South Side, Baby ~ Shameless

1

"7:15, monkeys." Fiona says as she opens the door. I roll back over and groan. Lip jumps down from the top bunk and takes the blanket off of me.

"Hurry and you can get the first shower." He says. I get off the bed and hurry into the bathroom before Ian can.

He slams his hand on the door. "Damn it, Livy!" He yells.

"You had first shower yesterday. Shut the fuck up." Lip says. I hurry in the shower and go downstairs.

"Livy, take your meds." I roll my eyes and Fiona watches me take the pill.

I'm the only one of my siblings that has bipolar like our mother. At least that any of us know of anyways.

That's why Dad despises me so much. I'm just like our mother.

I sit down and eat while Lip and Ian fight over the next shower.

"Electric is short $25." Debbie announces. I throw the bills in the box. "Nevermind."

"I'll cut you some slack on the next bill since you paid majority of this one." Fiona tells me. I nod.

Lip looks at the time and stands up. "Shit we gotta go." I stand up and slip my converse on, following him out the door.

We walk ahead of the rest of our siblings and he looks at me. "How's the hand?" I shrug.

"Still hurts." I respond.

"Then if they try shit today let me handle it." He says, throwing his arm around my shoulder.

"It's the first thing they're going to do, Lip." I say, shoving my hands in my pockets. My boyfriend Dom pulls up in his car and we get in. The car ride is silent for the most part other than the music. It's too early.

We walk into the school and they see me.

This is the part about being part of the drug business I hate. Rival people want me gone.

——-

School goes fine. No incidents. I walk up to the door of Monty's and knock once. The door opens a crack then all the way when they realize it's me.

Monty is sitting on the couch and I sit in the chair after grabbing a beer. "I know it's bill day." He hands me a stack of twenties. "Come back tomorrow for some more dope." I nod and stand up.

I meet Lip on my walk home. "How was Karen's?" I ask.

"Well I see where she gets her rep from." He lets me hit the cigarette and we pass it back and forth until it's out.

We walk inside to V sitting on the couch with a man on the floor. He's bleeding and she's holding something to his head.

"Woah. More kids?" He says.

"Fi," I yell and she comes into the living room. "Are you aware you brought an asshole into the house?" I ask. She laughs.

"His name is Steve. He knocked the shit out of Jimmy Clifton." She says handing him a beer. "This is Livy and Lip. Yes they are twins."

"It's Olivia to you. I don't like you yet." I sit down in the chair.

"You guys need to go to bed soon." Fiona says. I groan.

"But Fi, it's not a school night." I say. She gives me a look and I know what that means. The noises we hear downstairs later that night confirm my theory.

"Lip, you awake?" I whisper when we're in bed.

"I wish I wasn't. What's up?" He asks.

"Don't hate me. But my meter says I'm low." He groans.

"Fuck, Livy. Always the worst times." He jumps down from the bunk and grabs it from the band of my pants and looks at it.

"I'll go get something from Fi's fridge. Since it sounds like they're in the kitchen." Lip says. He comes back with a pop and I drink it.

This is my daily. I'm the only Gallagher with any health issue and I'm a big problem with money. Between insulin and everything with it and my other medication we spend a lot each month.

Lip falls asleep and I don't want to wake him. I go into Fiona's room where she's laying on the bed next to Steve.

"Fiona?" I ask, standing at the door. She sits up.

"What is it, Livy?" She rubs her eyes.

"It's in the orange. It was in the red." I say. She motions me over and I sit on the bed. She grabs the meter and presses some buttons.

"If it gets any lower I'll take you to the hospital. Stay in here tonight." She says. Steve makes room on the bed for me in the middle.

"Sorry." I whisper to Fiona. She wraps her arm around me.

"You are more important. Get some sleep." She says and i do.