A/n: I know, I know, y'all are about ready to kill me since I took so long, but it really wasn't my fault. I've had to work six days a week these past couple of weeks. This is my first day off in eight days, so give me a break, would you? Let's just say I've been mad busy (not too busy that I haven't seen the new PotF proms!). Anyway, made this chapter a long to make for taking so long so happy reading!
"Amazing"
May 3
Boy have these past couple of weeks been hectic! Why is it that teachers always seem to pile on the homework more towards the end of the year? What with studying, Phil, my music and trying to cram in a few hours of sleep, I have had literally zero free time lately.
This week, especially, was crazy. I was out sick Monday and Tuesday with one of those chest-throat-sinus things; I had, like four tests and an insane amount of homework; and on top of all that, my birthday was yesterday. Needless to say, I didn't have a whole lot of time to spend with Phil.
Wednesday, as I was standing at my locker between classes, I Phil came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist and said, "Hey, gorgeous."
I turned around. "Hey yourself."
"Feeling better?" He asked.
"Much." I said as he let go of me so I could grab my history book.
"So," he said, "what do you want for your birthday?"
I shut my locker and looked at him. "You."
He raised his eyebrows at me. "Me?"
"Phil, we've barely said two words to each other all week. I miss you."
He leaned against the lockers then pulled me close. Smiling, he said, "Well, how about this: on your birthday Saturday night, we'll have a candlelit dinner at that Italian place you love and then go for a long walk on the beach, just the two of us. How does that sound?"
"Oh, Phil," I whispered. "That sounds so romantic."
We started kissing as the bell rang only to interrupted by Mr. Hackett.
"Diffy! Teslow! That was the bell! Quit swapping spit and get to class!"
Phil rolled his eyes at me.
I smiled. "I'll see you at lunch." I kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."
"'Love you too." He said and took off down the hallway.
I managed to get through the next couple of days alive and woke up excited on Saturday morning. I went downstairs and found Mom sitting at the table, drinking coffee.
"Happy seventeenth birthday!" She said as I poured myself a bowl of cereal. "I can't believe my little girl is turning seventeen. It makes me feel so old."
I laughed as I sat down. "So, any plans for your special day?"
"Well, Phil has this big romantic date planned tonight."
"Sounds like the type of thing you might need a new outfit for. What do you say we hit the mall birthday girl?"
"Sounds great, Mom."
I ended up getting a fantastic outfit, among other things, at the mall so by the time Phil showed up, I was more than excited.
When I opened the door, Phil's jaw dropped when he saw me. Just the reaction I was hoping for. "Wow, Keel," he said, "you look absolutely amazing."
"You don't look so bad yourself," I said. And he didn't. In fact, he looked down right hot in his new jeans, navy blue dress shirt (with just the right number of buttons unbuttoned, if you know what I mean) and black blazer.
"Oh, these are for you," he said, handing me a dozen roses.
"Wow, Phil. They're beautiful."
Mom came into the entry way and said, "Hi Phil, don't you look handsome?"
"Thanks," he said, blushing a little.
"Here," she said, taking the roses from me. "I'll find a vase for those. You two have a good time."
"Alright, see you later, Mom."
Dinner was amazing. Not because of the food or atmosphere or anything like that. It was amazing because it was just the two of us holding hands across the table and just being together.
The night just kept getting better. After dinner, we went for a long walk on the beach. We walked along in the sand, my hand in his, talking and laughing and just really our time alone together with no distractions or interruptions.
After we'd walked for awhile, Phil stopped and said. "I almost forgot. I need to give to your birthday present."
"Phil," I said, "you didn't have to get me anything. You already gave me flowers and took me out for a fantastic dinner."
"I know, but this is something I really wanted to do." He pulled a long, thin box out of his pocket and handed it to me.
I opened it. Inside was a necklace with a silver heart dangling from it. Engraved on the heart was Phil and Keely, Past, Present and Future.
Seriously, do I have the sweetest boyfriend in the history of ever or what?
"Do you like it?" He asked.
"I love it, Phil. Here." I handed it to him and turned around so he could put it on for me.
"How could you afford something like this, Phil?" I asked as he clipped the clasp into place.
"Let's just say when you have a sister like Pim, blackmail is a very profitable hobby."
I laughed and turned back around. Phil smiled, pulled me into his arms and said, "Happy birthday, Keel."
I leaned in and kissed him. We stood there kissing with the waves echoing in the background for a long time...until Phil started acting a little weird. He looked at his watch all of a sudden and said, "Well, we'd better get going. It's getting late."
I looked at my own watch. It was only 9:30, early for a Saturday night, but I went along with him anyway. I figured he had something to do or something.
When we got to my front door, Phil said, "Hey, Keel, I think I left my history notebook on your coffee table yesterday. Mind if I come in and grab it?"
"Yeah, no problem."
I didn't really think much about it but what happened next turned what I thought was a great night into a really, really great night.
We went inside to a dark living room and when I flipped on the lights, everyone I know, it seemed like, jumped up and yelled, "SURPRISE!"
I stepped back taking the whole thing in. Mom, the Diffys, Seth, Tia and all my friends from school, neighbors and relatives were all there, grinning from ear to ear.
"Happy birthday, sweetie!" Mom said.
"You did all this, Mom?" I asked, hugging her.
She shook her head. "Nope. It was all Tia and Phil."
"Really?"
"Actually, it was all me," Tia said, "All Phil had to do was keep you busy for a few hours."
"Hey, that's harder than it sounds!" Phil said, with a lopsided grin.
"I don't know why," I said, "you're pretty good at it."
I kissed him, holding onto the lapels of his jacket.
"GET A ROOM ALREADY!" Pim yelled, clearly annoyed.
I let go of Phil, laughing.
"Alright, let's get this party started!" Tia said, then shot a grin in my direction. "That is, if you two can manage to keep your hands off each other."
A few hours later, after a totally rocking party, Phil and I were the only ones left. Well, the only conscious ones, anyway. Mom had long since went to bed, Pim was snoring away in an arm chair, and Tia was sprawled out on the couch asleep. Phil said he'd dragged Pim home with him when he left and I figured Tia had probably planned on staying the night anyway so I threw a blanket over her and left her there.
"So," Phil said as he helped me slide the furniture back into place, "did you have a good birthday?"
"Yeah. I think this was the best birthday I've ever had."
"Really? I thought our trip to Magic Mountain last year was pretty memorable, especially after Seth ate those nine hot dogs and then got sick on Ninja."
I laughed and moved to turn off the stereo as that old Elvis Presely song "Can't Help Falling in Love" came on.
"Hang on," Phil said. He offered me his hand. "May I have this dance."
I smiled. "Of course."
"You know what," Phil said, as we dodged the couch. "I think should be our song."
"I think you're right."
I looked into his eyes and wondered how I ever got lucky enough to fall in love with such a sweet, thoughtful, absolutely amazing guy who loves me back. Life seriously could not get any better.
I let go of Phil's hand in order to wrap my arms around his shoulders and he slid his arms around my waist.
I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes as Phil led me slowly around the living room.
I couldn't help but smile. I may be a uncoordinated spaz who can't do math, but for a few minutes, in Phil's arms, life was perfect.
A/n: Like all good things, this story must come to an end so the next chapter, sadly, is going to be the last. But don't cry just yet, I'm already working on the flip side to "The Teslow Diaries": "Confessions of a 22nd Century Man." Anyway stay tuned for the next, and last chapter "More Than a Feeling."
