the gallagher household had slipped back into its usual rhythm. fiona was out for the night, likely clubbing or waitressing. meanwhile, debbie and sydney had vanished somewhere with veronica while carl was out doing his own thing like usual, leaving addison to hang out with lip and ian in the upstairs bedroom.

addison and sydney had returned home, their father still lurking around the fringes of their lives. she had a clear goal: to get him out of the house. it was going to take time, careful planning, and maybe a bit of luck, but she was determined to make it happen.

seated on ian's bed, addison exhaled a heavy sigh as she watched him take a drag of his cigarette. blowing out a plume of smoke, he glanced over at the brunette. "so, how's it going with tom?" ian asked casually, his tone betraying a hint of concern.

addison's jaw clenched as she fought to contain the surge of bitterness threatening to spill out. "oh, just great," she replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. "family reunion from hell."

"you guys are better off, at least monica has the decency to stay gone," addison muttered bitterly, her frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

"how many times have you thrown his shit on the street now?" he asked with a wry grin, trying to lighten the mood. addison let out a small laugh, the sound tinged with exhaustion. "four times," she admitted, her voice laced with frustration. "but he just keeps coming back, like a damn cockroach."

as lip reentered the bedroom, having just put liam to bed, he announced softly, "liam is officially asleep," before quietly closing the door behind him.

"that was fast." ian remarked. "yeah, well, three pages from deb's, eat pray love, and he's out." lip shrugged, glancing down at the book he was holding.

"sounds like a riveting read." addison chimed in, a playful grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

ian smirked, handing the cigarette over to lip, "if james franco wasn't in the movie, i would've nodded off too."

lip chuckled, "hey, you got any cash you can float me? florence and the machine are playing down at the chicago theatre. i really wanna take karen for her birthday."

"pricey gift. things getting serious?" ian raised a brow inquisitively. "fuck off. she's my friend, okay?" lip retorted with a grin, "you know i'd never spend that kind of cash on a girl anyway."

"all right. well, i've got a hamilton. it's yours." ian stood up, pulling the money out of his pocket and handing it over.

the sound of liam crying interrupted their conversation, prompting lip and ian to engage in a quick game of rock-paper-scissors to decide who would tend to him. scissors cut paper, lip lost.

"it's fine, i got it." addison offered abruptly, her voice laced with frustration as she stood up to leave the room. lip and ian exchanged a knowing glance as they watched her storm out of the room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.

"you think she's okay?" ian asked, his voice tinged with concern. lip sighed, running a hand through his hair. he honestly didn't know.

📸

after their intimate moment in the back of the van, karen's voice broke the silence, tinged with excitement as she leaned closer to lip. "hey, wanna go to the planetarium tonight and get high?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"i can't, i'm busy." lip sighed, a hint of reluctance in his voice as the blonde got quiet.

finally, breaking the silence, karen's tone turned low and bitter. "you know, we're friends. you can sleep with whoever you want."

lip glanced at her, surprised by the sudden shift in conversation. "yeah, i know," he replied cautiously, unsure of where this was going.

karen's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "just not addison," she added, her tone sharp with disdain.

"what?" lip's brows furrowed at karen's words, a mixture of frustration and confusion clouding his features. he shifted uncomfortably, "why do you always bring her into it?" he questioned, his voice tinged with exasperation. "addison and i are just friends. that's it."

karen rolled her eyes, her expression tinged with annoyance. "yeah, friends who spend every second of every day together, she's in love with you and you know it." she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

lip shook his head, feeling a surge of frustration coursing through him. "no, she's not." he clarified firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "i don't get why you're so jealous of her."

karen's eyes flickered with a mixture of amusement and disdain as a mocking smile spread across her lips. "jealous? of addison? are you kidding me?" she scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "why would i be jealous of a girl who wears reindeer sweaters and probably still sleeps with a night light?"

lip's jaw tightened, and he shook his head in disbelief. "you don't even know her," he retorted, his voice firm.

karen rolled her eyes dramatically, her expression hardened with bitterness. "oh, please. addison is the kind of girl who bakes cookies for fun and volunteers at the animal shelter on weekends," she sneered. "she's so wholesome it makes me want to puke."

lip huffed, trying to keep his temper in check. "i'm not doing this with you," he muttered, turning away.

karen's lips tightened into a thin line, her gaze icy as she pulled him back to meet her eyes. "fine," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "so what are you doing then? or who?"

"the less you know, the better." lip smirked. "are we still on for friday night?" she implored, leaning down on him. "yeah." he affirmed, nodding slightly.

"can you give me a hint?" karen prodded, a hint of playful curiosity in her voice. "yeah, but i'm not gonna." lip teased, kissing her hand.

📸

walking home from school, addison was texting lip. he let her know that steve was able to lend him the money last night for the concert tickets. she didn't think anything of it, he'd just bought fiona a washer a few months ago anyway.

addison sighed, the weight of her school day clinging to her shoulders as she unlocked her front door. sydney was at the gallaghers' with debbie and carl, giving addison a brief respite from her worries.

as she stepped inside, the usual faint, acrid smell of cigarette smoke hit her, mingled with a sour, chemical scent that churned her stomach.

the living room was in disarray. chairs were pushed against walls at odd angles, and the coffee table was shoved to one side. a lamp teetered precariously on the edge of an upturned box, and scattered magazines littered the floor.

