"Hey," Danielle smiled as she walked into Lip's bedroom.
"Hey," he said.
"I brought my calculus textbook," Danielle said, "Remember we were gonna study for the test?"
"Oh yeah," Lip said, "Sorry my brains been a little scattered lately."
"You wanna talk about it?" Danielle asked climbing into Lip's bed.
"No. Let's just study," he said. Danielle nodded her head as she looked down at her textbook. Lip had been going through a lot lately. His mom had shown up and tried to take Liam with her new girlfriend. In the process of trying to keep him, they found out that Frank wasn't actually Ian's father. "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything," Danielle said.
"Do you think Karen likes me?" Lip asked. Danielle couldn't help the laugh that came from her mouth. She looked over at Lip who was staring at her.
"Sorry," Danielle said.
"What's so funny?" Lip asked.
"I mean did you really ask me that?" Danielle asked, "No I don't think Karen actually likes you. Do you like her?"
"Well I mean she's a nice girl," Lip said, "The sex is pretty great."
"So you like her?"
"Maybe," Lip said.
"You can't be serious," Danielle said, "She has literally been sleeping around with other people while sleeping with you," Danielle said.
"We aren't technically dating," Lip said.
"And you think if you were that would stop her?" Danielle asked, "If Karen Jackson is one thing it's a whore."
"Hey," Lip said, "Don't call her that."
"I'm just telling the truth," Danielle said, "Karen isn't exactly the relationship type...and honestly neither are you."
"I think you're just fucking jealous," Lip mumbled.
"Why the hell would I be jealous?" Danielle scoffed.
"Don't act like you aren't jealous of Karen," Lip said, "That's why hate her so much."
"I hate her because all she's doing is leading you on and you're too fucking stupid to realize it," Danielle said, "At first I thought it was because she was having sex with you but now I don't know what you see in her."
"You don't know fucking shit," Lip said.
"Apparently I don't," Danielle said, "You've changed since you started seeing Karen. All you're ever concerned about is Karen, Karen, Karen. Well, guess fucking what? I could really give a fuck less about Karen."
"Get out," Lip said.
"What?" Danielle asked.
"Get out!" Lip yelled making Danielle jump. She and Lip had argued before but he'd never yelled at her like that before. "I'm serious. Get the fuck out! I don't want to be friends with a person who doesn't support me!"
"I have always supported you!" Danielle said, "I'm just trying to look out for you." Lip didn't say a word as he stared down at his chemistry textbook. "Fine. If you want to throw away this lifelong friendship then whatever. I don't want to be friends with someone who puts a girl they just started sleeping with over a friend!"
Danielle hopped off the bed shoving her book into her bag. "Have a nice fucking life Lip. I hope Karen makes you happy."
"Fuck you too Dani!" Lip yelled as she walked out of the door. Tears streamed down Danielle's cheeks as she made her way downstairs.
"What's with all the yelling?" Fiona asked, "Hey, hey. What's wrong?"
"Lip and I got into a fight," Danielle said.
"Lip?" Fiona asked, "You and Lip never fight."
"I'm just gonna go," Danielle said pushing past Fiona.
"Dani, wait!" Fiona yelled as the girl ran out the door. She groaned as she made her way up the stairs.
"What the fuck did you say to her?" Fiona asked walking into Lip's room.
"We just had a fight over Karen," Lip said.
"That seemed like more than a fight," Fiona said, "She just left here crying."
"It's not my fault she's being a fucking bitch," Lip said.
"What is your problem?" Fiona asked, "Dani is your best friend!"
"Yeah well not anymore," Lip said.
"What do you mean not anymore?" Fiona asked, "You two have been best friends since you were in diapers."
"Yeah well people grow apart," Lip said.
"Yeah they do but not you two," Fiona said.
"Would you just fucking drop it!" Lip yelled, "You're always trying to insert yourself in things that have nothing to do with you."
"Wow, okay," Fiona said walking out of the room, "Just so you know I think you're making the biggest mistake of your life right now."
••••
Danielle woke up face down on her mattress. After her fight with Lip, she came home a cried for hours. She must have fallen asleep due to exhaustion. The dryness of her throat made it feel like she'd been screaming for hours.
She got out of her bed and walked down the stairs in search of a glass of water. Danielle had a pounding headache and all she wanted to do was go back to sleep for hours. "What the hell are you doing home?"
Danielle's whole body froze. Something about the tone of her mom's voice sent chills down her body. She turned to see her and Jack sitting on the couch. "I've been home for a while."
"Thought you were going to study with Lip?" Mary asked taking a swig out of the alcohol bottle that was in her hand.
"I was but I came back home," Danielle said. Mary got up from her spot on the couch and walked over to her daughter.
"Surprised you didn't stay over for your late-night fuck," Mary said, "You always were a little slut."
"I've never slept with Lip," Danielle said.
"Yeah right," Jack laughed from the couch, "There's no way you spend that much time with a person and you're not fuck buddies."
"Look I just came down to get a drink of water. Then I'm gonna go back to my room."
"No. Stay down here with us," Mary said grabbing her daughter's wrist, "Join the party."
"No Mom I'm really just not feeling well," Danielle said, "I think I'm just gonna go to sleep."
"No. Come on."
"Mom, stop," Danielle said ripping her wrist away. Her shoulder knocked her mom's other hand making the alcohol bottle drop to the ground. "Mom...I..."
"Look what you fucking did!" Mary said shoving Danielle.
"That was our last fucking bottle!" Jack yelled walking toward the girl.
"I'm sorry. It was an accident!" Danielle pleaded.
"I saw you knock it out of her hand on purpose!" Jack said grabbing either side of the girl's shoulders.
"You're hurting me," Danielle whined.
"I'm about to do worse than this," Jack said shoving Danielle to the ground.
"Please..." Danielle begged.
YOU ARE READING
Ellie •••• Lip Gallagher
FanfictionLip Gallagher and Danielle McKinney had been best friends since they were in diapers. Their friendship starts to get complicated when he starts seeing Karen Jackson. What makes it even more complicated? Danielle thinks she might be starting to devel...
