★

"PEACH COBBLER?" AMARA ASKED, holding out the dessert and handing it to the older woman who raised a hand. She smiled as she set the plate down and gently placed the second dish onto the table. "Enjoy. I'll bring your check out in just a minute."

"Thank you," the customer replied, and Amara forced out a smile again before turning on her heel. She made her way to her next table, not making it two feet from her previous one before her phone rang from her pocket.

"Lip," she brought it up to her ear. "You better either be dying or pregnant. I'm at work."

"You'll never guess what I just did," he sounded completely breathless, and Amara tapped the table with a smile trying to hide her suspicion.

"I'll be with you in a minute," she turned and walked towards the back room. "What did you do?"

"I just smashed like six windows on some cars."

She groaned. "Lip."

"It felt good, you know? Letting out all that pent up anger."

"I'm sure there are other ways to get your anger out than vandalism," she shook her head and peered out the door. "Couldn't have texted me this?"

"Wanted you to hear my voice one last time before I went to prison."

"You're not funny," she rolled her eyes. "And don't do anything like that again, jackass. You've already been to jail once. Don't fuck up your future."

"Jesus," he scoffed. "You sound like Fiona."

Amara refrained from scoffing, sensing a fight. "Look, I don't have time for this. Stop fucking around, Lip."

"No, no. Tell me what else I shouldn't do to fuck up my future which is already looking pretty shit right about now, and you're the know it all. Tell me."

"Don't be a dick," she shot, fixing her skirt. "Just because things are hard now doesn't mean they won't get better. You could've risked everything you've worked so hard for today just because you were angry. Don't let it happen again."

"You know what-"

"No, I don't," she cut him off. "And I'm sick of your smartass remarks when I'm only trying to help. Pull your head out of your ass and listen to me for once in your life. Think before you act or it'll cost you. Just because you escaped today doesn't mean you'll slip away that easily again in the future. Take up boxing or some shit, not smashing car windows."

"Amara-"

"Bye, Lip. I have work to do."

She flipped her phone shut and stuffed it into her pocket before closing her eyes in attempt to control her expression. She swung open the door and stepped into the restaurant once more and headed to handle her table.

"Hi, so sorry for the wait, what can I get for you-"

"Amara?" She froze and looked up from her server book, eyes landing on none other than James Lewis. Immediately her heart rate sped up and she took a step back. Her mind raced as she remembered everything from that summer, how he'd brought her to a fancy restaurant for their third date, offering her a proposition and asking for her hand in marriage. The chaos that followed after she'd thrown a punch in his face and broke his nose. Everything. "Wow, it's been what, like, two years?"

"Not long enough," she managed through a dry throat.

"Surprised to see you."

She took a breath to calm herself. "Why, because I'm working in an uptown restaurant without having to sleep my way through?"

He shot her a tired smile. She didn't realize how much older he looked until she really looked at his face. He had dark eye bags, and his normal tanned skin was shades lighter. His hair was still gelled back, though it looked far from well kept. He was only a year older than her—so why did he look like he was in his late twenties?

"No...Just in general. You throw a good punch. Tried telling my dad not to go after you but...well you know how he is."

"Right," she looked back to her paper, hiding the fact that she had absolutely no idea how his father was, but she got the gist when he threw a brick at her while driving by. "What can I get for you?"

"Just a burger, would be good. Hey," he added once she turned to leave. "It's nice to see you."

She did not smile. "Wish I could say the same."

★

"You've really got to start eating better," Veronica commented, and Amara looked up from her pack of cupcakes she'd picked up from the store on her way to the Alibi. "I have not seen you eat one decent meal in the last three weeks."

"No time," Amara shrugged with a mouthful. "Working two jobs is not easy."

"Actually..." Veronica had that tone parents always seemed to use when they were about to let you down. She looked up immediately. "Wanted to talk to you about that."

"Oh God, please don't fire me. I can't handle that today. At least wait until tomorrow."

"Not firing." Veronica laid a gentle hand onto her arm. "Amara, we love you. We do, but we lay Kate off because we couldn't afford her and..."

"And you can't afford me either," Amara finished, pulling away, trying to hide her grimace. They were struggling enough with the bills as it was. Gloria's monthly check covered the rent and that was it. She didn't know how she'd manage with only one job. "It's okay, I understand."

"It's just temporary. Your last day is tomorrow."

"Oh you told her?" Kev asked, coming out from the back room. "Good. I'm glad you didn't freak out."

Amara rolled her eyes and chucked her trash into the bin. "I don't freak out. The one good quality I have that everybody else lacks is control."

"Uh-huh. So you punched that kid in your freshman year just for fun?"

She didn't miss a beat. "Yes."

"Right."

Amara elbowed him in the stomach as his new workers strolled towards the door, before it swung open on its on and in walked Lip Gallagher himself. She nearly dropped the cup in her hands and did a double take, blinking to make sure that it was really him and not some look alike. It'd been over a month and a half since they'd seen each other. Kev immediately wrapped him into a tight embrace, but Lip's gaze did not flicker from her face.

