A/n: I can hear y'all now: "What? An update? I must be dreaming!" Nope, it's real. Believe it or not, I am still alive...sort of...we'll see when this semester is finally over. Sorry for the slowness. All my writing efforts the previous few weeks have had to go to various final projects for school. But enough about that, y'all have waited too long already.

"Lost in You"

May 3

Sometimes I wish I could just stop time, even if only for a few minutes, just to take time to relax with no pressure. Especially the last couple of weeks, which have been particularly hectic. I've had almost no time to spend with Keely. I mean, I see her at school and we hang out and do our homework together and whatever but we haven't had any time to just be together, just the two of us, without having to worry anything. Finally, after a couple of entirely too busy weeks, Keely and I finally got some quality alone time last night on her birthday-thanks to Tia of all people.

Monday and Tuesday Keely was out sick and when I took her her homework on Monday afternoon she wouldn't let me kiss her because she didn't want me to get sick too. Do I have the sweetest girlfriend ever or what?

Anyway, Tuesday at lunch Tia found me at my locker. "Phil, I want to throw I surprise party for Keely on her birthday on Saturday."

"Great," I said, "She'll love that."

"I know, but I need your help."

"Sure what do you want me to do?"

"I need you to keep her busy for a few hours while I set up decorations and get everyone organized."

"Uh, sure, Tia, but what exactly do you want me to do to keep her busy?"

"Phil, she's your girlfriend and it's her birthday. I'm sure you'll think of something." She shot me sly grin as she started off down the hall.

As it turns out, Tia was right. I did think of something. By the time I saw Keely on Wednesday, I had it all planned out.

I found her at her locker between classes and wrapped my arms around her saying, "Hey gorgeous."

She turned around. "Hey yourself."

"Feeling better?" I asked.

"Much." She gave me a smile and let go of her so she could finish collecting her books.

"So, what do you want for your birthday?"

She shut her locker and looked at me. "You."

That was not what I was expecting. "Me?"

"Phil, we've barley said two words to each other all week. I miss you."

I smiled. She missed me just as much as I had been missing her recently. It seemed like a good time to tell her my plan. I pulled her into my arms again and lowered my voice. "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?"

"Phil, that sounds so romantic," she whispered. Just the reaction I was hoping for. She leaned in and we shared a long kiss until Hackett came down the hall and shouted, "Diffy! Teslow! That was the bell! Quit swapping spit and get to class!"

I rolled my eyes at Keely and she smiled back and said, "I'll see you at lunch." She kissed me on the cheek. "I love you."

"'Love you too," I replied and headed off towards my math class.

Even though I had figured out what to do on Keely's birthday, I still had one problem left to solve: what to get her.

I was busy contemplating this problem on Wednesday afternoon by laying on the couch staring up at the ceiling. I'd been laying there a good half an hour when Mom came into the living. "I don't think living room ceilings are interactive in this century, sweetie," she said after surveying my current state.

"Very funny, Mom. I have a bit of a problem."

"This wouldn't happen to be a Keely-related problem, would it?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Let's just call it mother's intuition. So, how mad at you is she this time?"

"She's not mad at me."

"OK, how mad is she going to be?"

I laughed and threw a pillow at her. "Mom! It's not that kind of problem. I just can't figure out what to get her for her birthday."

"You've never had a trouble with that before."

"I know but this year's a little different. I mean, she's my girlfriend now."

A look of realization crossed Mom's face. "Ah, you want to make sure you get her something special."

"Yeah."

"You're making this harder than it has to be, Phil. Keely loves you, she'll be happy no matter what you get her."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Yup. Just get her something that shows how you feel."

"I think I can handle that."

"Just don't do what your father did to me last year and get her the 'Best of Geraldo Rivera' DVD box set. That's a horrible birthday present no matter what century you're from."

"Please, Mom, I love Keely. I wouldn't wish that much Geraldo on my worst enemy. Well, Pim maybe..."

She laughed and ruffled my hair. "You'll think of something, I promise."

By Saturday, I had thought of something, something good.

I rang Keely's doorbell that night with a dozen red roses in my hand, looking my best. When Keely answered the door, my jaw dropped. She looked flat out incredible. "Wow, Keel," I said when I found my voice, "you look absolutely amazing."

She smiled. "You don't look so bad yourself."

I remembered the roses in my hand. "Oh, these are for you."

"Wow, Phil. They're beautiful."

