Blue eyes and Cigerettes // Lip Gallagher [Completed]

26

"So today's the day I finally get to meet Phillip Gallagher and Charlotte Cavanaugh in the flesh with 4.6 and 4.5 GPAs. It's a pleasure to meet the pair of you" the dean said but was instantly met with "its Lip" and "it's just Charlie my mom calls me Charlotte to make herself look better" before they both settled down so they could begin the meeting. "I was supposed to start the semester this year but my mother unenrolled me and I was wondering if it'd be possible for me to start the semester as planned still ?" she said with her eyes on the floor as the man they were told to be called Professor Wicks took a breath and checked his computer.

"Ms Sefton has been very generous to our college for the last number of years" he began as Lip leant forward. "It's Charlie's dream school, she wanted to put in a good word" he explained as the man nodded along with him. "The evidence is infront of me, you haven't paid to go to school here so you don't have a place, it's simple" he explained but Lip shook his head. "She's worked too hard to get here and because of her stupid mom she can't. Surely there's a scholarship or something she can do" he shouted as the man told him to calm down.

"You know yourself you're eligible for a scholarship but I'm afraid it won't be activated until next year" he said while knitting his lips together so Charlie looked to Lip. "That's it then" she said defeated as he shook his head. "No, I'm not leaving until I know she'll be here with me next year where she belongs"
he said as Wicks shook his head. "Like I've said, it's not possible, I'm sorry" he tried to explain but Lip was refusing to take no for an answer. "No, no I know exactly what happened. Lindsay didn't get refunded, she transferred a majority of the fees into your account because she knew Charlie would show up like this, you got that shiny sports car outside and Charlie can't go to school here because that shithole we grew up in doesn't have any jobs that pay nearly enough for her to come here and your shitty scholarship doesn't activate til next year" he said as Charlie shook her head. "Don't risk your place here too" she whispered as he just shook his head.

There was a complete silence for a couple of seconds while Wicks began typing on his computer. "My biggest struggle in life, well that's a hard one, do I go with my gut or what I know you want to hear. I guess you'd want me to talk about my teen parents who couldn't even love eachother enough keep our family together, that my dad is basically a hermit since she left him but is a far better parent than she'll ever be. I guess you want me to say it was rehab or living with him and I chose him. My biggest struggle in life is knowing I should love her the most because of her materialism but I'll always choose him because he isn't her" he began as Charlie looked down. "You don't bullshit, you told me how it is, I admire it because although it was just a rant and you never mentioned your mother once, I knew who she was based on the her. I also admire your determination Phillip. You risked me suspending you before you even started and that took guts. Charlie get your mother up here. Maybe I can change my mind" he said as the pair nodded before thanking him and leaving. She received a text from her father saying her mother had arrived and wanted to meet her in Patsys so they hurried back as quick as they could.

The bell above the door told everyone they arrived so her eyes went straight to Sean talking to Fiona at the counter since his life mission was to give ex-convicts a second chance and Chase had him as a connection. The second Sean saw her he walked over. "Where's Dad, how is he ?" she asked frantically as he shrugged. "He didn't look mad at her although he never did, between me and you, he never fell out of love with her" he said as she looked at him confused. "He's never looked at a woman they way he has her" he began but she walked away, she didn't need to hear that. "Why don't you get Liam from Chase and I'll watch him for a bit Lip. He'll only be bored over there" Fiona said through a smile as Lip shook his head. "I'm good. I got this" he said as she raised her eyebrows. "No seriously. I'm on my break. I insist" she said as he shot a "fuck off Fiona" at her before walking over to where Lindsay and Chase sat.

