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Game Over
chapter fifty
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SHE WAS EXHAUSTED. The nights were long and sleepless. Nothing seemed to help ease the anxiety in her lungs or the pain in her heart. Two days of no communication made her stomach twist as her mind filled with dark thoughts. Was he okay? Was he even breathing? She knew that they had gotten into a fight, but he had never been so distant with her. She trudged lazily down the sidewalk, dragging her feet over the concrete. She missed him. She felt guilty for getting so upset with him. She should have just kept her mouth shut and dealt with it. It wasn't like he was leaving because he wanted to. He had to. They were expecting him, and he knew that if he said no that he would have stirred up some trouble. She just wished it wasn't like that.
As she walked, she began to notice a figure in front of her. They were leaning against a street light, scrolling on their phone. She almost recognized that denim jacket immediately. Her steps became more energetic as she moved in, wide eyes focused solely on the body. "...Alan?" she hesitantly called out. When his head snapped up, she found herself transferring into a jog. He stood to his full height and met her halfway, his arms immediately wrapping around her waist and lifting her off of her feet. She buried her nose into his jacket, her eyes involuntarily filling with tears. "I am so sorry," she said, her words muffled by his jacket. She felt her feet hit the ground and then his hand in her hair. Next she felt his lips pressing to her temple, her cheek, her ear. "You were upset," he muttered, taking that moment to wrap his arms tighter around her. "I shouldn't have acted that way," she argued.
His chin rested comfortably on the top of her head. She pressed herself tight against him, her cheek pressed to the center of his chest. His heartbeat filled her ears and her brain, sending electric shocks to her fingertips. "Baby, you witnessed something horrible. I'm not saying how you acted was right, but I understand why you did." She felt that familiar sting in her cheeks as she bit down, trying to keep herself from crying. "I missed you," she mumbled, fingers digging into the fabric of his jacket. He squeezed her, his breath falling atop her head. "I missed you, too," he admitted. "It was hard to sleep without you." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, unwinding his arms from around her. His hands stopped to hold her face between them and tilt her head so he could meet her eyes. "Why didn't you call?" she asked, her voice cracking in the slightest. "I was worried. I thought something bad had happened."
Realization slowly bled across his features. She could feel his thumb twitch against her skin. "I.. I wanted to give you space. I didn't think—" Her hands moved to his neck and she gently pulled him closer until she could press a soft kiss to his frown. "It's okay," she breathed out. "Just... if we're giving each other space, let's at least give text updates. Like, hey, I'm alive." His frown deepened despite the joking lilt in her voice. She smiled gently at his reaction and pressed another kiss to his mouth. "Can I come home tonight?" she asked, changing the subject expertly. Or so she thought. His eyes dropped to their shoes, his teeth taking in his bottom lip. "I can't?" She couldn't mask the sadness from her voice. His eyes snapped back to hers in an instant, a look of regret evident in his sienna eyes. "I'm sorry, baby," he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.
"I told Rollie about the wedding.. and they want to throw me a bachelor's party tonight." Her eyes widened as she moved away. She wanted a good look at him. "A bachelor's party?" she asked in disbelief. He noticed the discomfort in her expression. "We're having it at the house. We're literally just going to drink and watch movies or some shit." His words did add a little sense of comfort. At least they weren't taking him off somewhere where something could happen. He'd be in their house, safe and sound. She released a heavy exhale and nodded her head. "Okay. That's fine... Just don't tear the house apart. It already needs a little work done." He smiled down at her full of affection and love. He tweaked her nose jokingly, both of them letting out laughs. "I love you," he spoke genuinely, smushing her cheeks together in his palms.
She answered with a push on his neck, their lips meeting in the middle. It was warm and full of passion. She poured all of her feelings into that kiss, all of the longing and missing over the past two days. Her fingers raked through his hair, a single hand moving to hold her waist. His fingers pressed firmly into the skin of her hip. Cold seeped through her thin shirt with his fingertips, creating a flutter of chills up her spine. He smiled into the kiss at her reaction, His tongue grazing over her bottom lip. "Say it," he whispered, his breath mingling with hers. Her lips parted slightly, her cheeks warm. "I love you," she responded before he dipped his tongue into her mouth. The warmth of his tongue ring sent another shock of shivers down her spine. Her lungs burned for oxygen. Her heart beat recklessly inside of her rib cage. Her body felt as if it was floating.
He was the first to pull away, his cheeks red, eyes hooded. His tongue ran along the span of his bottom lip, the metal of his tongue ring peeking out for just a moment. She sighed, bottom lip bitten, her arms hanging over his shoulders. "I have to get to school," she reminded both him and herself. It wasn't that she wanted to go, but she had to finish her final exams for the semester. "I know," he replied, his tight grip on her waist loosening the slightest bit. "I will call you tonight, okay?" She snorted. She brushed her fingers over his cheek before splaying her hand there. His skin was cold under her touch. "Just call me in the morning, okay? Enjoy yourself." He dipped down just enough to press a final kiss to her lips, hoping it would tide him over until the next day. Her nose scrunched at his action. "Go, before I change my mind."
