South Side (A Shameless Fanfiction)

Chapter Four

picture: zack (portrayed by luke hemmings)

I sat down at the table with my peanut butter and jelly sandwich later that day. Just as I was about to take a bite, Ian passed me on his way out the door.

"Hey, where are you going?" I asked him.

"Work." He replied, opening the door.

Just then, my eyes widened and I dropped my sandwich back on the plate. I totally forgot. I had work today too. I was supposed to be there at 7. It was noon now.

"Shit." I said.

Ian turned around.

"What's wrong?"

I jumped up from the table and grabbed my coat.

"I'm five hours late for work!" I said, pushing past Ian and running the five blocks to work.

*
I swung open the door to the McDonald's that I worked at and rushed inside.

My fellow work partner, Annie looked up from putting fries into containers.

"Jess! Oh my god! Where have you been?" She asked. "Ralph wants to speak to you."

I stared at her.

"Ralph?" He was my boss and the manager of this joint.

Annie nodded.

"Shit." I turned around and walked into the back, where Ralph's office is.

I knocked on the door.

"Yeah?" Ralph called.

I opened the door and Ralph was sitting in his armchair, texting on his phone. He looked up when he saw me.

"Oh, Jess. I almost forgot you work here." He said sarcastically.

I shut the door and walked in further.

"I'm sorry, Ralph. My dad was missing the other day, and my siblings and I had to go find him...I-I was just so caught up with that that I totally forgot I had work today." I explained. It's not like I was lying. It was the truth.

Ralph sighed.

"You've used up all your sick days. You come to work several hours late. This is unacceptable, Jess. So I'm sorry, but you're fired."

I felt my heart drop down to my ass.

"No, wait-isn't there something-anything-I can do?" I asked desperately.

He shook his head.

"No, there's not. Here's your last paycheck." He rummaged through his desk and pulled out an envelope addressed to me. He held it out to me, and I walked over to him and grabbed it.

I turned on my heel and started towards the door.

"Sorry, Jess." Ralph called after me. I stopped in my tracks and whirled around to face him again.

"No you're not, because if you were, you wouldn't be firing me right now." I snapped.

Ralph stared at me.

"Jessica-" He started.

"No, screw you. I never enjoyed working at this fucking dump anyways. Have fun serving your cow shit." I flipped him off as I left the office, slamming the door behind me.
                       *

I slowly trudged home, walking extra slow. I was afraid to go home and face Fiona. My job was what got us money, paid our bills, bought us food. All of us worked; Ian, Lip, Fiona and I. And when Debs and Carl and maybe even Liam were older, they'd be working too. And now I was fired for being irresponsible, and I let my family down.