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Game Over
chapter nineteen
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"YOU'RE HOGGING." Lip glanced toward a tired Phoebe, her eyes half opened as she made grabby hands toward the bag of Frosted Flakes he was currently devouring. A grin plastered on his face despite the chaos running amuck in the kitchen. Monica looped around the space like a chicken with its head cut off and Lip would be a liar if he said that he wasn't enjoying it. He handed the brunette the cereal bag before pointing toward his younger brother. "Monica, Carl needs something from you," he stated, his tone much too chipper. He leaned against the counter as his mother turned toward the boy frantically. "Here." A paper was passed to the frenzied blonde.
"What? What's this?" she asked. Lip ruffled Phoebe's hair before crossing the kitchen. "Permission slip," he deadpanned. She placed the paper against the cutting board, using a purple washable marker to sign her name. "Oh, you're going to the aquarium. When?" Debbie moved through the kitchen, searching for something. Roberta sat at the table with Liam in her lap. Phoebe couldn't stop herself from glaring over at the woman. "Today," Carl answered. "I need ten dollars." Roberta's head snapped up immediately. "What for?" she asked, eyes narrowed. Carl barely spared her a glance. "Admission fee."
"School doesn't pay for that?" Lip scoffed. It was pretty obvious no one really wanted Roberta there. Her presence was like a shadow in the middle of the night; terrifying and annoying. "No. And he'll need money for food, too," he explained, glancing over toward their mother. Roberta looked to Lip with an annoyed expression before turning to Monica, who looked through the kitchen as if she was trying to memorize it. "Grab him an instant oatmeal and a poptart," she instructed her girlfriend. "Makes a great lunch." Phoebe rolled her eyes dramatically. "They didn't ask you," she muttered, popping pieces of cereal into her mouth. "They asked Monica." Her eyes almost instantly met Roberta's and a chill traveled down her back.
The Gallagher family fell quiet, each looking a bit too smug. Phoebe felt her cheeks warm up once she realized how loud she had been. "You don't even live her," she snapped, glaring over at the younger girl. Phoebe's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Neither do you," Lip fired back instantly. "Deb, what are you doing?" Monica asked, quickly changing the subject before the situation could escalate. Phoebe closed the cereal bag and rolled it up with a pout. "I'm looking for a poster board and markers. I'm running for re-election." Lip walked back over to his best friend with two cups full of coffee. Phoebe's was a medium brown, just how she liked it, not too sweet and not too strong. "Oh, you need help? I have some awesome ideas."
Lip laughed aloud, almost teasingly. "Awesome? Is that why you never won?" She elbowed his stomach just hard enough to get a reaction, a tight lipped smile present on her features. After casting him a sideways glance, she took a sip from her coffee. "Ian, could you help her?" Monica asked the red head who sat quietly at the bar. "If you would tell me these things before it'd be a little better in the morning." Her tone was condescending, a tone a runaway mother didn't have the privilege of using. Just hearing it made Phoebe want to throw the hot beverage into her face. She'd get Roberta too if Liam hadn't have been sitting in her lap. Ian placed his cup on the counter and reluctantly followed Debbie out of the room.
As if he hadn't caused enough havoc this morning, Lip decided to speak up once more. "I need forty bucks." Roberta was quick to blurt out a 'no', causing Lip to smirk. Monica grimaced. "Bob, do you have a five?" she asked. The other woman looked to her girlfriend in shock. "In my wallet, where it's going to stay," she retorted. Phoebe looked over the edge of her cup at Lip, a hint of a smile hidden in her eyes. Lip sighed. "Look, I need a new calculus textbook. I can get it used, only cost twenty." Roberta's glare sharpened as she looked to Phoebe. "Share hers." Phoebe gave the woman a sarcastic smile, tilting her head to the side. "Ha, sure. Too bad I'm not in calc."
"Why don't you help pay for it? You're staying in this house, eating up all the food." She wanted to stick her tongue out at Roberta. She was so infuriating. "Speaking of food," Ian hummed. "Where's our lunches?" Silence filled the room, besides the rustling of backpacks being put on backs. All eyes turned to Monica as she looked to her kids confused. They waited a few moments as she shuffled on her feet uncomfortably. "What is everybody looking at? Start spreading peanut butter on bread," Roberta stated forcibly. Phoebe's fingers tightened around the cup in her hand. "I'll meet you outside," she whispered to Lip, her eyes dropped to the floor. "If I have to listen to her voice any more, I might play a game of tag in traffic."