He hesitated for a moment. She was the one to slip away and begin walking in the direction of the school building first. She looked over her shoulder, their eyes not once moving away. If he stood there for much longer, she knew that she'd throw the test just to spend the day with him. Instead, she faced forward and fixed the straps of her backpack into a more comfortable position on her shoulders.She released a heavy sigh through her nose, craning her neck to look up at the gray skies overhead. "A bachelor party," she mumbled under her breath, brows furrowing. "Maybe I should talk Fiona and Lip into throwing a bachelorette party." The idea was very tempting. She could still vividly remember Veronica's bachelorette party. After all, it was the place where Phoebe met Alan.
Unconsciously, a smile began to cross her features. There was more pep in her step. She made it to the school building just in time before the doors closed. Her footsteps echoed in the hallway as she jogged to her designated classroom. She was a minute before the final bell. With a grin, she took her place at her seat and kicked her backpack under the table. The teacher began his speech, explaining the directions on how to take the test and what would happen if they were caught cheating. He passed out blue test packets along with sharpened number two pencils. She knew that she should focus, but her mind was too caught on the idea of spending the rest of her life with Alan Dominguez.
—
"Lip Gallagher, back in school again," she voiced, her backpack bouncing against her back as she caught up to the boy. He looked surprised to see her next to him, blue eyes wide and mouth parted slightly. "What's that face for?" she asked, nudging him with her shoulder. The surprise etched onto his face transformed to one of amusement. He smiled, shaking his head. "I was just looking for you actually," he replied. He grabbed the handle of her backpack and jerked her into his side, his arm resting across her shoulders. She looked up at him curiously. "And your reasoning?" His grin broadened to a confident smirk, his mouth curling like the Cheshire cat. "I got a text this morning saying that your man is getting a bachelor party tonight. So, I made a few phone calls, scammed a few bucks out of Steve. Now you have a surprise." Her jaw dropped instantly at his admittance. "What the hell did you do, Phillip?" she asked, her arm immediately sneaking around his torso. He was elated by her excitement.
"Now, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore if I told you. Would it?" She squeezed him tight. She was a little annoyed that he wouldn't tell her, but she was also excited. There was no telling what he came up with. She was basically bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Hint. Give me a teeny tiny hint." He looked to be thinking over her request. He could satiate this hunger, this need for knowledge. He wouldn't give it all away. He was too smart for that. But the way she looked at him, begging him, brought out his slight hint of sadism. Instead of feeding her this little bit of information, he shook his head, ruffling her hair atop her head. "No chance, pop rocks." She wanted to hit him, to shove him away with a pout. She could beg more, or even give him her best pout. Did she want to, though? It would give him a heaping of teasing material and she wasn't too sure she wanted to give him that.
She released a small sigh, her shoulder slumping under the weight of his arm. "Fine, fine," she relented. "As long as it doesn't involve a blindfold, I'm okay with anything." Lip's brows rose for a moment. "That's your big no? A blindfold?" She noticed the way he moved closer as they walked. His fingers were hovering over her arm from where it hung over her shoulder. His eyes were taking in her face, curiosity evident in his irises. "Wouldn't you like to know," she teased him, scrunching up her nose. As the two walked down the sidewalk, she suddenly noticed Ian. He was waiting for them just outside of the Kash and Grab.
He grinned widely over at the girl as she and Lip approached him. "I turned off the cameras. Get the beer fast and leave outside the back door." Phoebe looked confused. Before she could question it, Lip was escorting her into the building. "Mike's Hard Lemonade." Lip went straight for the fridges while Phoebe hovered by the candy. "So, we're not going to a bar," she concluded. Lip remained silent. "Or a club if we're getting our own alcohol." She glanced around the shelf to see him with a case under his arm and a case in one hand. She couldn't read the brand before he was moving again, the fridge door closing tight behind him. "Can you at least tell me who will be there? You're buying a shit ton of beer."
He snorted. "I'm not the one paying," he told her with a bit of a laugh. She hurried after him as he walked to the back of the store. "Is this what you scammed out of Steve?" She grabbed the door for him and let him leave first, following close behind. Ian waved her off before it shut behind her. "You're asking too many questions," he sighed, glancing over at her. She scoffed. "Of course I am. I'm confused as shit here. I don't know what's going on." He halted his steps quick enough for her to bump into him. "That's the point of a surprise," he explained with an amused grin. "Or have you forgotten that? It's a good thing you stuck with school, you know." She curled her fist and punched him in the side just hard enough to jostle him a bit. He laughed at the newfound pain in his side. "Asshole," he joked. "I could have dropped this. Then the money would have been a waste."
"What? Did you suck his dick for it?" She was teasing him, but it still made him feel a flare of anger. He glared over at her in distaste. "I'm kidding!" she exclaimed. "No need to get your panties in a twist." They walked through the back alleyway expertly. There had been plenty of times where they had come this way looking for Frank or running off after getting caught drinking with Ian on his breaks. Linda had always been so strict. It was a wonder Ian remained there after Kash had disappeared. "I heard you and Alan are into threesomes. Is that true?" The question had come out of left field. For a moment, Phoebe was stunned. "Did Mandy tell you that?" she asked, curiously. She figured it had to have been. Ian wouldn't have said anything to Lip, though she figured he would have told Mandy. Lip attempted to shrug his shoulder, but stopped once the case under his arm began to stir.
