Mistaken Love { Mandy Milkovich & Lip Gallagher }

• Eighteen •

It's been five days.

Five days of Mandy avoiding Lip, of avoiding emotions.

After Debbie told her about the way Lip looked at her, she couldn't stand to be around Lip anymore, because she wasn't exactly sure what she wanted yet. And she knew it wouldn't be fair to Lip if she let him fall more for her.

Once Debbie told her she left the house, took her car, and headed back to her apartment... she just left Lip at home with Freddie, with no good bye.

At first the girls didn't know what to tell Lip, because they didn't know if Mandy was coming back or not. So they just said that she left.

They could tell he was upset because his face dropped and he went back upstairs.

After a few days Lip finally needed to vent to someone about how Mandy wasn't answering her phone. He tried calling and texting, even snapchat.

No reply to any of it, so he decided he should take the hint, but he just didn't really get it. He thought they were fixing things. But he really needed to talking to his brother about it.

He knocked on Ian's door, but instead of Ian, Mickey answered.

"Hey, I needa talk to Ian..."

"Bout?"

"Mickey, give us a minute?" Ian said as he stood up and walked towards the door and just stared at Mick.

"Fine." Mickey walked out as Lip walked in.

"What's up?"

"It's about Mandy."

"Knew I'd be your therapist eventually. What'd you fuck up?" Lip sighed.

"I don't even know..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, a few days ago she came with to pick up Fred and Tami was rude to her.. but she seemed fine. Then we got home, I took a nap with Fred and when I woke up Debs told me she just left."

"Have you talked to her about it?"

"I've tried, but she won't respond to any of my messages." Ian nodded. "What do I do?"

"Honestly, I don't know right now Lip. But I'll try talking to her.. don't get your hopes up."

"Thanks." Lip headed to the door.

"Anytime." He walked to his room and shut the door. He sat on his bed next to a sleeping Freddie, peacefully dreaming.

He wondered what his little brain could be dreaming about. He also wondered if Fred could understand any of his dreams and what they meant. But then laughed at himself for overthinking about how complex his infant son was.

Truth was, he was over thinking everything he could just to distract from the fact there is one thing on his mind, which was Mandy...

After Lip left Ian's room, Ian pulled out his phone and sat down on his bed. He called Mandy and she didn't pick up, then he tried again... no answer. A few more times, no answer.... and on his last attempt she finally picked up.

"What Ian?"

"What's going on with you and Lip? He told me you haven't talked to him or seen him in almost a week."

"Yeah... what about it..?"

"Why are you just ignoring him now? After being all up on him the night we went to the club?"

"I was drunk and-" Ian interrupted.

"That's not an excuse Mans, look I love you, but at least give him a proper explanation. He's eating himself alive cause of this, you know.."

"Really? I'm sorry, I didn't know that he really cared about me this much..."

"He always has, he was just dumb when he was younger. Didn't get what love meant.. now he does."

"L-love?"

"I meant someone he cares about, how to show it."

"Oh.. okay.. Look I gotta go.."

"Okay, bye Mans."

"Bye Ian." She hung up the call and put her phone down. She really thought to herself, did she want to be with Lip? She knew her feeling for him but she didn't want to get hurt again... The least she could do is at least talk to him.

She pressed his contact and saw all the messages he sent her this past week, she read a few but some of them made her feel so bad for ignoring him that she couldn't bring herself to read them.

She hit the call button and didn't wait long at all before he answered.

"Mans?" She stayed quiet a little too long."You there?"

"Yeah Lip... can we talk?"

"Now?"

"No, meet me at the park."

"Okay." And before he could say anything else she got up, got her purse and shoes and headed to the park. She waited for a good ten minutes waiting for him.

She completely forgot that the park was a lot closer to where her apartment was, versus where his house was. But after waiting alone, she finally saw him getting closer.

She sat down on a bench that was covered in shade by a big tree, blocking most of the sun.

"Hey Mandy..." He said as he approached the table before sitting down.

"Hi Lip."

"Can I say something?"

"No, I want to... I'm falling in love with you, again, and this time I don't want to get hurt... and I'm scared that I won't be enough...."

"Hey.." He placed his hand on her arm. "You're enough, trust me." She just looked down.

"I wasn't enough for you before... why now?"

"I'm not dumb now." He slightly lifted her chin. "I'm never gonna loose you if I can help it, okay Mans?" She slightly nodded. "So why haven't you been talking to me? For almost a week?"

"Well, it might sound stupid, but.. remember when you took a nap with Freddie when we got back?" He nodded. "When you went upstairs Debbie said you looked at me, like you never have before... to anyone... and-"

"Mandy, it's because I love you. Okay? I have since we would use to ditch class to smoke cigs under the bleachers and roll joints in the bathroom. And when me and Ian would steal shit to help you... and from when you cared about me, even when you thought I was gonna be a dad..."

"Lip... Do you wanna know when I really first realized I had feelings for you?" He nodded. "It was at Mickey's and that Russian whore's wedding, when one of the few slow songs were playing and you asked me to dance. You stepped on my toes so many times." She giggled. "You where super bad, but I was still looking at you smiling because you tried..."

"Does this mean we're okay?" She nodded. "Good, cause Fred and Franny have a play date we have to baby sit." He grabbed her hand and started to walk.

"A play date? Isn't he too young?"

"A little, but you know what the say. Start em early!" She laughed at how dorky he was the whole walk back to the Gallagher's house.