Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

wet beats hot

After the conversation Lip and I had, I decided to go home that night. I have my first day of work tomorrow, I need to sleep in my own bed–away from Lip.

The next morning I got all dressed up for my first day working at the school library! I'm excited to work with books all day and get credit for it. What makes it even better is that my dad came home last night and was very nice; he looks like he got beat up but he didn't beat the shit out of me so I'll take it.

"Happy Father's day Daddy." I say, hesitantly as I see him drinking from a coffee cup, "Yeah, thanks." He says, tiredly. "D-do you need anything?" "Just get out of my hair." He groans into his cup and I nod, "Okay." I obey and hurry outside. I walk outside to see Lip under my water spigot, "Um, what the hell?" I laugh, "Uh, well wet beats hot." He says and runs his fingers through his soaking wet hair, "Working over at Tommy's?" I ask, "You heard?" He asks, nods, "My dad mentioned something about Tommy giving a job to a college boy, not many college boys around here." I say, "You look really pretty, where you going?" He asks, "Work. I uh, work up at UC at the library, organize books and send out bills to the people who owe stuff." I shrug, "Sounds fun." He says, I raise my eyebrows and nod, "Well, see you around." I say throwing my bag in my backseat, "Yeah, you're coming to the house tonight?" Lip asks as I get into my car, "Maybe." I shrug, "Alright, hopefully I see you around." He says while closing the door for me then patting my roof.

Before going to work I stop by Kev and V's to of course see the babies but it's father's day and Kev is like my dad and I wanted to show my appreciation. "Kev? V?" I shout over the fussing babies, "In the room, sweetheart." V shouts to me and I hurry upstairs. "V you need help?" I ask as I see Jemma screaming in her arms and Amy calm in Kev's, "They only want Kev." She sighs as she pats Jemma's bottom. "Here, let me see her and Kev, Happy Father's Day," I smiled and handed him his gift and a card, "Sade, you didn't have to. Thank you so much." Kev hugs me and kisses my head, "No problem." I smile and take screaming Jemma from V, "The necklace you got me for Mother's Day was absolutely gorgeous. I can't thank you enough." V thanks me for the hundredth time as she grasps onto her necklace with two amethysts in it for the girls'. "Gift giving is my forte." I say as I rock Jemma back and forth getting her to finally calm down. "Holy shit, these are sick." Kev says, admiring the Air Max 97 I bought him, "Wow, good shit." V says, tapping my hand. "Thank you, sweetheart." Kev thanks me again, giving me another hug. "You're welcome, I gotta get to work now but I'll see you guys later?" I say, gently putting Jemma in her crib, "Yes, we love you baby." V says, opening her arms to give me a hug. "I love you guys too, so much. Thank you for everything." I say hugging V then Kev once more, "Be safe, drive safe." Kev fathers me, "Yeah yeah. Love you guys. And I love you too sissies." I say quietly to the sleeping babies before rushing out the door and going to my job.

