i hate you » carl gallagher

four - business

noel

"'Bout time," he groaned. "You ready to go, little mama?" I groaned at the nickname, again.

"I told you not to call me that, Carl," I sighed. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we made our way down the front steps. I shoved his arm off of my shoulders. For some reason, I just feel the need to still play hard to get.

"What's up with you? Earlier this morning you didn't hesitate to jump in my arms and give me a little smooch," he said, cockiness in his voice.

"Well that was earlier this morning. Plus, I was tired and confused. I didn't know what I was doing," I lied, trying my best to sound convincing.

"That's a lie," he smirked wrapping his arm around me once again. "I told you I can see right through you."

"No, you think you can, but-" Carl cut me off, suddenly sounding really pissed and frustrated.

"Noel! Stop playing this game with me. You know it's true, why are you still acting this way," he half yelled, moving his arm away from my shoulders. I don't blame him for getting frustrated with me, because if I were in his shoes, I'd feel the same.

"I don't know," my voice softened and I let my arms drop to my sides.

"Cause you always gotta be right even when you ain't right, right," he answered for me. Although it was a confusing answer, I understand what he's means. "You feel me?"

"Yeah, I feel you," I mocked. He just rolled his eyes at me and gave me a hug from behind, his feet trailing behind mine. "What are you doing?"

"Just lovin' my girl. What you doin'," he said, making my stomach twirl and my heart flutter. But, his girl? He never made me his girl...

"Your girl? Who ever said I was your girl, Gallagher," I asked, a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

"No one has to. You've been my girl for a long time," he smirked, resting his head on my shoulder close to my neck.

"Yeah, okay. I don't think your friend appreciates the clinginess," I said, turning my head so that I was looking at him. Our faces were close. So close I could feel his breath on my lips.

"Ah, he'll be alright," he sighed, glancing from my eyes to my lips. I know he wants to kiss me, I want to kiss him, too. So bad! My heart began to race as I moved my face closer and pressed my lips against his. Instantly he kissed back, causing me to smile into the kiss. I felt him smile into the kiss just after I did. We both pulled away at the same time and I let my eyes fall to the ground. "I been meaning to ask you something-"

"Carl," Nick's deep voice called from behind us, nodding forward a big abandoned building. There was a car parked infront of the building. Carl and Nick began to walk towards the car, but stopped and turned to me when they realized I wasn't following them.

"You comin' or not," Carl asked, I didn't move or say a word. Maybe I should just turn back around and go home. I don't know if I want to be part of this mess. He walked back over to me and grabbed my hand. "I promise I won't let them hurt you, ight? I would never let anyone lay a fuckin' finger on you. Let's go." He pulled my hand and walked back to the car, making sure I stayed behind his back the whole time.

We walked up to the car where two men sat with intense looks on their faces. I clenched my jaw and began to pray that nothing bad will happen.

"Yo, you got my package," Carl asked in a 'tough' voice.

"Man, how many times we gotta tell yo' dumbass, it ain't no package. You gotta go inside and pick them out ya'self," the man in the driver seat said. He looked over at Nick and then his eyes landed on me. "Who's that," he pointed to me with the back of a gun.

"My girl. She's cool, don't worry about her," Carl answered. He squeezed my hand and I squeezed his back.

"Ight, go on in," the man said. Carl tugged at my hand and the three of us, Carl, Nick, and I, walked into the abandoned building.

Inside the building was a long table with open bags full of guns and ammo sitting on top. My eyes widened and my breath hitched. This is what he's into now? Guns?

Carl threw off the bag that he had over his shoulders and began loading guns and putting them in his bag.

"Whoa, w-wait," I stuttered. He stopped what he was doing to look at me.

"What," he breathed, obviously frustrated with me.

"What are you doing," I asked, he has to have some sense left in him.

"Business," he rolled his eyes and continued to shove guns into his bag.

"So, this is your business now? How are you gonna make money off of them," I asked him. "I mean, who's gonna buy guns off of a juvenile deliquent?"

"If your gonna give me a lecture why don't you just go back home," Carl growled. I was taken aback by is response. Is this really how he's gonna act towards me?

I just ignored him and let him finish his 'business'. After what felt like a decade, Carl finally finished. He zipped up his bag and we headed back outside. Carl paid the guy sitting the car and we continued to walk home.

On the way, I was silent. I kept my eyes ahead and didn't glance or even talk to Carl. I'm way too pissed at him to even give him any sort of attention. I walked ahead of both Carl and Nick at a fast pace.

"Yo," I heard Carl call from behind me. "Aye, I know you can hear me, little mama." I stopped dead in my tracks when he said those last two words. I've had enough of this act. I'm fucking sick and tired of it.

"I told you to stop fucking calling me 'little mama'," I yelled right in his face. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Why the fuck are you acting like this? Ever since you got back, you've been acting like someone else and it's making me go crazy because the Carl I knew months ago was perfect. He could be an asshole, but he was sweet. He made me laugh and cry at the same time. He was true to himself and to who he was. He made my happy. This new Carl makes me want to kill myself to end the frustration. So, please, tell me what the fuck happened to you?" Letting all of that out left me feeling like I was standing on air. Every muscle in my body relaxed. I wasn't as tense as I've been since they took him away to juvie.

Carl didn't answer. He just looked away, no expression on his face. It was like he didn'g have an answer.

After a few seconds of standing there and waiting for him to answer, I turned on my heels and continued to walk back home. I didn't turn back around to look at him and I didn't care if he followed me or not. Although there was a small part of me that wanted him to follow me and wrap his arms around me and tell me that he loves me and give a real answer to my question.

But, that's not what happened.

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a/n: this is where things start to get 'interesting' ;)