"mom?" addison called out, her voice laced with cautious concern as she glanced around the room.

from the corner of the room, brooke appeared, her hair disheveled and her eyes wild with a frantic energy that addison knew too well. she was gripping the back of a chair, her knuckles white, her movements erratic and jittery.

"oh, you're home!" brooke exclaimed with a strained cheerfulness, her eyes darting around the room. "i'm just... reorganizing. i thought... you know, maybe a change of scenery would... would be nice. what do you think? move the couch over there? or... or maybe the tv?"

addison's huffed, a familiar frustration welling up inside her. "you've been doing this for hours, haven't you?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

brooke's expression flickered, a mixture of confusion and defensiveness. "i'm just trying to make things better. i thought... if the place looked nicer, maybe..."

"i'd let him stay?" addison interrupted, her patience fraying. "you're not making it better. you're just making a mess."

brooke's face tightened, her eyes narrowing slightly as she set the chair down with a thud.

addison crossed the room, her steps deliberate and controlled. "you can't keep letting him come back in here whenever he feels like it. you know that."

a harsh laugh escaped brooke's lips, edged with bitterness. "and where's he supposed to go, huh? it's not that simple. he's your father. he's trying to..."

"what's he done for us?" addison demanded, "he doesn't care, and you're letting him walk all over you!"

as they argued, the front door creaked open, and tom stepped inside, his presence immediately darkening the atmosphere. he looked from addison to brooke, sensing the tension in the room.

"great, just in time for the fireworks," he muttered, a cynical grin twisting his lips.

"what are you doing back here?" addison's eyes blazed with anger. tom barely glanced at her, grabbing a beer from the fridge and popping it open, "i live here, don't i?" he replied, taking a long swig.

"nope. not anymore." she shot back, gritting her teeth, "get the fuck out."

tom's face twisted in anger. "where's my stuff?" he growled, his eyes scanning the room. "you touch my shit?"

addison's defiance only grew. "i threw your crap back out on the street where it belongs."

brooke hovered in the background, wringing her hands but saying nothing. the fear and uncertainty on her face were evident, but she made no move to intervene.

tom took a slow, deliberate step toward addison, his eyes never leaving hers. "you've got some nerve, kid."

"you seriously think we need you? we don't." addison retorted.

tom dryly laughed, his gaze turning to brooke, "look at what she's turned into with me gone—a raging psycho bitch who thinks she knows everything."

"you're kidding me, right?" addison shouted, her voice crackling with pent-up rage. "i've been taking care of myself and sydney for years. me! not you! we've been just fine without you."

tom sneered, his voice dripping with disdain, "so what, you think you're better than us? that you can just take her and do a better job?"

"yeah, i do," addison replied, her voice firm and unyielding. "because i'm not a fucking drug addict!"

the room fell silent, the weight of addison's words hanging heavy in the air. she stood there, trembling with anger and exhaustion, her chest heaving as she struggled to contain the storm raging inside her.

and then, the blow came, a sharp stinging sensation spreading across her cheek as tom's hand connected with her skin. addison staggered backward, the shock of the impact jolting her out of her numbness.

"you little bitch," he spat, lunging at addison. he grabbed her by the arm, his grip painfully tight.

addison struggled to pull away, but tom's strength overpowered her. "let go of me!" she screamed, trying to break free.

tom's eyes were wild with fury. "you think you can throw me out of my own house?" he roared, dragging addison toward the door.

addison's anger flared anew, and she twisted her arm in his grip, her voice steady and defiant. "you think you're tough because you went away for armed robbery?" addison spat, her voice dripping with contempt. "big man, holding up a liquor store. you think that makes you scary?"

tom's face contorted with rage. "shut the fuck up!" he bellowed, shoving her with all his might. she crashed against the doorframe, pain shooting through her shoulder. but she didn't cry out; instead, she straightened up, her eyes locked on his with unwavering determination.

tom's hand raised again, but this time addison didn't flinch. "go ahead, hit me again. show mom what a real man you are," she taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

she had to be this way. she'd learned from a young age that the only way to deal with her father was to act as tough as him. if she didn't keep up, she'd be in even deeper shit than she was already in.

brooke gasped, "addison, stop..."

tom hesitated, his hand wavering in the air. addison saw the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, and she pressed on. "you think you're the boss? you're nothing."

with a final shove, tom pushed her out the door, and she landed hard on the porch. he slammed the door with a roar of frustration, the sound echoing in the silence.

📸

the soft glow of chicago heights pages interior greeted addison as she stepped through the door, a sense of calm washing over her as she breathed in the familiar scent of old books and polished wood. she made her way to her favorite corner, where the books beckoned to her from their shelves.

with a sigh of contentment, she sank into the armchair, her fingers trailing over the spines of the books as she searched for an escape. finally, she settled on sylvia plath's, the bell jar.

lost in the world of characters, addison barely noticed when a shadow fell over her, casting a temporary eclipse on her reading. startled, she looked up to find reece cameron standing before her, a shy smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"hey," he greeted, his voice soft and hesitant. "mind if i join you?"

addison blinked in surprise, momentarily thrown off by reece's unexpected appearance. although she wasn't in the mood, she quickly recovered, offering him a forced smile and gesturing to the empty seat across from her.

