i hate you » carl gallagher

one - welcome home

noel

"Tuck! Shut the fuck up," I yelled at my bestfriend, Tucker, who was currently singing some song in spanish while using the bathroom. He does that stuff all of the time, it gets really annoying sometimes.

My name is Noel Lincoln. I just turned 15 years old, and I live on the shitty side of Chicago, a.k.a the southside. My parents are Belle and Darren Lincoln. They had me when they were 15 years old, so they're very young to have a 15 year old daughter. Sometimes they get mistaken for my brother or sister or even cousins. Then, I have to explain who they are and no one knows how to respond. They all act like being teen parents are the worst thing in the world. Well, it's not. They've raised me well. They both finished high school, attended an online college and took care of me all at the same time. A little help from grandma Linc, she's great. Don't know what I would do without her. I don't get to see her that often anymore since she moved to Florida to live with my Aunt Les.

My Aunt Daniella, my dad's sister, goes to college in UCLA. She's one of the closest family members I have and I love her to death. She's always been there for me. Whenever I have a problem, she's there. Atleast she used to be before she went to college. But, this year is her last year. She's moving back sometime in May or June.

"You know, you could ask me to 'shut the fuck up' in a nicer way like, 'hey, Tucker, can you please stop shouting out your amazing talented singing because I'm PMSing', right," Tucker sassed, coming out of the bathroom.

Tucker, he moved here a few months ago after my bestfriend of 14 years, Carl Gallagher, went to juvie. Carl and I haven't talk since his sentencing. I still talk to the other Gallagher's, however. Of course, I live right across the street from them. But, that's for another time.

Anyways, Tucker is hilarious. He's helped me through a lot these past few months and I'm lucky to have him. I can tell him anything and, he knows, he can tell me anything.

"Whatever, Tuck," I said, rolling my eyes at him. "By the way, your 'talented singing' isn't actually so great," I joked. He put his hand on his heart and pretended like my remark hurt him. I rolled my eyes at him once more before his phone began to ring.

"Heller," he answered, making me laugh. He was the kind of person that could bring a smile to anyone's face, no matter what. "Yeah, yeah. Yes, I'm at Noel's, yeah chill out. Okay, on my way. Yeah, I get it. I love you too, mom."

"You gotta go," I asked, getting up off of my bed and grabbing my phone.

"Yeah, mom's boyfriend wants us home 'before the street lights come on'," he mocked his mother's voice.

"Well, the street lights are already on and who is he to be making the rules," I questioned, walking him out my bedroom door and down the stairs.

"That's what I'm sayin'," Tucker said. "He thinks that just because he owns a business he's the shit."

"What? A toilet cleaning business," I scoffed.

"Yup," he said as we walked out of my front door and down the porch steps. "I'm just tired of him."

"I'm tired of hearing about him," I laughed. We began to walk down the sidewalk. Tucker lived only a few houses down.

"Well, if I-" he was interrupted when my phone made a 'ding' sound. I pulled it out of my pocket and unlocked it. I had a just got a message from Fiona Gallagher, Carl's oldest sister.

Fi👯: we're having a party, come join us. not explaining till you get here.

I made a confused face at the message on my phone. What the hell were they having a party for right now? It's not even 7:00 pm yet.

"What is it," Tucker asked. I looked up from my phone to meet his eyes.

"Gallagher's are having some sort of party," I told him. He wasn't really close with the Gallagher's. But, his cousin, Derek, is seeing Debbie, Carl's other sister. That's really the only connection he has with them besides me.

"Ah, you go ahead. I'll see you later," he said, softly nudging my shoulder with his elbow.

"Okay, see you later. Love you, dork," I said, as I began to cross the street.

"Love you too, loser," was all I heard him say as I reached the sidewalk on the other side of the street. I made my way down the sidewalk and up the Gallagher's front porch. I just walked in since we're basically family.

"What's up, Gallagher's," I said, shutting the door. I turned around to see everyone looking at me, including Kev and Vee. My eyes landed a boy with cornrows and a red jacket on. I almost didn't recognize him from the new look. (a/n: im not even gonna explain who anyone else is. obviously if you're reading this you're a fan of shameless. so, i don't even see the point lol)

My stomach dropped and my breath hitched in my throat. I thought he had another couple of months left? Why the hell is he back so soon?

"Noel," Carl said, his voice was low. Very low from how it was before he left. A cocky smile formed on his face as a weird vibe breezed through me. "You lookin' good." I raised my eyebrows at his words.

"What are you doing here," I asked him, trying my hardest not to sound rude.

"Those weren't the words I was expecting," he said, ignoring my question.

"Well, what were you expecting," I asked crossing my arms. I'm trying my hardest not to be rude, but the vibe I'm getting from him is telling me to do otherwise.

"How about a hug and a 'I missed you bestfriend'? Fuck," he said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes as I walked towards him. I wrapped one arm around his shoulder and quickly hugged him, while he wrapped both arms around my waist and tried to squeeze, but I pulled away too quickly.

"Nice to see you," I patted his shoulder and took a few steps back beside the door frame.

"Well, that was awkward as fuck," Kev pointed out. I forced a fake smile just before there was a knock at the door.

"Oh, that's my sleepover," Carl said, brushing beside me to open the door. Sleepover, the fuck? Carl opened the door revealing a tall, tall dark skinned guy that looked like he could knock you out with the tap of a finger. My eyes went wide, along with everyone else. "Everybody, this is Nick." Carl began to walk out of the house until Fiona stopped him.

"Uh, Carl," she said in an obvious tone like 'hey, what about us, asshole?'. I was still staring a the tall guy above me named Nick. Nick doesn't sound right for him. It should be like Goliath or some shit.

"Oh, right. Uh, thank you all for coming. It's good to be home," he said, before leaving the house.

Okay, what the actual fuck?