Page 53 of House of Bass

“I thought we agreed, we were trying to stop the sweet tooth. It’s also nearly eight o’clock”

“Never too late for ice cream, my love,” she said with a wink, “And, I realised there’s no stopping a sweet tooth, you either got it or you don’t and if you’ve got it you might as well carry on.”

“That makes no sense,” Harley laughed.

Scarlett shrugged and pulled them both out of the tiny changing room, holding Harley’s hands. They don’t let go the whole time Harley paid or even after they left.

✧✧✧

“If we got caught on camera, and then arrested, I hope you have a really good lawyer. You have made me an accessory to your crime!” Harley coughed out, trying to catch her breath after they ran from the sweet shop in Westfield White City that they (Scarlett) took from without paying. It was fun to do something out of character for once. Not be so responsible all the time. Though she knew she would go back tomorrow and pay for the sweets.

“Between the two of us, you're the one with resources for that,” Scarlett said, hinting at her familial situation.

“I doubt it,” she replied. Now solemn, remembering the only way she had seen her father had been via the news.

They fell silent for a beat, and then Scarlett asked, “How is that going?”

“Fine, I suppose.” Harley shrugged. “I can’t complain about the chance at a new life that I have been given. I get to study and have fun without worry.”

She sighed and repeated under her breath, “I can't complain.” Harley wanted it to be enough but for some reason it just still didn’t seem to be.

Scarlett looked at her unconvinced, but didn’t press. “Why did you never go to uni before now?”

Harley paused, unsure of how much she wanted to reveal. So she kept it vague, “Things were just simply difficult for me back home, it was just easier not to.”

“I get it. I told you before it's just me and mum, too.”

“And your cousins,” Harley added. They had walked into Harley’s street, it was after ten o’clock which meant the tourists who stood on the street taking pictures, despite the fact that it wasn’t summer, were most likely gone and the street descended back into its serene quietness. The wind that brushed against Scarlett’s pin-straight hair moved with barely a whisper as she walked backwards, facing Harley. “How come you don’t have the same last name as them? ”

“Argent is my mum’s maiden name. Her and dad never married and when he died she changed it.”

“Why?” she asked, but Scarlett stayed silent. They had spoken a lot about other things but not in depth about family. Harley followed up, “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me.”

Assuming she had been offended Scarlett rushed to say, “This isn't about you knowing but more how you'll react.”

“It can’t be that bad.”

Scarlett hesitated once more before she spoke, “I want to explain this carefully, so you properly understand why things are the way they are.” Harley nodded, waiting for her to give the explanation.

“Remember when Pose told you to stay away from our side?” she asked, Harley nodded again. “It’s because of the gang. My family runs the Southwark gang. More specifically Southwark Carney but Luke always said it was dumb to have our last name in our title.”

Harley stopped walking, her entire body stiffened at once. Unable to process the information she had been fed. A gang? “Are you taking the piss or are you being serious?”

There was skepticism written all over Harley’s face and it was obvious she didn’t believe her. Then Scarlett began fiddling with her boots, then she brought out a knife from the hilt of her boots, “So serious.” She flicked it open then held it out to Harley like a prized possession. A switchblade. She took it from her admiring the handle that seems carefully crafted.

“I bring it with me everywhere. Luke gave it to me when I was thirteen. It’s my favourite,” Scarlett said, her lips almost tilting into a smile, but she thought better of it. “And my forty-five, but I gave it to the boys when I saw you.”

“A gun…” Harley trailed off, still trying to wrap her head around the things she was discovering about her friend.

“I know it's a lot to process at once and I see why you’re looking at me like I’ve grown another head, but it’s nothing mindblowing. This has been my life for a very long time; it’s my family’s legacy. That can’t change. You never stop being a Carney.” She said the last sentence like it was a motto drilled into her.

“What does this have to do with your last name being changed?” Harley asked, remembering what her initial question was that led them here.

“My dad didn’t just die. He was murdered, along with Pose and Luke’s dad,” Scarlett said with a shrug, like a comment about a family member being murdered was just another Tuesday. “Mum thought it’d be safer for me, in case the people who killed them ever came back.”

“That’s a bit redundant considering you're in the gang.”

“That came later. See, mum was part of the life too but she left when dad died, she didn’t want another person she loved to die and she worried about me.” She brushed her hair from her face, then put her arms in her coat pocket. “It’s why she works so much, she didn't want any handouts from the money that came from it. Mum wasn't happy when she found out, she and Luke had it out for a while.”