Trouble // Carl Gallagher

chapter one

Melody's P.O.V

"There," I say, setting my last box of stuff down. "Finally done." I flop down onto my bed. I had spent all day moving into my new house. Moving from Arizona to Chicago was more stressful than I thought. I take my phone out and check all my social media. I played some music. Scrolling through my feed, I grow more bored by the minute. I lock my phone and toss it to the side. I sigh. It's night time now, so I can't go roaming around...or can I? 

I jump up from my bed and slip on some boots, a jacket, and a hat and I'm out the door. I'm walking along the sidewalk as I hear a bunch of noise coming from the house across from mine. "the fuck?" I say aloud. I didn't know what to do, so being the curious person I am, I walked closer to the noise. The closer I got, the clearer the noise became. It was an argument. I shrugged it off and started to turn away as a door opened. "Hey," I turn around to see a girl around my age at the door. "Can I help you?" She asks. I shake my head. "I'm just wondering around." I replied. She smiled. "I haven't seen you before, are you new here?" She asked. "Yeah, I just moved across the street." She nodded. "Nice. I'm Debbie." "Melody, but I like to be called Mel." I smiled. "Well, Mel, would you like to come inside?" I thought about it. Why not? I don't have anything better to do. "Sure." I say, meeting her on the porch. Debbie helped me inside.

As I walk inside I see a bunch of people. "Wow, big family?" I asked her. She nodded. "Yeah, and I'm the middle child." She took a deep breath. "I'm an only child." I said to break the silence. "Boy, aren't you lucky." She walked into the kitchen and I followed her. In the kitchen was a boy around my age and a girl who looked a few years older than me. "Debbie, you didn't tell me you were having friends over," The woman said. "I don't think I've seen you before. I'm Fiona." "This is Mel." Debbie said. Fiona nodded. "I'm Carl." The boy said. "No one asked you, shit head." Debbie snapped. I raised an eyebrow at her remark. I guess that's how siblings work. "Nice to meet you guys." I spoke, I smiled at the boy, and he smiled back. "Okay, well we're going upstairs." Debbie said, leading me upstairs. "I wanna come, too!" Carl responded. Debbie glared at him. "Please?" He begged. "Fine." Debbie groaned.

We all got to Debbie's room and I sat down on her bed. "So, when did you move here?" She asked, sitting with me. "Literally just got here earlier today." I chuckled. "How old are you?" Carl asked. "Fifteen." I responded. He nodded. "Debbie, Come here!" Fiona called. "Okay! I'll be back." She said before leaving the room. "So, What's your full name, Mel?" Carl asked. "Melody, but I swear if you ever call me that I will kill you." I said. He laughed. "And you think I'm kidding." I laughed. "What grade are you in?" He asked, chewing on his nails. "8th." I said. "Why are you in chicago?" "I don't know, why do you ask so many questions?" I asked. He shrugged. "I'm trying to get to know you." I nodded and got my phone out. "Cool phone." He spoke. I gave him a weird look and laughed. "Thanks?" He laughed. Carl got up and sat next to me. "Whatcha doing?" "I'm on Tumblr." He nodded. "Let me ask you a few questions, Carl." I say, setting my phone down. "What do you like to do?" He looked around the room. "He shrugged. "I don't know, burn shit." "Me too." "Cool." It was silent for a minute. "Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked. "Woah, moving a little fast don't you think?" I said quickly. I mean, I'm not gonna lie, he is cute, but I literally just met him not even ten minutes ago. "To answer your question, No, I don't have a boyfriend." I laugh and shake my head. He laughed. "I'm sorry, I'm stupid." "Yeah, you are." Debbie said from the doorway. I laughed. "Shut the fuck up." Carl laughed, tossing a pillow at her. "Oh, you wanna play that game? Mel, grab a pillow, It's go-time." I grabbed a pillow as we started hitting Carl. He grabbed a pillow and fought back. I laughed as Debbie accidentally hit me instead of Carl. We all laughed. I saw Fiona out of the corner of my eye. "Having fun are we?" She smiled, leaning against the doorway. "I am, I don't know about Carl." I said, hitting him once more. "Mel, your Mom is here." "Awww." Debbie said. "Ask if she can stay the night." I nodded. Fiona smiled. "Okay. You guys be careful, okay?" She said before walking out. 

I come back to the Gallagher's house with a bag full of clothes for my stay. I walked back in and Carl was sitting on the couch. I sit next to him, throwing my bag on the floor. "So you're staying the night?" He asked. I nodded. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Trying to find something fun to do." His eyes lit up. "We could walk to the store." I looked at him. "It's past curfew." He laughed. "I know, that's what makes it fun." I shrugged. "Why not?" I say. Carl stands up and we start walking.

"So, where'd you move from?" He asked. Here we go with his questions again. "Arizona." "Was it fun?" "Not at all." I say, laughing a bit. "I've lived in Chicago my whole life. Honestly, It's not all its cracked up to be." He looked down at his shoes. "What? There's nothing fun to do?" I asked. He chuckles. "If there was something fun to do we wouldn't be walking to the store past curfew and calling it 'fun'." I couldn't help but laugh. "You're a smartass." I playfully push him. "You're really cool, Mel." "Oh, I know." I flip my hair, laughing. "Oh okay who's the smartass now?" we both laugh so hard we get shouted at by people from an upcoming house.

When Carl and I get back to the house, we sit on the couch and search for a movie to watch. Carl picked up the remote and flipped through the channels. "No, no, absolutely not, no, no, hell no." He groans, throwing the remote. "There's nothing to fucking watch." He sits back. Debbie walks in. "Hey party people!" She says, handing me a pepsi. "Debs, stop trying to be cool." Carl says. "At least I don't have wet dreams every night." I cover my mouth and laugh. Carl's cheeks get red. Debbie looks up at me. "He should know not to mess with me," She looks back at him. "I know shit." She opens her drink and takes a sip. "So, what are we watching?" "Nothing." I say, Carl still mortified.  She nodded. "I have The Perks of Being a Wallflower on dvd." My eyes lit up. "Yes!" I exclaim. "No!" Carl says. "You've never even seen it." Debbie reminds him. "It sounds sissy." He rolled his eyes.  "It isn't!" Debbie and I say at the same time. "Fine. But if anyone sees me watching it, I will be so mad."He warned her. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." She says hitting play.