It ain't me. // Phillip "Lip" Gallagher// Shameless US

High Hopes.

"Honey, I'm home!" I call out into the suite.

No one answers.

I'm lounging around in bed and a few hours pass, I decided to call Leah and see where she was.

It rings three times before she picks up.

"Babe! I've gone on a little trip with the boys, I won't be home for two months! I'm sorry I forgot to tell you!" She says into the phone.

"That's okay Leah, I was just checking in with you babe!"

"I gotta go! But I left you three cards on the bench, go shopping, have fun, I love you!"

"Thanks babe, love you too!" I say as I press the hang up button.

I sigh and roll around in bed, before my phone starts vibrating again.

"Lip" appears on my screen.

I let it ring out.

He calls another three times.

I press decline this time so he knows that I'm ignoring him.

...

Three days pass quickly and then another three and before I know it it's been another month since I had spoken to Lip.

Until now.

It's 1am and there's a knock at the door. I'm in my bra and underwear when I jump up and to answer.

There's a knock again.

"Coming!" I yell as I head towards the door.

I open it and at first I see Amanda.

I go to shut the door but then I hear Lip. He's being sick in the hallway.

"I hate to do this to you..." Amanda says, "but he's been kicked out of college for now."

"What? Why?"  I say confused.

"He slept with his professor and well, a picture got out and now then he went after his other professors car, he's got a drinking problem." She says, handing me the door key, "his your problem now." She sighs, walking away.

I look down at Lip. His covered in his own vomit, his bag beside him.  I pick up his bag and chuck it inside.

"You're gonna have to get up." I say as I kick his leg.

He groans and begins to try and get up.

"For fucks sake, Lip." I say, using all my strength to bring him to his feet.

I kick the door closed and stumble with him towards my bed. As I place him down on the bed, I take his shirt off as carefully as possible, then his pants.

"What happened with you?" I say as I help him rest his head on my pillows.

I hear him gag and I race around with my bin to his side so that it catches his puke.

I sigh as he looks at me, sitting beside him.

"I'm sorry." He says, "I fucked up, again."

I bite my tongue and don't say anything, "Did you want some food?" I say, "I'm gonna order some food." I say as I get up and grab the hotel phone, ordering in a whole bunch of food.

I put Lip in the shower, help him shower before pulling a shirt and track suits out of his bag, helping him get dressed.

As I help him get back into bed, I can tell he is sobering up. The food arrives and we're picking at the different plates and there's some movie playing on tv. 

"How are you affording all this?" He says, his voice sounds slightly worried.

"Uh, a friend, my only friend from New York, Leah. She's away at the moment but she's got a trust fund and she's daddy's little princess, he owns some business in New York."

He nods, "how have you been?"

"Good." I say, not knowing how to answer the question, "you're the one in trouble." I say, quieter.

"I know." He says, "I got caught up with my professor, and it got outta hand, then fucking Amanda sent out a picture I took of the said professor asleep, naked in my bed. The board found out, everyone found out. They kicked me out of my dorm." He sighs, "I don't know what I'm doing anymore Char. I'm gonna be Frank before I know it." His voice cracks.

"You know, just because you were born in this shitty place, doesn't mean you have to become a part of the shitty place." I say, popping some food into my mouth.

"I know." He says. "I don't know how to get out of here though, I always end up back here."

"Let's get out of here then."

He laughs, "you're funny."

I smile, "I'm serious."

"And where would we go?" He smirks at me,

"Where would you want to go?" I say, braiding my hair.

"Anywhere, I don't care as long as it's with you." He says.

I laugh and he gives me a serious look, "oh, you're serious." I say.

"I should've treated you better, Char. You deserve that, you deserve more than that."

I tie off my hair and look at him, "let's get some sleep." I say, moving the half eaten plates off of the bed.

He nods and gets under the covers. "Thank you Char, for everything, for always being the one to fix me."

"I'll always try too." I say as I turn off the lights, "I'm going to see Fiona and the rest of them tomorrow, do you want to come?"

"Yeah." He says, "I will, I'll have to talk to Fi."

"Goodnight Lip." I say, as I feel his breath on my face, the smell of alcohol still there.

"Goodnight Char." He says, moving forward and kissing my forehead. "I love you." He whispers.

"I love you too." I say, rolling away from him.

It was always going to be a game of back and forth, fighting fire with fire, but I wanted it, more than anything else.