++

As I'm rolling the cart of books down the narrow aisle, I feel a group of boys staring at me, "Can I help any of you?" I walk over and ask quietly, "You're just really pretty and I was just so amazed." One of the boys tries to charm me, "Thank you." I smile, "Did you guys need any help with anything?" I repeat, "You should give my boy your number." His friend chimes in, "I uh," I hesitate, once again thinking of Lip rather than myself, "Sure. Let me put these books away really quick and I'll come right back over, okay?" I ask and he nods, "Need help?" He stands up and I tilt my head back to look up at him, "6'6." He says, knowing exactly what I was going to ask, "I could definitely use your help so I don't have to climb. Come on." I wave for him to follow me, "Do you play basketball?" I ask as I hand him books to put on the top shelf, "I do, how could you tell?" He jokes, making me giggle, "You new to UC?" He asks and I shake my hand, "I just finished my first year, you?" "Same, crazy how I've never seen you around. Do you go to parties or anything?" He asks, pushing the cart down the aisle for me, "No, just class and dorm. But, I was having lots of family problems in the beginning of the year and I was barely even on campus." I sigh, "Glad I saw you now." He smiles at me, showing off his pretty teeth, "Yeah, you seem really nice." I smile as I walk back to the checkout counter and grab a sticky note, "Here," I say, scribbling down my number, "Text me anytime." I look directly into his eyes as he gently grabs the note from me. "I will. Hey, you off soon?" I shake my head, "Here til 8. 12-8 every Sunday and Monday." He nods, "I'll keep that in mind. Have a good day, okay?" He smiles and starts to back away, "Wait, what's your name?" I ask, "Shit, I'm Max Granier. Sorry, I completely forgot to introduce myself," he squints at my badge, "Sadie." He says with a smile, "Uh, Sadie Mitchell." I quickly introduced myself, "Well, I'll see you around, Max." We smile at each other before him and his two friends leave the library.

++

As I'm walking into Kev and V's, Fiona hurries over to me, "Hey, can you watch Liam tonight? Sorry for the last minute notice. Lip is knocked out upstairs." Fi asks, "Sure, is he okay?" "Yeah, tired from work I guess." She shrugs and we walk into Kev and V's house, "You look nice by the way." I complement until I'm faced with bald Kev, grown looking Debs, and a flustered V, "Holy shit." I mutter, "I only left for 8 hours, what the fuck." I say in disbelief, "Oh my god, Debbie!" Fiona says horrified, "Did you do this?" She turns to Svet who is sitting on the couch, "She looked like baby so I help." She shrugs, "She is a baby!" Fiona shouts, "You know what, I think it's time for baby's nap." Svetlana stands up, grabs Yevgeny and leaves. "If it was lice, I could've washed it, Kev." V says to K, "What happened to your hair?" Fiona asks Debs, still in shock, "It was hot and the kids were pulling on it." Kev responds while Debbie doesn't. "I love that hair, that was my hair Kev." V sounds extremely upset. "I'll be over at the Gallaghers if anyone needs me. It seems like it'll get messy." I dismiss myself and rush out of the house before I get dragged into an argument.

Right behind me comes Fiona and Debbie arguing over her hair, looks like I'll be dragged into an argument anyway, "It's just a haircut! Why is everyone so bothered?" Debbie groans as she storms into the kitchen where I'm standing eating an apple, "It's not just a haircut. It's you! You look like a-" "A what? I look like a what?" Debbie questions with an attitude, "You look like a hooker." Carl teases, "Carl Francis Gallagher!" I shout from the kitchen, "It's true!" He shouts from the living room. "You think?" Debbie sounds happy, "That is not a compliment!" Fiona panics, "Debbie you are a smart girl what are you doing hanging out with whores?" Fiona shouts, "I don't know, you're a smart girl, why are you on probation for drugs?" Debbie snarks as she grabs Sunny D from the fridge, "Your friends still aren't talking to you?" Fiona asks quietly, recognizing her pain. "What friends?" Debbie scoffs, "Debs, your haircut looks really cute." I compliment, "Totally, but we're gonna have to tone this makeup down." Fiona says while grabbing her face gently, "Fine." Debs sighs, "What're you doing right now? Wanna go see a band with me?" Fiona invites Debbie to her first big girl event, "Aw, your first big girl night out." I tease Debs, making her smile and blush hard, "I'd love to go, what about Sadie?" "I'm on Liam duty, you two go have fun and Debs, I promise now that you're grown up, we will do something else together another night, okay?" I smile and open my arms, "I love you." Debs says, hugging me tightly, "And I love you too." She says to Fiona as Fiona wraps her arm around Debbie, "Let's go have some fun." Fiona smiles as they leave the house.

Time is flying. It feels like just yesterday I met Debs on the couch now she's fourteen, three years too fast. Where does it all go?