chapter three / season one episode one.

FRIDAY WAS THE BEST DAY OF THE WEEK. It was the day before the weekend started and usually the chattiest day at school because all children had had enough of school and all the teachers were tired of trying to quiet the classes down.

Which was probably why Olivia's favorite day of the week was Friday.

She would talk from the moment she stepped over the school gates and not stop until the moment she got home to shove a slice of toast in her mouth (which Polly would then scold her for, for eating before tea was ready) and in addition, on Fridays, Olivia would move from her original seat at the front of the classroom to sit beside Eleanora and Charlotte - which only could lead to trouble.

But, it was Friday and Olivia was not liking the day so far. The clock had only just struck half seven and Polly Gray was shouting down her ear.

Olivia loved her aunt with all her heart, she just wished that Polly understood waiting an extra half hour so the Shelby could wake up before being screamed at.

"You silly, silly girl!" Had been repeated many times as Pol spread butter on the girl's toast, spread with such aggression that Olivia swore her toast was going to have holes in.

And let's not discuss that the toast was burnt, because if Olivia had complained this morning she was sure Polly was going to bury her in a six foot hole in the ground.

And to make matters worse, Thomas, (Yes, Olivia had deemed him to a full name basis) strolled through the kitchen, stealing the crusts of Olivia's toast and waltzing straight out the door, as if he wasn't the reason Olivia was getting told off at the crack of dawn.

So, it was safe to say, Olivia's favorite day of the week had already turned into something wretched. And no doubt, today, her teacher would grow a backbone and tell Olivia off every five seconds for talking and moving seats - which the teacher had every right to do, but that didn't mean Olivia liked it.

The Shelby rubbed her eyes of any left over sleep as she walked through the gates of school, she only had to turn left to be met with the, mildly, concerned look of Kian Cormac. Charlotte and Eleanora just looked as though they were used to the girls tired expression.

Olivia, who had stayed up way past her bedtime last night, did a double take when she saw the new fella stood beside her friends. "Who's this?" She spoke after yawning loudly.

Eleanora and Charlotte looked at the Shelby as if she were an alien.

"What?"

Eleanora pointed at the boy beside her, "Kian. The Irish fella. We met him yesterday after our pig ran in his way, and then you invited him back to Charlotte's for cake."

"Yeah!" Charlotte nodded, happily, "My mom even took a picture of all us together. Did you hit your head or something?"

Eleanora reached over and tapped on Olivia's head, "Definitely hollow."

Olivia grumbled under her breath, "Olivia Shelby vs the world, eh?"

Eleanora rolled her eyes at Olivia's dramatics, "C'mon? It's Friday, you're usually your happiest on Friday."

Kian frowned, "I'm usually happiest on Saturdays."

"Did I ask?"

Charlotte swatted her friend on the arm, "Be nice, Eleanora." She scolded before turning to Kian with a smile, "I prefer Saturdays too, Kian."

It was clear, since having met him last night, that Charlotte had been the nicest to Kian, with Olivia taking second place and Eleanora being very far down in last place. Which, might not seem so drastic with Charlotte being the kindest because that was almost expected.

Charlotte Junia was probably the nicest person to walk the streets of Small Heath, she'd smile at you on the darkest days and talk to just about anyone. It was no surprise she was talking the most to Kian this morning because she simply talked and he mostly listened in awe of how much she could talk.

Olivia being second best was a surprise. She was nowhere near as kind as Charlotte and had taken pity on Kian last night and thought another good deed couldn't do any harm! But, usually Olivia could be quite cold. It was a Shelby thing after all - well, perhaps not a Shelby thing she'd inherited but a Thomas thing she'd inherited - so, Olivia often found that many perceived her as this wretched being just because of her last name. The Shelby teen thought she might as well play up to their expectations.

Eleanora wasn't rude. The only person she would ever be rude to would be Olivia. If Eleanora even dared to be rude at home to her uncle a nasty argument would spawn and possibly some bruises she'd hide under the sleeves of her cardigan. And, if Eleanora dared to be rude to others the same berating would be expected seeing as her uncle seemed to know everyone and find everything out about the girl (especially that she hangs around with Olivia Shelby, that had really not gone down well)

So, for Eleanora to be so rude to Kian was quite a surprise to both girls. Of course, Olivia hadn't been the most welcoming this morning but she was just having a bad day.

Olivia reached into her pockets, believing that Eleanora must've been having a bad day, "For you." She mumbled handing the girl one of the sour lollipops Finn liked to illegally sell on the playground, "And for you," she turned to Kian, handing him an apple and a chocolate biscuit, "I wasn't quite sure what you liked so I went with my favorite breakfast."

Eleanora snorted and unwrapped her lollipop, "If Pol found you with that for breakfast she'd have your head on a stick."

Olivia rolled her eyes, "She already does."

Eleanora's ears perked up, "Elaborate."

Kian raised his arm, timidly, speaking when Olivia nodded her head at him, "Who is 'Pol'?"

"I forgot you're from Galway." Olivia said before explaining, "Polly is my aunt. Scary lady. She'll tell you off for just about anything. She could start World War Two if she tried."

Kian nodded, noting that he should probably keep quiet around the illusive Polly Gray.

Eleanora rolled her eyes, "Polly only tells you off because you cause trouble and do everything she asks you not to."

"I do not." Olivia argued.

"Then why was she shouting at you this morning?" Eleanora countered as she raised an eyebrow.

"It's actually Thomas' fault because he told Polly that I 'escaped' from my grounding to go and cause mischief, which, yeah, might've been true! But, he didn't have to go and being a bloody snitch did he? No." Olivia pointed out as she stole the apple from Kian and took an aggressive bite from it.