She watched him as he climbed onto one of the stools, and Kev went off to serve another couple who'd just walked in.

"Hi," he greeted. She slid a beer over in his direction without replying. Lip cleared his throat. "Right. I had that coming."

"Do you really feel the need to be such an asshole all the time?"

"What can I say? It's in my blood."

"Yeah, it's in mine too but you don't see me smashing car windows," she bit.

"I just had a rough day."

"We all have them. Get over yourself."

"Mar, please," he lowered his voice. "Please just listen to me. Everything else has just gone to shit and you're the most stable thing I have right now and I really need to balance myself out. I just want you, and I'm sorry."

She sighed, anger fading slightly. "What even led up to that anyway?"

He stared into his cup. "Missed my mid-term."

"For fucks sake!"

"It's a bunch of bullshit, anyway Amara! A fucking piece of paper defines my entire future? It's filled with spoilt kids who, if they fuck up, have daddies money to run back to. I don't have that! I've got nothing. My grades are shit and bad things just happen. It's not the college experience you think it is."

"Mandy and I did so much work to get you into that school," she said, very quietly. "If you fuck it up, you will see the gigantic bitch side of me and I will flip my shit. Do you get that, Lip? Don't fuck it up, I swear to God. When you go back there tonight you better up your game."

He drummed his hands on the counter. "That's the thing. I'm not going back."

"What?"

"Ever."

She threw her hands up. "I'm officially done with this conversation. Good-fucking-bye." Amara walked off into the back room without a second glance spared over her shoulder, and sat on the beat up couch to catch her breath. Someone knocked on the door a moment later, and Kev poked his head through.

"I heard your shouting. So much for queen of control. That title didn't last five minutes."

"I am very controlled," she defended. "Lip just knows how to piss me off. You heard what he said, didn't you?"

"That he's not going back to college?"

"Yeah," she dragged a hand down her face. "Think you could talk to him? I feel like he'd listen to you."

Kev gave her the tiniest of smiles. "I can try."

★

There was a strange ringing in her dreams that night. She could feel herself move on her bed to face away from it. She tightened her hold on the pillow she was clutching and attempted to block it out. After a moment, it stopped, and she slowly began to drift off again before the sound started once more. Amara grumbled, peeking an eye open to look towards her window.

The curtains were drawn shut, but there was light seeping through the material. She immediately groaned—it honestly just felt like she'd fallen asleep. It couldn't be the next morning yet, could it?

She rolled over again to shut off her alarm, and closed her eyes just for a moment, facing the ceiling. She nearly jumped out of her bed when someone started talking from her phone, and she jolted upright, realizing her alarm couldn't speak.

"Hello?"

"It's ten pm," Lip's voice stated. "Why the hell are you asleep?"

"Some of us actually care about our responsibilities."

"Fair enough," He grunted. "That was a good one."

She fought to keep her eyes open. "Look if you're gonna apologize over the phone, don't bother. That's like worse than apologizing over text. Could've just come to my house since you're here."

"I'm not."

"What?"

"I'm on the L."

Amara was barely awake enough to process what he was saying. "What?" She repeated.

"I'm being a good boyfriend and listening to my girlfriend. My hot attractive girlfriend who is always right because she is so smart and her very dumb boyfriend who needs her to yell at him so it gets through his thick ass skull."

"You're going back?"

He sighed. "I'm going to try to take my midterm. I'll have to figure something out, but I'll try, okay? I promise you that."

"Well fuck," she yawned and fell back onto her bed. "How am I supposed to stay mad at you when you actually take my advice?"

"Maybe don't stay mad? I hate it when you're mad. It's hot when it's directed at other people but... well you're terrifying."

She grinned up at her ceiling. "Good."

"I'm almost there. Just wanted to tell you that I do take your thoughts into consideration. I know I'm an asshole but I don't think I can change that about myself overnight."

"I'm not asking you to," she said quietly, finding it completely true as the words escaped her lips. "I admire everything about you, Lip. Even the smashing car windows part. Just...try not to do it again?"

"Only for you."

She yawned again. "How romantic."

"Yeah thats my middle name."

"Nice try, dipshit. You told me it was Douglas when we were six."

He bursted out laughing. "You know it's not actually Douglas, though, don't you?"

She did not. "Yes."

"Liar."

"I don't lie," she protested, struggling to mask the grin from her voice. He knew her way too well, she didn't know whether to be flattered or scared shitless.

"Goodnight, Amara."

She smiled cheekily even though he couldn't see it. "Goodnight Phillip."

"You're so dead."

★

a/n

don't worry, if you're an angst lover like me that is not the end of their arguing ;)

also if u haven't already, check out my oc book! i added amara in there a while ago and i'm currently working on some things to add to her section

james lewis is the guy from season 2 for anyone who doesn't remember. his first appearance is in you little hooker, and everything following that chapter is what amara was referring to in this one. if you don't remember i'd recommend rereading, he'll be showing up more this season for drama purposes hehe

double also, this chapter is suuper long it's over 2k words. today must be ur guys' lucky day