11.
X
"Don't let yourself feel worthless; often through life you will really be at your worst when you seem to think best of yourself; and don't worry about losing your "personality," as you persist in calling it; at fifteen you had the radiance of early morning, at twenty you will begin to have the melancholy brilliance of the moon, and when you are my age you will give out, as I do, the genial golden warmth of 4 P.M."
-F. SCOTT FITZGERALD, This Side of Paradise
Korinna couldn't feel a single thing. Or at least that's what she was forcing her body to do; To become numb to her surroundings, almost as if she were just drifting without a purpose. She hasn't felt this low in a very long time and she hated how it overcame her in waves, drowning her to the depths of the unknown. She remembers mumbling out answers to the nurses who found her in the cool basement where they kept the dead bodies. Where Anwar was. She remembered how pale he looked, how frozen he felt to her lukewarm hands, it wasn't right. He shouldn't have been there for her, and he shouldn't have taken on this task to keep her safe. Korinna didn't ask for that, she didn't know. She was angry at Anwar and along with that anger was mixed in with obvious sadness. More emotions she didn't know how to deal with, that's probably why she's at the place she's in this very moment.
Everything around her was a blur as she denied seeking therapy before, as she left the hospital, from the ride home, to the bitter tears that collided with the water the shower head gave her face. A fifteen year old shouldn't have to go through this much tragedy, nobody should have to feel like this but maybe that's what growing up entails, you see things that morph you into who you're supposed to be way down the line. Who would Korinna Rokos become? Would the people she loved deeply; Will they still be around? Will she even make it to twenty?
She wondered what that side looked like, not death entirely although she was informed from the doctor that she was very lucky to be alive since her heart stopped beating for eight minutes exactly on her way to the hospital. Korinna had to figure her shit out, she had to stop spinning down the rabbit hole; she had to find her will to keep on keeping on. She had to stop her impulses for eating away at her brain but it's always easier said than done.
Korinna stared blankly at her reflection as she sat at Nona's vanity, her hair still damp while she sat on the pink velvet chair dressed in lounge around clothes. She didn't know how long it's been since she got out of the shower or how long she stared at herself in Nona's bedroom. Korinna wished that the headstrong elder Italian was still here to give her one her tight squeezes, her familiar scent swirling through her nostrils. Korinna had to remember that she still did have family downstairs but she honestly wished that Nona was here too, a mother figure to just embrace and give her words of encouragement opposed to the tough love she were receiving. (But it was not something she couldn't handle.) In the back of her mind Korinna knew that Vito and Nicky were just trying to help, which is why they were going to make sure to bring Korinna to the recommended rehab center the doctor told them about. Korinna would attend rehab the first thirty days for free then payments would of course be discussed which angered Korinna more. The fifteen year old knew that thanks to Nicky and Vito running a online shop for the past six months, helped them on the side along with what they were usually into (Mobbing) but they also had to be careful as well. The money they were making was supposed to get Nona out of the nursing home and now that Korinna seemed to be spinning out of control, she was setting Nona's return back.
Clenching her jaw Korinna lifted her head to a knock on the door revealing Nadia. That knocking reminded Korinna of Astrid back in Skiathos but instead of waiting to enter, Astrid would knock and walk in without waiting for the okay to come in. Korinna turned to see Nadia instead of the honey blonde haired woman that she learned to despise and watched as Nadia's eyes met hers.
"Is it cool if I come in?" Nadia questioned.
Korinna shrugged her shoulders, blinking then turning her attention to her lap as Nadia made her way into the largest bedroom in the house. Nadia stood behind Korinna tilting her head to the side as she watched the fifteen year old before picking up a boar bristle brush then moved to brush Korinna's dark hair. "I'm only gonna say one thing."
Lifting her head Korinna let out a breath letting the older woman brush her hair to get all the knots out before heading into the bathroom to get a blow dryer. Korinna bounced her leg as she thought over what the dark skinned Dominican would have to say.