Kian looked down at his, now, empty palm before looking at Charlotte in confusion.

Charlotte patted his shoulder, "She does this a lot."

"And you know what he had the audacity to do?" Olivia asked them.

"No. But you're gonna tell us anyway."

Olivia huffed, chucking the half eaten apple straight in the bin, "That apple was shite. But, he just strolled on through the kitchen and ate the crusts of my toast. As if he was a perfect fucking angel. I could kill him."

"You don't mean that."

"Oh, yes, I fucking do. I got an added two weeks on my grounding. Two weeks! I can only go out if it's with Pol or Ada. No time with Finn, John or Arthur. It's not fair." Olivia complained as she reached into her pocket and chucked an apple at Kian, who nearly dropped it but just caught it before it hit the ground.

"Olivia Shelby vs the world." Eleanora mocked, wincing when Charlotte and Olivia slapped her arm.

Charlotte shrugged when the girl beside her glared her way, "Olivia needs to calm down, not be mocked."

"Trust you to be all philosophical."

"You don't even know how to spell that." Olivia said, bending down to tie her shoe lace.

Kian raised his hand again and looked frightened when Eleanora stared at him and said, "You don't have to raise your hand to speak, it's freedom of speech, Kian."

He raised his hand slowly, "Oh. The boys back home never let me talk. So, I just thought..."

"Well, don't." Eleanora rudely cut in.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Stop it. You're not helping or being kind."

"Again with the philosophy."

Olivia looked up from her laces, "Both of you cut it out and let him speak. He obviously had twats for friends back in Wales and, you," she pointed at Eleanora, "Aren't being much better then the welsh right now."

"Let him speak."

"I'm from Ireland." Kian reminded the Shelby.

Olivia nodded her head, "Yeah, sorry, I don't have a good morning memory, sorry."

Kian shook his head, seeming surprised someone had apologized to him, "You don't have to apologize—"

"I do, Kian. We haven't been the most welcoming this morning, we're usually better than this. We're your new friends and haven't acted like it all morning. So I'm sorry."

Eleanora snorted, "Who said we were his friends?"

The girl yelped when a heavy force was exerted onto her foot, "Ow! What was that for?"

"You're being a bitch, apologize."

"What—!"

Olivia only raised her eyebrow and the girl mumbled an apology. While the Shelby hoped for a more heartfelt one she knew that was the best she was going to get from Eleanora this morning.

While Kian prepared to ask his next question Eleanora turned to whisper to Charlotte, "I don't know if you snuck something into her toast, somehow, but she's being too nice. It's scary and unlike her. Fix it."

Charlotte shrugged, finding a smile tugging on the corner of her lips from her friends surprising kind of heart, "Why change it? I like kind Liv. It separates her from Tommy, reminds me of a girl who didn't worry about his opinion too much."

Eleanora didn't think Olivia could ever do that. The girl had only ever known Olivia to be the puppy that followed behind Thomas Shelby, the one man she aspires to be like. Eleanora couldn't imagine a world where Olivia hadn't looked up to Thomas.

That was a world that had existed for four years. Four long years where Olivia had been completely unrecognizable to anyone who knew her. There was a certain lightness to her, as if a burden had been relieved from her shoulders. There was a side to Olivia no-one had really seen; the girl who didn't have to please her brother, but the girl who tried her best to comfort her family and brighten the dull days of war. Her laugh was louder and her smile might brighter, despise the circumstances.

That Olivia was someone she couldn't recognize and there was always that part of Olivia who felt guilty. The guilt of being happy, or smiling while her brothers could've been face down, dead in the mud of the trenches or the tunnels they were digging. And not only that, but Olivia had been everything she never was. And those qualities that she hid away, were the qualities Thomas never showed or the ones he never really encouraged.

They were the qualities she wasn't to be associated with. After all, she was Olivia Shelby. She was the mini Tommy. She wasn't supposed to be kind, smiling or laughing until her belly hurt, or even sharing her oranges!

Olivia was meant to be cold, sly and deceiving.

A Shelby didn't have it in their heart to be kind.

Eleanora merely shook her head at the idea of an Olivia she did not know, or even understand. "What's your question, Kian?" The girl asked trying to move her thoughts along and having seen the boy begin to apprehensively raise his hand.

"Uh, yeah, uh, who's Thomas, and Ada and Finn—?"

There was a malicious laugh that sounded on the playground, one that the girls knew all too well, while Kian just looked lost - which was how he'd felt all day to be honest. (And it was only morning)

While Kian felt lost, Olivia felt as though her day couldn't get any worse. It was really turning out to feel like the world was against her today and the world seemed to be winning.

There was a group of boys approaching them, the leader, James, was a much larger boy with a wicked smile that caused trouble with children younger and older than him. James always seemed to have a problem with someone.

James took any chance he could to try and aggravate Olivia, and in recent weeks the amount of times he'd approached her had at least tripled. This meant that Charlotte and Eleanora had gotten used to tugging the Shelby away before she could start a fight - which was something Olivia was particularly good at considering her short temper.

Instinctively, Charlotte and Eleanora took a step closer to the Shelby while Kian took slow steps in an attempt to hide himself behind the three girls.

But, it was far too late for Kian who had been spotted by James. The plumper boy had grabbed the new boy by the collar of his white shirt, forcing him to stand by his side, "Mornin' Callum, you just asked about dear old Olivia's family, yeah?"

Olivia shook her head while Kian looked scared for his life.

