Trouble // Carl Gallagher

chapter five

I sat down after putting the finishing touches on my room. I looked over at Carl who was half asleep. I smiled to myself. Debbie put the last book on the shelf. "We make a good team." I spoke softly, handing Carl a blanket. He grabbed it and put it over his head. "Obviously Carl is exhausted." Debbie laughed a little.  I sighed. "Hey, I need to take a shower. Keep an eye on Carl." I said to Debbie. She laughed. "What's he gonna do?" I grabbed a towel, shorts and a tank top. I shrugged. "Just keep an eye on him." I laughed before walking to the bathroom.

Carl's P.O.V

I struggled to stay awake. Debbie shook me. "Wake up." She spoke. I groaned. "Why the fuck do you care?" I asked her. She shrugged. "Mel, told me to keep an eye on you." I glared at her. "What am I gonna do?" She stood up and walked over to the window and opening it. "Knowing you, you can do a lot." I rolled my eyes and threw the blanket over my head. "Oh yeah, guess what." I mumbled from under the blanket. "What?" She said back. "I might be performing in the talent show." She laughed. "What talent do you have?" "Fuck off," I laughed. "I'm gonna sing." I said. "Since when do you sing?" "Since today." I muttered. "You're pathetic." 

Minutes passed of me trying to stay awake. It was around 8 o'clock and I'm already tired. Probably from helping Mel move in. I'm so glad that she moved across the street. I can see her anytime I want. I know, I know. I'm 'moving too fast'. I don't care. If I want someone, I go for them. Ever since I got back from juvie my life has been so fucking boring. Things are looking up for me. I met an amazing girl, who also might be into me. And I'm so thankful. 

I hear Mel in the shower. "Do you hear that?" I asked Debbie. "Yeah, it's Mel, she's singing." She laughed a bit. I threw the blanket off of me and got up. "Where do you think you're going?" She asked as I walked out of Mel's room. "To listen to her singing?" I said, looking at her weird. "You're so creepy." She stated. I shrugged and walked to the bathroom. She was singing so beautifully. I never knew she could sing. I kept listening and I didn't even hear the water turn off. She hummed along to songs as I pressed my ear to the door. I closed my eyes and smiled. Out of nowhere the door opened and I fell on the floor.

Melody's P.O.V

Carl fell to the floor. "What the fuck were you doing?" I asked him sternly. He looked up and me and rubbed his head. "I was listening to your singing," He winced in pain. "God dammit that hurt!" He yelled. I held my hand out and helped him up. "You have a wonderful voice." He smiled. "Yeah, and that's coming from someone listening to me sing in the shower outside my bathroom door. Because that's not creepy." I laughed, throwing my towel in the hamper. "You should sign up for the talent show." He said. I turned to face him. "Talent show?" Carl nodded. "It's the day before thanksgiving break. Which is in two weeks." I nodded. "That sounds fun." I smiled. "I'm signing up, too!" He added. "I'll be singing." I raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you sing?" I asked. "That's what I said!" Debbie added. I laughed. "Okay, I'll sign up tomorrow." I smiled. Carl and I walked back into my room. I looked around. "It looks good!" I smiled at my new room. Carl sat on my bed and I sat next to him. "What time does your mom get home?" Debbie asked. I shrugged. "She told me she's staying out late tonight. She's probably staying at her friends house." I sighed. "You guys want to stay?" I asked them. Carl nodded. "Sure.I'll just have to go home and get stuff." Debbie stood up. "Carl, are you coming?"  He shook his head. "I'll just wear this to school tomorrow." He stated. "Ew, that's so gross!" Debbie said. "Then grab me something! I don't know! A pair of jeans, a shirt and a flannel." He said, looking up at her. She rolled her eyes. "Fine." She walked out the door. "Don't forget my cologne!" He shouted. I stood up and plugged my phone into a speaker, then putting my music on shuffle. A Fall Out Boy song came on. I walked back over to my bed and laid down. "I love this song." said Carl. He kicked off his sneakers and laid next to me. My bed was big enough for two so we had more room, unlike Carl's bed. Carl grabbed a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, along with his lighter. "You better give me one." I said looking at him. He chuckled as he put one in his mouth and lit it. He put the pack back into his pocket. He took a hit and handed it to me. As I puffed we hummed along to the songs playing.

As Carl took the last puff out of the cigarette, he out it out in a water bottle on my nightstand. 'Goner' by twenty one pilots started blaring through my speakers. I stared at the ceiling. "Carl." I said. "Yeah?" "Why is the world so fucked up?" I asked, starting to tear up. "Mel, you alright?"He asked, obviously concerned. I shook my head. "Last time I laid in bed with a guy," I sniffed. "He swore he loved me. He swore to god that he'd never leave me, or hurt me. And then the next day.." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "He left. He was out of my life forever." I tried to laugh through my sobs. "Turns out, he was feeling up one of my friends at a park five minutes after I left." I sobbed quickly now. I felt his arms wrap around me. "And the funny thing is, that I fucking believed him when he said he'd never leave me. I was so clueless of what he was doing." He hugged me. "I can't do that again." I cried into the fabric of his sweater. He pulled back. "What a dick." He replied. I nodded, wiping the tears away. "Mel, let me tell you something," He said, looking me in the eye. "I can promise you that you won't ever hurt anymore." I laughed. "And how can you promise me that, Carl? Can you control every guy's mind and program them not to hurt me?" I took a deep breath. "Fat chance." I finished. "They don't deserve you." He spoke softly. The music blared. "Don't let me be gone." Said the song. I looked up at Carl. He swiped a tear away with his thumb. He wrapped his arms around my waist as I wrapped my arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. He caressed my hair, and hugged me tight. We pulled back and I laid on my back once more. He sat up and turned my lamp off. Before he laid down next to me, he kissed my forehead softly. He laid next to me, wrapping his arm around me once more. I laid my head on his chest, hearing his heartbeat speed up. The song was almost over. The last thing I heard before I drifted off to sleep was the last line of the song. "I wanna be known by you."