Lip watched as she tipped back the drink and attempted to swallow it all down, coffee trickling down the corners of her lips and her chin. Once she finished it, she passed the cup to Lip and gave him a two finger salute. "Don't walk without me," he called after her with a slight smile. Monica did the kids' sandwiches while Ian and Lip did their own. As Phoebe left the room, it broke out into chaos. Roberta tried to take charge. She truly thought she could come into that house, tell them what to do, and then leave with Liam. Was she dropped on her head as an infant? Phoebe kicked the door closed behind her and took a deep breath of the cold, winter air. Her chest burned from the temperature, but she didn't mind it.
It had been so long since she had gotten really angry with someone that wasn't her parents. There were people you wouldn't get along with, she knew that. There was that thing where personalities clashed and beliefs were different, but she hated Roberta. She didn't think it was a mere clash. No, it was more like colossal collision that left eight dead and ten injured. It was like Godzilla against King Kong, two beasts who thought they were superior trying to prove the other wrong. Either way, that woman made Phoebe want to smoke, or drink, or both. She could still vaguely hear the sound of her voice through the walls and cracked windows. It was driving her up the wall.
Just before she could bail, she felt her cellphone buzzing in her pocket. She scrambled to pull it out, forgetting to check the caller I.D, and pressing answer. "Hello?" she spoke into the phone, eyes casting out toward the horizon. There wasn't much left in the Southside that she hadn't already seen. "Hey," Alan answered happily, causing a smile to crawl across her face. "I was thinking about you last night. What are you doing now?" She bit down on her lip and turned toward the closed door. She felt so naughty hiding from the Gallaghers. "I'm at Lip's," she answered truthfully, tucking her hair behind her ear. "We're about to walk to school. What's up?"
"Just now? Aren't you going to be late?" She hummed in confirmation. It wasn't like she hadn't been late before, though she didn't enjoy it. It was awkward walking in late and all eyes turning toward you, even the scrutinizing glare of a teacher. "Have you told him about that girl yet?" She sucked in a sharp breath. The thought had completely slipped her mind after their whole squabble. "Not yet," she admitted. "I'm not so sure I should, though. Something awful came up and I'm not sure he'll be able to take the second betrayal." She couldn't see him, but she just knew that Alan was nodding his head. He did it every time she talked, like it was a way of pushing her words into his mind and really getting a grasp of them. She stuck her thumbnail between her teeth and began to pull at it nervously.
"Well, if you're going to be late, why not skip? We can go get breakfast.. Maybe watch a movie?" She sighed softly at the tempting offer. She wouldn't mind curling up in his bed, her laptop to the side while they watched the same movie over and over. It would be even better if he owned something other than the Bad Boys double feature. She wouldn't deny her attraction to Mike Lawry, though. He'd be the only reason she watches, besides Marcus' humor. "I dunno," she finally replied with somewhat of a pout. "It would be kind of weird if I just made some excuse to ditch now, especially by myself." She wanted Lip to meet Alan. She wanted the men of her life to meet and bond, and for everything to go right in the world, but she wasn't ready.
What if she and Alan just stopped talking? Something could happen where the butterflies in her stomach died and he just wouldn't be of interest anymore. If he met Lip and they got along, and then she stopped liking him... it would be awkward. "Lip said he'll be a minute." Phoebe jumped at Ian's voice, a gasp ripping through her throat. She whirled around to spot the redhead leading the younger two out. "Okay," she replied far too quickly, forgetting that the phone was still pressed to her ear. A knowing smirk crossed Ian's face. "Is that your boyfriend?" he teased. Debbie and Carl looked shocked. "Boyfriend?" Carl asked, unaware of the growing blush on the older girl's face.
She kicked through the air at Ian as he passed snickering. "Shut up," she whispered aggressively. "Boyfriend, huh? Didn't know we already labeled it." She could hear the teasing tone too well in his voice. She felt like her face was on fire. "We haven't!" she exclaimed. "I mean, not yet. Do you want to? Are we—?" She wanted to hang up the phone and throw it. She never expected Ian to be the one to cause mischief, though she should have known. She watched as the trio walked down the sidewalk, backpacks bouncing with each step. Carl pushed Debbie before running in front of them. "I don't know," he sighed. "Should we talk about it? Maybe tonight?" She bit down on her bottom lip to hide her smile.
Before she could answer, the front door was slamming closed and Lip's feet stomped down the steps in a hurry. "Lip?" she instinctively called after him in confusion. "I'll call you later, okay?" She didn't wait for his response, instead hanging up immediately and pocketing the device. The door reopened and Monica's voice sounded, followed by the second closing of the door. He wasn't waiting for anyone. Phoebe raced after him worriedly. "Lip! Please stop!" Monica begged with a watery voice. "Lip," Phoebe called out. She grabbed his arm just in time. "Please!" Her hand involuntarily wrapped around his elbow, her eyes searching his face for any clue as to what had happened.