"I'm not sure if you're gonna like what I have to say but...I won't bullshit you. You don't know much about me but I only know so much about me due to what is told. I know you've been through a lot chica, I know it and I can see it in the way you carry yourself. I happen to have had a decent life but I've watched people I loved deal with similar things you're going through. I grew up in the Dominican republic with mi mama she was a single mother raising five kids on her own. My dad...he was a good man. He always treated his family correct, we had it good although we were living the roughest neighborhood we got by. I watched my dad get gunned down by the police right in front of my eyes, due to a hate crime. That changed all of us, especially me and my two brothers who had to witness it. We were the three that changed the most out of the family. I stopped eating, just wouldn't eat because I didn't want to eat if the entire family wasn't there you know? My younger brother stopped talking, but my eldest brother...he went to the streets. See my daddy made sure we wouldn't take the the streets, that's not what he wanted for his children. He worked hard for us to be safe and comfortable. Anyways my older brother, Chino. He didn't give a fuck, he was off the rails. In and out of jail, picking fights with cops because of what they did to our father and other people in the town. Then in jail...the stories weren't pretty. When he finally got out he changed even more, he told us that he got hooked to heroin inside...he was so messed up one time that he got...when he came out he started going to church with us all again...tried to find his faith."
Korinna blinked, "Why are you telling me this? What you think going to church is going to make me feel better? I used to go to church all the time when I was younger, then my mom stopped waking up to go and it soon became a pattern for all of us. We all stopped going."
Nadia hummed, "No that's not what I'm saying. Although I come from a very religious background...you believe what you believe in. I never push God on anyone. Did you ever ask your mom why she stopped going?"
"She was too busy in and out of the house to hold a decent conversation." Korinna snapped, her oval eyes hanging a little lower showing that she was getting annoyed with this conversation.
Nadia hummed again, "Then what? Weeks later she hooked on something? People always start their addictions from something whether they want to admit it or not. Chino said he started because he was angry that he put himself in jail due to his own anger with the system, he needed something to erase his anger so he could feel relief and that's what heroin gave him."
"Where's Chino now?"
"Dead." Nadia answered softly before turning the blow dryer on, erasing the silence.
Korinna frowned as she stared down at her lap again. She didn't know what this talk with Nadia was supposed to do. She didn't know if Vito sent her up here to talk to her but this talk did nothing but make Korinna feel worse. This story wasn't moving to her at all because at the end of the day Chino slipped into a dangerous life style then right when he started to get better he dies, what if that happened to Korinna? What if she went to rehab just to get better then end up dead in the ditch somewhere like her own mother could be?
Korinna began breathing heavily, her hands shook as she tugged herself from Nadia's hands to rush into the restroom to gag into the toilet only to throw up water since she hasn't eaten today. Shortly after Nadia stepped into the bathroom to clip Korinna's hair back and squat so she can rub soothing patterns on Korinna's back. As Korinna panted with her eyes closed tightly she could hear Nadia speak gently to her, "I didn't tell you my story for you to react this way. I'm sorry."
"Then what did you tell me for?" Korinna muttered, lifting her head from the bowl to stare at Vito's newest girlfriend.
Nadia sighed, "I told you this because things will get better...if you allow it."
"If I allow it?" Korinna repeated with raised filled in eyebrows.
Nadia nodded.
Korinna chuckled as she wobbled to get to her feet, "If you know anything about mental health issues, which you should since you said you had a eating disorder, you would know that you can't just snap out of something. Shit doesn't work that way."
Nadia brushed a curly strand back, "Obviously I'm aware of that, but one day I realized that I was tired of living the road that I was going down so I figured that I had to do something about it. Do you want to keep feeling the way that you feel, and doing the things that you've done?"
"Sure I do!" Korinna yelled sarcastically, "I want to continue waking up feeling worthless like I shouldn't here. I want to continue living knowing that I got one of my friends killed. Matter in fact maybe I should be dead right now, maybe everyone's lives including mine would be a lot easier."