"You did, 'cause I were listening. And let me tell you, that Olivia there, yeah? She comes from a wretched line of ancestors. That sisters of hers is no good, the poor man who marries her," he laughed lowly as he bent down to Kian's ear, "Let's just say I wish him the best. She's too lippy for a woman."

Olivia's fist clenched at her side.

Ada wouldn't mind if her little sister got in a fight, right?

"Arthur and Finn, who knows how much help they need. Clueless the both of 'em. Frankly, I don't know how Arthur made it this far and the best part is he thinks he's the head of the family, isn't that funny, Carl?" James asked, shaking the frightened boy.

"Uh..."

"Yeah. He said yeah, did you 'ear that, Olivia?"

Olivia unclenched her fists and offered the boy her most false smile and a thumbs up. However, immediately after they went back down by her sides, her thumbs pressing down on her index finger in a desperate need to click the bone and imagine it as one of James'.

"John, not much to say about him. Half a brain. Makin' kids like there's no tomorrow but, hey-ho! That's the way to go. Much better than Arthur, he's supposed to be the eldest but he's a bit weak, int he? Lets Thomas lead," Olivia may have been angry at her brother, but the way James said his name with a sneer caused the nails of her Olivia's fingers to leave imprints on the skin of her palm.

She was counting to five in her head, because that was the best thing Charlotte had told her to calm her down. Newsflash; it wasn't working.

Every-time she reached the number two she'd imagine kicking James' head in and have to start counting all over again.

"Tommy, Tommy, Tommy," he said, tauntingly, "Is there a good thing to say about him? The man Olivia Shelby worships so blindly. You'd think she'd at least choose a half decent guy, but she didn't. She chooses the man who blinds people with razors, walks the streets like he owns the place." James rolled his eyes, "But then again, all the Shelbys do. They think they're the top of the walk."

"You wanna know what they really are, Callum?"

"It's Kian." The boy muttered quietly, afraid to interrupt the boy's... speech.

"The Shelbys are nothing. They come from nothing and will always be nothing. I mean, look at their parents," James laughed, darkly, "A good for nothing father," correct, Olivia was most certainly not going to reject that one, "And their mother...a right whore, she were. Ada learnt from the best I suppose. I would say that it's a shame she passed away, but that would be a lie."

"And I don't like lying." James smiled.

Olivia felt her face redden and Charlotte suddenly gripping her arm.

The Shelby knew none of her siblings would want her getting in a fight over their names, they were used to the opinions and merciless slander. Olivia thought it to be incorrect what James said, she knew it was incorrect. And that was all that mattered to her, she knew her siblings better than he did. James was just like the rest, not worth her time.

But her mother? That was too far.

While James' opinions on her siblings obviously angered the girl, she could take it. She'd been learning to take it for years. While the only outlet might be clenching her fists and perhaps causing a breakage and bleed on her skin, and later screaming into her pillow, she could take it.

But, there was something about someone disrespecting and disregarding her mother that caused Olivia to see red. Her poor mother. Who wasn't here to defend herself, who had been mislabeled by a boy who knew nothing.

Olivia Shelby knew everything. She was better than James. She knew he was wrong. She knew, in reality, he was nothing. She knew her siblings were not what he said they were. And she most certainly knew her mother wasn't a whore.

And Olivia Shelby knew she was about to create a spectacle on the playground.

She stepped forward, her face still red, but shaking her head, "Let 'im go, James. If he wanted to be friends with knobheads like you he would've said so."

"You think he wants to be friends with you? You must be delusional! Not even Charlotte and Eleanora want to be your mates, they're scared of you. Probably afraid you'll cut their eyes out if they disagree with ya."

Olivia's hand clenched around the razor blade in her pocket, she definitely felt like cutting someone's eyes out right now.

Before Eleanora and Charlotte could pull the girl back, Olivia leaped forward and grabbed James by the collar and threw his back against the metal fence that surrounded the school.

Kian fell to the floor with an 'humph' and was quickly scrambled to the side by Eleanora, who quickly ran back to Charlotte's side in their, weak, attempt to tug Olivia off of James.

"Don't just stand there!" James shouted to his posse, who took a step forward.

Olivia looked away from James and pointed her razor blade at them, "Do not take one, fucking, step!"

James' eyes widened in alarm, "I didn't mean it, Liv, really, we were only joking." When he noticed she looked unconvinced he gulped, "Just a couple of mates, joking."

She rolled her eyes and with her free hand punched him in the face, connecting directly with his nose. Olivia frowning slightly when it didn't bleed or crack.

James' nose might not have made any noise but he definitely had. A scream that reminded Olivia of a girl escaped his lips.

"Not so chatty, now, mate," she grimaced as the word fell from her mouth.

"I didn't mean any of it, I swear. I don't think you're like Tommy, or any of it. And your Mum, I didn't mean that!"

Olivia hummed, pressing her arm against his throat and looking behind her to see if any teacher or such was approaching but, surprisingly, there wasn't a large enough commotion, yet.

"Answer me honestly, James, do you think I'm much like Tommy?" It wasn't often James was scared, he was much often the boy with his arm pressed up against another and to have the roles reversed was unusual in the first place but for it to be Olivia Shelby was frightening. The girl had the most wicked smile on her face as she held the razor blade, nearly taunting him for his punishment if he said the wrong answer.

"And don't forget, if you disagree..." Olivia reminded him, shaking Charlotte's hand off her shoulder.

The two girls were having a silent conversation, meaning they had to read each other's lips. Which was going terribly and neither of them knew what the other was saying.

"I don't think you're like Tommy, not at all." He shook his head rapidly, his tongue tripping over the lie that left his lips.

