★

"WE'RE LOW ON JOINTS," Lip informed as Amara handed off an orange-cream popsicle to a girl and her mother. The brunette offered them a smile as the pair turned and walked away.

"I got extra weed in the fridge," Kev told him, and Amara handed him the money, only for him to put it into the metal box sitting on his lap. "But it needs rolling."

"My hands are full," Amara shrugged with a grin, and Lip rolled his eyes—obviously knowing she just didn't feel like doing it.

"You guys look like you could use some help," a new voice said, and Mandy appeared from the doorway.

"Yeah, that'd be great, actually," Kev replied, just as Lip said: "no, we're good."

Kevin shot him a warning look as Amara uncomfortably handled another customer, trying her best to ignore the pit in her stomach, and the looming tension that was now on the truck. "Can you roll us some spliffs?"

"Sure," Mandy nodded.

"No, we're alright, you can leave."

"I don't mind, Lip."

"Yeah, I've got a shift at the Alibi in a couple of minutes anyway," Kev said.

"Just go!" Lip snapped, and they fell into an awkward silence. "Go home. To your own fucking house, for once."

Mandy blinked in surprise, face flashing in hurt before she quickly spun around and fled. Kev let out a heavy sigh as Amara stared at the blonde in disbelief. "That was harsh."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Way to be a dick. What is wrong with you?"

"She's clearly trying to sabotage our relationship."

Amara frowned. "She's just being nice. Don't tell me you believe what this idiot is saying now?"

"Who are you calling an idiot-"

"It's obvious, Amara," Lip interrupted sharply. "Open your fucking eyes. God, you're so dumb sometimes."

"You know what? I can't deal with you right now," Amara announced, waving an annoyed finger in his face. "See you dickheads later."

"Mar-" Lip called after her as she brushed past him to leave, but Kevin shook his head.

"Don't. Just let her go."

★

"Hey," Gloria welcomed as she stepped into the house. Amara lifted her hand in greeting, making her way further into the kitchen. "Dinner will be done in about ten minutes. You seen your mother anywhere?"

"Nope," Amara answered, popping the 'p', grabbing a soda from the fridge. "It's not three am and she doesn't need money. She won't be sighted until it's either of those."

"Oh," Gloria faltered. "Well, I went grocery shopping today. Stocked up on snacks and stuff. Got milk and cereal."

Amara stared in awe as she opened the pantry. Which shelves were usually empty, were now completely filled up. She swiftly shut the doors, and glanced around the room. "Where's Silvia?"

Gloria's face fell. "Oh, that poor girl."

"What? What happened?"

"She started her period at the pool today. Her and that redheaded girl both seemed pretty worked up about it. Came home and hasn't spoken a word since."

With a frown, Amara started towards the stairs, and walked down the hall to her sister's room. She hesitantly knocked on the door after listening to the sniffling inside for about a minute.

"Go away."

"Silvia, open the door."

Footsteps shuffled, and a moment later the door swung open. "It wasn't real."

"What?"

"Some rude girls at the pool put ketchup on mine and Debbie's chairs."

"What a bunch of bitches."

"Tell me about it. It was in front of everyone, too. I've never felt so humiliated. Neither of us have."

Amara crouched down, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry that happened to you. Next time, remember you have a perfectly good fist."

Silvia pulled away in surprise. "You always say violence isn't the answer."

"I've never said that," Amara argued with a grin. "I always told you not to get caught."

"Hello?" A voice yelled from downstairs, and Amara recognized it as Fiona's. The two sisters bounded down the steps to see the eldest Gallagher standing in the kitchen, while their grandmother was holding out a knife.

"Grandma... This is Fiona. Not an intruder."

"How many people live next door? Can't keep your damn legs closed?"

Fiona's nice façade faltered as she glared at the older woman. Amara obnoxiously fake laughed, and grabbed Fiona by the arm to tug her away. "What's up?"

"I know I ask way too much for you-"

"Impossible, Fi. You know I love helping you out. You'd do the same for us. You have."

"Right," Fiona breathed. "Okay, this is gonna sound really weird, but we need your help digging up and finding Aunt Ginger in the backyard before the sewer company does."

"Well," Amara's brows raised. "Definitely wasn't expecting you to say that. But yeah, sure. Why not?"

"Really? That easily? I was going to offer you a chocolate cake and everything until you said yes."

Amara grinned. "I mean, I'll still take it."

