Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

drunken love

"Hi, I'm here to bail out Philip Gallagher. I received a call about thirty minutes ago." I say to the lady behind the glass at the police station. "The fine is two hundred and eighty six dollars, how would you like to pay that?" "Uh, can I do cash and card?" I ask, pulling out my wallet. "Yes, that's fine." She says taking my card and cash from me, "Two hundred cash, the rest card." I explain, she nods and swipes my card. "You're all set, I'll have one of the officers go get him. Please have a seat." She says and closes the speaker window.

Shortly after I sat down, the door unlocks and I see Lip stumble out, "Drunk again, Gallagher?" I ask, standing up to meet him. "Shit, yeah. Accompanied by a pounding headache." Lip says, rubbing his temples. "Come on, let's go fix your hangover." I sigh, annoyed that I still have to tend to the person who's been really shitty to me; just like my dad.

++

"Lip, you need help." I say as I hand him coffee. "Rehab?" He asks, sipping it and sitting in my bed. "You're turning into Frank." I sigh, sitting next to him. "I gotta get to class." "Lip, you're expelled. You swung on a campus cop." I explain. "I was sick of that place anyway." Lip chuckles and pulls out a cigarette. "Lip, what the fuck?" I complain, taking the cigarette out of his mouth, "What's going on with you?" I yell. "Well Jesus fuck Sadie, maybe because I'm slowly losing everything like the whole world is against me!" He yells at me. "Well whose fault is that?" I yell back "Oh, that's strange coming from you." Lip scoffs, "Lip, you have a problem and I need you to get help." "Fi is getting married tomorrow. Can we do this after that?" Lip asks, "Whatever Lip, run from your problems." "Sadie, you're my problem." Lip says as I put my backpack on. "How?" "Because without you it's just shitty." "Again, how is that my fault? Who got cheated on?" I ask before leaving my dorm.

++

"Hey, you look great." Ian says to me as he walks into the church, "Thank you, you too." I compliment and we hug each other, "Lip didn't come with you?" I ask, "I thought he was coming with you." Ian furrows his eyebrows and just then we hear hacking from the bathroom, "Jesus." I mutter and run into the boys bathroom. "Lip?" I call as I turn the corner to see him kneeled over the toilet. "Hey, we're starting soon." I say, rubbing his back and he gives me a thumbs up before coughing once more. "Ian, can you go find a water?" I direct and he nods, leaving the bathroom. "Lip, please." I beg, "Sadie, I'm not going to fucking rehab." He huffs and stands up from the toilet. "Why?" I ask, following him to the sink, "Because Gallaghers don't do rehab." "And look how the older Gallaghers all turned out. Fucked up. Be the change." I hit his shoulder, "Sade, you don't get it." "Oh I don't? The one who saw their father drown himself in alcohol every single day, ruining a great career he had because of it. Or the one who's watched the love of her life slowly ruin his life over the past six years because of alcohol and using the excuse 'Gallagher' to cover it all up?" I argue, "The girl who has watched alcohol ruin the lives of people she's loved for fifteen years, that's who doesn't get it?" I fold my arms in front of my chest. "You don't get why we do it." He argues back, "I don't because I think it's fucking stupid, you willingly ruin your life for alcohol? It's pathetic, just like you Lip." I scoff and storm out of the bathroom, bumping into Ian, "Sorry." I mutter, walking back to the group. "You okay?" Carl notices my frustration, "Yeah, I'm fine." I say, standing next to him and his girlfriend, Dominique. "I think we're all set, not sure about the bride." Sean says, "I'll go check." Kev offers, "I'll come too." I say once Lip and Ian walk into the room.

"Holy shit." Kev says as we walk into the room to see Fiona in her white dress, "You look amazing." I compliment, "Yeah?" Fiona smiles, "Beautiful." V compliments, fixing her veil and Svet says something in Russian. "You guys ready?" Kev asks and Fiona nods. "Fiona." Debbie's voice comes from behind me, "Oh my god, you made it." I exclaim and give her a quick hug, "I did it so Franny could be in the wedding pictures." Debbie explains. "Thank you." Fiona says softly then we all walk into the room where everyone waits.