The first day of school was always hard. Having to get up early, pack your backpack and go back to the place where you are forced to sit and have information about shit you don't care about shoved down your throat. School is especially hard when you have no choice but to attend a new school, on the Southside, leaving all of his friends on the Northside behind, Ian Gallagher was a bit nervous.
After his mother fell off the wagon, relapsing, leaving his father and all of her six kids, Fiona; the oldest, moved the kids, and Frank, to the Southside so they could be able to afford a house, food and the rest of their basic needs. It was the last thing any of the kids wanted, but none of them complained. Fiona was stressed enough.
Lip was the second oldest and he dropped out of his senior year to work and help pay the bills. Ian found a job part time at a small store on the corner of a street and was a junior. Debbie and Carl was in middle school and did whatever they could to help get money. Liam just hung around Fiona and Lip all day since a toddler really can't do anything but poop and eat.
"Remember, don't talk about stupid shit like what you had on the Northside, alright?" Lip said from his top bunk bed, looking down at his brother Ian who was putting notebooks and pens into his backpack. "Kids will beat you up here if you start talking about shit like that."
Ian nodded and slipped on his shoes. "I know how to protect myself. ROTC, remember?" Ian raised an eyebrow at his older brother and started walking towards the door. "It's not fair that I have to go back to school and you get to drop out. I want to drop out."
"No, you fuckin' don't. What did I just say, asshole? I said don't say stupid shit. Man, if I could go back to school, I would. I don't want to be working full time, but I have too. And you have to finish school, so stop complaining." Lip hopped off the bed and put on a pair of seats. Ian just rolled his eyes as he swung the backpack over his shoulder and left the room.
Ian didn't really know what to expect from a Southside high school. It looked like any other school, just with a lot more intimidating kids and it was a lot dirtier. Ian sighed loudly as he made his way into the school, bumping into a dark haired girl. "Watch where the fuck you are –" The girl started but stopped once she saw Ian's face. A small smile crept on her lips and she grinned.
"Never seen a 10 foot red headed giant run through these halls before." She looked at Ian, impressed. "I'm Mandy." She stuck out her hand for him to shake.
He took her hand and shook it, "Yeah, I'm new. I'm Ian."
"Ian, huh? Nice name. Suits you." She nodded in approval. "Walk with me, Ian. Where is your first class?"
He started walking with Mandy down the crowded halls and looked at the piece of paper with his schedule on it. "I have bio in room 530."
She pointed down the hallway, "Go down this hallway, take a left and it's right there." She nodded. "Hey, I have to get going. I have drama in like two minutes. Find me after school. We'll hang."
Before Ian could answer her, she left him. So instead, he nodded to himself. Making friends wasn't that hard, he thought. He followed Mandy's directions and found the Biology room. The teacher was already sitting at his desk. Ian went there and explained that he was new. The teacher nodded and looked around the desks and pointed to one at the back where a dark haired boy was sitting. He nodded and held a tighter grip around his backpack, making his way to the seat.
The boy who was already sitting at the table didn't look up when Ian sat down. He was cracking his knuckles and Ian noticed that they were tattooed with the words "Fuck – u-up." Great, Ian thought. Last thing he wanted was someone trying to intimidate him, but the boy didn't say anything.
Ian tried clearing his throat to get his attention, but still didn't look up. "Hey, man. I'm Ian." He turned his body so he was facing the boy.
"Okay." He replied. He picked up a pen and started twirling it around his fingers.
"Okay…" Ian replied slowly still looking at him. The boy waited a few seconds before rolling his eyes and turning his head to look at Ian. His expression changed once he looked at Ian, but it quickly hardened again.
"What the fuck are you supposed to be? A redheaded giant?"
Ian laughed and ran his tongue along his bottom lip. "You're not the first person to say that to me today."
"Whatever." He replied and turned his head.
"What's your name?" Ian grinned, making it too obvious that he was enjoying the 'playing hard to get.'
He hesitated for a moment before mumbling. "Mickey Milkovich."
"I feel like your name should be Mr. Grumps." Ian said turning his body so it was facing the front of the room again.
"Call me that again and I'll rip your fuckin' tongue out of your head." Mickey threatened and Ian just laughed.
"Yo! Ian!" Mandy ran up from behind the Redhead in attempt to jump on his back. Ian was a bit taken back from the gesture but still let her onto his back to give her a piggyback ride.
"How was your first day?" She asked, leaning over to look at his face from over his shoulder.
"It was okay. School is school I guess." He shrugged and got a tighter grip on the girl.