Olivia picked his hand up, bending his pinky backwards, "I think you're lying, James. I thought you said you don't like lying?"

"I don't." James shook his head, again.

"Olivia." Charlotte whispered through gritted teeth, "Let 'im go, he is so not worth it!"

"You'll get suspended if you break that boy's pinky!" Eleanora reminded her, nudging Kian to saying something.

The Irishboy stumbled over his words, "You just shouldn't do it, Olivia."

Eleanora sighed, "Really fucking motivating."

Olivia rolled her eyes, dropping the boy's hand and instead punching him again. This time just right on his jaw, causing his head to fly to the side and make a clanking sound against the metal fence.

Olivia paused for just a moment. And that was all it was to the crowd that was slowly forming around them as they heard James' wails. While, Olivia felt as though she was reliving every moment she had let slide. The sly comments, the smirking, the disrespect. Ada. Tommy. Finn. Arthur. John.

Her ma.

In that singular moment, Olivia felt as though the only thing that mattered was beating James black and blue. Nothing else mattered, not the scolding she was bound to get, or the shouts that would gather teachers attention.

The only thing that Olivia could feel was rage. To the point her whole body shook and every punch she began to throw at James felt as though it was hitting in the wrong place. Her aim completely off due to the shaking.

After another punch to the jaw and nose, Olivia picked up his whole hand and pulled them much lower to the ground before stomping on his hand.

A shrill scream sounded on the playground. Cheering soon followed as support for Olivia grew.

Olivia threw him down onto his front, on the concrete of the playground. The skin on his kneecaps tearing as she did so with such force, she knelt down beside him and grabbed a handful of his hair forcing him to look at her, "If you ever, talk about my family, my ma, like that again, I promise you I will not hesitate to cut your eyes out. You hear me?"

The boy didn't respond and Olivia stood up slightly to kick him in the side of his leg.

"You hear me!?" She shouted, kneeling back down beside him and grabbing the front of his hair, a grip so tight he thought the hair was going to be ripped off his head.

At this point, the crowd had gotten far too large for Charlotte, Eleanora or Kian to pull Olivia away from James. And all three of them doubted they have the strength to do so.

She was just about to drop James' head straight onto the concrete but a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her away from him, "Hey! Hey! I weren't finished!" She yelled, kicking her legs in a poor attempt to get out of the arms wrapped around her.

"If I left you there you were going to kill him." The voice stated. Olivia frowned she had never even heard this voice before!

Olivia huffed, seeing the teachers run to aid James and looking for her, "He should watch his mouth then shouldn't he?"

Her feet were placed back down on the ground as she turned to face the mystery boy, her eyebrows furrowing when she realized she had never seen him before either. "Firstly, who are you? Secondly, I did not give you permission to wrap your hands around my waist, I don't know you like that."

He laughed quietly, looking down at his shoes as he smiled, "I'm—"

"Olivia Ruby Shelby!"

Olivia sighed at the whine that came out of the headteacher's mouth.

Olivia spun on the heel of her foot, holding her hands out in-front of her - acting as if she was about to get arrested - "Take me away, officer."

❋

If Olivia had one opinion of her Headmaster it would not be that the woman let the children walk all over her, but that her office completely lacked any personality - but then again, the woman completely lacked personality anyway.

Olivia would much prefer if the Headmaster could have a few paintings around the room, that would make her frequent trips to the office much more interesting. Instead, Olivia just had to stare at the cracking cream paint that was plastered over all the walls.

Due to the frequency of Olivia's visits to the Head's office, Polly had grown quite annoyed at the girl's behavior at school and the Aunt's idea of a punishment was to leave the Shelby waiting as long as possible as if to teach her a lesson. Which Polly soon learnt was useless as Olivia never learnt, the girl was just bound to do it again.

Olivia would never learn from the Headmaster that could barely raise her voice, it was a different story when Polly raised her voice. The Shelby girl would be scared to get home and sit at the kitchen table with her leg bouncing while Polly shouted and she'd let her Aunt's words stew with her for a few hours, or maybe a day at best, and Olivia would swear she wouldn't let her Aunt down again.

And then her anger or frustration would get the better of her. And Polly would be angry and frustrated with the girl.

Usually when Olivia got into a fight Polly wouldn't have much to say as the disappointment was represented in the short answers and quiet conversation. But, usually Olivia didn't pull a razor blade out on the playground and threaten to cut their eyes out, so perhaps Polly would have some words to say.

While Olivia was preparing to face her Aunt's later frustration, she found herself getting disappointed that the Headmaster had not yet come in to give her a talk on how violence was never the answer and how we need to look after each other.

What a load of bollocks.

The Shelby twisted in the wooden chair, her eyebrows furrowing when she saw the Headmaster conversing with a much older, a big pudgier man wearing a bowler hat.

He definitely wasn't from Birmingham, Olivia had concluded pretty early on in her analysis of him. And by the way the Headmaster hung onto every word that left his mouth Olivia thought he must be someone of importance, as the Head usually never cared for visitors, or let them in school - due to the, usually, abhorrent behavior of the children that would ruin the school's reputation.

Olivia became even more confused when the fancy dressed man looked her way and seemed to be questioning the Headmaster on why she was in her office, seemingly in trouble.

There was two things that told Olivia he couldn't have been a blinder picking her up or something like that; his hat, a dead giveaway he was a posh twat from a higher up area than Birmingham and the fact his suit seemed as though it was made of much richer materials in comparison to the longer lasting tweed that the blinders wore - Olivia thought theirs looked better than the old man's anyway.