"Don't say things like that." Nadia replied, "Don't you realize that there are people here on this planet that still care about you and care if something happened to you?"
"Who? Like you?" Korinna quipped as she jerked her chin towards the curly haired Dominican.
Nadia remained silent but the frown on her face was enough that made Korinna continue.
"You suddenly care about me Nadia without even knowing me? I honestly think you're just doing this so you can get extra points on the girlfriend meter with Vito. I can see right through you Nadia...I don't believe your background story. You used to be a hacker, you knew about Anwar and his family without even telling me? You read every little detail in the system about me and you're standing right in front of me feeding me bullshit just to make me like you. If you really did your job right, you would know that I don't like any snake that smiles in my face." Korinna finished, her dark abyss almond eyes blazing into Nadia's hazel eyes.
With that said Korinna left Nadia in the bathroom to watch her leave. Korinna didn't know if Nadia would call down to the Gimello brothers to make her stay in the house but it was a strong possibility. Korinna entered Nicky's room closing his bedroom door behind her as she took a deep breath, she didn't feel right around Nadia. Maybe it had something to with the fact that she didn't tell Korinna what Anwar and his family did on the side. Maybe it had to do with the fact that Nadia Ramos was a hacker and knew every detail about Korinna since the day she were born, it made her uncomfortable. Nadia wasn't trust worthy in her book.
Korinna opened Nicky's wardrobe dresser, grabbing a thick navy sweatshirt to slip over her thin white-long sleeve shirt, she pulled the clip from her hair tossing it onto the floor as she walked around Nicky's full-mattress bed to pull open his window. Stepping one foot out at a time she walked along the roof of the home before jumping onto the side of the house facing the wooden fence that divided the home from the neighbors.
Korinna needed freedom and sadly if she stayed another second in the house with the Gimello's and Nadia, Korinna didn't know what she might do.
So Korinna wondered the cold streets of the south-side. Summer had flew by while Korinna dealt with the usual drama in her hometown Chicago, the skies were much darker, cloudier as if the sky were waiting on the perfect time to snow. Korinna didn't know what time it was or how long she walked the streets, smoking a cigarette that one of the girl's of the night offered to her, "Hey honey, you look like you could use a stress reliever. Don't worry it's just girls helpin' girls out ya know?"
Korinna didn't even care for cigarettes but she felt her impulse telling her to go get fucked up but she fought with that inner demon. She didn't like the stench, she knew what they did to your insides but she thought this was better than overdosing on some pills she had no business taking. There she stood smoking them down, feeling her body become numb to the feeling, allowing it to calm the dark that wanted to come out and play. Korinna knew that she tipping over on the edge, she had to let it sink in that she was actually dead for eight minutes. She started to wonder about the what if's, what if they couldn't revive her? -Maybe Anwar would still be here. She knew that no one in her family that shared the same blood as her would care if she ended up dead, she didn't know where Dacey was or if he were alive, she didn't care to know where her father and her half-sister were - they had to have known that she had left. It's been what? Three-maybe four months since she's been gone, it didn't matter.
Sniffing against the cold breeze, Korinna's eyes turned into slits as she watched a familiar form walk along the side-walk across the street. The woman was wrapped in a wool coat, mittens covered her hands, a multi-colored snood scarf that hugged her throat, and a black beanie covered her frizzy brown hair. As the woman stopped at the city-bus sign, she faced the front shifting on her feet as she tried to keep herself warm as she waited for the bus. The woman lifted her head searching the area around her as she felt some eyes on her, soon she had found those eyes.
Korinna blew the remaining smoke from her nostrils as she squatted, jamming the rest of the cigarette into the pavement and stood up straight as she got one last look at the woman who was already making her way over to her.
"Korinna!"
The cool air flapped against Korinna's ears but she still heard the voice, taking her time as she continued on her path watching as young children kissed their parent goodbye before climbing onto the yellow bus to sit with friends. A hand grasped onto Korinna's shoulder making the girl stop take a deep breath, and shrugged the hand from her shoulder before turning to meet her mother's eyes.
