Post by poft on Jul 17, 2005 22:52:15 GMT -5
Chapter 3: Just the Same….Only Different
“Alright, nice and slow.”
“Slow. Right, got it.”
School has just ended half an hour ago and the summer heat was beginning to die down. Phil and Keely have been spending the last few days helping Phil with his ‘special’ problem. At first when Phil told her, Keely burst through laughing but quickly regained composure not wanting to hurt his feelings. Of course she agreed to give him a hand. Besides, how hard could it possibly be? It’s like riding a bike, within a few trials and errors; you get the hang of it.
Boy, was that a mistake.
They promised to always be there for each other during good times and especially during the bad, but Keely was seriously eating her words right now. It’s never fun when these things come back and nip you in the butt.
So here they were, at an empty parking lot of an abandon factory. The lot was huge and perfect for the occasion. The only problem was that even after half an hour, they were still sitting just about where they started.
“Okay. Phil,” Keely said tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear, “we’ve been over this…..I even drew pictures. With thought bubbles,” she yelled.
Keely faced him seriously with her eyes wide open while nodding her head.
“Yup, big, swirly thought bubbles.”
“Hey, in my defense, you’re simple boxes looked nothing like this…..this thing we’re in,” Phil complained waving his hand around.
“HEY!” Keely looked at him in shock.
“You just broke rule #5.”
“OH!” Phil exclaimed looking much like a deer caught in headlight.
He quickly placed both hands on the wheel and grasped as if his life depended on it.
“Sorry,” Phil said while keeping his gaze glued ahead.
“Look, let’s just give this another try,” Keely sighed.
“Okay,” Phil said as he stretched his arms and cracked his neck.
“Let do this,” he said confidently.
Keely reached and open the glove compartment where she pulled out a clipboard and a furry pink pen.
“Lets see,” Keely began.
“Seatbelt?”
“Check,” Phil replied as he clicked the belt securely around his body.
“Mirrors?”
Phil glanced at all three mirrors before answering, “Check.”
“Horn?”
Looking around, Phil couldn’t remember where the horn was located.
“Uhh….,” Phil said as his hands felt around the dashboard searching for a horn-shaped button. Oooh, cold, Phil thought as he accidentally turned on the AC instead. But he couldn’t seem find anything that remotely resembled a horn.
“Beep,” Phil said pathetically while giving Keely an embarrassed smile and shrugged his shoulders.
Instead of laughing as he had hoped, Keely only stared at him, squinting her eyes as she gave Phil the ‘eye of shame.’
“Steering wheel,” Keely answered his unspoken question while she continued to pin him down with her unforgiving stare.
“Ha, Gotcha,” Phil replied lamely with a goofy smile on his face.
“Just wanted to make sure you’re on top….”
“Phil,” Keely said with impatience and waited for him to move on.
“Right, check,” Phil smiled as he drew an imaginary check in the air with his index finger.
Keely only blinked rapidly and shook her head as she turned her attention back to the clipboard.
“Okay,……signals?”
So obviously Keely wasn’t in the joking mood but man she didn’t have to be such a…..prude either.
“Check,” Phil said as he clicked his signal lights.
“Emergency lights?”
Phil pressed the triangle symbol next to the radio knob and the head and tail lights blinked slowly.
“Check.”
To be honest, Phil didn’t understand why they had to spend half and hour before every session going through Keely’s check list. There was just no purpose to it and it wasted a lot of time. Not to mention, how boring it was since he now memorized the entire list given how many times they went over it. The future might have been more advanced but living in this century was much more difficult then Phil anticipated.
“Lip-gloss?” Keely’s voice brought Phil back from his little day dream.
“Che…wait…,” Phil stopped what he was doing and eyed Keely like she just grew a second head.
“What?’ He frowned in confusion.
“Lip-gloss,” Keely repeated as she glides the gloss over her lips while looking at the mirror overhead.
“Rule # 31,” she said as she smashed both lips together, finalizing the application, “always look good.”
“How do I look?” Keely asked as she twisted her body facing Phil.
“Wha…uhh….good….but…..,” Phil stammered being caught off guard with Keely’s suddenly strange behavior. What did lip gloss have to do with anything?
“Great,” Keely smiled happily.
“Your turn.”
“WHAT?” Phil exclaimed looking terrified.
“Pucker up,” Keely suggested and placed her palm on Phil’s chin and squashed his cheeks together making him look like a fish.
“…..wa…yohgu…dojg…,” Phil tried to protest but found it very difficult since Keely’s tight grip prevented him from moving his lips. She was sure strong for someone with such skinny arms.