It got even worse when the two started heading her way - Olivia looked frightened that someone was coming to way or something like that and the Headmaster looked apprehensive to let someone near the likes of Olivia Shelby.

This was really turning out to be a bad Friday, wasn't it?

The Headmaster, Mrs Oakes, cleared her throat, causing Olivia to raise her eyebrows and not stand up as expected, "Olivia, this is INSPECTOR CAMPBELL, he's come over from Ireland for some business and wanted to check some of the schools in the local community."

"Okay...?" Olivia said, unsure of what this had to do with her. If they thought bringing in an Inspector was going to change her behavior they really had another thing coming.

However, her eyes seemed to widen when she realized just exactly who was standing beforehand. The Inspector whose business was the clean up the city, at least that's what Finn told her. Thomas had known about him and Arthur hadn't. Which probably lead to a typical dick measuring contest in which they argue about who is actually in charge of the company.

Olivia was quite unsure of what to do. Her body language had, accidentally, given away to the Inspector that she knew of who he was.

She'd really have to work on that.

But, Mrs Oakes was also giving her a stern look that implied she wanted Olivia to greet the Inspector and not make a fool of the school's name.

Olivia was only going to speak because of the Inspector, not because of her Headmaster. "Welcome? Hope you've got a good hotel, you'll be here a while cleanin' up the streets. Are you good with a broom?"

"Olivia." Mrs Oakes warned.

The Inspector smiled tightly at the Headmaster before turning to Olivia, "I'll be here as long as necessary, until all the rubbish is removed."

He spoke with such a tone that Olivia knew there was an underlying message within his words. He couldn't surely be implying that she, Olivia Shelby, was the rubbish? Surely not. She hasn't been that bad that they had to call in for such help.

It took Olivia very little time to come to the realization that there was only one person in Small Heath that could cause an Inspector to be dragged all the way from Ireland to 'clean' up the streets.

Thomas Shelby.

To the Inspector, the Shelby looked crazy as a smirk formed on her face when she came to her revelation. How could one smirk in these situations? He had asked himself. While Olivia was realizing what a great advantage she had over Thomas now.

After all, he owed her.

A man came stalking into the office, whispering to the Headmaster as Olivia smiled at the Inspector. Could you imagine how much fun Olivia was going to have causing trouble for this old man? Far too much.

Mrs Oakes cleared her throat, interrupting Olivia's smile and the Inspector's confusion, "Olivia, your brother's here."

There was a look of horror on Olivia's face.

And one of opportunity on the Inspector's.

Olivia had somehow managed to neglect the idea of a scolding from Thomas.

At this rate, the girl was unlikely to see the outside world till she was twenty.

"We'll talk when you come back in two weeks, we don't want to keep John waiting." Mrs Oakes wouldn't dare keep any Shelby waiting but the Headmaster couldn't stand watching the man flirt with one of the teachers any longer.

Olivia had deflated, letting her shoulders sag. John would most likely compliment her for the bruises she had managed to leave on the boy's face or encourage her to practice more on Finn. While the Inspector had suddenly lost all interest, the brother in waiting wasn't Arthur so it didn't matter.

The Shelby nodded her head, picking up her bag and not bothering to say goodbye to either adult as she exited the office.

John was immediately drawn away from the teacher when he saw his sister essentially skipping out of the office and shook his head with a smile, "Glad to see your mood's improved."

John had been on the receiving end of one of Olivia's shouting matches this morning. Except they weren't much of a match and more of Olivia just shouting at him to get out of the bathroom because she was going to be late after being shouted at by Polly and he was taking too long.

"Nothin' a little fight couldn't fix."

John snorted, wrapping his arm around the girl's shoulder as they navigated their way out of the school, "Don't tell Pol, but you've got some good aim, kid."

Olivia smiled as they walked out. At least she could enjoy the walk home before her impending doom at Watery Lane.

❋

Olivia felt like she'd been home for hours.

In reality, she had. She'd been waiting hours for Thomas or Polly to come home and scold her to the ends of the earth, yet neither had arrived to do so yet.

In her time of waiting, John had left to go off and do John things, Ada had strolled in and out the house within two minutes and Arthur was off to the picture house. Finn... was somewhere. The girl wasn't quite sure what Finn did with his free time considering he didn't have any friends - or so Olivia liked to say, there was obviously Isaiah but the Shelby girl just preferred to tease her younger brother.

Olivia yawned and rested her head in her hands, she was far too tired for all this waiting.

"Up." The Shelby was getting really sick and tired of the commanding from her relatives, would a simple please really kill them?

Luckily, or unluckily, it was Polly who had commanded Olivia to stand up. The Aunt sat down at the table, opposite where Olivia had previously sat and sighed immediately, "What are we going to do with you, Olivia? I'm seriously at my wits end."

Olivia's face blanched. A dreaded fear filled her.

"Ever since those boys came back you've been causing trouble like no tomorrow, and it can't continue." Polly paused, "It won't continue."

"James—"

Polly shook her head, "James might've said something but that does not mean you pull a blade out and beat him black and blue." Minus the razor blade, Polly felt as though she'd had this conversation before. A much younger Thomas Shelby had been stood in Olivia's place after having been sent home after starting a fight in order to defend his mother's name.

Polly found it eerily scary how similar Tommy and Olivia could be.

"I didn't want to get angry." Olivia admitted, finding the cracks in the wooden floor to be much more interesting than her Aunt's uncomfortable gaze, "And I tried not to, like Charlotte taught me. It just didn't work. And I got too angry that I just couldn't stop. If I hadn't been pulled away I don't know what would've happened."

