Middle Child Syndrome- Ian Gallagher

a purse and a game of chicken

Fiona invited Troy, Persephone, and me for lunch with the family. We were about to leave when my dad called me over.

"Athena, what's going on between you and the Gallagher boy? The redhead?"

"We're just friends, Dad," I said, "I'm not like Troy who gets with every single one of his female friends."

I wasn't wrong. Troy didn't know how to form a platonic relationship with any of his girlfriends. He just saw them all as girls he could fuck. 

"I'm not talking about Troy. I'm talking about you," my dad said, "I don't care what you do in your spare time, but if you come home high or pregnant, you're no longer welcome in this house. Do you understand?"

I nodded slowly, "Yes, Dad. I understand."

___________________________________________________

I filled my plate and sat down next to Ian, immediately digging in.

"My steak is too rare," V said.

"Try this one, King Henry," Fiona said as they switched steaks.

"What was the final tally in the purse?" Lip asked, referring to a Louis V bag Fiona found on the L.

"526 bucks!" Fiona said.

"Who carries around that kind of cash?" Ian asked.

Fiona cleaned her fingers and fished for the wallet, "Um. Kim Furtado."

"Some rich bitch," V said.

"In our neighborhood?" I said.

"I was in Glencoe having coffee with a friend from high school," Fiona explained.

"That guy from your diary?" Carl said.

"Shut up and eat your spaghetti taco," Fiona said, giving him more napkins.

"You think it's real?" V said, referring to the wallet, "And if so, can I have it?"

Lip examined the wallet, "Yeah, it is. The LVs are two inches apart, seams are even, stitching's yellow, and the leather's turned dark brown from oxidation."

We all looked at him silently, stunned as to how he knew that.

"I read a lot."

Fiona turned around to the table where Debbie, Persephone, and V's foster child, Ethel, were sitting, "Debs, have more salad! It's all you can eat."

"Hey, Fi, you know what you should do?"

"Ride the L more often?"

"Found her home number," Lip muttered, "Tell her you found her purse. I'll bet she'll give you a reward. Shit, it went to voicemail. Leave a message."

Fiona took the phone and started speaking.

"Hi, Kim. My name's Fiona. I found your purse on the L. Give me a call back on your cell so that I can get it back to you. Ok, bye."

"Perfect," Lip said, "Now, don't give it back unless she gives you at least 200 bucks. That's how much we could get for it on eBay. Alright, guys. Let's go stock up on chicken nuggets for home."

"I heart sizzler," Carl said. 

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After lunch, Ian and I went into the pool with Persephone and Carl. 

"Cannonball!" I yelled before plunging into the water. Thank god there wasn't any chlorine in the water, or my hair would've turned green. 

"I wanna play chicken!" Carl said.

"Me too!" Persephone said.

"Alright. Come here, guys," Ian said. 

I hadn't played chicken in a while, but it was a deep enough pool for neither kid to crack their skull open.

Persephone got on my shoulders, and Carl did the same for Ian as they wrestled. Persephone fell off first, and then Ian threw Carl off his shoulders before looking at me.

"What?" I said, grinning. 

Before I could react, Ian wrapped his arms around me and threw me underwater. I came up to the surface and pushed him.

"Asshole! You got water up my nose!" I said as my nostrils burned. 

"Oh, shit! Sorry!" Ian said, looking like he genuinely felt bad. 

"It's fine. I've had worse. Try having an older brother who throws you into a wave," I chuckled.

Ian laughed as he pushed my hair out of my face. I looked in his eyes, not realizing until then how green they were, and how cute his freckles were. 

I was going to say or do something when I got interrupted by Carl.

"CANNONBALL!" He yelled, splashing me and Ian. 

I gasped as he almost fully collided into me. Ian and I just looked at each other and laughed.