Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

speak-easy

"Don't hurt him!" I say to Lip as we stare at the raccoon Frank dropped from the ceiling. "He's a fucking raccoon!" He exclaims. "He looks harmless." I say in awe as I stare at the cute little guy. "Come on buddy." I say softly as I walk past him and into the kitchen, grabbing a piece of food from the fridge. "Come on." I repeat, crouching down by the backdoor, waving the food. He quickly scampers over to me and I open the back door gently, tossing the food onto the porch then closing the door behind him. "See, not that hard." I smile, "Fucking Snow White." Ian says, plopping down on the couch.

"It's not that hard to be nice to animals." I say, sitting down next to him. "You know I've never once seen a dog bark at you." Lip says, lighting a cigarette. "Because they know I love them, duh." "Dude, I just got Tinder fucked." Fiona stumbles in the house, very drunk. "What is Tinder fucked?" I ask, "You should totally get it. Lip wouldn't mind he was kissing girls at the bar all night. It's this app Tinder where you meet guys who just want meaningless sex! It's great!" She exclaims but my heart is too far into my stomach for me to care. "That sounds super fun." I say, looking up at Lip who looks like he just saw a ghost. "It's so fun." Fiona says before she crashes on the couch. "I'm gonna head back to my dorm." I say, grabbing my keys and my bag, "Sade it's two in the morning." "Yeah, I have class later anyway, last week before summer, can't miss it." I say, leaving the Gallagher home. I knew I shouldn't have stayed, it always ends badly no matter what happens.

++

As I'm packing up my belongings my phone starts to ring; it's Fiona. I answer the phone with a slight panic, Ian is manic again I hope nothing happened, "Hello?" "Sade, if you're not busy can you come down real quick? I want to have a family meeting." Fiona says–I'm relieved, "Sure, I'll come now." I say before hanging up the phone and leaving my half packed dorm. I can't believe school is almost over

++

"I wasn't invited to this family meeting?" Ian asks as he walks into the kitchen to see us all sitting at the table. "I didn't want to wake you." Fiona explains, "I wasn't asleep." "Anyway," Fiona begins, "You all remember the squirrel fund and how I used to carry the bulk of it." "Sadie did." Carl blurts out, "Before Sadie was here, Carl." Fiona says through her teeth. "Now I'm not the only adult here and I think we all should contribute our fair shares." Fiona says handing each of us a slip of paper. "I had to fire Joleyemi because I couldn't afford her, how am I going to afford three hundred and seventy five dollars?" Debbie questions, "And why is mine higher than Carl's?" She complains, "Because Carl doesn't have to buy diapers and rash cream." Fiona snarks. "I'm not paying rent to live in my house, I own it." Carl scoffs, "All the bills and the house are in my name and my credit is the one that's fucked if we don't pay. Also, think of it as heat and water not rent." Fiona replies, "Since when do you give a shit about your credit?" Lip asks, "Because I, just as anyone else in this house, have the opportunity to make something of myself too you arrogant asshole." Fiona insults, "How is he being arrogant? You never gave a shit before today, it's a question Fi." I defend Lip, "Sadie, you don't have a say in this, you don't live here full time and you aren't a Gallagher." Fiona says, "But I was invited to this family meeting, you called me to come down from school for this." I defend myself, "I want you all to take me off your emergency contact, make me the last person they call. Sadie, Lip, Kev and V, then me." Fiona says, getting up and walking away. "What the fuck is her issue?" Debbie scoffs. "The woman that owns Patsy's Pies is a high school dropout and she's worth three hundred million dollars, I'm sure that's what she's on about." Lip rolls his eyes.

I can't believe Fiona is doing this to her siblings just because she wants to be someone she's not.

++

"Hey, how you feeling?" I ask Carl as I plop down on the couch next to him, "My dick?" "No, just in general. The whole Dom cheating thing and well yeah, your dick. Does it hurt?" "Dom's a bitch and no it doesn't hurt anymore. Her dad and I have been hanging out though, he said I should go to military school and I really want to go." "Really?" I question, "Making your bed everyday, manners, shaved head again." I ruffle his beautiful wavy hair, "It's my one chance to get out of here, make something of myself." He shrugs, "Where is it?" I question, resting my head on my arm which rests on the back of the couch, "Down south somewhere." He says, looking at me, "Oh," Sadness fills my tone, "Well, if you really want to go I support you always." I say, caressing his cheek. "I'm glad someone around here does." He huffs, "Fiona is such a bitch." He rolls his eyes, "She's just stressed. I mean, who wouldn't be after their wedding went to shit because her druggie boyfriend was actually still a druggie?" I point out and he chuckles, "There's the smile." I say, tapping his chin comfortingly. "Thanks." He says, "For what babe?" "Being there, knowing what to say, all that lovey dovey comforting shit we never got growing up." "You know I'll always smother you guys with all that lovey dovey comforting stuff." I say, pulling him in for a big hug then immediately poking his sides with two stiff fingers, "Ah fucker!" He jolts back as I'm laughing. "Not funny." He says then does it back to me making me jolt as well, "Jerk." I say, throwing a pillow at him. "I'm gonna miss you." He says, "I'll be here when you get back and you can call me whenever." I comfort him and he nods, "I know."