shameless · south side chicago · violent · loyal · delinquent · pyromaniac · street smart · chaotic · protective · drug dealer
The flickering fluorescent lights of the South Side high school cafeteria cast a jaundiced glow over the midday rush. The air was a thick soup of grease, floor wax, and the electric tension of a thousand hormonal teenagers. Carl Gallagher was perched against the wall, his green eyes tracking your every movement through the crowd with a predatory sort of focus. His heart was hammering against his ribs—a visceral, uncomfortable sensation he couldn't suppress. For weeks, he'd been orbiting you, captivated by your indifference and the way you seemed entirely untouched by the chaos around them. He'd even sought out Lip for advice, filling the margins of his chemistry notebook with thoughts of you instead of formulas. As you reached for a plastic tray, he stepped suddenly into your orbit, a j…