Disclaimer: I don't own POTF or the song "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
Keely gasped as they watched the future. "In the future, I'm wearing a wedding ring." "What?" Phil swallowed, preparing himself for what was to come. "Well...I guess you want to...look it up and see who's the lucky man, huh?" He looked uncomfortable. "Nope." Keely didn't look quite as affected. "I'll wait for the surprise..." Phil joked with her a little bit, out of shock. "I've got to go. See you later, Phil." She said and walked out. Phil bit his lip. "Do I really want to see who the lucky man is?" He mumbled. He took a deep breath and turned the giggle back on...
Phil took a deep breath and put the giggle on. He didn't know what he was going to see. Deep down he was hoping the man she was going to marry was him. But he was going to be daring and look. "Search Keely Teslow's wedding." Phil said tensely. It zoomed through random images of Keely, graduating high school, going to college, being a news reporter. It stopped. A 25-year-old Keely was in a white wedding gown, walking down the aisle of a church. "She looks beautiful." Phil murmured. She walked to the front of the church, where a minister was standing. In front of the minister was a man in a tuxedo. He was turned around, so you couldn't see his face. The mysterious man turned to face Keely. To Phil's surprise, the man was...Tanner!
After seeing the horrifying sight of Tanner and Keely standing at the aisle, Phil couldn't take it. He slammed the giggle down and held his head in his hands. He thought he was going to scream. "Damn it...Keel...how can you do this..." Phil muttered, trying to control the level of his voice. He ran out into the hall, where Keely was still walking. Trying to hold back tears, he brushed past her. She could tell something was wrong. "Phil...what's wrong?" She called after him. He didn't stop. He just kept running. He ran all the way home.
Phil burst though the front door. "What the heck was that?" Mrs. Diffy said to herself. "Phil...is that you?" she yelled from the kitchen. "Yeah mom...I'm going to my room!" came the response. She heard loud footsteps going up stairs then the slam of a door. Mrs. Diffy turned to Mr. Diffy. "Lloyd...I don't know what's gotten into that boy. One day he's happy as a clam then he comes in slamming doors and not talking to anyone." She sighed. "Honey, he's a growing boy." Mr. Diffy put a comforting arm around her. "He's just going through a phase. Being here in the past hasn't been the easiest thing for Phil. Just let him have his time. Okay?" "All right." Mrs. Diffy smiled and got back to doing the dishes.
Meanwhile Phil jumped face-down on his bed. His thoughts and emotions were all messed up. Why am I so upset? He thought.
I'm not supposed to be thinking like this. Keel's my friend. I should be happy for her. Tanner's an okay guy and...ugh.
Phil needed to clear his head. He picked up his guitar and strummed a few chords. Playing was the only thing that cleared his head.
I walk a lonely road The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes But it's home to me and I walk alone
I walk this empty street On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps and I'm the only one and I walk alone...
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" seemed to calm him a little bit, even though it wasn't really relevant to his problem. It was slow and melancholy, to match his mood. He was about to play another verse when his phone rang. It was Keely. "Phil, are you okay? You seemed upset when you left school." He gathered himself. "No, I'm okay. I just...uh...remembered something and I had to leave." He lied. "Oh. Okay. You just left so fast that-" "Yeah I'm fine." He cut her off.
Keely talked to him for a while, but Phil seemed distant and strange. After the conversation she wondered what was wrong with him.
What happened after I left? It must have been the giggle! But he doesn't like me that way. But I wish he would like me like that...No, Teslow. He's your friend. Maybe something happened at home. But I can't help thinking...who did I marry in the future?
She stared at the ceiling. Wondering. Deep inside she hoped it was Phil. But didn't want to admit it to herself. Since he wasn't going to talk to Keely on the phone, she was going to get him to admit what his problem was in person. Keely got up and headed to the Diffy house.