Joey was sleeping peacefully in her bed, dreaming about living in a mega mansion and drinking cocktails that her maid served her. It was luxurious. People surrounded Joeys house, begging for her autograph and for a photo. She felt as if she was on top of the world. Joey no longer lived in the shitty Southside, instead she was rich and having enough money to set her up for life.
Everything was going good, until a pair of shoulders was shaking her awake. At first Joey rolled over, trying to ignore the mysterious person that was desperately trying to awaken her. But when a pillow hit Joeys head she shot up, being met with Debbie staring at her.
"Fuck Debs, what're you doing?" Joey mumbled, rubbing her eyes and trying her best to wake up. The sun had barley come up yet and here Debbie was awake and full of energy. Joey was a little concerned to say the least.
"I wanted to watch you sleep, so that you don't catch a heart attack and die."
"Woah, what?"
"Lots of people die in their sleep. Statistically speaking about 12.5% of Americans die in their sleep each year." Debbie continued to explain. Joey groaned and placed a pillow on her head, hoping the lack of oxygen would make her pass out and take her out of her misery. Fiona had mentioned how for the last couple of days Debbie had been going on a rampage about death. Joey just figured that she wouldn't fall victim to it. But here she was, having to deal with Debbie watching her as she slept.
"Go back to sleep Debs," Joey sighed, letting out a yawn afterwards. "It's six in the morning."
"I can't! How do I know you won't kick the bucket!" Debbie exclaimed.
Joey groaned loudly before getting out of bed and grabbing her camera. "I'll record myself. That way you can watch later and see I'm still breathing. Will that make you leave me the hell alone?"
Debbie hesitated before nodding, causing Joey to place her sheets over her body once more and fall asleep.
When Joey woke up a few hours later, she stepped out of her room to see Ian exercising and Carl punching his chest.
"What's up dicks?" Joey greeted, playfully shoving Carls shoulder causing him to shove her back.
"Hey fuckhead." Lip called, walking up the stairs to be met with the duo.
"Dickhead." Carl replied, continuing to punch Ian's chest. Joey soon joined in, bored out of her mind.
"Yo, Lip. You think you can help me with my science project later? You totally bailed the last time I asked you." Joey spoke, walking inside her older brothers room and punching his shoulder rather harshly.
"Yeah uh just, show me what you gotta do and I'll help you tonight. Promise."
"Pinky promise."
"What the fuck, no! You're not four anymore. If I tell you I'll do it then I'll do it. That's it." But when Joey simply stood there, her arms crossed over her chest Lip groaned before holding out his pinky and linking it with Joeys. He then started to speak about someone he met that can potentially help Ian with his military journey.
"Wait, you still wanna go into the army?" Joey questioned, furrowing her brows. "Lip told me it was just a phase."
"Yeah, well, that was before I got a rather rude wake up call Jo," Lip replied, throwing her a cigarette and lighter which she caught with ease. "But that isn't the case anymore."
Debbie had started to walk up the stairs, singing some random song about pain and agony. She pushed Joey out of the way causing her to bump into Carl and push him to the ground.
"What's with Debs?" Lip questioned, nodding his head towards the girl who had slammed the bathroom door.
Joey let out a loud scoff and rolled his eyes. "She's been obsessed with death lately. Seriously, I had to record myself sleeping this morning so that she'll stop thinking I'll drop dead in my sleep."
"Jesus."
"Yup." Joey hummed, falling back on Lips bed.
"I thought this guy might be a good lead." Lip continued.
"I don't know. Took that practice trig test today. Only got a 73." Ian replied.
"Five points higher than last time."
"I cheated."
"Why do you wanna go into the army? You're gonna get shot through the butthole." Carl mentioned causing Joey to walk up and playfully shove his shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.
"Go play with your melted action figures or some shit."
**********
Later on that day Joey walked down the aisles in the local dollar store beside Jakob and Debbie, hoping to score some supplies for their science project. Well, more like shoplift but no one needed to know that part. While Jakob was stuffing multiple objects into his pocket Joey had a tight grip on Debbie's hand to make sure she didn't wander off.
"What's the deal with Debs?" Jakob whispered to Joey with a confused look on his face. The two turned their heads towards the younger girl who was basically dragging herself across the floor and listening to her heavy metal music.
"Weird ass thing with death. It started when Aunt Ginger's boyfriend dropped dead in the nursing home the other day."
Jakob cracked a grin. "Reminds me of when you went through your My Chemical Romance phase."
"That was nothing like this. You didn't see me running around like Debs is."
"Things are better if I stay, so long and good night, so long and goodnight." Jakob had started to horribly sing Helena by My Chemical Romance in Joeys ear causing her to shove him away.
"You're such an idiot."
"Well if you carry on this way...Come on Jo, sing it!"
Joey knew that no matter how hard she tried Jakob would not leave her alone. That along with the fact that she sorta missed the song she once used to love. "Things are better if I stay, so long and goodnight, so long and goodnight."