"I mean, yeah. We talked about it," she admitted. It was so easy to talk to him about these things before, but it felt so awkward now. "Is my surprise a threesome?" she asked, attempting to redirect the conversation away from a danger zone. He seemed to accept her redirection, laughing at her question. "No," he answered truthfully. "Though I'm sure I could have found a hundred people interested in sleeping with you." She knew it was meant as a compliment. He didn't say it to make her uncomfortable, but she still felt that discomfort stir in her stomach. "We tried to get Este to have a threesome with us," she said. "She slapped Alan. We made out at Carl's game." He didn't look too surprised at her admission. "She did kiss you that one day at Steve's hotel room." She nodded her head.
"Too bad she's with Marco now." Phoebe shuddered at the memory of Marco. She had never expected to see a naked man with a corkscrew stuck in his ass cheek in her life. But it is Chicago and Chicago can be very unpredictable. "Are there going to be strippers?" she asked, continuing her search for the truth. He scoffed. "How predictable do you think I am, Lim?" She marked off that option on her mental list. She had several ideas, though she was beginning to think that this all will be futile in the end. He'll end up doing something she never expected in such a short amount of time that it would seem impossible to have gotten done. That was the Gallagher way after all. "I'm done," she breathed out, matching her stride to his. "I'm done asking questions. Take me, o Father of mystery." He rolled his eyes at her dramatics. His eyes slid over to her for a moment, taking in the way she swung her arms at her sides.
Lip led the way through the city until they came across the Gallagher house. It had been a while since he had stepped foot in there. He noticed the shadows hiding behind the curtains. One was definitely Carl, he had decided. He was supposed to be the lookout anyway. "Me first," he suddenly said, ignoring the faux look of offense on her features. Instead of arguing, she allowed him to climb the porch steps first, following closely after to assure he didn't tip backward. "You're acting suspicious now," she told him, hands sliding over the railing with every step she took. "You're paranoid," he argued, setting down one of the cases to knock on the door. Her brows furrowed at his action as right after he had twisted the doorknob and opened the door.
The lights were off inside. They used the illuminance from the street light outside to guide them through the foyer. "You're not going to kill me, right?" she asked. She had snatched the case on the ground before Lip could scold her, walking into the house first. He scoffed. "If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead already." She looked behind her, only to see his silhouette. A ring of orange surrounded him. "I would have kicked your ass if you had tried." Her knee suddenly hit the couch, snatching a swear from her throat. "Fuck me," she muttered. "Can you not turn on the damn lights?"
"Surprise!" The lights flickered on to reveal her bridesmaids and the younger Gallagher siblings all hiding in the dark. A white sheet of paper hung from the kitchen door frame with her name written in bold, green letters. There was paper confetti on the table along with empty cups just waiting for use. Fiona wore a penis hat while Veronica blew into a penis whistle. She almost dropped the case of beer in surprise, startled by the effort they had put into everything. There were snacks, her favorite movies on the table, a half built fort on the couch. Perhaps it was fully built before she ran into it. "Wait." She drew in a shaky breath, overwhelmed with sudden emotion. Her head snapped toward Lip where he stood with a proud smile. "You... You ass." She let the case down onto the floor before rushing toward the boy, throwing herself against him.
She moved with him as he set down the cases he had in his arms and straightened back up to reciprocate her hug. He wrapped his arms tight around her, burying his face into her shoulder. He breathed in her scent. He memorized the way she felt in that moment, relaxed in his arms. Without hesitance, he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Thank you," she whispered. He sighed. "You know that I would do anything for you." The two pulled away and Phoebe whirled back around to face her bridesmaids. "Who's ready to party?" Fiona asked. Despite the pain they had gone through, the initial shock from Thanksgiving, they did everything they could to make that night special.
With drinks, nacho cheese chips, and an epic blanket fort, the group settled into their own spaces to watch the original Nightmare of Elm Street. Despite her efforts, Phoebe found herself dozing off. Her arms were wrapped around Lip's waist, their legs carded between one another. He looked down at the brunette with sleepy eyes, her lips parting to breathe. Fuck, he thought sadly. I really fucking love you.
from rumi . . .
it's getting so much harder to
write for this book bc i know its
almost over and that i'm going to
miss it. but its going to get done.
because i owe phoebe and you guys
that much.
i love this story so, so much. i
honestly didn't expect to get so
attached to the story since its not
something i usually write. but i really
got attached to shameless and then
i got super attached to phoebe. and
now i can't picture my life without
my girl. 😭
how did you guys like the chapter?
what's your favorite part?
i am going to say the trip back to the
gallagher house. i'm searching for
phoebe x lip crumbs at this point lmao.
don't forget to vote + comment!