While Polly believed Olivia to be the spitting image of Tommy and was, at this moment in time, incredibly angry at her niece for getting into another fight, there was a larger part of Polly that was concerned. It didn't matter how angry she was, Polly always find it in her heart to be concerned. And Olivia' rage was something that had been hidden away for four years, unneeded and forgotten. And then it all came back.

The fights, the bloodied fists, the occasional shouting match. The switch was flicked. And the easily angered and ready to fight just about anyone Olivia Shelby appeared.

It reminded Polly of Arthur. And it feared her that even now they didn't know how to help Arthur when his rage would get the better of him. Was there anything out there that could even help him? Would there be anything out there that would help Olivia? Were they both just expected to suffer with this rage they didn't ask for?

Polly stood up, surprisingly resting her hands - softly - onto Olivia's shoulders.

This wasn't usually supposed to happen when she got in trouble. There was usually more shouting. And a lot more back and forth. Blimey. Maybe Olivia really had tired her Aunt out.

"We'll figure that temper of yours out together. Just like before the war, remember that?" Polly and Olivia smiled at one another, remembering how close they were during that time - the Aunt and niece were still extremely close but lately they found themselves only crossing paths when Olivia was in trouble due to Small Heath being back in operation and Polly doing adult things and Olivia sneaking out. "Our calm Olivia is in there somewhere, isn't she?"

She was definitely somewhere. Locked away in the box of emotions that weren't necessary to please Tommy.

Olivia nodded. Polly noticed how there was no apprehension. The Shelby girl didn't want to be angry. She wanted to enjoy her life and not spend everyday being grounded because she got into another fight. And to do that would probably take a long time. A lot of effort. And probably a lot of apologizing (not to James. But her actual friends) and Polly.

That would be a good start.

Olivia cleared her throat, "'M sorry. I've been disappointing you a lot." Polly nodded, there was no need to disagree. "I'm gonna do better, I swear."

"Okay. I will accept your apology on the condition that there's no more fights. And we work on bringing that calm Olivia out."

Olivia smiled, "Deal."

Polly ruffled her hair and moved around the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea.

Olivia's eyebrows furrowed, "Are you not going to shout?"

"Why would I?" Polly shrugged, "It's not like you listen anyway. Plus, if you break that deal I give a punishment worse than grounding."

Olivia gasped, "You wouldn't dare."

Polly smirked, "Yes I would."

"You can't and won't make me clean Finn's room. You're not that mean."

There was laughter that sounded from the doorway, John leant against the doorframe, "Sorry, Liv, but have you met our Pol? You break that deal and she'll 'ave you cleaning Finn's room till the time you turn eighteen."

"Didn't know you could count that high." Olivia grumbled, already disgusted at the idea of cleaning Finn's room.

"That's not very calm of you." John teased with a wicked smile.

Olivia furrowed her eyebrows, "That doesn't even relate... never-mind. You just won't understand."

Polly rolled her eyes when bickering started between the pair, she flicked them both on the back of the head, "Sure I said no arguments."

Olivia groaned while John rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head, "Can't John be the exception?" Polly quietly declined as she prepared herself some toast, "Would you rather Finn's the exception?"

The Aunt physically recoiled at the idea of Finn and Olivia arguing. Goodness, they could go on for hours if they wanted to. "Okay, John's the exception."

Olivia cheered and John looked between the two women in dismay, "That's not fair! She's vicious! She'll attack me hair and everything!"

"Not my fault you cut it a-bit short. You looking to impress, John?" Polly wasn't looking, already annoyed at herself for letting this happen but Olivia was watching her brother very closely and noticed the way he stiffened and tried to cover up his obvious tell.

So, there was someone to impress!

She wanted to question further but was interrupted by the sounds of stumbling into the kitchen and heavy panting.

Arthur.

"Fuckin' hell!" Olivia cursed, watching Ada who trailed behind Arthur and pulled out at seat at the table for him.

In passing, Polly flicked the girl on the back of the head and sat beside Arthur to asses his injuries - and he definitely had a few.

The eldest Shelby was covered in blood, which Olivia hoped was his own (with Arthur you could never really know) his eye looked like it was going to have a horrible shiner next to it, and Arthur had cradled his finger on entry into the kitchen.

"Fuckin' hell, Arthur. Did you throw any punches back?" John queried, Olivia throwing her hands in the air when he didn't get scolded for his use of poor language.

Ada swatted him with a tea towel as Arthur grunted, "Are you just going to stand there? John, wipe the blood out of his eye will you?" Ada frowned, having now realized her sister was at home and not a school, not having the time to question it she sent her orders out, "Liv, I need your help cleaning him up."

"Since when did you give orders?" John asked, not moving an inch while Olivia moved instantly to her sister's side in an attempt to be helpful to Arthur.

"I'm a trained nurse."

Arthur made a sound of laughter mixed with much pain, "Don't make me laugh. It hurts me face."

Polly continued wrapping her nephew's finger, ignoring the discussion between them all.

"I bloody am!" Ada protested.

John nearly scoffed, "You went to one first aid class in the church hall and got thrown out for giggling."

Olivia remembered that day very vividly. Ada had dragged her down to the church hall and claimed that the girl was just small for her age so they could both get in and not take the lesson seriously. Which of course, they hadn't. It may have been Olivia who caused her sister to giggle every five seconds but it had been Ada who burst out into laughter which resulted in them finally being kicked out. So, Olivia never liked to take the blame for that situation.

"You act as if I were the only one." Ada glared in her younger sisters direction, rolling her eyes when Olivia smiled.