"Look at you." Nevaeh breathed getting a good look at her only daughter.
Korinna remained expressionless as she stared back at the woman, wondering what she could possibly want.
"You need to have more layers on, girl. You're gonna catch a cold!" Nevaeh checked over Korinna eyeing her navy sweatshirt and gray thermal pajama pants, lecturing her as she did so.
Korinna snorted as she used the back of her knuckles to rub her nose, "It's a funny time to try and be a mother now isn't it?"
Nevaeh sighed, "I know for the majority of your life I haven't been the best mother to you."
"That's an understatement. Especially since you usually only get one."
Nevaeh pursed her lips as she stared down at her feet before looking back at her daughter, "I've been getting clean for the past six months ya know? I met a guy named Marco. He got me into a sobriety home, it was hard work but I did it. Haven't touch any alcohol or drugs."
A loud clapping sounded around them, the noise coming from the fifteen year old who didn't seem the least bit thrilled with the news. "What? Do you want a global prize for deciding to get your shit together? You thought I'd run into your arms and allow you to be a mother to me again?"
"I know I've hurt every single one of you in a very different way. Marco said it would take so much time to earn the forgiveness from you, Dacey, and your father and that's okay. You may never forgive me but I want you to know that I am trying and that should count for something." Nevaeh stated, her eyes filled with sincerity.
Korinna stepped towards her mother with a crooked smile, "The fact that you want credit for getting sober is a joke to me. I don't think you realized everything you've done, your actions have messed with us in ways that you can never imagine. Who hurt you so bad that you had to inflict your pain onto us? Congratulations you got sober, it only took you six plus years huh? I don't care that you got sober because you're nothing to me. I don't care what you do because you're none of my concern. I'm done worrying about how bad you messed me up, cause I got my own stuff to deal with because of you. You're dead to me and I mean that with every remaining beat left in my heart."
The two women stood in front of each other, the older one's eyes began to fill with tears while the younger one curled her lips not giving her mother the sympathy that the older woman wished for. Promptly Korinna got one last look of her mother before spinning on her heels as she stalked of against winter's chill leaving Nevaeh to brush away her tears, watching her child walk away from her this time.
Korinna knew it was early to pop into the Gallagher's home but she knew they wouldn't mind. In fact she was only here to see two people out of the family anyways, Debbie and Franny. Korinna was out of the hospital for a couple of days now but she never found the energy to get over to the house and visit, she also didn't want to enter the home to see Carl and Dominique there although most of the time Carl was away at her house. Korinna didn't hesitate to enter the Gallagher household knowing that Carl wouldn't be there since she watched him flee from the house extra early, no bout to see his new girlfriend. Korinna could hear faint chatter from Fiona and Lip in the kitchen as she made her way up the steps to Debbie's room. All she had to do was follow the sound of best friend's child screams to know that Debbie was in fact still home.
The dark haired teen didn't bother to knock on Debbie's door, barging right in giving a slight wave to Debbie who watched her wide-eyed as she plopped down on the mattress tilting her head as she eyed a red-faced Franny.
Debbie went to punch Korinna's thigh, "What the hell, Rinna?!" Before pulling her into a tight embrace with a crying Franny in between them.
Korinna figured that Carl must have filled Debbie in on what was going on, which is why Debbie hit her. Korinna didn't bother to return the hug pulling back in fear of hurting the newborn more, "You finally had the little turd huh?"
Debbie eyed Korinna with a frown immediately picking up on her altered vibe, "Do not refer my daughter to poop!"
Korinna smiled, "That's going to take some time getting used to. 'My Daughter.'"
"I know." Debbie answered as she lightly bounced Franny while shushing her.
Korinna laid back on the bed, one arm cradled behind her head as she watched Debbie with her daughter listening to her lungs, "That girl's gonna become a singer when she gets older. She's got a set of pipes on her."