Phil took his hands off the steering wheel and was about to push Keely away. But she gave him an evil glare while still holding onto his cheeks.
“Rule #5!” She reminded him.
Phil looked frantically back and forth between Keely and the steering wheel.
‘..uheeeeee…,” Phil whimpered before placing his hands back on the wheel.
“Now hold still,’ Keely said, not like he had much choice since she was holding on so tightly, his face was beginning to feel numb.
Phil still trying to shake his head free from Keely’s grasp as she began to apply the gloss across his lips giving them a shinny, sparkly glow.
“Done,” Keely proudly announced a she pressed her back against the passenger door admiring her work which just happened to be his face.
“Phil, I have to admit that color does look good on you,” Keely said as she opened up a compact to show Phil just how good the color was on him.
“Keely!” Phil cried as he harshly took the back of his hand and wiped the lip gloss off his face, “are you crazy?”
“….is this….cherry?” Phil asked as his face contorted in disgust.
“I have strawberry…,” Keely offered as she began looking through her purse.
“No, no, no…..no, no…no,” Phil quickly answered and took Keely’s purse and placed it in the back seat, “can we just….get this over with?” Phil asked looking at the windshield.
“Oh, right,” Keely said as she snapped the compact shut and adjusted herself so that she was now facing straight ahead.
“So Phil Diffy are you ready to conquer the wide open road ahead?” Keely asked passionately.
Here she goes; Phil thought as once again he was witnessing Keely ‘in the zone.’
“Yes,” he sighed while rolling his eyes and placed his forehead on the steering wheel.
“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” Keely suddenly yelled still looking ahead and kind of….scary.
“YES!” Phil jerked straight up with eyes wide open looking like a solider during role call.
“Ready to grasp the sweet smell of freedom with your bare hands?” Keely continued more dramatically whipping her head around.
“Yes.”
“LOUDER!” Keely screamed. Geez can’t she just ask nicely like normal people?
“YES!”
“Are you prepared to blast through all restrictions and go further than you’ve ever went before?” Keely was still yelling as she stared at Phil with a hard gaze.
“YES!” Phil answered with both hands tight on the wheel and eyes forward. His heart was beginning to pound loudly in his ears while his palms began to get sweaty and his breathing became labored and harsh as he anticipated the final moment.
“Alright Phil. Let’s show em how to really do this,” Keely replied in a low, raspy voice.
“GO, GO GO!”
YES! Phil thought to himself as he slammed his foot on the pedal and felt the cool breeze slamming against his face. There was just no describing this very moment. The feeling of complete freedom was so amazing that Phil felt as though he was actually flyi…..
“Phil…,” Keely slowly pronounced his name as she sat beside him with her face in her hands.
“YEA?” Phil replied loudly, obviously the little prep talk before got him wayyyy into the moment as he sat there with a big smile on his face staring ahead steering left and right.
“Turn on the engine,”
“…...”
“Oh.”
………………………………………………………………….
“So tell me more about this place we’re going to, the library,” Pim asked while she walked beside Debbie curiously.
She has heard of this building before but never really paid much attention to it since it was mostly filled with weird, nerdy kids. And Phil seemed to like going there and anywhere that Phil went, Pim did not dare follow. God forbid, they might even run into each other…..in public with witnesses.
“You mean you’ve never been in one before?” Debbie stopped walking and stared as Pim looking as if she was about to have a heart attack.
Debbie placed a hand over heart with her mouth hanging out like a fish.
“Pim, you have been deprived. You poor thing,” Debbie said sympathetically.
“You need not worry, for as long as I am here, I promise t…”
“Okay, can we just get the point, I have other things to do,” Pim replied impatiently.
Debbie only smiled and said, “Such an eager learner.”
“Well, the library simply has a book for every occasion,” Debbie answered with passion.
“Star-crossed lovers, to spine-tingly horror along wi….”
“So this ‘library’ will most likely have books on how to construct a solar powered AC system?” Pim asked with her full attention on Debbie.
“Well….I suppose but why...” Before Debbie could finish Pim has already begun to enter the building.
……………………………………………………
“….outfit never really worked for me anyway,” Keely said as she talked to Tia on the phone. She could be seen placing all her stuff animals on the shelves as she got ready for bed. Keely fluffed her pillows and proceeded to place the final objects on the nearby dresser…..her hand lingered on Mr. Potato-head. Phil had given it to her after winning it at last year’s fall carnival. Keely couldn’t help but smile at the memory of him doing his ‘happy-dance’ after making all three shots.
“Keely, you still there?” Tia’s voice could be heard through the phone line.