The atmosphere was eerily calm and Lindsay looked almost relaxed for once. She smiled at the pair once they walked in, Lip sat next to her and Charlie sat next to her father, she was expecting a war and needed him by her side. "Hi baby" the woman said softly as Charlie shook her head. "Don't even pretend" she said with her arms folded as Lindsay nodded and sighed. "You pushed me to my breaking point this summer, you know that. Lennon's a kid he shouldn't be sitting at your hospital bed worried if you'll live or die" she began as Lip laughed. "But she can get a plane to New York and do the same at his ?" he asked but was ignored. "Putting all that aside, what Brett did to you" the woman began again. "You lost my place at my dream school because of what he did" she said through gritted teeth as Lindsay  took another breath and pushed her hair out of her face. "I put my relationship before you again, I know, but being a mom was never my thing, you know that, you always preferred your dad over me anyway" she said trying to get the sympathy vote but no one was having any of it. "Poor Linds" Chase mocked as she slammed her hands on the table

"There you go again, mocking me. Linds this and Linds that, you know I fucking hate it. You two don't understand, I never asked to be a mom, I was trapped" her mother shouted as Chase laughed. "I made you feel trapped ?" he asked shocked, he was hiding it with a laugh but his face had broken when she said that. "Brett makes me feel safe" she began as the man shook his head. "Brett beat the shit out of my daughter and does god only knows what to you, but I made you feel trapped ?" he asked as she nodded. "Fine, you and Lennon weren't our priority maybe that's why the two of you keep putting yourselves in hospital. I can't say I wasn't mad at you because I was so young when you were born but I've worked passed that now. Come home, I'll reenrol you in college and we'll be a family just-just don't hate me, I'm pregnant. I can't loose you" she said through a broken smile as Charlie laughed. "Who trapped you now" she shrieked with laughter as the woman put her head in her hands.

"And you honestly wonder why I can't stand you sometimes ?" Lindsay said bitterly as Charlie nodded. "Aw it's alright, give it eighteen years, Brett and the baby who'll probably have a dumb name like Ocean will be here while you gaslight your way back into their lives too because Brett'll be the gone the second he can" she continued as the door opened and Sheila walked into the restaurant clutching her leather purse as she counted her steps since this was so big for her. "Maybe this child will be appreciative of ballet school" she said with her eyes on the floor as Charlie let out a long groan. "I gave it up four years ago mom" she said as the woman nodded. "I know, it still breaks my heart, one of the best dancers in there and you gave it all up for booze and drugs then wonder why I don't want you near my children" she said as Sheila walked over, she smiled at Charlie and Lip before pinching Liam's cheeks and stood over the table.

"Hi Chase, sorry to interrupt, it's just theres a um hole in my wall. I was wondering if you could maybe come by and fix it" she said awkwardly as Chase nodded. "Course I can Ms Jackson" he said while smiling as the woman looked down. "How many more times it's Sheila" she said while playfully tapping his arm as Lindsay looked at her. "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting, I'm Lindsay, Charlie's mom" she said through a fake smile as Sheila nodded. "I know exactly who you are and from what I've heard you're not a very good one"  she said while shrugging as Lip and Charlie looked at eachother amused, shit was about to go down.

"Excuse me, Chase you're going to let her speak to me like that ?" Lindsay asked but the man stayed silent. "You pawned your amazing little girl off to this kind man time and time again while you lived it up in New York and pretended they didn't exist, this man had to play mom and dad by the time he was twenty" she said with her shoulders back as Charlie stood up. "It's okay Sheils honestly" she began but Lindsay shook her head. "No Charlie it's not okay. You weren't there, none of you were and Chase knows himself how much I struggled, I was not made to be a mother, I did not ask to be fifteen and knocked up-" she began as Charlie shrieked. "Don't fuck up another kids life then if you know you can't do it" she shouted but Sheila took a breath to compose herself and began talking again.

"Everyone knows who you are here Lindsay, I think you forget where you roots are and anyone here can vouch for the fact that you took his baby girl away and when things got hard gave her back to him until you wanted her again. You may have money but CPS would've taken her if it wasn't for him" she preached as Lindsay took a breath and gathered her stuff. "I'm taking Chanel and Cooper and going back to New York. I'll pick them up in an hour. I'll be at the college" she said while nodding at her daughter before walking out, she knew Sheila was right.