Arthur laughed but cut himself off with a groan, "Yeah, but I'm not trusting Liv to clean me up, am I?"

"And why not?" She huffed, dropping the cloth she had in her hands onto Arthur's lap and moving to stand by John.

"Do you even know your arse from your toes?"

"Yeah, it's where I'm gonna kick you if you don't shut up."

John giggled wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "Careful, Arthur, she's getting nasty. You don't want to be the second fight she gets into today." He winced when a harsh nudge came in contact with his ribs.

Ada looked up, "Second?!"

Arthur, albeit painfully, smiled, "That's our girl."

"Don't make me break this finger, Arthur."

His eyes widened not wanting to be subjected to even more pain. "Alright, alright, bloody hell."

Footsteps sounded in the house, "Let me see him." Thomas demanded, a cigarette hanging loose from his lips and handed a bottle of rum to Arthur, "Alright, have this."

Arthur winced as he swallowed, slamming the bottle down onto the table.

Thomas ringed a cloth in clean water before drowning it in the drink and then applying it onto Arthur's cuts.

John heard his little sister wince and decided to cover her eyes with his hand.

"You're alright." Thomas told his brother.

Arthur latched onto his brother's arm, "He said Mr Churchill sent him to Birmingham." There was a recognition in Thomas' eyes, that he knew exactly who Arthur was talking about.

Olivia's eyes had widened behind the safety blanket of John's hand. So she hadn't been the only Shelby to receive a visit from the Inspector? Which gave her two options: announce right now that the Inspector had been at her school, or keep it to herself and truly make it Olivia Shelby against the world.

The first option seemed like the sensible option. The second would be a good bargaining chip because she knew more than anyone in this room thought she did.

But, then if Olivia kept quiet would Polly make her clean Finn's room? There was so much to think about, and so little time!

"National interest, he said," Arthur continued relaying what the Inspector had said, "Something about a robbery."

Thomas took a step back from his brother, and a small smirk formed on Olivia's face. What was so special that Thomas Shelby would be inclined to steal it?

Polly had caught on as well, staring at her nephew. Watching his every word, movement and reaction to see if he had done the right thing last night.

"He said he wants us to help him."

John pulled his hand away from shielding Olivia's eyes, "We don't help coppers."

Arthur weakly pointed in agreement with John, "He knew all about our war records. He said we're patriots like him. He wants us to be his eyes and ears. I said... I said we'd have a family meeting and take a vote."

While this was an incredibly serious moment for the family, Olivia had to smile! (And hold her breath) She was, informally, sat in on a family meeting. This might be a painful day for Arthur, but this was going to go down in Olivia Shelby's history book.

The worst Friday of her year was soon turning into one of her favorites.

Thomas just stared at Arthur.

Olivia let the smile vanish from her face as she realized this was probably the best time for her to come clean. And she knew she had to. Keeping the fact she'd seen the Inspector to herself wouldn't help anyone in the long run, especially not her - because then it would really be Olivia Shelby vs the world.

She cleared her throat, ignoring the giddiness she felt at speaking at a family meeting. "I, kinda, saw him."

Do not fuck this up, Olivia.

All heads, even Arthur's throughly injured one, turned in her direction. "What?" Was echoed throughout the kitchen.

"He was at my school." She shrugged, trying to remain as calm as possible at the fact she was speaking in a family meeting.

Thomas had reminded silent, while John's eyebrows furrowed and Polly stared at her niece.

"He knows our war records, knows where Liv goes to school, what else does he know?" Arthur queried, his free hand (that wasn't being tended to by Pol) clenched into a fist.

"What was he doing at your school?" Polly asked. She needn't need to look over her niece for any scrapes and cuts because the girl definitely didn't have any, but the Aunt was ready to throw a punch if the Inspector had dared to threaten Olivia.

Olivia looked to Thomas, who seemed far more interested in the wall ahead of him, "Somethin' about going round the schools in the community and how he was here from Ireland. Gonna clean up the streets and isn't gonna leave till all the 'rubbish' is gone."

John's eyebrow furrowed, "Was he the guy in that stupid hat?"

"Yeah," Olivia snorted, "He looked like a right twat, didn't he?"

Arthur and John mumbled in agreement before Arthur turned back to Thomas, who had remained silent since a family vote had been mentioned.

"Why not, Tom? Why not take a vote on it? We have no truck with Fenians or communists."

At the further silence, Arthur asked, "What's wrong with you?" He then turned to Polly when he got no response, "What the fuck is wrong with him lately?"

"If I knew, I'd buy the cure from Compton's chemists." Polly stated, giving her nephew the once over - clearly he was hiding something.

Thomas ignored them, choosing against shaking his head or rolling his eyes at their words and instead turned towards Olivia.

Her eyes widening when he stared at her, she turned around hoping to see someone else who he might've been staring at but no. He was most definitely staring at her.

Just to make sure Olivia pointed at herself. Before following after her brother who nodded at her and left the house.

She took a deep breath, they were going to be in public so he couldn't be too angry, it was far from Thomas to start a scene with his sister in the middle of street.

He lit the cigarette that had previously hung from his lips, "James, eh? Was he really worth it?"

Definitely! Olivia had regrets for what she'd done in the sense that Polly was disappointed but in regards to James, he had it coming.

Olivia nodded, trying her best to keep up with Thomas' strides - that were far too fast for a man who was just walking the street.

"Got what he deserved." She shrugged, continuing to walk and furrowing her eyebrows when she realized Thomas had stopped in his step.

Olivia rolled her eyes and slowly walked back to where her brother was.

