Keely smiled politely at Phil's English teacher ashe walked out of the classroom, taking it as her cue to enter. Smiling and waving to her old high school classmates, she made her way to where Phil was.

"Hey, Diffy" she said perkily, watching him glare at her "Dana," she added, nodding to the girl Phil was talking to.

Dana gathered her things, "So Phil, see you tomorrow?" she said to Phil, who smiled and nodded "and Keely, I'll see you around" she smiled at Keely and walked away.

"You liiiii-iiike her," Keely sang as she watched Phil watch Dana.

"I don't," He said nonchalantly, as he took the books she'd taken from his desk and shoved them in his bag.

She playfully pushed him out of the classroom and ran after him, skipping, "oh but I think you do"

Phil ignored her comment, "how come you know everyone I know?"

"Well, most of them are my old high school classmates, the others you introduced to me, and the others introduced by those I already know. What, do you think I'm stalking you or something?"

He sighed, "What are you so happy about, anyway?

She twirled around, pulling on the straps of her backpack, "Nothing. It's a good day. Nice. Bright. Sunny. I just… decided I'm going to be happy today"

"What's wrong now?" He stopped and pulled her back to face him

Keely smiled brightly, "nothing, why would anything be wrong?"

He looked intently at her

"Fine" She continued walking, slower this time, waiting for him to follow her. "I talked to the travel agent this morning"

Silence.

She turned around, walking backwards so she could face him. She waited for him to follow, but his feet stayed planted on the ground. "So?"

Still nothing.

She walked back toward him. Close enough to feel his breath on her right before it disappeared in the fresh spring air, but far enough for him not to notice her eyes which were beginning to well up. "Phil, I'm leaving by the end of next month. My flight's been confirmed. My slot at the program, too," she said quietly, trying to hide the shakiness in her voice.

He blinked, and she took another step toward him.

"Well?"

He stepped backward and glanced at his watch, "Listen, I have to go. I… I didn't realize what time it was. I have a Calculus test in an hour. I gotta go hit the lib"

She stared at her shoes, "I- I thought we could have lunch, you know? Talk about… this. Again."

"Uhhh…You can come with me, I'm gonna go study with Jeff. We can grab a bite after"

She shook her head, knowing she wasn't wanted. "No, no it's fine. I'm not in the mood for peace and quiet right now anyway. Just… ace that test, okay?"

He was already halfway through the corridor by then. "Okay. We'll talk about this… later." He yelled, not bothering to look back.

If he had looked back, he would have probably seen her – head down, tears falling. "Later" She whispered.

--

"Hey Keels, where's Phil?" Peter asked, leaning on the door frame as Keely walked out of the Economics classroom.

She shrugged and continued walking, "I don't know"

Peter followed her, walking faster than usual to keep up with her pace, "What do you mean? You have this class together, don't you?"

Keely looked at him, then back to the ground and nodded, clutching her books tighter.

"So? Where is he?"

"I'm really not the best person to ask about Phil lately, you know"

"Keely, in case you haven't noticed, you're Keely. Why the hell not?"

She sighed. "Because we haven't exactly been talking these past two weeks. And by that I mean we're not talking. At all."

"And by that you mean…" He asked, a little surprised, He realized he hasn't seen Phil and Keely together for some time now and recounted the few times Phil told him she was busy when he had asked.

"By that I mean he's ignoring me. Or avoiding me. Or both. Whatever."

"What? Why'd he do that?"

"Beats me," she said as though it didn't matter , but she clutched her books even harder her knuckles were practically white.

"Well, did you try to talk to him?"

"I did. Several times, actually. But I know when I'm not wanted"

Peter heaved a sigh, "does this have to do with you leaving?"

"I take it he told you?"

"Yeah, last week. Dude seemed really down, you know? But you've been so busy we hardly got the chance to talk to you. What're you up to anyway?"

"Nothing. It's just that it's been so hard getting ready for the entire Yale thing and studying for finals and everything, I've barely had two minutes to myself," She said, offering a smile to going along with the excuse Phil had set up for her.

"So?"

"What?

"Look, Keel, I know you and Phil are best friends but if you ever need anyone to talk to, now that you two aren't exactly on speaking terms… You know I'm here for you, right?"

She smiled weakly and nodded.

"And so is everyone else. Phil's being an ass. He'll come around."

She smiled at Peter and hugged him. "Thank you. And I know you guys are here for me."

"And Phil?"

She shook her head. "I gotta go. We'll hang out soon, okay?"

"We better. And don't think you're leaving without a party. Or a night out at least, Miss Teslow"

"Thanks, Pete." She said, and ran off.

--

"Phil!" Mike called out from the back row.

He took a step backward and peeked back into the emptying classroom "what's up?"

"Dude, we barely got to see you these past weeks, now you're jetting off again? It's a Friday, man."

Phil adjusted his backpack. "Look man, I'm sorry. It's just… it's hell week, you know? I have no idea why all the profs wait 'til the week before finals to give us all these projects."

"Huh. Keely said the same thing," he said, "anyway, boys' night in tonight. You gotta come chill with us, alright?"

"Sorry, can't. I was actually already on my way home"

"Keely said that, too," he said, a mischievous grin playing across his face.

Phil ignored him and began walking to the parking lot.

Mike caught up with him, his hands raised in surrender, "dude, if you're totally hooking up this weekend or something now that she's leaving, it's cool"

Phil came to a complete halt and turned back to face Mike. "Okay, no. We are not hooking up. Never in a million years would I hook up with… with Keely," He said, seemingly disgusted at having to say her name. "And I thought you said it was boys' night in?" he asked.

"Chill. It was a joke. And how do you expect to have boys' night without Keely? She's like, an honorary guy" Phil gave him a questioning look but he continued on anyway, "'cept of course she's a girl. She brings the entire female perspective without being, you know, a girl about it? You were the always the one who'd take her with you, don't you remember?"

Phil began to walk again. "No. I mean yes. I mean, I'm not in the mood to talk about her right now. I just… have to go. I'll see you Monday"

--

Mike walked back to the empty classroom to find Peter in there, "so, what'd he say?"

He shrugged, "absolutely nothin'. Said he wasn't in the mood to talk about her", Mike said, imitating Phil's tone.

"What's wrong with the guy? His best friend's leaving next Saturday, and he won't even admit he's upset about it."

"Ahh, you love," he said dreamily. He shrugged it off when he saw Peter's confused look, "so didja get Keely to go?"

Peter sighed and took out his phone, "she said no, but that was probably when she thought our friend jerk-o was going," He looked for her name on his list and called her up. "Keely, you sure you can't come? No – Okay, but he's not-" He sighed "Look, you owe us, okay? You're leaving next Saturday and we've barely seen you. You said we were gonna hang out some time soon? Yeah, but- No. Soon is today. Mike and Jeff's tonight. We're not taking no for an answer"


There. This is a long one... Anyway, I'm off to make some Mac&Cheese. It's fun too eat while reading reviews. Actually, it's just fun to eat, period. But it's so much better while reading reviews hint, double hint. :)