Gold Dust Woman- Lip Gallagher

above the covers

I'd just given a customer their receipt when Ian came in, looking panicked.

"Mayo, have you heard from Mandy?" he said.

"No, she hasn't texted me back since last night," I said, "What happened?"

"Mandy's brothers came into the store looking for me," he said, "Mandy told them I did something to her. I swear to God, I didn't do anything. You have to believe me."

"That stupid bitch," I grunted, grabbing my phone, "Don't worry. I've got this."

"I need to find her," he said, running out as I texted her a very angry message. 

Mandy, this isn't fucking funny. I know Ian, and he didn't do shit. Tell your brothers to lay off NOW!

Two hours later, I clocked out and was on my way home when I saw the Milkoviches talking to Lip and Karen. Next thing I know, they knock Lip to the ground and kick the shit out of him.

"What the fuck?!" I yelled, running toward them. All the while, Karen was standing there doing jack shit. Great girlfriend material there, Lip. 

"Hey!" I said, trying to pull Mickey away, but he pushed me. The three brothers stopped beating on Lip and looked at me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Mayonnaise," he said before spitting in my face and walking off with his brothers. 

I ran to Lip and helped him up. His face was all bruised and battered.

"Come on. Let's get you back home." 

We walked back and tried to avoid Fiona and Tony, who were outside talking, but Tony gave us away. 

"Jesus, what the hell, Lip?" Fiona said, clearly disappointed because she thought he got into a fight. 

________________________________________________________________

Frank was in deep shit with the federal government. He'd been cashing in his aunt's social security checks for 12 years. Not to mention she died 12 years ago, and the whole family was under the impression that she was in a nursing home in Wisconsin. 

"Can you get me a glass of water, Diana?" I said from the other room. Diana continued with her homework in the kitchen as if I didn't say anything. 

"Come on. You can't ignore me forever," I said, "He was going to find out, anyway."

"I loved him, you bitch."

"No, you didn't," I said, "Otherwise, you never would've done that to him. Besides, you'll move on. You always do."

"You don't know anything about me."

 I scoffed, "Whatever."

As I filled my glass and took a sip, my phone rang. 

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mayo. It's Cory. Um- are you doing anything right now?" 

I shook my head, "Not that I can think of. Why?"

"Would you want to come over for a bit? It's ok if you don't want to. I mean-

"Sure, what time?" I cut him off. 

"Whenever you like," he said, "Well, any time before six."

"Cool. I'll be right over."

I wasn't sure what I was doing walking over to his house. I liked his company and walking with him to school occasionally, but he wasn't... never mind. The fact that Diana did stuff with him didn't even matter to me. It's not like we were biologically related. Also, Diana was using him.

We went upstairs as his parents watched TV, not batting an eye.

"I'm an only child, and my parents are working all the time. So, by the time they get home, they don't have any energy to badger me," he explained.

"I was an only child for a while," I said, "I miss it."

"Eh," Cory said, closing the door, "It kinda sucks. It gets lonely. But you also have a bunch of friends. Lip, Ian, Mandy."

"Yeah," I sighed, "It's good to be around them. I know they'll always have my back, and I'll have theirs."

He nodded, "Yea they seem like chill people."

I didn't realize how close he was to me until then.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking at me, "I just can't get over how beautiful you are."

______________________________________________________________________

The next day, I was in Lip and Ian's room with the boys and Mandy. Ian came out to her, so she called off her brothers. However, they decided it would be a good idea for the both of them to pretend they were dating at school and shit. You know, so Ian wouldn't be suspected of being gay and Mandy would be left alone by all the pervs at school. 

I sat with Lip on his bed while Ian and Mandy sat on his bed. Fiona was going out that night. She had a beautiful pair of earrings and makeup on, and her hair was straightened. 

"Above the covers," she said to them before looking at me and Lip, "All of you."

We all just chuckled.

"You look nice!" Lip said.

"Thank you!"

My phone dinged, and Lip grabbed it before I could.

"Hey, beautiful. Want to come over again tonight?" Lip said, his tone immediately changing, "Cory?!"

He and Ian started laughing as Mandy looked exasperated, "Wait, Cory Fitch?!"

"Yup," I said, "We kinda hooked up yesterday."

"I mean, hey, go girl!" Mandy said, air high fiving me. I laughed. 

"Wait, wait," Lip said, "Hook up, you mean sex?"

"Yes, Lip. She means sex," Ian said condescendingly.

"Sorry that hooking up means a multitude of things and I was fucking curious."

"Dude, you sound like Steve when he found out about Fiona and Tony," I said, "We had sex."

"Alright, whatever," he said, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Wait, was he a virgin?" Mandy said.

"Yup," I said, "There's one more V card under my belt." 

"Mayo, as fascinating as your sex life is, I have work to do, so can you please just stop talking?" Lip said coldly. 

I looked over at Mandy who just shrugged. Man, that kid confused the hell out of me.