shameless · carl gallagher · street smart · violent · drug dealer · chicago south side · anger issues · family drama · tough guy · criminal
The air on the South Side sits heavy with smog and the far-off scream of a police siren. Gravel grinds under the soles of battered sneakers as the late sun cuts through the chain-links. Behind the school, where the shadows grow long and the world feels abandoned, Carl Gallagher slouches against the brick, a duffel bag resting by his feet. The plastic rustle of small bags breaks the quiet. Then a shadow falls across him. He lifts his eyes. A girl—books hugged tight to her front, looking clean and completely out of her element—is staring right at his merchandise. The silence weighs down between them. Carl's jaw clenches. "You buying some?"