Monica's sliding footsteps were coming up fast behind them. "We haven't had the chance to talk," she stated, using Phoebe as an anchor to stop her son. "Don't worry about it," Lip retorted. Phoebe looked to Monica in surprise, her eyes dropping to the hand that held onto her shirt. "No, I do. I—" She finally grabbed Lip by his shoulders and forced him to look her in the face. He couldn't breathe. He was angry, upset, hurt. Phoebe jumped upon feeling his hand take hers in an iron grip, almost like it was his way of holding onto his sanity. Just a ways up ahead was Ian, Carl, and Debbie watching the scene unfold. "Monica. Don't do this now," Phoebe spoke gently, her eyes not once leaving the others.
"I— I have to!" she clipped. "I, Lip– I don't know where to start or how to explain." Lip's eyes began to pool with tears against his will. "I worry about you. I think about you all the time." Lip turned toward Phoebe, his eyes meeting hers. Gently, she laced their fingers together and gave him a reassuring smile. Seeing the glassiness of his eyes made her stomach turn. He wasn't one to show his emotions often. She wasn't ever really used to his crying. The only times she had seen it was when he had to bike Phoebe to the hospital after a kid hit her with a baseball bat on accident and when he had intoxicatedly starting crying during the scene of Glee where the deaf choir group signed Imagine.
"I miss you. There's so much I wanna ask you. How's school?" Lip's tongue pressed into his cheek and his eyes finally tore away from the girl beside him. "You were always so smart, my Lip.." Phoebe frowned. "Monica.." The blonde turned toward Phoebe with venom in her eyes. Her chest rose as she took a deep breath. "You don't live here! You're not apart of this family. You have no right to put your nose into our business!" Her voice rose with her anger levels. Phoebe understood why she was angry. She wasn't actually apart of the family, but she loved them like one. She loved each of the Gallaghers with every bit of her heart. "Don't talk to her that way," Lip seethed, "alright? She's been more of a family than you ever have.
"She helps pay the bills. She buys the kids gifts or snacks. She watches Liam when we have things to do. She helps Ian with his homework. She even makes sure Debs and Carl takes baths before bed. She's here. And just being here is more than you've ever done for us." Monica looked taken aback. Her eyes sparkled with tears as she stared back at her eldest son. "Next time you're thinking about dropping in, don't. You've fucked up our lives enough already." Phoebe was taken out of her surprise by his subtle tugging on her hand. He lead her away from his mother and toward the other three in silence. She couldn't fathom what to say. She knew that Lip thought of her as family, but to stick up for her against his own mother..
She squeezed his hand as the beat of her heart began to race. They remained silent, forming a group as they walked to school.
—
She was tired. It was one thing for Lip to ditch school after second period, but it was another thing when he told her beforehand that he and Ian had "brother stuff" to do. She wanted to assume that he was just embarrassed by what he had said earlier that morning. He was never the one to speak so emotionally. But she didn't know. She didn't even know what he was up to or if he was up to anything at all. She pushed through the front doors to the school, totally ready to go home and crawl into her bed for a few hours.
She trudged through school grounds, her shoulders slouched and a deep frown pressed into her cheeks. Her feet were almost dragging across the concrete with every step she took. She could have sat down and called someone to take her home. Perhaps Steve would. He always seemed to be around and not busy, anyway. She almost laughed at that thought. Once she was far enough, her head lifted, eyes squinting against the sun rays. Just a few feet in front of her was Alan Dominguez, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. He beamed over at the brunette, awaiting her reaction. Confusion swept across her face as she finally approached him.
"You look... confused to see me," he breathed out with a slight smile. She stopped in front of him, her hands coming to rest on her sides. "I am a bit surprised," she admitted. "What are you doing here?" It wasn't that she wasn't happy to see him. She just wasn't expecting it. "I had a lot of time to think about it, and I decided you needed a you day." She searched his face for any indication that he was joking. What does that even mean?, she thought. "I am taking you back to my place where we are going to pig out on pizza. You've got a massage, a bubble bath, and a movie marathon afterward." He grabbed her hands and pulled her forward. "I'm going to make you forget all of the things that are bothering you."
