Life for the Gallagher's was anything but normal and every bit Shameless.
Phillip Gallagher is the oldest male of the Gallagher siblings and second oldest sibling overall, followed after Fiona and followed by Ian, Debbie, Carl, and Liam. He is a 21 year old, blue eyed, dirty blonde haired, habitually smoking, graduate student at The University of Chicago. He is Lip.
Lip left the chaos that was the Gallagher house at the end of August as Fiona rallied to get the kids ready for the start of the school year. As Lip carried the duffel bag that contained his everyday wear of loose t-shirts and jeans to the bus, he lit the cigarette that had been dangling from his mouth, anxiously awaiting the hungry pull of his lips. Life back at The University of Chicago would be easier than the constant struggle that was life at the Gallagher's and life with their drunk, absentee, manipulative father, Frank. Lip was going back, but this time for graduate school and to study law, he figured it would be helpful to have a lawyer in the family since it was already full of criminals.
The end of August in Chicago brings cool days with a little heat. Lip got off the bus and walked towards his housing for the upcoming two-year program. He was allowed to stay in the housing development meant for undergraduate upperclassmen because he agreed to help out in the IT department of the library. Not only did he have a one bedroom one bathroom living situation but he also did not have to worry about finding shit furniture off the side of the road because it came fully furnished, and by fully furnished, that means a twin bed, end table, dresser, stiff couch, kitchen table and two chairs. Once Lip got to his home for the next two years, he set his duffel bag down and counted that as unpacking. Tomorrow would be the first day of classes and work but for today he could try to find something social to do to bide his time, or someone to do. Lip was just that, all talk and no follow through. Women fall at his feet and he uses the good ones and falls for the bad ones but that it all it is to him, a game, a conquest and a cure for perpetual boredom.
Lip walked with his jeans, white t-shirt, loose fitting khaki jacket and always present cigarette through the campus that he has become familiar with throughout his time as an undergraduate student but this time felt different somehow, as if the days of partying and blowing off classes to hang out along the lawn of the quad was beneath him. He walked hands in pockets, cigarette dangling from his lips through sorority girls getting ready for the upcoming year and athletes practicing before their season has even begun. Walking towards a building he has never seen before he is greeted by the sounds of hip hop and contemporary music coming from sound systems in multiple rooms and further down there is a change to live music and singing. Knowing that he has reached the Arts school, he begins to backtrack and stumbles into a male dancer rushing to a tap class by the sounds of his shoes clacking in his hands.
Mumbling an apology through the cigarette, he moved to the side to let the dancer pass and looked into the classroom behind him. He found the source of the contemporary music and she was incredible. Dressed in a tight black bodysuit and matching black heels she danced to what sounded like Sara Bareilles but in a way that did not match her voice and tempo. She moved quick and slow at the same time, sultry yet sad and as the music was dying down she looked into the hallway and saw the guy who clearly did not belong in the building, because for one thing, it was smoke free.
Lip backed away and began walking down the hall but was surprised to hear a voice call from behind him, "Enjoy the show?" He turned around and let her catch up.
Not even the tiniest bit out of breath after the show she put on for him or the running to catch up to him she said, "You stand there staring but you can't even tell me you liked the show? Seems kind of rude."
Looking at her closely, Lip saw the face that accompanied the body he had just spent what had to be 3 minutes watching. She had to be between 5'3 and 5'5 with icy blue eyes and light blonde hair. She was skinny but not by sorority girl standards, her chest was full on top of a slim stomach and waist but her legs showed her dedication to the sport he had just watched her in. She did not give in or walk away but rather stared at him, willing him to answer.
"It seemed to be the only open space where I wouldn't get in the way of everyone," Lip answered, finally removing the cigarette from his mouth and tucking it into his pocket.
"Out of all the empty door frames in all of the building, you choose mine" she responded with a smile tugging at her lips. He could tell that flirting came easy to her and was not pushy but natural and friendly.
"It was nothing personal, didn't mean to interrupt" Lip said casually.
"Quite the talker aren't you?" she replied with equal tone.
"Yes I enjoyed the show, you should make a career out of it" Lip tried at a joke.
She smiled and began to turn away, "That's the plan, Mouth" she called back.
"It's Lip" he called after her.
"What?" she stopped and turned around, with a look of confusion.
"My name" he said, "it's Lip not Mouth."
"Equally fitting" she winked and turned away again.
"Aren't you going to tell me yours? It seems kind of rude…" he joked back.
"You know what, Mouth? You're kind of funny," she called back one last time and disappeared down the hall.