Thomas shook his head, "Can't be doing that, Olivia. Pack it in, or Saturdays in the shop are lost. And that grounding will last forever if you're not careful."

Olivia hummed, crossing her arms across her chest, "It only got extended because of a little snitch, who can't keep his mouth shut. Had me accused of things he had no evidence that I did."

"Multiple people said they saw Charlotte, Eleanora and you chasin' after that pig." He snubbed the cigarette into the floor with his shoe, knowing he shouldn't have lit it when talking directly to his sister.

"They lied."

"Did they?"

Olivia hummed, "Yeah. You can ask Katie, I were fast asleep whenever this pig were being chased."

"Katie already told me that you went out the window saying 'Uncle Tom' asked you to do something." Olivia looked at Thomas in shock, he really was hell-bent on having locked away in Watery Lane for the rest of her life.

"Seriously, what is your issue?" Olivia shook her head, "You'd never ask Katie for nothing, and now she's your witness? If you wanted to keep me in the house you could've just asked."

Thomas nearly laughed at the idea of just asking Olivia to do something, "You wouldn't have listened."

"I told you yesterday to not go causing trouble and no less than twenty-four hours later you've stolen a pig and let it free, then you let little James Mcguire's word get to you and decided to throw a few punches and pull a razor blade out."

"He's not that little." Olivia murmured.

"What was that?" Thomas questioned, leaning down as if to hear her better - even though he knew she wouldn't repeat her words. "That's what I thought."

"If you hadn't of gotten me into trouble this morning—"

Thomas rolled his eyes, "No, Olivia, you threw the punches, stood on his hand, pointed the blade. That was you."

"Yeah, and it were you who got me in the foul mood this morning that—"

"That doesn't matter, Olivia. I got you into more trouble so that you could avoid getting yourself into trouble." He shook his head and sighed.

"You can't get into these fights, or steal any pigs. With this Inspector around, it's not safe. He'll look for any opportunity to get one of us into trouble." Thomas said.

Olivia stared at him, her fists clenched at her sides, "So I can't steal a pig because the whole word will end, but you can steal something really important that causes an Inspector to come here?"

"We're not talking about me, Olivia. We're talking about keeping you safe and out—"

"Yeah, yeah, out of trouble. Except, we wouldn't have been here in the first place, if you hadn't stolen something." Olivia might not know now, but she'd soon find out what that something was.

Thomas shook his head. "Olivia. I am trying—"

"You always do this. You tell me off or get me into trouble for doing something but you've done exactly the same." She paused, thinking how Thomas had probably stolen something he shouldn't have for Greta when they were younger, and he'd definitely get in fights over their mother.

Thomas and Olivia were the same. And that was the one thing Thomas had been afraid of.

"We're cut from the same cloth, you and I. You just like to pretend your cloth is of better quality."

They stared at one another. Letting the words settle between them. Thomas had probably done the same things Olivia had when he was younger, when he had just been a Shelby. When that was just a name, when they were just a family in Small Heath. When they could be helpless teenagers and young adults in love, when they could get away with the late night thievery.

Not now. Things where so much different when Thomas had been younger. Olivia could not do the same things he could.

The Shelby name was no longer just them. The Shelbys led a gang that wore caps with razors and cut coppers a smile. They were not just a family anymore, they were so much more. They were scary, horrid, scum.

Olivia couldn't do the things Thomas did. It would never end the same for her. It could lead to beatings from the likes of the Inspector, it could lead to beatings from men who had a bone to pick with the blinders. They could arrest her and pick her for any crime if they really wanted to.

Thomas couldn't have that. Not just 'cause she was his sister. But, Olivia needed to be clean for the future of the company. If Thomas was to lead with Olivia by his side, she couldn't get into silly fights, or stealing for fun. She had to fight with purpose and steal with a purpose - and do it discreetly.

She had to be better than him.

And her actions lately had been no better than him. But, exactly what he would do.

Thomas sighed. "Go home. And stay there, Olivia."

"You're not arguing 'cause you know I'm right."

"I'm not arguing with you, Olivia. 'Cause I know when to walk away."

Olivia scoffed. Shaking her head as she made her way back to Watery Lane - which wouldn't take long considering her and Thomas hadn't made it too far before they'd stopped.

Olivia could admit to Polly that today she'd done a lot wrong. She should've stomped on both of James' hands, she shouldn't have gotten into the fight at all. She could admit that to Polly, Ada, John or even Arthur. (She'd tell Finn she was in the right because it's Finn)

But, there was something that was frustrating about telling Thomas you'd done something wrong today. To Olivia, it was because he'd done it before. He'd get into pointless fights, he'd even start them. And then he'd try to get her into trouble for doing the same, when in reality she'd probably learnt to do it from him.

The perks of following him around like a lost puppy when you were younger.

In the end, Friday had ended the same way it started for Olivia. That pit formed in her stomach as she walked away from Thomas. She couldn't name it, she couldn't describe it.

The only thing she could say; was that it felt as though it was Olivia Shelby vs the world.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
this is 9k words and i did it all with false nails so there's defo typos because it's so difficult

but, if you think olivia is just being dramatic remember she has arthur's temper so she'd defo get into a fight if someone called her mom a whore, plus in terms of hers and tommy relationship it's very complex. one that olivia doesn't even really understand anymore.

and she would definitely feel like it's her against the world because none of her other siblings had the expectations tommy has for her, none of her friends have that either. there is only one person who you haven't met to feel the same 🤧🤧

olivia is also NOT perfect, she is a shelby, she makes mistakes, and she's definitely not going to take the blame all the time. (she's also just going to avoid problems all the time 'cause she's literally me!!!)