“Yea, sorry,” Keely replied as she placed all five spuds in a straight line.
“Knock, knock,” someone whispered.
Keely turned around and saw Phil entering her bedroom window. She didn’t exactly remember when it started but Phil had developed a habit of visiting her every other night before going to bed. He would always go through all the trouble of climbing up the large tree out front and then pulled himself to her rooftop. She didn’t understand why he couldn’t just use the front door, not like her mom would mind since Phil practically lived here. She gave him a smile and turned her attention back to Tia.
“Tia, I’m beat. I think I’m going to call it a night,” she said.
“We’ll talk more tomorrow?”
“No, Phil is not here,” Keely laughed.
“Kay, night Tia,” she said and placed the phone back in its socket.
“She says hi and warned you not to keep me up past my bedtime,” Keely said as she sat down on her bed beside Phil who laid on his side flipping through a magazine.
“She has no faith in me,” Phil answered pretending to be hurt still looking at the random pictures.
“Besides, without your beauty sleep…,” Phil let his voice trailed off with a smile in his voice.
“Without my beauty sleep what?” Keely demanded as she placed a couple of pillows against the headboard behind her back.
“Well lets just say you’re a little scary in the early hours,” Phil laughed as he brought his hands up to prevent Keely from hitting his face with the pillow as she continued to whack him with it, commanding that he take back what he said.
“Ouch, ouch. Alright, alright,” Phil said still smiling as he admitted defeat.
“You look great in the morning.”
Keely raised the pillow over her head and looked at Phil waiting for him to finish the sentence.
Phil only rolled his eyes and said, “And you are perfect with or without the effort.”
“And don’t you forget it buster,” she said as she threw the pillow at him smiling.
“Keely…,” her mom’s voice could be heard through the door.
“Yea mom?”
“Who are you talking to? I heard yelling,” Keely’s mom asked.
“Uhh….that was the television, I’ll turn it down,” Keely answered quickly.
“Night mom.”
“Goodnight and get some sleep, you have school tomorrow.”
“Got it.”
Keely reached over and flipped the lamp off. The room was now dark with only stripes of moonlight casting shadows across the bedroom wall. The door could be heard shutting down the hall. Phil and Keely remained quiet until they were sure her mom was back in bed.
Phil was the first to break the silence, “Listen Keel, thanks for helping me earlier and this past week,” he whispered. Keely was still sitting with her back against the headboard, looked down at him as he laid on his back looking up at the ceiling fan watching the shadows come to life.
“Hey, I couldn’t leave you out in the cold,” Keely smiled.
“What would you do without me?” she teased as she gave him a playful shove.
Phil gave a little laugh and turned his gaze up towards her. He was about to respond when suddenly his throat felt extremely dry. Phil could hear the beating of his heart drumming in his ears and the entire population of butterflies seems to have once again migrated into the pit oh his stomach.
The soft light from the moon made Keely looked as if she was…..glowing and her blonde hair shimmered as a gentle breeze entered through the window. Her eyes were so expressive and so alive that it swallowed him whole and he surrendered to her completely. At this moment, Phil wished with all his heart that somehow he could just…….freeze this instant and stay here forever because he was sure that nothing would ever feel as…..right as it did here with her.
There were so many things he wanted to tell her right then, every single emotion and confusion he had been feeling since she came back from New York was beginning to claw their way up his throat. But the moment was so tender and perfect that Phil was afraid if he moved, everything would shatter into pieces, never to be found again.
So he just laid there…… staring into her eyes and hoped that somehow she would be able to see into his soul and realize all he felt for her.
And make everything better again like she always did.
But Keely broke the eye contact suddenly and began to blink rapidly giving him a nervous smile as she dropped her gaze to his shoulder.
“Well…I….uhhh…,” Keely said trying to gather up her thoughts.
“It’s getting late…,” she said hoping he’ll get the point without her having to say it.
Phil jumped off the bed quickly and nervously placed his hands in his pocket.
“Yea so….I should…..go,” Phil said staring at the floor, anywhere but her eyes.
The once beautiful moment was gone and in its place was an awkward feeling as both were confused with what just happened.
Phil turned and placed one leg outside the window.
“Goodnight Keel,” he said and exited her bedroom completely.
“Night Phil,” Keely said softy looking at him as he stood outside her window and gave him a quick smile.
Phil began tip toeing across her roof and climbed onto a large branch. Suddenly Keely popped half her body through the window and whispered loudly, “Phil!”
“Ke…..whoa..,” Phil lost his footing when Keely’s voice sliced through the stillness so loudly. What was the point in whispering if the whole neighborhood could hear? Phil thought as he hung on, holding onto a thin branch. With his luck, the twig would probably snap in tw…..
