South-Side Rhapsody || c.g.

Big Sis Strikes Again

Carl

You're overreacting, Carl. Calm down.

I tried to get myself together as I paced back and forth in my room. Ian was taking a nap, but I was too worried about Cailee to be considerate of his slumber.

"Can you please stop pacing? You're creating a draft," Ian groaned.

"Sorry, just worried about Cailee. Her front door was unlocked, her phone was on the couch, and she wasn't attached to it," I said rather quickly. Ian sat up and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Hey, she's probably fine. She can handle herself," Ian's words calmed me down a bit. He was right, she did know how to handle herself. Cailee was just as south-side as me.

"You're right. I'm just gonna go watch TV. Sorry for waking you."

Cailee

"Wow, sis. Sounds to me like little Gallagher turned you out!" Aubrey squeaked. I shushed her and blushed, looking around the restaurant to see if anyone had heard her remark. We'd spent an hour talking about all the shenanigans Carl and I had gotten into over the years. "Hit him up, see if he wants to hang out."

"I'm supposed to be meeting him anyway. His interview for military school was earlier," I said while searching my pockets. "Shit, I left my phone at home."

"Well, let's go then!" Aubrey exclaimed. We paid for our food and left the restaurant.

The drive to the Gallaghers' was refreshing. Aubrey and I sang along to everything that came on the radio and let our hair blow in the wind. Life was so much better when she was around— most of the time.

flashback

A loud thud woke me up out of my perfect sleep. Great. My aunt and sister were fighting again. I grabbed my pillow from under my head and tried to block out the noise, to no avail. They were always fighting about stupid shit, usually over something Aubrey had done.

However, this fight wasn't like the others. The screams didn't die down, and Aubrey didn't storm into her room as she usually had.

I got out of bed and snuck downstairs.

"Why do you try to control everything I do?!" Aubrey screamed at our aunt.

Aunt Lily clenched her fists, "Well, you don't have to live here Aubrey." There was a long pause before Aubrey spoke up.

"You're right. I'm out," Aubrey stormed toward the stairs and I ran back to my room before she saw me. I peeked from behind my door and saw articles of clothing being flung from her room, so I walked into her door frame.

"Where are you going?" I asked sadly. She was throwing clothes, shoes, and basically all her stuff into a duffel bag.

"She's driving me fucking crazy. I gotta get out of here."

"But you can't leave me, Aubrey... I need you," I pleaded. She kept packing and went to grab some stuff out of the bathroom.

"You'll be fine, Cailee."

"But-"