LOVESTRUCK ━ lip gallagher¹

01 | i cannot express to you how illegal that is

★

"ANOTHER ONE?" AMARA QUESTIONED, staring at the older tipsy man in front of her, who slouched against the counter. "Sir, this is your seventh beer. And it's only ten in the morning." The man waved her off, abruptly pushing himself out of his chair, and sluggishly walking out of the bar, the door shut loudly behind him. Amara shared a bewildered look with her co-worker, Marie, before grabbing the dirty cups, and started to wash them.

Amara started working at the Alibi after Kev discovered she still hadn't found a job—and he basically forced her to become a server at the bar. Especially with his broken foot, he needed an extra hand around, so he gave her an opportunity. Amara couldn't complain though, the tips were pretty good, and every so often she'd see Lip pop in after a long day.

She was doing alright, in fact. Besides the fact that her father had skipped town, and none of them had heard from him, again. Although this time, she was prepared. Amara knew Joe's fleeing was just around the corner, however she wasn't going to lie and say that she didn't miss the income he brought to the house. She started accepting his money for bills, and it took off some pressure. Now that he was gone, the Gilbert residence was cramped for money once more.

Kevin suddenly appeared from the back room, looking annoyed, and he caught Amara's attention with a sigh. She glanced over to him. "What?"

"Your boyfriend was just arrested."

"Boyfriend?" she repeated, before the answer dawned on her. They hadn't technically started dating yet—but she could see why Kev thought that. After all, Lip was always making sure he was somehow touching her when they were together. Hands on her thighs, kissing her cheek, interlocking their fingers. It was no shocker that people thought they were dating. "Seriously?" Amara demanded, rolling her eyes as she pulled her phone out of her pocket to call Ian. "Lip was arrested?"

"Yeah," Ian's voice replied. "Actually, can you come down to the station? The cops...well you know, don't like me so much especially after the last time I was in there. Please."

She shot a hopeful look to Kevin, who gave her a hesitant nod. "Go. I can manage the bar."

"Be right there," Amara told Ian with a grin on her face, before she hung up and hurriedly grabbed her purse from the hook, and she ran out the door. "Stupid asshole," she muttered to herself.

★

"Hey," Ian greeted his brother as he walked out from the bars separating them. The redhead tossed a pack of cigarettes at the older boy, who grinned and thanked him, before Lip's gaze found Amara, who was watching him with her arms crossed.

"Hey, baby—"

She smacked his arm, then his chest, then lightly kicked his shins. "Dumbass."

"Why thank you," Lip said with a smile, leaning down to kiss her, making Amara's angry façade disappear. He grabbed her hand, swinging their woven hands back and forth between them as the trio made their way out of the building.

"How'd it go?" Ian asked, and Amara realized he was in his uniform.

Lip shrugged as he swung their linked hands back and forth. "Public defender thinks I can get off with community service if we take the laser back."

"Remind me again why the hell you stole a laser?"

"Classified information," Ian told her, and she scowled in response.

"You guys suck. Since when do you not tell me the shit you're up to?"

"Since your mom started dating a cop."