"She cries so much."
"She's a bay-be." Korinna stated in a Daryl Dixon accent, making Debbie playfully roll her eyes.
Sitting up Korinna held her hands out, "You know she's hungry right?"
"How can you distinguish between a hunger cry, a tired cry, and a pooping cry?" Debbie questioned, exasperated.
Korinna laughed, "You'll learn. It took me awhile to figure it out with Jesse."
Debbie looked over at Korinna as she glanced down at her hands before changing the subject, "You goin' to school today?"
"Yeah."
"Oh...do you want me to watch Fran for you?"
Debbie smiled, "For someone who didn't want to be the godmother of my baby you're sure acting like one now."
"I missed you giving birth, bitch. I wanted to get it on camera and show Franny here how much pain you went through to get her fully here." Korinna smiled earning an eye-roll from Debbie.
Debbie sniffed the air, "You reek like cigarettes. I thought you only did weed?"
"Didn't find any local weedmen around." Korinna replied, "I can go get her some formula while you get dressed. Kill two birds in one stone?"
Debbie glanced at the clock above her doorway knowing she only had twenty-five minutes left to get to ready, "I breast-feed. But if you're going to be near Franny or I, you got to lay of the cigs plus it's a disgusting habit, you know that. I'll just call Carl to hold her for me."
Korinna snorted knowing what Debbie was trying to do, "Carl's not here."
"What? How do you know?" Debbie questioned, now getting to her feet while holding Fran to her chest.
"I waited a bit for him to leave the house before entering." Korinna answered, shrugging her shoulder bluntly as she stared back at her reddish-brown haired friend daring her to say something else.
Debbie shook her head with a sigh, "If the both of you don't get together soon...I'm gonna shoot the both of you in the face. Here, keep her at arm's length while you go get the formula downstairs. I know Carl brought a few for us, but don't you dare let Fiona anywhere near her."
Korinna nodded before carefully supporting Franny who stopped crying to get a good look at her, "What you looking at kid?"
A crooked smile spread across Franny's face as she placed one of her hands into her mouth. Korinna could see mostly Debbie's features as she stared at the newborn but she definitely was going to have Derek's complexion and she already had his nose. Getting to her feet, Korinna held Franny outwards like Debbie asked of her, who gave her an approving glance as she began to pull off her PJ'S as Korinna turned to leave the room.
Keeping her eyes trained on Franny, Korinna made her way down the steps that led to the kitchen in search of the formula. Korinna ignored the stares from Fiona and Lip.
"I like how you just enter our home without a warning." Lip stated with his lips around the rim of a coffee mug.
Korinna rolled her eyes as she placed Fran on her hip heading over to the fridge, "Good morning to you too asswipe."
Lip snickered at the usual back-talk from his sibling's best friend, watching as Korinna carefully moved around Fiona to head back upstairs with a bottle now attached to the baby's lips.
Minutes later Korinna had dressed Fran after feeding and burping her while Debbie finished her own hair. Debbie decided to take Fran with her on her first day back, Korinna agreed that she would be back later to spend more time with the two while they went off to the school. Korinna made sure that she informed Debbie that couldn't make that promise to her best friend but she would try. (Since she knew she might possibly be in hot water when she returned back to the Gimello's household but if Nadia was still there then it was a strong option that she would spend the night at the Gallagher's.)
The school day had moved by kinda fast for Carl. He kept mostly to himself in the hallways if not with Dom when he dropped her off to her class, making sure to pay attention in class and write down his homework in a small notebook before heading off to his next class. Carl had just left biology with an amused smile on his face as he made his way to his locker. They had a lab in bio where the class were divided into eight groups where you either had to dissect a frog or owl pellets, and you can guess which one Carl's group got to do. Carl had the last lunch wave which was the shortest since it included less kids, meaning he only had twenty minutes to eat before getting to Drawing and Painting I then finishing up the day with Spanish I.