Just before Phil finished his thought, the branch did in fact break, sending him falling to the ground face first. Luckily, his stomach made contact with a thick branch and broke his fall, knocking the air out of him. Phil laid there with his body curled around the branch like a rug being hung to dry and stared at the ground.
“….ouch….”
“Phil!” Keely once again whispered his name harshly and slowly made her way across the roof and looked down at the back of his head.
“Phil, I’m so sorry.”
“Phil.”
“Are you okay?”
Keely looked at him worriedly. She couldn’t see his face but he wasn’t moving much. Just when she was about to run in and call the ambulance, Phil placed both hands on the branch and pushed himself up. Slowly, he unwrapped himself from the branch and winced in pain with every movement. He scooted until his back made contact with the trunk and sat there looking up at Keely tiredly with leaves and twigs sticking out in his hair.
“oh my gosh.”
“Phil, thank god you’re okay,” Keely breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Did you break anything?”
Phil sat there panting roughly and swallowed loudly.
“No…no….but I think I might be missing some ribs,” Phil answered painfully.
“How many were we suppose to have?” he asked while feeling the side of his stomach.
“Umm…oh gosh…,” Keely looked at him terrified.
“I have no idea.”
“Hang on, let me get our science book,” she said before she jumped back and ran to her room.
“Keel….Keel,” Phil called out to her using all the air he had left in his lungs.
“Yea, Phil?” Keely asked sticking her head over the roof staring at him.
“I was kidding…I’m fine,” Phil tried to give her a reassuring smile.
“See?”
Phil trying to prove to her, started to stand up which caused his back to crack loudly.
“Ohhh, that’s better,” Phil said while standing on the branch ready to jump down.
“So….what did you wanted to say before I almost fell to my death?” Phil half-teased.
Keely looked down at him and smiled slowly realizing that he was officially alright.
“Ummm…just wanted to…,” Keely stammered suddenly she could no longer say what she wanted, “…..uhhh…..I wanted to tell you to…walk home safely.”
Keely gave Phil an innocent smile as he just stared at her in shock.
“Well…I would’ve said drive…but…you know…..you can’t,” she smiled at him and he finally laughed at her shaking his head.
“Thanks Keel, next time you want to wish me a safe trip home, write me a note,” Phil laughed quietly as he jumped and landed on her front lawn.
Suddenly Keely’s front porch lit up as Phil came face to face with Keely’s mother, Ms. Teslow. She came out with a bag of trash in one hand and stared at him waiting for an explanation as to why Phil was standing in her front lawn at midnight looking like he just came out of a dumpster.
“….uhh…Ms. Teslow...,” Phil tried to stall for time as he tried to figure out a believable lie, “….I was just…..well what happened was….”
Phil started to laugh nervously and scratched the back of his head only to pull out some leaves which he quickly drops to the ground.
“It’s really kinda funny when you think of it…..,” Geez, this was why he rarely lied to people, he was horrible at it.
“Do you mind taking the trash for me Phil on your way out?” Ms. Teslow asked him calmly as if nothing happened.
“You mean….these bags?” Phil asked pointing to the bag in her arm. He was completely confused at what was happening.
“….umm…sure…no problem…,”
“Thank you,” Ms. Teslow gave him a kind smile as she handed him the trash.
“Goodnight Phil.”
She stepped inside and began to close the door.
“Oh and Phil?”
Here it comes, he thought to himself. She’s really going to give it to me now. Phil prepared himself for the lecture that’s about to take place.
“Yes Ms. Teslow?”
“Next time, just use the front door,” she told him as she laughed and shut the door. Within a few minutes the porch light turned off, leaving Phil standing there with a trash bag in hand looking completely lost.
“Front door. Right,” Phil said to himself as he began walking down the driveway placing the garbage bags in the trash.
Slowly he limped his way down the street and gave a final glance at Keely’s window, only to find that she had been looking at him the whole time. Phil smiled at her and waved his goodbye and began walking home. When he looked back again, Keely was gone and her light was once again off.
Phil walked down the path that he knew by heart since he always found himself passing Keely’s house every time he took a walk. Maybe that was just his protective instinct telling him to check up on her or maybe it was because he really wanted to see her. Either way, Phil always left with smile on his face.
Whatever that was happening between them, Phil was sure they’ll figure it out. After all, they were best friends, what could possibly change that?
As Phil disappeared around the corner, Keely could be seen still looking at him through her bedroom window.
“So, this is what falling in love feels like,” Keely said hugging Mr. Potato close.
