HARD TIMES ━ lip gallagher²

11 | groomzilla

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IT WAS AWKWARD THE following morning. So awkward that it took Ian to be the buffer between the two of them as he sat down in the chair across from Amara, who was scrolling on her phone as an excuse not to speak. Ian didn't pick up on it. "So when are you guys moving?"

"We don't know," Lip answered after a moment, as if realizing Amara wasn't going to reply. She heard him put the coffee on from behind her.

Ian glanced between the two of them, and judging by the glare Amara was shooting in his direction, he finally took the hint and sighed. "So, uh, Mickey is having us do a bunch of wedding shit today. You wanna tag along?"

Amara tilted her head to the side. "Only if you give me the official title of groomswoman."

Ian scrunched his face. "Is that a thing?"

"Dunno," she shrugged. "It's like a bridesmaid but for y'know weddings with no brides."

"Did you just make that up?"

"Maybe," Amara rolled her eyes. "It might actually be a real thing though. Anyway, I'm meeting up with Silvia at the Alibi later so I might have to ditch you guys early but yeah I'll come."

Lip shuffled behind and plopped down into the seat next to her, silently sliding a mug of coffee her way which she only acknowledged with a nod.

"Morning," Mickey greeted, coming in from the living room.

"How's your dad?" Ian asked.

"I knew I heard yelling and the use of fifty different slurs," Amara murmured. "Makes sense now."

"You know, don't think he's gonna be my best man," Mickey replied.

"Hey, what's up punk?" Lip nodded his head at Liam who had just descended from the stairs. "Ready for school?"

"Can't go until Frank signs a form."

Lip furrowed his brows. "What form?"

"That says I live here."

"Just drop out," Mickey suggested. Amara turned in her chair to throw a rolled up napkin at his head.

"I can't drop out. I'm ten."

"Give it to me," Lip said. "I'll sign it."

"Gotta be a parent."

"I can fake Frank's signature."

"So can I," Ian chimed in.

"Same," Mickey stated. Amara ducked her head with a snort.

"School says that he has to sign it in person," Liam told them. "He's living with some lady in Glencoe."

"Wow."

"Good for him."

"Anyone wanna go with me?"

A series of "No's" rang out through the kitchen, and Amara stood to drop her mug in the sink. "I'll go."

"Really?" Liam asked.

"Glencoe is over an hour away. You're ten. You're not going by yourself," she glanced to Ian, purposely avoiding Lip's eye. "I'll be back in time for your wedding shit."

Ian raised his cup in response.

☆

"Thanks for coming with me today," Liam said as they departed from the L after what it felt like hours. Frank had really outdone himself this time, Amara had no idea how he managed to find himself with a girl who lived in a house like that. Scratch that, how he managed to find a girl with that kind of money and to make her like him enough to keep Frank around. There was probably a catch to it somewhere.