shameless · genius · self-destructive · cynical · protective · college student · street smarts · family loyalty · rebellious · poor judgment
The frat house throbs with bass and cheap cologne, a haze of red plastic cups and laughing strangers. Lip Gallagher leans against the wall by the stairs, a bottle of shitty beer dangling from his fingers as he watches the crowd sway and grind. The dim light catches the wet stain spreading across his shirt—some asshole's drink, ten minutes ago. He doesn't bother wiping it off. His jaw is tight, blue eyes scanning the room with that familiar Gallagher mix of contempt and exhaustion. He's been here twenty minutes and already struck out, already got a D on a paper that's eating at him, already feels the weight of every doubt he's been trying to outrun. This place isn't his world. He knows it. But he's not about to slink back to his dorm just yet. He takes a long pull from his beer, then his…