..............e.n.d.c.h.a.p.t.e.r.3.............
“Alright, nice and slow.”
“Slow. Right, got it.”
School has just ended half an hour ago and the summer heat was beginning to die down. Phil and Keely have been spending the last few days helping Phil with his ‘special’ problem. At first when Phil told her, Keely burst through laughing but quickly regained composure not wanting to hurt his feelings. Of course she agreed to give him a hand. Besides, how hard could it possibly be? It’s like riding a bike, within a few trials and errors; you get the hang of it.
Boy, was that a mistake.
They promised to always be there for each other during good times and especially during the bad, but Keely was seriously eating her words right now. It’s never fun when these things come back and nip you in the butt.
So here they were, at an empty parking lot of an abandon factory. The lot was huge and perfect for the occasion. The only problem was that even after half an hour, they were still sitting just about where they started.
“Okay. Phil,” Keely said tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear, “we’ve been over this…..I even drew pictures. With thought bubbles,” she yelled.
Keely faced him seriously with her eyes wide open while nodding her head.
“Yup, big, swirly thought bubbles.”
“Hey, in my defense, you’re simple boxes looked nothing like this…..this thing we’re in,” Phil complained waving his hand around.
“HEY!” Keely looked at him in shock.
“You just broke rule #5.”
“OH!” Phil exclaimed looking much like a deer caught in headlight.
He quickly placed both hands on the wheel and grasped as if his life depended on it.
“Sorry,” Phil said while keeping his gaze glued ahead.
“Look, let’s just give this another try,” Keely sighed.
“Okay,” Phil said as he stretched his arms and cracked his neck.
“Let do this,” he said confidently.
Keely reached and open the glove compartment where she pulled out a clipboard and a furry pink pen.
“Lets see,” Keely began.
“Seatbelt?”
“Check,” Phil replied as he clicked the belt securely around his body.
“Mirrors?”
Phil glanced at all three mirrors before answering, “Check.”
“Horn?”
Looking around, Phil couldn’t remember where the horn was located.
“Uhh….,” Phil said as his hands felt around the dashboard searching for a horn-shaped button. Oooh, cold, Phil thought as he accidentally turned on the AC instead. But he couldn’t seem find anything that remotely resembled a horn.
“Beep,” Phil said pathetically while giving Keely an embarrassed smile and shrugged his shoulders.
Instead of laughing as he had hoped, Keely only stared at him, squinting her eyes as she gave Phil the ‘eye of shame.’
“Steering wheel,” Keely answered his unspoken question while she continued to pin him down with her unforgiving stare.
“Ha, Gotcha,” Phil replied lamely with a goofy smile on his face.
“Just wanted to make sure you’re on top….”
“Phil,” Keely said with impatience and waited for him to move on.
“Right, check,” Phil smiled as he drew an imaginary check in the air with his index finger.
Keely only blinked rapidly and shook her head as she turned her attention back to the clipboard.
“Okay,……signals?”
So obviously Keely wasn’t in the joking mood but man she didn’t have to be such a…..prude either.
“Check,” Phil said as he clicked his signal lights.
“Emergency lights?”
Phil pressed the triangle symbol next to the radio knob and the head and tail lights blinked slowly.
“Check.”
To be honest, Phil didn’t understand why they had to spend half and hour before every session going through Keely’s check list. There was just no purpose to it and it wasted a lot of time. Not to mention, how boring it was since he now memorized the entire list given how many times they went over it. The future might have been more advanced but living in this century was much more difficult then Phil anticipated.
“Lip-gloss?” Keely’s voice brought Phil back from his little day dream.
“Che…wait…,” Phil stopped what he was doing and eyed Keely like she just grew a second head.
“What?’ He frowned in confusion.
“Lip-gloss,” Keely repeated as she glides the gloss over her lips while looking at the mirror overhead.
“Rule # 31,” she said as she smashed both lips together, finalizing the application, “always look good.”
“How do I look?” Keely asked as she twisted her body facing Phil.
“Wha…uhh….good….but…..,” Phil stammered being caught off guard with Keely’s suddenly strange behavior. What did lip gloss have to do with anything?
“Great,” Keely smiled happily.
“Your turn.”
“WHAT?” Phil exclaimed looking terrified.
“Pucker up,” Keely suggested and placed her palm on Phil’s chin and squashed his cheeks together making him look like a fish.
“…..wa…yohgu…dojg…,” Phil tried to protest but found it very difficult since Keely’s tight grip prevented him from moving his lips. She was sure strong for someone with such skinny arms.
Phil took his hands off the steering wheel and was about to push Keely away. But she gave him an evil glare while still holding onto his cheeks.
