𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 - 𝑳𝒊𝒑 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒈𝒉𝒆𝒓 UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Runner

I stood in the back of the restaurant, shoving plates into the dish water before Lip walked over to me, "Hey, Mabel," He said as he approached me. "I, uh, I need to ask you something." 

I looked over my shoulder at him and furrowed my brow, "What?" I asked before I looked back at the dishes I put in the water and turned around fully to look at him. 

He seemed hesitant at first before he let out a sigh, "I have a meeting at noon with the college... My professor told me it might be a good idea to bring a witness to vouch for me." 

I couldn't help but laugh when he said this, "You're joking," I shook my head, "Why don't you bring Sierra or something?" 

"Listen, I tried to ask Ian but he's working, so is Sierra... Look, I wouldn't ask if I had anyone else. I just need you to sit there nice and tell them that I'm an upstanding member of society."

"You want me to go in there and lie for you- after everything you've done?" 

Lip nodded, "Listen, I'm at the end of my rope here, I'm sorry." 

It felt weird hearing him actually apologize, "When is it?" 

He seemed surprised I was even asking, "It's at noon." 

I sighed and put the towel down that I was holding and shrugged my shoulders, "Fine," I gave in, "I get off in 10, I'll go home and change and meet you there... Text me the address." 

"Thank you." 

"I appreciate you apologizing, even if it is for your own benefit." 

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I sat at the hearing, Lip was dressed up; sorta. He looked nice, I would be lying if I said he didn't look good. "Professor Youens," The provost said, I looked towards the front of the meeting room, "I have a letter requesting this appeal hearing... Do you have anything to add?" 

I looked at the professor, he nodded, "Only that while I am the supposed victim of Mr. Gallagher's violent outburst, I am also his most passionate advocate. He earned his scholarship with the odds stacked against him and he fought hard to keep it through the sort of culture shock you and I can't even really imagine," It was clear that his professor cared about him, he wanted him to have a future, "He's got the kind of mind we don't see every day or even every decade, the kind of kid we always talk about wanting to educate but seldom do. It would be a terrible shame to let all that talent and intelligence go to waste over one incident." 

I wasn't sure what the extent of the incident was, "In fairness, it wasn't one incident," The provost argued. "Mr. Gallagher sat before this panel once before." 

"Yes, but in that instance, he was the victim, not the perpetrator." I knew this was about the professor he was fucking behind my back, the one that he had pick me up after he bailed me out of jail for beating Sammi's ass, "He was used and discarded by a professor more than twice his age who is now in treatment for sex addiction. It was Dr. Runyon's behavior that, in my estimation, led to Mr. Gallagher's later transgressions." 

A girl who was sitting next to the provost leaned forward, "With all due respect, Professor, one doesn't excuse the other."

They went back and forth for a while before the provost looked over at me, then back to Lip, "Mr. Gallagher, can I assume that this is a character witness?" 

"Yeah," Lip nodded and looked over at me, "This is someone that has been in my life a very long time... Mabel Douglas."

"Would you like to make a statement?" He asked me.