If God cared about you so much, he would have gotten you out of this shit-hole

                                    

                                          
Quick little authors note: Hi, I apologize if this is the second time you got a notification saying I updated this chapter. But, when it published, things got moved, so I had to move them back! Now that we've hit season 3, I should let you all know that most of season 4, 5, and 6 is already complete, I'm just waiting to finish 3! I have not forgotten about this book, I can promise you that :)
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Carl and I woke up and got ready for school. It was almost summer vacation. Carl's favorite time of the year. He doesn't have to do any school work. Normally, I would dread this time of year. But this summer was going to be much different. Gilbert told me that he's not going back to Canada this year, which meant we got all summer together. He promised to spend most of his time with me, considering his parents work almost constantly. I wasn't too sure about how we would spend our time, but I was happy, nonetheless. 
"Why are you so smiley this morning?" Carl asks. Before I could react, he does for me, realizing what was up. "Oh, that's right. Gilbert!" He snickers. "Usually, you're so sad this time of year, because of school ending."
"Shows how much I like him," I respond as I put on my ankle-length skirt.
"Are we gonna spend most of our summer here or at his house?"
"Not sure yet." I reach for my shirt and put it on. "I think he wants to spend it here, but we'll have to double-check." Carl nods and we head into the kitchen for breakfast. 
Jimmy has been helping out. Cooking our breakfast, doing laundry, different things around the house. Even paid for Carl to get braces. I was offered them too, but I fancied my crooked teeth. They were one of the few things that made me look different from Carl. All I had were my teeth, height, and hair color. So, I passed on the offer.
We sit at the kitchen table, and Jimmy brings us our breakfast.
"Thank you!" I say, and begin to eat. He's gotten really good at remembering my trigger foods. He might even be better at listing them than Fiona. And that's huge.
"My teeth hurt," Carl complains. 
"That's because they're still attempting to adapt to your braces, goofy," I tell him. 
"Here." Jimmy brings over a popsicle. "Suck on this. It helps." Carl starts to suck on the popsicle, and I guess it eased his pain because he quit crying.
"Why didn't you wake me? I gotta make sandwiches before work!" Fiona exclaims, rushing down the stairs.
"Already done," Jimmy informs her, beginning to bring the skillet over to the table where Carl and I are sitting. "Carl, my man, would you like some more French toast?"
"Uh-huh." Carl nods.
"Anne?"
"No thank you," I respond, finishing my plate.
"Lip and Ian?" Fiona questions.
"Already fed and gone." Jimmy sets Carl's food on his plate. Carl takes a bite into the popsicle he was eating. 
"Why are you having a Popsicle for breakfast?" Fiona lectures him.
"Jimmy said it was okay."
"His teeth were hurting really bad this morning," I tell her, making sure she doesn't try to accuse Jimmy of purposefully giving him one.
"Got your smoothie ready to go." Jimmy states.
"Where's Debbie?""Out front," I explain.
"Like always." Carl finishes. 
We accompany Fiona out of the house and start to head off to school.
"Lunch," Carl says, dropping Debbie's backpack on the sidewalk before we walk away.
                          
School seemed to drag on today. Which says a lot, coming from me. Today was just an off day. 
"Gallagher. Where's your head?" Gilbert asks during History. I shake my head.
"Honestly, I don't know. I can't think straight. Maybe I'm just having an odd day or something?" I shrug.
"Hey, man, are we hanging at your place or ours?" Carl mutters to Gilbert.
"We can hang at yours. It'll probably be more manageable. With my parents at work and everything."
"Sounds good, bro." We go back to our school work. Well, I at least attempted. Something felt off, I just couldn't figure out what. I tried to brush it off, but by the time school ended for the day, I hadn't done any of my work. Ordinarily, I'd beat myself up over it, but today, I just couldn't care less. I just wanted to go home, maybe take a self-care day. I only have a self-care day once every year. Twice, if it's a bad year in general. I've been running myself so hard, to the point where I am almost burned out.