“Rule #5!” She reminded him.
Phil looked frantically back and forth between Keely and the steering wheel.
‘..uheeeeee…,” Phil whimpered before placing his hands back on the wheel.
“Now hold still,’ Keely said, not like he had much choice since she was holding on so tightly, his face was beginning to feel numb.
Phil still trying to shake his head free from Keely’s grasp as she began to apply the gloss across his lips giving them a shinny, sparkly glow.
“Done,” Keely proudly announced a she pressed her back against the passenger door admiring her work which just happened to be his face.
“Phil, I have to admit that color does look good on you,” Keely said as she opened up a compact to show Phil just how good the color was on him.
“Keely!” Phil cried as he harshly took the back of his hand and wiped the lip gloss off his face, “are you crazy?”
“….is this….cherry?” Phil asked as his face contorted in disgust.
“I have strawberry…,” Keely offered as she began looking through her purse.
“No, no, no…..no, no…no,” Phil quickly answered and took Keely’s purse and placed it in the back seat, “can we just….get this over with?” Phil asked looking at the windshield.
“Oh, right,” Keely said as she snapped the compact shut and adjusted herself so that she was now facing straight ahead.
“So Phil Diffy are you ready to conquer the wide open road ahead?” Keely asked passionately.
Here she goes; Phil thought as once again he was witnessing Keely ‘in the zone.’
“Yes,” he sighed while rolling his eyes and placed his forehead on the steering wheel.
“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” Keely suddenly yelled still looking ahead and kind of….scary.
“YES!” Phil jerked straight up with eyes wide open looking like a solider during role call.
“Ready to grasp the sweet smell of freedom with your bare hands?” Keely continued more dramatically whipping her head around.
“Yes.”
“LOUDER!” Keely screamed. Geez can’t she just ask nicely like normal people?
“YES!”
“Are you prepared to blast through all restrictions and go further than you’ve ever went before?” Keely was still yelling as she stared at Phil with a hard gaze.
“YES!” Phil answered with both hands tight on the wheel and eyes forward. His heart was beginning to pound loudly in his ears while his palms began to get sweaty and his breathing became labored and harsh as he anticipated the final moment.
“Alright Phil. Let’s show em how to really do this,” Keely replied in a low, raspy voice.
“GO, GO GO!”
YES! Phil thought to himself as he slammed his foot on the pedal and felt the cool breeze slamming against his face. There was just no describing this very moment. The feeling of complete freedom was so amazing that Phil felt as though he was actually flyi…..
“Phil…,” Keely slowly pronounced his name as she sat beside him with her face in her hands.
“YEA?” Phil replied loudly, obviously the little prep talk before got him wayyyy into the moment as he sat there with a big smile on his face staring ahead steering left and right.
“Turn on the engine,”
“…...”
“Oh.”
………………………………………………………………….
“So tell me more about this place we’re going to, the library,” Pim asked while she walked beside Debbie curiously.
She has heard of this building before but never really paid much attention to it since it was mostly filled with weird, nerdy kids. And Phil seemed to like going there and anywhere that Phil went, Pim did not dare follow. God forbid, they might even run into each other…..in public with witnesses.
“You mean you’ve never been in one before?” Debbie stopped walking and stared as Pim looking as if she was about to have a heart attack.
Debbie placed a hand over heart with her mouth hanging out like a fish.
“Pim, you have been deprived. You poor thing,” Debbie said sympathetically.
“You need not worry, for as long as I am here, I promise t…”
“Okay, can we just get the point, I have other things to do,” Pim replied impatiently.
Debbie only smiled and said, “Such an eager learner.”
“Well, the library simply has a book for every occasion,” Debbie answered with passion.
“Star-crossed lovers, to spine-tingly horror along wi….”
“So this ‘library’ will most likely have books on how to construct a solar powered AC system?” Pim asked with her full attention on Debbie.
“Well….I suppose but why...” Before Debbie could finish Pim has already begun to enter the building.
……………………………………………………
“….outfit never really worked for me anyway,” Keely said as she talked to Tia on the phone. She could be seen placing all her stuff animals on the shelves as she got ready for bed. Keely fluffed her pillows and proceeded to place the final objects on the nearby dresser…..her hand lingered on Mr. Potato-head. Phil had given it to her after winning it at last year’s fall carnival. Keely couldn’t help but smile at the memory of him doing his ‘happy-dance’ after making all three shots.
“Keely, you still there?” Tia’s voice could be heard through the phone line.
“Yea, sorry,” Keely replied as she placed all five spuds in a straight line.