"Wanna come over? I can make pizza bagels and we can play video games?" she offered.
"Sure. I have work at 5 though so I have to leave before then." Ian explained.
"Yeah, no problem. That's when my brothers come home anyway. I don't want you to have to deal with them. Trust me, they are fucking stupid."
Ian nodded and followed her directions to her house. It looked like any other house on the Southside. Small, worn down, dirty. But her house had that extra Southside touch. Beer cans littered their entire lawn, guns and weapons open all around the house. Ian pretended not to act surprise but by the look on his face, Mandy could tell he was shocked.
"Yeah, it's a bit much. But I mean, everyone knows not to fuck with Milkovich's."
"Milkovich." Ian said slowly looking around the house.
"Yeah, Milkovich. My last name. Our last name." She went into the kitchen and opened up the freezer door, taking out the pizza bagels. She turned the oven on and looked back at Ian.
"Hey, where's your bathroom?" He asked looking around the house, trying to remember where he heard that name before. Milkovich.
"Yeah, it's right through Mickey's room. She pointed to the door and nodded. "Go ahead, he isn't home. He won't care if you use it."
Mickey Milkovich. His bio lab partner from school. Mandy was his sister. Everything started to make sense. He opened the door cautiously and made his way through his bedroom. It wasn't as messy as the rest of the house but it still made him nervous. He had at least three guns on his dresser, a shiv on his bed side table and it wouldn't surprise him if he slept with a gun underneath his pillow.
He picked up on of the guns that was on the desk and checked to see if it was loaded. At least he wasn't stupid enough to keep all of them loaded.
"What the fuck are you doing in my room?" Mickey said from his door, arms crossed over his chest.
Ian quickly turned around, dropping the unloaded gun from his hand, looking back at the Thug with wide eyes. "I-uh-" he stumbled on his own words.
Brows raised to his hairline, and knuckles cracking, Mickey slowly walked towards the Ginger. Ian didn't realize how short Mickey really was from when they were in Bio since he was sitting, and suddenly wasn't as scared of him as he thought he should be. Mr. Grumpy pants he thought again, and couldn't help the smile on his face.
"You think this is fuckin' funny, don't you?" Mickey said between his teeth.
"Would you relax, he was just using the bathroom." Mandy said coming through the door, grabbing Ian by his wrist. "What are you even doing home? I thought you were taking care of shit." She eyed her brother.
"I needed to get my gun. I'm not bringing a fuckin' gun to school, Mands. Jesus." He said as he picked up the gun from the ground that Ian dropped.
"Well hurry the fuck up. Iggy is probably waiting for you. And if you don't get the job finished Dad will kill you himself." She hissed at him, pulling Ian out of the room, back into the kitchen.
"Want something to drink, Ian?" Mandy took out two beer cans and handed one to him.
"Sure- I-what happened? With your dad?" he asked, watching Mickey leave the house without saying a word.
"Ah, some guy just messed with our dad. Landed him back in jail. So, Iggy, my other brother, and Mickey are going to go kill the guy. No big deal. Just fucking smart ass over there needs to get it done before 5." Mandy explained.
"Right." Ian tried to keep up as he sipped the beer.
"Ian, do you have a girlfriend?" she asked suddenly.
Ian got asked this question a lot more than he liked. He guessed it was because of the way he looked. Tall, handsome, athletic, smart. Who wouldn't want to date someone like that? But Ian was in fact gay. He's known it pretty much his entire life, and recently came out to Lip and Fiona. They were totally supportive and not all that surprised. He figured he would explain it to Debbie and Carl once they were a bit older. Old enough to understand.
"I'm uh- gay." He finally said after a long fight with himself inside his head, debating whether or not he should tell Mandy.
"No way." Mandy's eyes widened at the red head. Ian just nodded. "Fuck, no. Ian, people aren't like that here. When people are gay around here, they stay in the closet. It's dangerous…people aren't accepting…" she trailed off. Ian wasn't all that surprised when Mandy told him. He figured as much which is why he wasn't planning on making his sexuality a big priority.
"It is what it is." Ian shrugged sipping his beer.
"Hey, I can pretend to be your girlfriend!" Mandy exclaimed. "Help you with your image. So if people start to sense the rainbow vibe from you, you have me to protect you. It's a fool proof plan." She grinned. She looked so excited, and as much as Ian didn't really need her help, he didn't want to disappoint her.
"That's a great idea. Thanks Mandy." He grinned and stepped forward to kiss the top of her head. She beamed.
"I think this is the start of a fuckin' awesome relationship."