HARD TIMES ━ lip gallagher²

09 | popcorn

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"JESUS," LIP BREATHED OUT a puff of smoke nervously as he paced. The four of them were loitering outside of the meeting room after it ended, Amara glanced up from the strand of hair she was braiding out of boredom. "What do you think they're doing in there?"

"Banging it out," Amara replied. Lip rolled his eyes.

"Discussing the merits of the case," Youens answered.

"Or they went to lunch to make you sweat," Ian added, smirking. Lip let out a chuckle.

"Also a possibility," Youens agreed.

"I'm supposed to pick up Liam from school today," Ian mused, and Lip nodded.

"I have a class," Youens stood, grabbing his briefcase.

"Want me to see if Debs can do it?" Ian asked, watching as Lip got more anxious.

"No," he shook his head. "No, No. I'm fine. You know. Good either way, for real."

"Well, I should go," Youens stated, looking to Lip. "Thanks for showing up."

"Thank you for..." Lip trailed off, shaking his hand. "Thank you."

Youens met Amara's gaze. "This is Amara huh? I've heard a lot about you.

"Don't-" Lip went to interrupt, but Amara raised a brow.

"What has he said about me?"

Youens smiled smugly and glanced between her and Ian. "Good job today, you two."

Amara waited until the professor was gone before turning to Lip and smacking him in the stomach "What have you said about me?"

"Nothing bad," he held up his hands in surrender. "Promise. Said you were a sex god and-" She smacked his stomach again. "Okay! Alright, Jesus. Fuck, I've never been this nervous in my life."

Amara leaned against the wall of the building and crossed her arms, squinting at the sunlight. "I think we made compelling arguments in your case. I'm sure everything will be fine. If not, I will kick their asses."

Lip smiled weakly. "Knew I could count on you."

She sighed and looked around the campus. "I'm thinking about applying to Patsy's."

Lip stubbed out his cigarette. "Why? Place is a shithole."

"I need the money," she replied. "Pool is closed down for the season."

He lifted his gaze back up. "Do you get to keep the uniform?"

She rolled her eyes, but felt a smile tugging at her mouth. "Yes."

"Thank fuck. At least I have that image in my head incase all of this goes south. Then again, I don't think sitting in a meeting room with a boner is a good idea."

Amara kicked a rock at his feet, grinning now. "Shut up, pervert. I'm supposed to be mad at you. Mad at you for getting expelled in the first place, mad at you for dumping me and stomping all over my heart. And I should hate you for what you said."

Lip was looking at the ground now. "Do you?"

"Hate you?"

"Yeah."

"Nah. Not even close," she admitted honestly, surprised at how true it was, and how much she wished it to be different. "I want to. But I don't think I ever could."

"I really am sorry," he glanced back up. "I'm doing everything I can to make it up to you. Even if it'll take years I'll never stop trying."

"I don't hate you," Amara repeated, shrugging. "But I'm still hurt by what you did and said. And I don't know how long it'll take for me to really get over it. You shouldn't have to wait for me."