"See? Still got it in you." Jakob nudged her shoulder with a small laugh.
"Hell no. I only did that shit cause it was in the heat of the moment. Never again." Joey replied.
"Heat of the moment," Jakob mocked. "Please. You sound like one of those girls on tv after one night stands."
Joey opened her mouth to respond before realizing that Debbie was no longer holding on to her hand. In fact, she wasn't anywhere to be found down the aisle at all. The blondes eyes widened before she sprinted out of the aisle, calling out for Debbie.
"Where the fuck is Debbie?" Joey exclaimed, running a hand through her hair in frustration. Jakob rapidly looked around the store as well, sighing in relief when he found Debbie standing in front of a bunch of missing person posters. He grabbed Joeys hand, leading her over to her younger sister.
"Debbie!" The blonde pulled her in for a hug, practically squeezing her to death. "Jesus, where the hell were you? I was worried."
"All of these kids have been missing for years on end. What if they're dead, and their bodies are decomposed in a random basement. Joey, that could be us!" Debbie shouted, gaining the attention of innocent people just trying to shop around them.
"Debs, come on." Jakob sighed, trying to diffuse the situation. He truly didn't know what Joey meant by Debbie's weird obsession. Jakob could also sense how stressed out he was by the entire situation so he was trying his best to make it work out.
"No Jakob! You could've died once! Remember? When I was seven?"
Joey remembered that day as if it was yesterday. It was Debbie's seventh birthday, and the Gallaghers threw her a huge party to celebrate due to the fact she had gotten all A's on her report card that same day. Everything was going good until a very drunk Lip dared Jakob to jump off the roof of his house and not break a bone. Now, Jakob was stupid back then, and he damn sure wasn't one to back down from a bet. It turns out he snapped his leg in half and suffered from a severe concussion. Debbie had stepped out of the house to look for Fiona when she instead caught sight of an unconscious Jakob laying on the ground with his leg twisted in a weird angle. It was traumatic to say the least. Everyone thought that Debbie must've forget about it but clearly not.
Jakobs face fell and he let out a small sigh. "Debbie, that was a long time ago. You were young, you didn't understand what was going on. I wasn't going to die."
Debbie looked towards Joey for confirmation causing the blonde to rapidly nod. Anything to get her mind off the horrendous conversation that they were having about death. The thought of Joey loosing Jakob slipped past her mind and caused her to shudder despite the fact there was no air conditioning in the store whatsoever pretty much making it a boiling room at this point. The duo had been through everything together, and the thought of Jakob just......disappearing and never returning made Joey want to scream and throw up at the same time.
She needed Jakob, and Jakob needed her. Without each other they would fall apart. Besides, he's been getting a little more tolerable lately. He's been holding her hand when they walked down the block together, cracking more jokes, and overall just being a dumbass. But a dumbass that Joey had grown used to living with.
Speaking of Jakob, he gave her hand a light squeeze to snap her out of her thoughts.
"You ok?" He asked, raising a brow.
Joey nodded. "Fine. It's just all this talk about death is making me feel fucking weird."
"Tell me about it," Jakob hummed. "While you were zoning out I gave Deb's some money to go to the vending machine and buy herself some candy. She needs something to take her mind off this death bullshit, you know?"
Joey nodded, completely understanding where he was coming from. She was grateful that he was around to help and that she wouldn't be alone.
Jakob had grabbed Joeys arm, pulling her a little closer so they were no longer standing feet apart from each other. The small action caused butterflies to erupt in Joeys stomach as she blushed and looked away.
"Look uh, I don't want you to think I don't have your back when it comes to your siblings. Cause I do. Just like you have my back when it comes to mine." He mentioned.
"I literally want to punch your brothers in the throat every time they breath next to me," Joey joked, playfully rolling her eyes. "But I know what you mean. Also, I'm gonna back away because whatever you got in your pocket is poking the living shit out of me."
"Oh, sorry. That's the switchblade I stole for shits and giggles."
"Why would you do that?"
"For shits and giggles. Like I just said."
Joey rolled her eyes before making her way over to Debbie who was slowly opening a pack of skittles. She decided to joke around with her by stealing one from the package causing a grin to take over Debbie's face.
"Hey! Stop it!"
"Stop what? I'm hungry, can't you share with your older sister?" Joey innocently asked.
"Not when you steal!" Debbie replied. Jakob walked over and stole a skittle from her as well causing her to gasp loudly.
"You bought such good candy, you can't expect the rest of us to not be a little greedy."
Joey laughed at that and pulled out her phone once she had gotten a notification. It was Fiona, telling her to meet at a buffet as soon as possible. Joey responded back saying she would be there before putting her phone away and looking up at Debbie and Jakob who were playfully arguing with each other.
"Yo. Fiona says she wants as at a buffet." Joey informed.
"A buffet sounds fun, doesn't it Debs?" Jakob asked. Debbie rapidly nodded at that and followed the two teens out of the store.
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