A Different Kind Of Dysfunction - A Shameless Fanfiction (Book One)

Sophie Whitman stood outside Goldie's Pawn with her heart hammering against her ribs.

The freezing wind whipped her hair into her face, but she barely noticed.

In her pocket, her fingers curled tightly around a small velvet box — cheap and faded, edges worn thin from years of handling.

Inside was the only thing she had left of her father.
A heavy gold watch, scratched but still working.
He used to wear it every day — swinging her up into the air after work, the band glinting under the kitchen light.
He promised it would be hers one day.

And now she was about to sell it for grocery money.

Sophie sucked in a shaky breath.

She didn’t have a choice.

She hadn’t told Adeline.
Hadn’t told anyone.

This was her mess to clean up.

The Food Mart trip yesterday didn’t last. Five kids could tear through a loaf of bread in half a day. There was no dinner left.
Nothing for breakfast tomorrow.
Nothing for Alyssa.

Sophie set her jaw, shoved the box deeper into her pocket, and pushed open the door.

---

The inside of the pawnshop smelled like dust and metal and something sour.

Rows of sad little treasures lined the shelves — guitars with broken strings, old TVs, wedding rings in scratched-up cases.

The guy behind the counter didn’t even look up. He was too busy watching a tiny TV showing a Bears game on mute.

Sophie moved toward the counter, her boots squeaking on the dirty tile floor.

She hesitated a second — then pulled out the velvet box.

The lid creaked as she opened it.

The man finally looked up.

His eyes flicked from the watch to Sophie, sizing her up.

"You pawnin’?"

Sophie nodded, throat dry.

He grunted and took the watch, turning it over in his calloused hands.

"Nice piece," he muttered. "Ain’t worth much anymore. Gold’s shit lately."

Sophie bit the inside of her cheek hard to keep from reacting.

"It still works," she said.

He shrugged. "Don’t matter. Sentimental don’t pay."

He tapped some numbers into an ancient register.

"Best I can do...seventy bucks."

Sophie flinched.

Seventy bucks.
For the last thing she had of him.

For a second, she thought about grabbing the watch and running.

But then she thought about Alyssa crying because there was no milk. Leah pretending she wasn’t hungry. Rory getting suspended again because he was pissed and tired and empty.

Seventy bucks could stretch a long way if you knew how to starve properly.

She swallowed hard and nodded.

"Fine."

The guy shoved a dirty bill across the counter and tossed the velvet box into a bin behind him like it was trash.

Sophie pocketed the cash, her hands trembling.

She turned to leave —

And nearly crashed into someone.