“Knock, knock,” someone whispered.
Keely turned around and saw Phil entering her bedroom window. She didn’t exactly remember when it started but Phil had developed a habit of visiting her every other night before going to bed. He would always go through all the trouble of climbing up the large tree out front and then pulled himself to her rooftop. She didn’t understand why he couldn’t just use the front door, not like her mom would mind since Phil practically lived here. She gave him a smile and turned her attention back to Tia.
“Tia, I’m beat. I think I’m going to call it a night,” she said.
“We’ll talk more tomorrow?”
“No, Phil is not here,” Keely laughed.
“Kay, night Tia,” she said and placed the phone back in its socket.
“She says hi and warned you not to keep me up past my bedtime,” Keely said as she sat down on her bed beside Phil who laid on his side flipping through a magazine.
“She has no faith in me,” Phil answered pretending to be hurt still looking at the random pictures.
“Besides, without your beauty sleep…,” Phil let his voice trailed off with a smile in his voice.
“Without my beauty sleep what?” Keely demanded as she placed a couple of pillows against the headboard behind her back.
“Well lets just say you’re a little scary in the early hours,” Phil laughed as he brought his hands up to prevent Keely from hitting his face with the pillow as she continued to whack him with it, commanding that he take back what he said.
“Ouch, ouch. Alright, alright,” Phil said still smiling as he admitted defeat.
“You look great in the morning.”
Keely raised the pillow over her head and looked at Phil waiting for him to finish the sentence.
Phil only rolled his eyes and said, “And you are perfect with or without the effort.”
“And don’t you forget it buster,” she said as she threw the pillow at him smiling.
“Keely…,” her mom’s voice could be heard through the door.
“Yea mom?”
“Who are you talking to? I heard yelling,” Keely’s mom asked.
“Uhh….that was the television, I’ll turn it down,” Keely answered quickly.
“Night mom.”
“Goodnight and get some sleep, you have school tomorrow.”
“Got it.”
Keely reached over and flipped the lamp off. The room was now dark with only stripes of moonlight casting shadows across the bedroom wall. The door could be heard shutting down the hall. Phil and Keely remained quiet until they were sure her mom was back in bed.
Phil was the first to break the silence, “Listen Keel, thanks for helping me earlier and this past week,” he whispered. Keely was still sitting with her back against the headboard, looked down at him as he laid on his back looking up at the ceiling fan watching the shadows come to life.
“Hey, I couldn’t leave you out in the cold,” Keely smiled.
“What would you do without me?” she teased as she gave him a playful shove.
Phil gave a little laugh and turned his gaze up towards her. He was about to respond when suddenly his throat felt extremely dry. Phil could hear the beating of his heart drumming in his ears and the entire population of butterflies seems to have once again migrated into the pit oh his stomach.
The soft light from the moon made Keely looked as if she was…..glowing and her blonde hair shimmered as a gentle breeze entered through the window. Her eyes were so expressive and so alive that it swallowed him whole and he surrendered to her completely. At this moment, Phil wished with all his heart that somehow he could just…….freeze this instant and stay here forever because he was sure that nothing would ever feel as…..right as it did here with her.
There were so many things he wanted to tell her right then, every single emotion and confusion he had been feeling since she came back from New York was beginning to claw their way up his throat. But the moment was so tender and perfect that Phil was afraid if he moved, everything would shatter into pieces, never to be found again.
So he just laid there…… staring into her eyes and hoped that somehow she would be able to see into his soul and realize all he felt for her.
And make everything better again like she always did.
But Keely broke the eye contact suddenly and began to blink rapidly giving him a nervous smile as she dropped her gaze to his shoulder.
“Well…I….uhhh…,” Keely said trying to gather up her thoughts.
“It’s getting late…,” she said hoping he’ll get the point without her having to say it.
Phil jumped off the bed quickly and nervously placed his hands in his pocket.
“Yea so….I should…..go,” Phil said staring at the floor, anywhere but her eyes.
The once beautiful moment was gone and in its place was an awkward feeling as both were confused with what just happened.
Phil turned and placed one leg outside the window.
“Goodnight Keel,” he said and exited her bedroom completely.
“Night Phil,” Keely said softy looking at him as he stood outside her window and gave him a quick smile.
Phil began tip toeing across her roof and climbed onto a large branch. Suddenly Keely popped half her body through the window and whispered loudly, “Phil!”
“Ke…..whoa..,” Phil lost his footing when Keely’s voice sliced through the stillness so loudly. What was the point in whispering if the whole neighborhood could hear? Phil thought as he hung on, holding onto a thin branch. With his luck, the twig would probably snap in tw…..