Her mom came into the entry way where we standing. "Hi, Phil. Don't you look handsome?"

I felt myself blush as I said, "Thanks."

Dinner was just as fantastic as I had hoped it would be. Just the two of enjoying some quality Phil and Keely time. After dinner, we went for a long walk on the beach. It was nice to finally get to be together without worrying about Hackett or Pim or being distracted by school or whatever.

We walked along, holding hands, talking and joking around until I remember the slim box in my pocket. I stopped walking and said, "I almost forgot. I need to give you your birthday present."

"Phil, you didn't have to get me anything," she said. "You already gave me flowers and took me out for a fantastic dinner.:

That's Keely for you. Never thinking of herself. I smiled. "I know, but this is something I really wanted to do."

I pulled the box out of my pocket and handed it to her. She opened it and pulled out a necklace with a silver heart engraved with Phil and Keely, Past Present and Future, dangling from it.

When she didn't say anything, I asked, "Do you like it?"

"I love it, Phil. Here." She handed me the necklace and turned around so I could put it on for her.

"How could you afford something like this, Phil?" She asked as I closed the clasp.

I knew she would ask that and I wasn't about to tell her I'd earned the money by convincing Curtis to let me help him out at the hardware store for a couple of weekends so I just said, "Let's just say when you have a sister like Pim, blackmail is very profitable hobby."

She laughed as she turned back around to face me. I smiled and pulled her close. "Happy birthday, Keel."

She leaned in and kissed me. We spent a long time standing there on the beach just kissing, something we hadn't had a lot of time for lately. I was so wrapped up in it all, I almost forgot I was supposed to be on a schedule. I caught a glance at my watch just in time.

"Well, we'd better get going. It's getting late." It was only 9:30, which wasn't really late at all but I prayed Keely would go along with me without any questions. Lucky for me she did and Tia's plan was safe.

When we got back to her house, I walked her up to the door and said, "Hey, Keel, I think I left my history notebook on coffee table yesterday. Mind if I come in and grab it?"

I followed her inside and to the dark living room. I wore a huge grin on my face, knowing what was waiting for her. She switched on the lights and at least thirty people, everyone from neighbors and friends from school to my family and Keely's Aunt Karly, jumped out and yelled, "SURPRISE!"

Keely had a look of absolute shock on her face. Her Mom stepped over to her. "Happy birthday, sweetie!"

She gave her mom a big hug. "You did all this, Mom?"

"Nope. It was all Tia and Phil."

"Really?" Keely asked, looking from me to Tia.

"Actually it was all me," Tia spoke up. "All Phil had to was keep you busy for a few hours."

"Hey, that's harder than it sounds!" I protested.

Keely took a step closer to me. "I don't know why. You're pretty good at it."

She grabbed my jacket and kissed me until my darling little sister yelled, "GET A ROOM ALREADY!"

We pulled apart laughing and Tia said, "Alright, let's get this party started!" She shot another one of her sly grins in our direction. "That is, if you can manage to keep your hands off each other."

The party was a smashing success. My dad embarrassed himself by trying to be cool and dance and Keely's cousin Ryan kept hitting on Pim who wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, but aside from that, things went smoothly.

At the end of the night, Keely and I were left alone in living, except for Tia who was sprawled out the couch, asleep and Pim, who was fast asleep in an armchair.

"So," I said, as I helped her move the furniture back into their proper places. "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 then got sick on Ninja." I joked.

She just laughed as she headed towards the stereo to turn it off. One of my favorite songs, that old Elvis one, "Can't Help Falling in Love" came on and I said, "Hang on." I offered her my hand. "May I have this dance."

"Of course," she said, taking my hand.

"You know what," I said, as I lead her around the living room, "I think should be our song."

"I think you're right."

Halfway through the song she let go of my hand in order to wrap her arms around me shoulders. She laid her head on my my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around her waist. As I held her in my arms, I couldn't help but smile. My life may be filled with complications due to my strange circumstances but really, in the end, none of it matters. I am madly in love with this amazing girl who for some reason, loves me back. As long as my life continues to be filled with, aside for complications, perfect moments with Keely, I think everything will turn out just fine in the end.

A/n: So, if you've been keeping track, you'll know the next chapter will be the last. I know, sadness all around, but fear not my friends, because I have another story on the way. So leave me a review and stay tuned for the next and final chapter: "Love is Never Ending"