucking Shelby bastards." She muttered. "The lot of them. Bastards." Of course she didn't think that about all of them. She adored Polly. Arthur and John too, they would do anything for her.

Angry tears were forming in her eyes and she ran a hand through her hair. Aurora took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, placing the cigarette between her lips and setting it alight whilst sitting on the windowsill.

Her knee bounced up and down aggressively and she stared up at the ceiling. "Fuck." Rory let out a breath, dropping her cigarette into the sink.

Aurora shoved her palms into her eyes gently in attempt to stop tears from escaping. Rory didn't cry often. And she certainly wasn't going to let Finn Shelby out of all people make her cry.

-

The moment Aurora walked through the door, she was met with the face of Tommy who stood in the middle of the den, people working around him.

"And where the bloody hell have you been?" He questioned. Aurora shrugged. "Walked the long way home." She lied, pushing the flask of whiskey further down into her pocket.

Tommy walked to her and leaned against the wall. "Have you been smoking?"

"No." She answered bluntly.

"Don't lie to me, i can smell it on you. I'll ask you again. Have you been smoking?" Tommy repeated himself. Aurora stared him dead in the eye and leaned closer. "No Thomas, i have not been smoking." She lied again.

"You've been drinking them. Cause I know for a fact I can fucking smell it on your bloody breath, Aurora!" He said.

"Stop being dramatic. You all drink. It's not a big deal at all." She turned away from him. Tommy followed her through the house. "It's a big deal when you're thirteen and drinking almost every day!"

"Forgive me, Tommy but incase you haven't noticed i'm having a bit of a hard time recently and the alcohol helps time pass quicker." She said.

Tommy went to continue arguing with her but stopped when Finn walked in and there was a sudden tension in the room. He looked between the two and thought of something to say.

"Go get yourself looking presentable, Aurora, we have somewhere to be." Tommy instructed, his eyes glued onto his younger brother.

Aurora shoved past Finn and walked up the stairs. "What have you said to her this time?" Tommy asked him. Finn's lips parted. "What— me?" He went high pitched. "What d'ya mean me?"

"Well considering you're the only person who severely annoys her, i'm assuming you're the reason she's in such a bad mood."

"She's always like that." Finn shook his head. Tommy raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. "Finn." He warned.

"Fine!" He gave in. "I brought up how Freddie has left," he said lowly, avoiding eye contact with Tommy. Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course you did. Of course you fucking did." Tommy said. "We'll deal with this later—go get dressed."

Aurora sat on her bed for a while with the flask in hand, staring down at it. The floorboard creaked slightly and she looked up. "Rory—"

"Finn." She cut him off quickly, greeting him in the same tone he had greeted her with. "Is there something I can help you with or are you going to use my family problems as an insult again?" She asked, sipping from the flask.

Finn shoved his hands into his pockets and his mouth parted. But words didn't come out.

"A conversation involves people talking back y'know? So if you don't intend on speaking i'd suggest leaving before i throw this flask at your bloody head." Rory threatened.

Finn shook his head at her tone and shifted his weight onto the other foot. "I'm sorry— I really am. You know i'd never purposely upset you. Not like that anyway." Finn said.

Aurora shrugged and continued sipping.

"Is there anything I can do—"

"You can get out." She snapped. Finn pursed his lips together but didn't argue. He turned away and closed the door behind him.

Aurora and Finn had always argued. Ever since they were kids they'd argue. Nothing had changed. Except Finn began feeling bad about actually upsetting her. Usually he'd not care because they were just as bad as each other. But this time— this time he could tell his words hit her hard.

But Finn knew she wouldn't stay angry at him for long. There was something within the two that prevented them from drifting apart. They were close through their so called 'hatred' for one another.

In the eyes of Finn's family though, they didn't hate each other at all. They were just yet to realise it.