Middle Child Syndrome- Ian Gallagher

what's your problem?

Ian and I went to work, and he told me about some dude jerking it at Debbie on the L. This prompted the boys to rally a herd of people and beat up a pedophile who lived five blocks from them. There was this website that showed all the red dots in our neighborhood.

"Craziest part is when we opened the door, it was a woman. She was actually a teacher that screwed her student, and it was on the news."

"That's disgusting," I said, "So, what? Did you guys hit her?"

"No. We left," Ian said, "Well, Lip said he wanted to do something about it. I don't see the point though. She already served her five years."

"Still a pedo," I said, "What'd she look like?"

"Blonde. I bet Troy would be interested," he joked, making me push his shoulder. 

Speak of the devil, Troy came into the store. 

"Yo, sis. I need you to cover for me tonight," he said. 

"Why?"

"Evan Koster's throwing a rager, and I need to steal some of our alc. If mom asks, just convince her that she drank it all a while back."

"What's in it for me?"

He threw a twenty on the counter. 

I lowered my eyes, "Do better."

Troy groaned, "Fine! I'll give you the TV when Jersey Shore is on."

I smiled, "Much better!"

_______________________________________________

I went home for dinner that night, listening to Persephone blab on and on about how Frank got Calr into this summer camp and shaved all his hair off. She still had a crush on him, and I feared it was never going away. 

My mom and I were doing better as she seemed to understand my feelings for once. 

Ian and I had been inseparable. You'd think that sleeping in the same bed and always seeing each other at work you'd get sick of each other, but it was almost impossible. 

Ian and I were sleeping in his bed when Mandy walked in and woke up Lip, waking us up too. She wanted to have morning sex, and that was not about to happen with us in the room.

"I'm sleeping," Ian grunted, pulling me closer to him.

"Same, and put pants on Mandy," I groaned.

The two were still talking, completely ignoring Ian and me. Mandy was talking about wanting Lip to bring her and Molly to the beach. Molly was her half-sister whose mom died, so now she was living with Mandy, which meant living with the Gallaghers. Mandy was so into Lip, and Lip just couldn't be bothered.

"Jesus!" Ian said, "Other people exist maybe?"

He got up and grabbed my hand, "Come on. Let's go shower."

_______________________________________________________________________

Mandy called Ian from her aunt's house later that day and said that Lip told her to go home. He was being so awful to her and that was my last straw. I went downstairs and found Lip in the kitchen, grabbing the beer that Lip had out of his hand.

"Hey!"

"What's your problem?!" I said, "Why are you being a dick to Mandy?"

"I think that qualifies as none of your fucking business."

"She's my friend. You make my friend upset, it is my fucking business," I said.

"She called me from her aunt's house. Said you told her to go home," Ian added.

"Is Molly leaving too?" Debs said, concerned before Lip reassured her. 

"Look, Thena, she's always on me about our plans for the night, and when we're going to see her friend's band, and what we're doing next week!"

"Oh, that sounds so miserable! She's such a horrible person for that! I'm so sorry you're going through this, Lip," I said in the most sarcastic and dramatic way possible. 

"I like Molly!" Debbie said.

"She's not my wife."

"Yea, no shit. You don't have a ring," I said, "But that shouldn't matter because she's a good person who does nice things for you."

"What are you, her fucking lawyer?"

"No, I'm her best friend!" I said, "And you're acting like a tool and starting problems when there are no problems. If you don't wanna be with her, then grow a pair and end it, but just because that blonde skank Karen took a piss on you doesn't mean you get to shit all over Mandy! Understand?!"

Lip looked angry, but he nodded. Ian looked almost proud of me. I was proud of myself for going off on him like that.