Just before Phil finished his thought, the branch did in fact break, sending him falling to the ground face first. Luckily, his stomach made contact with a thick branch and broke his fall, knocking the air out of him. Phil laid there with his body curled around the branch like a rug being hung to dry and stared at the ground.
“….ouch….”
“Phil!” Keely once again whispered his name harshly and slowly made her way across the roof and looked down at the back of his head.
“Phil, I’m so sorry.”
“Phil.”
“Are you okay?”
Keely looked at him worriedly. She couldn’t see his face but he wasn’t moving much. Just when she was about to run in and call the ambulance, Phil placed both hands on the branch and pushed himself up. Slowly, he unwrapped himself from the branch and winced in pain with every movement. He scooted until his back made contact with the trunk and sat there looking up at Keely tiredly with leaves and twigs sticking out in his hair.
“oh my gosh.”
“Phil, thank god you’re okay,” Keely breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Did you break anything?”
Phil sat there panting roughly and swallowed loudly.
“No…no….but I think I might be missing some ribs,” Phil answered painfully.
“How many were we suppose to have?” he asked while feeling the side of his stomach.
“Umm…oh gosh…,” Keely looked at him terrified.
“I have no idea.”
“Hang on, let me get our science book,” she said before she jumped back and ran to her room.
“Keel….Keel,” Phil called out to her using all the air he had left in his lungs.
“Yea, Phil?” Keely asked sticking her head over the roof staring at him.
“I was kidding…I’m fine,” Phil tried to give her a reassuring smile.
“See?”
Phil trying to prove to her, started to stand up which caused his back to crack loudly.
“Ohhh, that’s better,” Phil said while standing on the branch ready to jump down.
“So….what did you wanted to say before I almost fell to my death?” Phil half-teased.
Keely looked down at him and smiled slowly realizing that he was officially alright.
“Ummm…just wanted to…,” Keely stammered suddenly she could no longer say what she wanted, “…..uhhh…..I wanted to tell you to…walk home safely.”
Keely gave Phil an innocent smile as he just stared at her in shock.
“Well…I would’ve said drive…but…you know…..you can’t,” she smiled at him and he finally laughed at her shaking his head.
“Thanks Keel, next time you want to wish me a safe trip home, write me a note,” Phil laughed quietly as he jumped and landed on her front lawn.
Suddenly Keely’s front porch lit up as Phil came face to face with Keely’s mother, Ms. Teslow. She came out with a bag of trash in one hand and stared at him waiting for an explanation as to why Phil was standing in her front lawn at midnight looking like he just came out of a dumpster.
“….uhh…Ms. Teslow...,” Phil tried to stall for time as he tried to figure out a believable lie, “….I was just…..well what happened was….”
Phil started to laugh nervously and scratched the back of his head only to pull out some leaves which he quickly drops to the ground.
“It’s really kinda funny when you think of it…..,” Geez, this was why he rarely lied to people, he was horrible at it.
“Do you mind taking the trash for me Phil on your way out?” Ms. Teslow asked him calmly as if nothing happened.
“You mean….these bags?” Phil asked pointing to the bag in her arm. He was completely confused at what was happening.
“….umm…sure…no problem…,”
“Thank you,” Ms. Teslow gave him a kind smile as she handed him the trash.
“Goodnight Phil.”
She stepped inside and began to close the door.
“Oh and Phil?”
Here it comes, he thought to himself. She’s really going to give it to me now. Phil prepared himself for the lecture that’s about to take place.
“Yes Ms. Teslow?”
“Next time, just use the front door,” she told him as she laughed and shut the door. Within a few minutes the porch light turned off, leaving Phil standing there with a trash bag in hand looking completely lost.
“Front door. Right,” Phil said to himself as he began walking down the driveway placing the garbage bags in the trash.
Slowly he limped his way down the street and gave a final glance at Keely’s window, only to find that she had been looking at him the whole time. Phil smiled at her and waved his goodbye and began walking home. When he looked back again, Keely was gone and her light was once again off.
Phil walked down the path that he knew by heart since he always found himself passing Keely’s house every time he took a walk. Maybe that was just his protective instinct telling him to check up on her or maybe it was because he really wanted to see her. Either way, Phil always left with smile on his face.
Whatever that was happening between them, Phil was sure they’ll figure it out. After all, they were best friends, what could possibly change that?
As Phil disappeared around the corner, Keely could be seen still looking at him through her bedroom window.
“So, this is what falling in love feels like,” Keely said hugging Mr. Potato close.
..............e.n.d.c.h.a.p.t.e.r.3.............