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★
"LIAM IS OFFICIALLY ASLEEP," Lip announced, stepping into the bedroom. Amara flipped through a magazine, laying on Carl's bed as Ian blew out smoke from his cigarette.
"That was fast," the redhead commented, as Lip shut the door behind him.
"Yeah, well, three pages from Deb's Eat Pray Love and he's out."
Ian chuckled. "Yeah, if James Franco wasn't in the movie I would've nodded off too."
Lip walked over to where Amara was, snatching the paper out of her hands. "Why are you reading a bridal magazine?"
She scowled at him, grabbing the item out of his grasp. "It's a leftover from V's wedding. And because it's fun to fantasize about a life I'll never have."
"Aren't you Positive Pam today?" Ian mumbled, and she rolled her eyes. Lip sat down next to his brother on his bed, taking a drag from the cigarette.
"You guys got any cash you can float me?" the blonde wondered. "Florence and the Machine are playing down at the Chicago theater."
"Wanna take Karen on a date?" Amara teased, throwing a pillow at him.
"No, actually. We broke it off last night, you know, after we screwed. This is uh, for me. I guess." Amara pulled a hundred dollar bill out of her wallet, handing it to Lip before flopping down back onto the bed. Both the boys stared at her in shock, sharing a confused look with one another. "Where the hell did you get this kind of money?"
Amara shrugged, flipping a page in the book. "It was in Margot's purse. She had like two grand in there. Yeah, I know, crazy. I paid all of the bills, and I have about five hundred left over. I've been saving it up for special occasions."
"That's the money your mom was talking about?" Lip asked, and she nodded as an answer. "So you took all of the money from her? Has she just forgotten about it or something?"
"Well, I'm an expert at avoiding my problems, and currently she's one of them. So, I've just been getting home really late because I know she'll be passed out drunk. Besides, I actually did good with the money. She would've just ran off to her meth dealer." Liam started to cry from the room over, and the teens shared a look. "Not it!"
Ian and Lip faced each other, playing a game of rock paper scissors, and the blonde lost. He pushed himself up with an eye roll, and walked out of the room to put the youngest sibling back to bed.
"So where do you think she got the money?" Ian asked.
"To be honest, I have no idea. I mean, of course the question has been on my mind constantly but it's not like I can ask in the first place. Silvia seemed really excited about the tablet I got her, so that's a plus."
"She wants to be an artist, right?"
"Well, currently. Last month she wanted to me a firefighter. But I figured the Ipad could be more useful than just for drawing."
"You're a good sister, you know that, right?"
Amara tried to smile. "I try, but sometimes it doesn't feel like it. It's like, I'm literally raising her, but at the same time I feel like I spend no time with her."
Ian yanked on a piece of her hair. "You're just paranoid. So what movie do you wanna watch?"
★
Amara was stopped by Silvia and Debbie on her way back from work. Well, it wasn't technically an actual job, but working at a food truck in the middle of winter made surprisingly okay money. She stared at the two younger girls in front of her, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"What's up with you two?"
"Steve has been lying to Fiona," the Gallagher girl informed. "We're about to go bust the girl he's cheating on my sister with. You wanna come?"
"Please come," Silvia begged. "I want to get ice cream afterwards and I don't have any money."
"Yeah, besides, we're too young to ride the bus without an adult. You have to come with us. Please."
Amara sighed, glancing between the pair, before nodding her head. "Alright, fine. But only one scoop, got it? You get sugar high really fast. So, where to?"
The bus ride to the north side of Chicago was far from quiet. Debbie had filled the older girl in on what was happening, and she listened with wide eyes. Basically, the gist was that some girl named Candice had texted Steve, calling him cute—and actually really cringey—pet names, asking when he'd return home.
Amara ushered the both of them to get off the bus first, and she followed quickly behind them. Debbie glanced down at the piece of paper in her hands, which Amara assumed had the address of Candace's house on it.
They walked down the extremely suburban street, Debbie led them to a fancy house with one of those giant driveways that circled around the front yard. Amara gawked at the site, she'd never been in a place to elegant in her life. She was sure some highly overpaid bouncer was about to appear out of thin air and throw her off of the property.
Debbie knocked on the door, glancing back to the other two behind her. Amara give the redhead a nod of encouragement, and she saw her swallow, gaining her confidence back.
The door swung open to reveal an older woman, with white curling hair and an extra amount of makeup that was way too tan for her normal skin tone, making her look orange.
"Are you screwing my sister's boyfriend?" Debbie demanded, and the woman was clearly taken aback.
"If you're selling cookies, that's a hell of an opening line."
"Sorry, she doesn't do too well with human interaction," Amara quickly apologized, as Debbie shoved past the lady at the door, making her way inside. Amara shared a look with her own sister, before shrugging, and stepping inside as well
"Do come in," the woman said sarcastically, and Amara followed the Gallagher girl into the living room. Paintings and statues of naked people were placed around the room, and Amara shifted uncomfortably in her spot on the couch. "Can I get you girls something? Milk? Soda? A joint? It's medicinal."
"No thanks," Amara replied. "They're both ten, and I don't smoke. Appreciate the offer though?" Her last sentence came out as a question while she watched Candace light up the joint anyway.
"How do you know Steve?" Debbie asked.
"Who is Steve?"
"My sister's boyfriend."
"How nice," Candace said.
"So he's not pushing it into you?" Debbie demanded, and Candace coughed out a laugh.
"No offense, but I don't think she's Steve's type. She could be his mom, Debs."
"Hey mom," a familiar male voice rang out, and Steve stepped out from behind the doorway, not noticing the three girls sitting on his couch right away. "Me and Chip are gonna swing by the hospital to see Dad, so you can relax tonight."
"Aww, Jimmy" Candace beamed, bringing Steve—or Jimmy? Into a hug, and then they kissed on the lips, making Amara cringe.
"Gross. You kiss your mom on the lips. So does Fiona. You know, your girlfriend and mother just indirectly swapped spit." Amara said, and the man spun around, clearly just realizing they were there.
"Oh, these girls are—"
"Debbie Gallagher," the young girl introduced. "Along with Silvia and Amara Gilbert. It's nice to meet you. Jimmy."
"I hope Fiona dumps your lying ass. She deserves way better," Amara sneered, sending a smile in his mother's direction before leading the two girls out. "The fuck kinda name is Jimmy? Who names their kid Jimmy?"
