HARD TIMES ━ lip gallagher²

08 | i'm sweating my tits off

☆

"HEY," AMARA KNOCKED ON the open door and waited for Vanessa to look up from her computer, but her boss barely spared her a second glance. "Did you get a chance to read that article I sent over?"

"No, sorry, I've been swamped with getting this place out from the hole that asshole Frank dug us in. I'll read it later, Amanda."

She bristled. "Amara. And maybe I could help you with that."

"Doubtful," Vanessa shuffled through some more papers. "What would an intern be able to do that I can't? Shoo."

"I might actually be offended if I was an intern," Amara crossed her arms. "Just because you're taking over right now doesn't give you the right to be a bitch. Let me help."

Vanessa looked up sharply. "Fine. Let's hear it."

"Right..." Amara reluctantly sat down in the chair before her. "I think if we branch out to more than just the couple of topics we write about, our rates would go up. I mean, we should contribute to the other fifty percent of the population. Most women don't enjoy reading sports magazines or articles, so we write reviews on more feminine things and such."

The other woman took off her glasses. "How long have you been working here?"

"Uh," she faltered. "Two months?"

"And did you have any writing experience before this?"

"I went to college for a summer internship, so yes."

"Have you always been interested in writing?"

This suddenly felt like an interview. Amara nodded regardless. "Yeah, I've loved it since before I can remember."

Vanessa drummed her fingers on the desk. "Hm. Well, I'll talk to my boss about that. You can leave now."

Amara blinked, completely stunned, and waited until the office door was shut firmly behind her, before exhaling. "What the fuck just happened?"

☆

"There you are," Amara muttered, spotting the back of Fiona's head through the windows at Patsy's. She quickly pulled open the door and stepped inside. "Hey, Fi."

"Oh, perfect," Fiona grinned lazily at her. "You're just in time. I'm about to announce a little game."

Amara cocked her head. The eldest Gallagher smelt like a bar. Her concern deepened. "A game?"

Fiona settled herself on the back of a booth, and blew the whistle that was hanging from around her neck. The chattering in the diner dialed down as everyone turned to look at her. "Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention please." She held up an item. "This is a jar full of gum from under the tables. Yeah, yummy. Is this a reprimand? No. I'm a fun person. I like to have fun, so... whoever can correctly guess how many pieces of chewing gum are in this jar wind a 12-pack. We will pass the jar around. You can write down your guesses and hand them to your servers."

Amara watched as Fi grabbed a beer out from the box, frowning. "Fiona-"

"Eleven pack," Fiona corrected, and then glanced up to her. "Wanna make it a ten pack?"

"No, no," Amara shook her head. "Fiona, I'm worried about you."

Fiona waved her off. "Psshhh I'm fine. Go home. I'm good. I'm great, actually."

"Fi."

"I've never been better, really. Thanks for checking in though. You're the only one who has," she started laughing. "Put my life on pause for those fucking kids for years and they can't even shoot me a text, a phone call, unless they need something. No 'hey Fiona, how are you? Hope you're well. Miss you.' Nothing."

"Hey, Mara!" Someone yelled, she glanced to see Logan and Tami sitting in a booth, and made her way over since Fiona went back to staring at the wall. "What're you doing here?"

"Is that the manager?" Tami questioned. "Damn, that girl is off her rocker. I want what she's on."

"She's just having a hard time," Amara defended. "You two find an apartment yet?"

Logan nodded and covered her mouth as she spoke. "Yeah, we're meeting with the realtor after lunch. It's actually only a couple of blocks away from your complex. The one on Wicker Road?"

"Ah," Amara nodded. "That's a nice area. Funny, actually. I've been wanting to get my own place for a while, that's one of the complexes I looked at."

Tami continued to stuff her face with food. "Great, maybe we can be neighbors. Wouldn't that be fun? Parties every night. Endless hot people to look at. Fuck. Do it."

Amara snorted and caught Fiona's eye again. "I'll think about it. The place is a little outside of my price range, though. I'll let you know. It was great talking to you guys."

Logan grinned with a mouthful of spaghetti, and Tami smacked her arm. "No, beat this." Tami flashed a smile, showing off her asparagus tusks.

Amara laughed as she walked away. "I'm getting ready to go. Will you come back with me?"

"I'll be back tonight," she snorted. "Maybe. I dunno. But seriously, don't worry. I'm allllll good. Want a slice of pie before you go?"

Amara sighed. "No, thanks."

"All right everybody!" Fiona shouted. "Place your bets! The jar is being passed around now."

Amara let the door close behind her as Fi's words faded out. She knew it was the wrong choice, but like she said, you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved.

☆

"Stop moving," Amara grumbled. "I'm gonna cut your dick off."

"Jesus," Lip huffed, shifting away from her. "Maybe you're right. This bed is too small for us."

"Yeah, you think?" She rolled her eyes and attempted to shuffle to the edge without falling off. "God, you're like a furnace, I'm sweating my tits off."

Lip rose to his elbows. "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"You," she flopped onto her other side so that her back was facing him. "Are annoying me."

"Awww," he sidled up to her, and she writhed to get out from his grip, but Lip didn't stop trying to pull her back into his chest. "I'm annoying you? How am I annoying you? Is it because you're my little sugar plum? My love dove? My honey bunny?"

Amara cringed and struggled to pry his hands from around her. "You disgust me."

"My boo- Hey, ow! Jesus," he winced and rubbed the arm she pinched. "What's gotten into you? Are you on your lunar cycle?"

"Dickhead," she sat up and threw the covers at him. "It's not even called that."

"Hey, Gallaghers," a voice bellowed from downstairs. It sounded like Kevin. "Got a present for ya."

Lip groaned at stood, too. "Now what?"

"Fucking hope it's an air conditioner," Amara mumbled, following after him down the stairs. "Jesus," she paused mid-step. Fiona was passed out, and Kevin was carrying her.

"She's fine," Veronica assured, kissing Fi's forehead. "Just knocked out. Sweat dreams, baby girl. Well, she's all yours. Good luck."

☆

a/n

lolz just reminding u that i am a high school student and i have absolutely 0 idea on how the world works which is why ive been so reluctant to write amara's job scenes, so if anything is wrong ignore it