Carl popped open his locker shoving his bio textbook, notebook, World History textbook, and notebook in there. He didn't have any bio homework but he did have some reading for history tonight so he decided he would come back to get the textbook before walking home. Carl grabbed his Spanish notebook (the teacher provided textbooks underneath the desks and they remained in the classroom) since they were watching a movie and had to take notes for a test next week and a his sketch-pad that he barely used since he couldn't draw for shit. He'd leave that up to Ren...
Swallowing the lump in his throat he pulled his arms through the straps of his backpack, just as he got ready to close his locker shut he heard his name being called.
"Carl!"
Lifting his head from behind his locker, he closed it shut turning to see Dominique separating from her girls as she bounced over to him. Once Dominique was close enough she leaned forward to place a slow peck to his lips, Carl greeting her as their lips touched, "Hey."
Dominique smiled, "How was...Bio? Right?"
Carl nodded his head as he held onto her hand, the both of them heading down the hallway to the cafeteria, "It was cool. Got to do a lab which is better than sitting through a teacher go on and on about shit."
"I know right," Dominique said with a small laugh, "Its like that for me in US History. We played jeopardy to prepare for our exam tomorrow. Who gives an exam on a Friday, like? Really?!"
Carl allowed Dominique to go through first through the doors of the cafeteria, "That blows."
Dominique easily found their table, getting ready to sit down as she separated from Carl to sit on the other side, while Carl already shoved off his jacket getting ready to get into the lunch line. "Wait baby, come sit first."
"But it's tater tot Thursday...it's the one of the only stuff here that's good enough to eat." Carl protested glancing at the long line.
Dominique crossed her arms, tipping her head as she stared up at Carl.
Carl sat down across from Dominique folding his arms patiently as he waited for his girl to talk.
"I know you're not exactly a morning person but as the day went on...you still seem a little off so what's up?" Dominique asked.
Carl frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"You didn't text me back to meet up with me in the basement."
Carl shrugged his shoulders knowing what Dominique was hinting at, the basement near the swimming pools was their spot where they went on bathroom breaks from class to meet up and make-out. "You think I'm acting funny because I didn't text you back?"
"I don't know. I just felt a little rejected, waiting for you and all...almost got detention waiting over twenty minutes for you..." Dominique stated.
Carl ran his fingers through his much longer hair, "Dom. I was in Gym when you texted me, we barely get service as it is in the locker-room. Plus we don't have our phones with us."
"Oh okay." Dominique sighed giving a small smile.
Carl intertwined their hands as he tipped his head trying to catch Dominique's forest green eyes, "Yeah. So can we go eat now?"
Dominique squeezed his hand pulling him back to sit down, "How's Korinna?"
That made Carl stay rooted to his spot as he stared at Dominique in silence. He wondered if he should say something to her or not but it was now or never. "We're not exactly on speaking terms."
Dominique placed her hand on her chest, "Oh Carl. I'm sorry."
"Yeah me too...but she did say something me at the hospital that was kind of weird." Carl stated meeting Dominique's eyes.
"Really? What?"
"She said you were there in her hospital room, watching her while she slept. She also told me that you pretty much told her to stay away from me since she's currently messed up. Now what I can't understand is why would you do something like that?" Carl questioned, removing his hand from Dominique's.
Dominique let out a small laugh, "That obviously didn't happen Carl."
"So what? Ren's lying?" Carl quizzed with slits in his eyes.
Dominique began to stutter, "I-I mean. Look Carl, I'm just looking after what's mine."
"By lying to my face?" Carl's voice raising a bit causing Dominique to glance around them with wide eyes.
"Carl she's not good for you. The girl almost lost her life from ODing on Oxy. You just turned your life around from dealing drugs, do you honestly want to be with a girl that has a drug problem?" Dominique whispered leaning closer to Carl.
Carl took a deep breath, "Were you there when it happened to Ren?"
"No but-" Dominique started.
