"Bout time you got up," Lloyd said to Pim as she was coming down the stairs. "Today's your first day of summer school."

"Like you needed to remind me," Pim said.

"Hey, it's only for three hours a day, for the month of July," Barb said. "Pass the end of the month exam, and you'll have August free."

"Anyway, another thing, Fourth of July is coming up next week," Lloyd said. "Phil, is Tia's family having their Fourth of July party this year"?

"No, she's going away to visit her grandparents in Colorado for the week," Phil said. "But we can have our own party."

"We could do that," Barb said. "We just need to buy a grill and learn how to use it."

"Oh, no," Pim said. "You're not going to attempt to cook something 21st century style again, are you"?

"She's not," Lloyd said. "I am."

"Great," Pim said. "I'll have the fire extinguishers ready." With that she headed off to school.

"Well, we're headed off to work," Barb said to Phil. "If you go anywhere, don't lock your sister out."

"Don't worry, I will," Phil said. Barb gave him a Look.

"Okay, I won't," Phil said.

"Good," Barb said. "If you could, run down to the grocery store later on and pick up these things." She gave Phil a grocery list and he took it.

"Sure, I will," Phil said. "See you later." His parents left and Phil walked over to Keely's.

Keely had been with her dad and sister for only a week, and they were already driving her up the wall. Her dad was asking about every detail of her life, and her sister was bragging on and on about how great New York City was. Her mom hadn't been around a lot. She'd been putting in a lot of overtime at work, lately. Keely figured her mom didn't like the idea of her dad staying in the same house as her. Her mom only arranged the visit so Keely could see her dad and sister without having to fly across the country. Keely got a break from their constant blabbering when the doorbell rang. She answered it and saw Phil there.

"Phil, hey, what's going on"? she asked him.

"Just home alone all morning, not much to do" Phil said. "How's the family reunion going"?

"Boring," Keely said. "They do nothing but blabber. My dad asks too many questions, and my sister blabbers on and on about New York."

"Well, whenever you get bored, come on over," Phil said.

"Sure, I will later," Keely said. "My dad wants us all to go to Friendly's for lunch, first."

"Okay, see you later then," Phil said.

"Yup, later," Keely said and closed the door.

Pim arrived at summer school to see that Mr. Hackett was the teacher.

"Come on in, Pim," he said. "You're just in time." She took a seat and moments later, Candida, leader of the fashion zombies, walked in and sat down in the seat next to her.

"What the heck are you doing here"? Pim asked her.

"I'm in lame-o summer school, what's it look like," she said. "And if you tell ANY of my friends about it, I will personally torture you. Or I might just torture you anyway."

"Welcome to the interesting world of science," Mr. Hackett said. "Be prepared to work, work, work, if you want to pass the end of the month exam. We'll start from the beginning of the book, so open up to page one." They all opened their books and notebooks to take notes. 'This is going to be a looong month,' Pim thought.

Phil walked down to the grocery store to get the things on his mom's grocery list. He saw a Help Wanted sign on the window.

'Maybe I can work here,' he thought. 'I am a little short on the cash, and Keely's birthday is coming up next month. I want to get her something nice.' He walked into the store, got the items, and waited in line. It seemed like forever until he finally got up to check out.

"Sorry about the wait," the cashier said to Phil. "We're a little shorthanded since we had to let go of a few of our workers a couple of weeks ago."

"That's okay," Phil said. "Hey, I saw your Help Wanted sign on the window. Any way I can apply for a job here"?

"Well, yes," the cashier said. "That would be great! The manager is on lunch now, but he'll be done soon. Can you come back in about a half hour to talk to him"?

"Sure, I'll be back then, thanks" Phil said and started to walk home with the bag of groceries.

Pim was overjoyed to get out of summer school in three hours. Not so overjoyed when Debbie Berwick saw her and followed her home. She was trying to get Pim to help in her summer volunteer program at the Pickford County Nursing Home.

