FADE INTO YOU , Shameless ¹

three

"You don't know what you're talking about! They were good people! Better than you!" Liberty roared, tears streaming down her little face. Delilah yelped as Tracy splashed her piping hot coffee toward the pair.

Unfortunately, Liberty caught the wrath of the hot liquid.

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LIBERTY SNUGGLED AGAINST Delilah's chest as she sat on the Gallagher's couch. Carl sat on standby which was odd. Apparently the pair had grown close over time. Debbie seemed to slowly grow disinterested and more interested in other things.

Things were as hectic as ever, but nobody minded if Liberty and Delilah took comfort on their couch. Lip strolled behind them, noticing the ice pack on Liberty. He scanned them quietly, yet worriedly.

After a moment, Lip came back two cups of orange juice in his hand. It was like he knew when he seen the rest of the Gallagher's didn't brew a pot of coffee when they heard their story.

"School?" Lip quizzed, his eyes fell down to Liberty. He wanted to make sure he showed he mostly cared about Berty.

"I'll see when she wakes up," Delilah replied. Her voice came out raspy as Liberty stirred against her chest. "What about you?"

"School," Lip answered, setting the glasses down on the coffee table. He stood adjacent to Delilah. "Sheila could watch her, y'know. If you wanted to go."

"Could she?" Delilah asked. She didn't like school, but getting an education was a very important thing to her despite the relationship she had with it.

"Yeah, wanna get going? I was heading there anyways," Lip suggested and Delilah nodded.

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WALKING WITH KAREN and Lip was not on her list of things she'd take on today. She didn't think she'd have to deal with Liberty's new second degree burns either, but here they were.

"I like your top," Karen complimented. Her bitchy smile grew wider as Lip put his arm around her shoulder. "You're like super hot. I bet you get the Freshman going."

Delilah flashed a fake smile, her gaze landing on Lip who had a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"I guess," Delilah shrugged her eyes now on the cloudy sky.

"Lip tells me you're like his little sister," Karen added and Delilah nodded. She looked to Lip who avoided her gaze.

"Does he?" Delilah smiled. Her smile was as fake as the one she had before. She wasn't sure how to act. Not around Karen, or Lip, or anyone for fuck sake.

The conversation was cut short. Delilah's refusal to talk helped with that. Karen kept giving Lip looks, and he just brushed it off, knowing Delilah, she mostly didn't want to come out of her mouth.

Her arms were crossed as she followed behind. It sucked she was fifteen. Ian was treated as equal, but she was treated like a little sister? Bullshit. Maybe it was because their families were close— well, just her and Liberty.

This morning was already traumatic, but now it was plain shit as jealousy gnawed away at her bones.

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