"Then you don't know what the fuck you're talking about." Carl hissed causing Dominique to clamp her mouth shut. "Just do me a favor and not talk about Ren, 'cause you don't know her. You don't know what we've been through together, alright?"
Dominique gave a slow nod staring down at her hands as Carl got to his feet, "You want me to get you anything?"
"No. I'm okay." Dominique mumbled.
Carl didn't feel the need to apologize. He had to put Dom in her place because he was confused on what her intentions were when she clearly didn't know the extent of his relationship with Korinna. In a way Dom just added salt to the fire and Carl didn't know if he could fix this at all.
The sun began to set as Carl flew down the steps with Lip right on his heels, "We got any scissors?"
"We might in the kitchen drawer." Lip replied.
"Cool. I need a new cut." Carl said, jumping off the last step.
Carl tried his hardest to keep his eyes off Korinna who stood in front of Debbie who sat on the couch with Franny resting in her arms. Korinna leaned forward to press a kiss to Debbie's face not seeming bothered that Carl was just in the same room as her. Carl kept his ears open as he heard Korinna say that she'd be back to sleep over which made Carl's heart leap a little bit which he didn't know why, mainly since they weren't on the same page.
As the door clicked shut Carl pulled the drawers open as Lip leaned against the end of the kitchen counter, "You guys still not talking?"
"Nope."
"What are you going to do?" Lip wondered.
Carl shrugged, "I'll give Ren her space for now. As for Dom..."
"You obviously like Dom right?"
Carl nodded his head as he found the scissors, shoving the drawer closed as he turned to his older brother.
"And you care a lot about Korinna?" Lip stated, pinching his bottom lip.
Carl muttered, "I'm pretty sure I'm in love with her but I wouldn't say that to her."
"Why?" Lip investigated in the act of the sound of glass smashing.
Both Lip and Carl rushed into the living room, meeting Ian half way as he was rushing down the steps. Carl glanced down at the brick on the ground by Debbie who was protectively holding a crying Fran. After checking over Debbie and his niece he made his way outside to Ian holding his bat and Lip analyzing the situation.
"Hey Korinna, did you see who threw that?" Ian called out to the bronze skinned girl.
Carl felt himself panicking as he glanced over at Korinna who slowly removed her forearm from her eyes, small specs of glass falling from her sleeve.
"No. I was facing the window." Korinna answered tossing the not lit cigarette across the street, "Had a nice ride though and that brick was definitely meant for Frank."
Lip and Ian both nodded before returning inside to check over their sister as Carl jogged down the steps, speeding up to catch Korinna who moved to the fence. Carl didn't hesitate to reach out for the girl turning her around before wrapping his arms across her shoulder, embracing her like his life depending on it. He felt Korinna take a deep inhale, her nose brushing against the side of his neck. Korinna planned on leaving knowing that Carl wanted to check her over to see if she were okay and although she didn't need it, she felt her heart swell just thinking that he still cared even though Korinna wanted time apart.
A/N: And this is where I'm stopping. I had so much more to write but this was really long enough. I'm sorry this wasn't out long ago, it was supposed to be but this site played me. Weeks ago I had 4,000 words typed and saved every few minutes or so. Once I logged back in to finish the chapter 3,000 of my words were deleted so you know I was pissed! I had to start all over but I didn't want to write through anger because I know it wouldn't be my best work. So to cool down I stayed off for awhile and didn't have the motivation to write because I was still annoyed. That's what this took a month smh.
There's only one more chapter left guys, shit goes down! Thanks for being patient with me I know it's been extremely hard lol. Thoughts on this chapter? How do you feel about the exchange between Korinna and her mother? Was she too harsh? What's going to happen with Carl and Dom now? Would you trust Nadia after finding out that she knew what Anwar's family was truly into? (Will be revealed in the finale) Do you think if Korinna knew about Anwar's background that she could have prevented his death?
Also Shameless is coming back in October instead of in January next year, it's LIT.
Send me love? ;)
* - NOW EDITED AS OF 6/21/16 - *