★

"I think I'm going to puke," Debbie admitted about ten minutes later, straightening up and wiping sweat off her brow. Amara nodded in agreement from a few feet away. She wasn't wrong—the smell was horrible. Like a mix of shit and something dead mixed together. Only worse.

"Well, muscle up," Fiona ordered. "We've got to find her. Where'd Carl go?"

"Huh?" Lip echoed in confusion, his eyes landing on Amara who studiously avoided his gaze as she continued to shovel the hard ground beneath her.

"Carl, no!" Fiona suddenly yelled, and Amara glanced up just in time to see the younger boy throw something that was smoking onto the grass. A loud pop sounded from around them as she jumped back out of the way. Her jaw dropped when she saw the large hole in the ground. "Wait, that kind of worked."

"Did you get those from the firework pack?" Lip wondered. Carl nodded eagerly. "Go get some more."

He darted towards the house, just as a figure appeared in the smoke. "Ian?"

It was Jimmy—and he was drunk. Really drunk. "It reeks out here. Listen. About all the stuff with my dad-"

"Oh my God," Fiona groaned. "Are we still talking about this? Christ."

"Okay...so like, whenever you need me, I'm there for you...but the one time I need you, you're like 'screw off?'"

Fiona's jaw clenched. "Carl thinks he's a cancer survivor. Molly thinks she's a girl with a penis. Debbie and Silvia are getting terrorized at the local pool. The yard smells like a sewer. I've got three assholes behind me operating power tools. And the bitches at work locked me in the bathroom today. Oh!" She clapped her hands together. "And we all might be on the verge of going to prison. So you want to talk? Fine. Grab a shovel, and talk your face off about how your dad gave a blowjob to a teenager. But dig while you do it."

"You know what?" Jimmy asked, breathily and Amara broke her silent treatment with Lip as they shared a bewildered look. "I'm really tired of playing this my-tragedy-is-bigger-than-your-tragedy game. My entire world got rocked, and it's like not even on your radar! We're in a relationship! What's important to me should be important to you."

Fiona stepped closer to him. "Look at us. We are literally digging up a body. How can you even compare the situations?" Jimmy shook his head, spun on his heel, and walked towards the road. "Oh, yeah! Thats good. Walk away. That's a real pussy move! Why don't you go cry to your gay dad about it?!"

"Fiona," Amara said warningly. "What the fuck?"

Fiona blinked away tears. "Just get back to digging."

★

"Okay, bedtime, gang," Fiona ordered hours later, when the sun had finally started to set and the sky was replaced with a dark blue. "We'll start again in the morning."

The kids let out a collective nod, and all started to make their way inside as Lip lit a cigarette, and brought it to his mouth. Fiona fell against the fence with a sigh.

"Don't worry about your dweeb," Lip told her. "He's just licking off his wounds. I'd know. All guys do it. You know, because we're dumb." His gaze was casted over to Amara now, who rolled her eyes at him, despite the growing grin on her face. "He'll be back soon."

"We Gallagher's sure know how to pick em," Fiona mused. "No offense, Mara."

"Yeah, whatever," she shrugged. "I'm not perfect either."

Fiona snorted, and stood up. "See you guys in the morning."

Amara watched as she walked off towards the front of the house, and she felt a warm hand abruptly wrap around her waist, and she was pulled against a body. She sighed as Lip lowered his head onto hers, pressing a light kiss to her scalp before he secured his other arm around her. "I feel like I say this a lot."

"Say what? 'Oh, Amara, you're so hot?'"

"I'm sorry," Lip muttered into her ear. "I say it a lot. But only to you. I keep fucking up."

Amara smiled as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I guess it's in your blood."

Lip chuckled. "Fuck off. You are, you know."

"I think the heat got to your brain," she said in confusion. "Because that made no sense."

"You're perfect."

"Huh," Amara slowly turned in his arms to face him fully. "Who knew you were such a sweetheart?"

"I mean, it is my middle name."

"Yeah, along with asshole and dickhead."

He rolled his eyes. "You're ridiculous. I was trying to be romantic. You're perfect—even right now when you're covered in mud and dirt. Kinda makes you sexier."

She felt her cheeks heat up. "Okay now you're just lying. Anyway, let's go inside. It's hot as balls out here and I'm gonna need to shower at least once before they shut off the water."

He grinned mischievously at her. "Can I join you?"

She laughed. "Fuck off."

★