"the bell jar, huh?" he remarked, his gaze lingering on the well-loved pages.

reece's genuine interest caught addison off guard. she had assumed he wouldn't be much of a reader, especially considering their recent interactions focused solely on math tutoring and his flirtation attempts on her. she couldn't help but let out a snort, the remnants of her bad day still lingering in her demeanor.

"yeah, surprised you even know what it is," she quipped, her tone sharper than she intended.

reece's smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features before he quickly masked it with a neutral expression. "i actually like to read," he replied, his voice steady despite the slight edge to addison's words. "just because i play sports doesn't mean i can't have other interests."

"right." addison felt a pang of guilt in realization of how she'd just come off. she hadn't meant to be rude, but her frustration from the day had seeped into her response. she sighed, attempting to salvage the situation. "sorry, that was really bitchy." she muttered, her voice softer this time. "it's been a rough day."

reece's gaze softened, understanding evident in his eyes. "it's okay." he replied, his voice gentle as he tried to take her mind off of it. "so, why the bell jar?"

addison relaxed a little, grateful for the change of topic. "it's... i guess it's comforting in a weird way," she said, her fingers tracing the edges of the book. "reading about someone else's struggles, even if they're fictional, makes mine feel a bit more manageable."

reece nodded thoughtfully. "yeah, i get that." he paused, studying her for a moment. "but i guess i would've thought you'd be more into, i don't know, something lighter."

addison smiled faintly. "guess there's a lot you don't know about me."

reece leaned back in his chair, a playful glint in his eyes. "well, you know, if you ever feel like talking about stuff... or not talking about stuff and just, uh, hanging out."

addison looked at him, genuinely surprised by his sincerity. "you offering to be my therapist now, cameron? cause i must warn you, south side doesn't do therapy."

reece chuckled, shaking his head. "nah, more like a distraction. a pretty irresistible one, if i do say so myself."

as their conversation drifted, addison couldn't shake the nagging sense of insecurity that gnawed at her insides. "why do you like me?" she blurted out before she could stop herself, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

reece furrowed his brow in confusion, his gaze searching hers for answers. "what? what do you mean?" he asked gently, his voice laced with concern.

addison swallowed hard, her nerves getting the better of her as she tried to articulate her feelings. "i mean... why would someone like you be interested in someone like me?" she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "i just don't understand it. i'm not... i'm not anything special." she shrugged, "and you—i mean you're from the north side.. you probably have a great family, friends, a life, one i don't exactly fit into and i just—"

"madame bovary," he interrupted, cutting her off with a gentle smile.

"what?" addison's brow furrowed in confusion.

"every day after school, you come out and sit under that tree by the basketball court and read," reece explained, his eyes warm. "the first time i saw you, it was madame bovary. the second time, moby-dick."

addison blinked, taken aback. "but why would you—"

"because you're nice to look at," he admitted, smiling, "and because you've got this... unbelievable concentration."

"what?" she laughed, surprised.

reece chuckled, his gaze flicking to the memory as he leaned back, relaxed. "the week before you started tutoring me, these two guys were tossing around the ball and one guy nailed the other right in the face. i mean, it was a mess, blood everywhere, the nurse came out, the place was in chaos, his girlfriend was all freaking out, and you just sat there and read. i mean, you never even looked up.

addison couldn't help but laugh, imagining the scene.

reece shook his head, grinning. "i remember thinking, 'i have never seen anyone read so intensely in my life. i have to meet that girl.'"

addison felt a blush creeping up her neck. "maybe i just didn't look up because i'm unbelievably self-centered," she offered, trying to mask her smile.

"maybe," reece said, his gaze steady, "but i doubt it."

his voice was soft, laced with a sincerity that caught her off guard. addison's breath hitched as she stared at him, trying to process the warmth in his words. she had admired his affection for her, his easy charm, but she had never quite believed he could see her as someone... well, worth really seeing. and yet here he was, as if she was the only thing worth paying attention to.

just as she was about to say something, reece reached past her to a nearby shelf. he pulled out a battered copy of frankenstein, the cover worn but intact. he handed it to her with a crooked smile, casual, as though he was offering her a cup of coffee. "ever read this one?"

addison glanced down at the book, surprised. "no," she admitted. "you're really recommending frankenstein to me?"

"absolutely," he said, leaning back in his chair, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "i think you'd actually like it."

as much as she wanted to accept, she hesitated. "i can't really spend money on books right now," she admitted, a hint of embarrassment creeping into her voice. she couldn't afford to books right now, especially with tom back. "i only borrow from the library, and the ones i get here, i usually just read in the store and put back."

reece's face softened, and he offered her a reassuring smile. "lucky for you, my family owns this place," he said quietly. "so consider it a gift."

addison blinked in surprise, clutching the book a little