Her skin tingled against his excitedly. She looked up to him and heaved a heavy sigh. "Take me home," she whispered, leaning into him without a care. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, fingers running along the collar of his shirt. She could feel the tag hanging out. He took hold of her waist almost instantly, smiling down at her. "As you wish, mi tesoro." He placed two fingers on either side of her face and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. She floated after him, her eyes half lidded. She felt like she was high. Her mind escaped to the clouds as his lips transported her away from the dirty, troublesome plane of her dreary existence. She pulled him closer, capturing his mouth in a hasty kiss.
The world around them seemed to melt away. Her ears fell deaf to the world, focusing solely on the rhythm of her heartbeat. His chest collided with hers as his hand fell flush against the small of her back. After a moment, Phoebe was the one to pull back, cheeks red and face beaming. "Happy?" Alan inquired jokingly. He watched as her head bopped up and down in a nod. She stood on her tiptoes to be as close as she could to him. "I have an activity I want to participate in," she hummed, breaking out into a giggle. He looked to her inquisitively. She craned her neck to get just close enough that her breath brushed his pulse point. "I really want you to touch me."
Her words definitely had pull. Alan reeled back in surprise, ears glowing pink. They had been reluctant to take the next step. Alan figured that Phoebe just wasn't ready and didn't want to push her. He respected her too much to insist that they get physical. Besides, he didn't need to have sex with her to enjoy her company. He liked laying on her bed and telling each other stories, or sharing gas station food just to end up locked in separate bathrooms. He liked the coin tosses they'd bet on when their time together was coming to an end. Being with her was the point. "Let's go," she whined, dragging her hands down his shoulders, his arms, and grabbing his hands.
"I'm feeling very generous." She pushed past him just enough to lead him forward. His eyes took in her face with so much admiration. His face radiated happiness, eagerness. She saw a peek of his tongue ring poke out between his lips as he wet them. He quickly shifted his hands from hers to her waist, turning her forward. She squealed as he lifted her off of her feet, his steps hurried but remaining careful. "I promise you, you're going to have the best experience ever," he told her. Her laugh rumbled through the air, her hands clutching her arms that wound around her torso. "I'll hold you to it!"
The walk to his house was surprisingly very short. He didn't live too far away, only a couple of blocks or so. Alan lived in a one story, white house with a red front door. A shutter in the front was hanging off while a few other windows were boarded up. There were deflated balls, abandoned bikes, and a torn apart car sitting in the yard. The fence was broken, some pillars standing at half of their height, the tops having been broken off. Alan lead her up the porch steps before unlocking the door with his house key. He used his foot to kick it open, letting her walk in first. "It's not the best place there is, but it's home," he spoke up nervously. And he wasn't lying.
There was a massive hole in one wall, and there was rarely any furniture. Cushions from the couch were torn, stuffing slowly peeping through the cracks as if to say hello. The front of the house was fairly open. It showed off the living room and dining room. The dining room table was covered in miscellaneous things like clothes, magazines, takeout boxes. She inhaled deeply, gathering the scent of wood polish and cigarette smoke. "I like it," she concluded with a soft smile. "Now where's that pizza you promised?" He locked the door before slipping past her. She followed, hot on his heels, as he made his way to the small kitchen. There was a fridge, a small table that resembled another dining room table, a stove, counters pace, cabinets. He had a microwave and a sink, but no dishwasher.
He pulled out a wooden chair for her to sit, a closed lip smile directed toward her. His finger rose for a moment, to request a minute. She happily plopped down onto the sturdy seat and watched as he began to navigate through his kitchen. The sink wasn't empty, but wasn't overflowing. A cabinet door or two were missing or hanging on the hinges. He moved toward the oven and pulled it open. Inside, to ensure it remained hot and ready, was the pizza. "I'm pretty sure I remember you saying that you liked supreme pizza with extra olives," he explained, taking out the large box and kicking the oven closed, "so I got that." He wiggled his eyebrows over at the girl, moving to place the delectable treat onto the table.
The aroma floated through the room. Phoebe felt her body relax. "This is perfect," she sighed. Alan wasted no time in popping the box open. "Dig in, beautiful. Eat as much as you like, okay?" She looked up to him with shining eyes. Her head tilted for a moment before she broke out into a smile. Curiously, he questioned, "What?" Her head shook, her smile never faltering. Her fingers drummed once over the wooden table. "Nothing," she laughed out. "I can just see myself falling in love with you."
from rumi . . .
bye i'm so soft.
first we have lip standing up
for his best friend & the alan
treating his girl. what could be
better?
what's your favorite part of the chapter?
IAN CALLING ALAN PHOEBE'S
BOYFRIEND. I KNOW THIS IS A
LIP FIC BUT I AM AN ALAN SIMP NOW.
don't forget to vote + comment!