"For the last time, Berwick, stop bugging me about charity," Pim said to her once she reached her house. "Go find some other sucker to do this stuff with you."

"But it's for a really good cause," Debbie said enthusiastically.

"I don't care," Pim said. "Now I'm home now, so you go home, too." She slammed the door and walked inside.

"Hey, there's nobody home," Pim said to herself when she stepped into the kitchen. "I've got the whole house to myself. I can bust up stuff."

Phil walked into the house moments later with the groceries. He saw Pim walking around with a hammer.

"What do you think you're doing with that hammer"? Phil asked her.

"Busting stuff," Pim said. "What do you think you're doing"?

"Been to the grocery store like Mom asked," Phil said. "And she asked you to paint the garage door, not bust up the house. Give me that hammer." Phil grabbed the hammer from her.

"Oh, please," Pim said. "Do you know how many times that door has been painted? If Mom's not happy with it now, she'll never be. I'd rather spend my time doing something useful."

"Oh, yeah, useful as in tearing up the house," Phil said. "And why do you have the AC on so high? You're just wasting electricity." Phil walked over and turned the unit down.

"Like I care," Pim said.

"Oh, you'll care if Mom makes you start paying the electric bill around here," Phil said. "Anyway, I'm out. Put these groceries away. And I better not see fish on the garage door when I get back." Phil then left to go back to the grocery store.

Keely, her dad, and Rebecca were at Friendly's waiting to order. The waitress finally came over to take their order. After ordering, Keely's dad went off to the bathroom, and Rebecca brought up something to Keely.

"Hey, Keely, that guy you've been telling me about, Phil was his name," Rebecca started. "Do you, well, like him"?

"Why does everyone think that"? Keely asked. "My friend Tia thinks that, my friend Seth, who's super slow, also thinks that. And now you, who I've only seen for a week, thinks I like Phil."
"Well, I think you do just because of the way you talk about him," Rebecca said. "And the fact that there's pictures of you guys all over your room. But you don't like him as more than a friend, then"?

"Well, actually, I do," Keely said, then thought, 'Did I just say that out loud to one of the world's biggest talkers'? "But you better not tell ANYONE about it," Keely said to Rebecca.

"Tell anyone what"? Keely's dad asked, coming back.

"Oh, nothing," Keely said. "Let's eat."

After talking to the boss and filling out a bunch of paperwork, Phil had gotten the job at the grocery store. He could start the next day as long as he got some forms signed by his parents. He walked back home to see that the fish were gone from the garage door, but a big grizzly bear was painted on there in their place.

"Pim, get that thing off the door," Phil said to Pim as he walked in. "Some little kid will walk by and have the living daylights scared out of them."
"Great, now you get my point of putting it there," Pim said.

"Take it off now," Phil said, then they heard a scream from the front yard.

"AAAAHHHHH"! someone yelled from outside. The kids ran out to see that Lloyd, Barb, and Curtis were home. Curtis was banging at the grizzly bear on the garage door, apparently thinking it was real and trying to fight it.

"Curtis, back away from the door," Lloyd said. "Phil, change the door." Phil zapped the door painter gadget, and an American flag picture came up.

"Perfect for the Fourth of July," Barb said. Phil left it and went inside to e-mail his friends about the party.

E-mail-

From: pdiffy07

To: xokeelyxo; fashiondramaqueen07; algebrabrain07

Subject: July 4th

Hey guys, what's up? Just wanted to let you guys know that my family's having a 4th of July party at my house on Saturday, and ya'll are invited. Come over whenever you feel like it (but not early like 5AM cause no one will be up). Tia, I know you won't be in town, so have fun on vacation in Colorado. See ya'll later!

PS: I got a job at the grocery store today. Now I won't be broke!

End E-mail

(A/N: Sorry for taking all week to update. It took a while to do this chapter, and I was reading this book that gave me some inspiration on how to work the Phil/Keely stuff later on. Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will have their 4th of July party. Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming:-))