phil fans. another chappy. i hope it doesnt completely suck. i dont know if i love this story. maybe it's too dramatic. in any case, i'll finish it... dont worry. i still dont know whats gonna happen though... hmmmmm. thanks for the happy reviews from chapter 3.

Chapter 4

"The Old Phil and Keely"

"Phil?" Keely said after a moment of standing there hugging him.

"Yeah, Keel," Phil said. He sounded exhausted.

"You want to just be the old Phil and Keely tonight?" Keely said.

Phil smiled, and even though she wasn't looking at his face, Keely could tell he felt a little better. She didn't think he wanted to talk this thing to death either. At least not now. Even though she hated to do it, Keely tossed Phil his t-shirt. It was so weird that even after four years they might be rushing into something by all-of-a-sudden making their relationship a physical one. Everything was just so much work when before it had been so simple. For years it had been: I like you, you like me, let's hang out. Now it was: I like you, you like me, let's make out. There was no going back, that was for sure, but Keely thought for Phil's sake maybe she should pretend to. As much as she wanted to ask him why he was afraid, she didn't. Her gut told her that there wouldn't be anything she could do about it anyway. Phil was going to have to figure it out... Keely just hoped that her patience would last—the way he made her feel, kissing her all over like that… Something inside her had been lit like a match when he touched her, and she wanted it to last forever.

Phil was afraid of himself. Of his own desires. He had no idea that they would overtake him like this. Phil was used to being in charge of his feelings. He knew how to handle them. He understood himself. But now his body and mind told him one thing while his heart held him back. He thought he'd explode if he didn't figure out a way to deal with it. He knew he had to stop taking advice from Owen. Sure the champagne had made him feel good, and Keely loved it, but it hadn't relaxed him at all. It turned the desire up so much that he almost got carried away. The things that raced through Phil's mind unsettled him. One minute Keely Teslow was his cute girl best friend he had a crush on. But the next minute she was all grown up, and he wanted her with his whole body. He wanted to touch every part of her. He wanted to do things he hadn't thought he was capable of. Phil knew the minute he touched her lips with his it would be game over. He'd lose all control. Needless to say, Phil was taking lots of cold showers these days. Standing there at the lake edge, slipping his shirt over his head, Phil thought maybe he should talk to someone. A woman. Via.

Keely put on her tank top and shorts. She had a headache. Phil was still over by the water looking pensive. Who knew having a boyfriend would be so complicated? she wondered. She just cared so much for Phil. She hated seeing him this way. All freaked out. It was so out of character. Usually Keely was the one losing her mind over the simple things.

The rest of the day at the lake was uneventful. Phil and Keely calmed down enough to eat lunch and throw a football around. Phil was once again amazed at how Keely was, for him, two people at once. She was this terrific friend. Someone who he could depend on. Have fun with. Study with. Share things with. Then there was Keely the flirt. Keely the girl whose hand he wanted to hold, whose lips he wanted to kiss, the Keely who he was possessive of. His Keely. It was this Keely who had taken hold of his heart. Watching her clumsily chase after the football reminded him of those first sweet innocent feelings he had for her years ago, and he almost forgot everything that had happened earlier.

Owen and Via finally came back from their walk, covered in leaves.

"So, how was the walk, kids?" Keely asked, smiling at Phil.

"Yes, son, did you show Via a nice afternoon?" Phil said, patting Owen on the shoulder.

"Great time, Philly Cheese. Maybe you and Keel should do the lake hike, if you know what I'm sayin'," Owen said, winking and jabbing Phil with his elbow. Via rolled her eyes. Phil just looked at his feet.

"So, you guys ready to pack up?" Keely asked.

"So soon?" Via asked.

"Well," Keely said. "It's been a long day. I'm wiped."

"Yeah, um I'm pretty tired," Phil said.

"Sure thing, Diffo. I know when you want to get some time alone with your lady," Owen said. Keely and Phil avoid looking at each other.

They piled everything into the back of Owen's truck. Via and Owen got in, but Keely and Phil hesitated for a moment.

"So…" Keely said. "Is it okay if I ride on your lap again?"

"Uh, yeah, of course," Phil said. He climbed up and sat down. Keely followed and perched on his lap again, this time a little awkwardly. After a few minutes, Via fell asleep and Owen called his parents on his cell to assure them everything was fine at home. While Owen was distracted, Keely turned around so she could see Phil's face.

"Hey, kid," Keely said.

Phil smiled. "Hey, yourself," he said.

"You better?" Keely asked.

"I'm feeling good, Keel," Phil said. "I'm glad that I'm with you, right here."

"Yeah," Keely said. She laid her head on Phil's shoulder and shut her eyes. Before she knew it, the truck was stopped in front of her house.

"It's still early. Movie night?" Phil said to Keely as she got out of the truck.

"Sure. Let me get cleaned up," Keely said. "Give me an hour. See you Vi, Owen."

"Bye Keels," Via mumbled, waking up.

When Owen got to the Diffys', he hauled the picnic basket inside, leaving Via and Phil alone on the porch for a few minutes. They knew he'd raid the refrigerator and chat with Barb and Lloyd, so Phil had a chance to tell Via what had happened. He told her everything, including how guilty he felt.

"The things that go through my head when I'm with her… I feel like a dirty old man," Phil said.

"She's a month older than you, Phil," Via said.

"I know, but she's so… pure, wholesome, all that stuff," Phil said, scratching the top of his head.

"Phil, I think you're underestimating our friend Keely," Via said. "I think she's ready for all of it. Something's changed with Keely. She wants to be serious with you. She told me so. This morning in fact. I can't tell you what to do, of course, it's not my place. But I think it's safe to say you're not the only one who's—how can I put this delicately?—horny."

Phil cringed. "Via. Please don't say that. It's so, I don't know… It's just not right. Why can't they come up with a better word?" he said, smacking his forehead with his hand.

"What about 'turned on'?" Via asked. "'Cause that's what she is and you are and… Why are we talking about this again, Phil?"

"Because I love her, Via. And I don't want to do the wrong thing," Phil said.

Via laughed. "I know. I'm sorry. For once in your life, Phil—and no will one will probably ever tell you this again—be a regular eighteen-year-old guy. You're just too damn good. Sometimes I wish Owen could take a page from your book," she said.

"Yeah, right," Phil said.

"I'm serious, Phil," Via said. "You have always put Keely first. And that's all you're doing now. I know she trusts you. She loves you. It's Keely we're talking about. She's been in love with you since the Girls-Ask-Guys dance in tenth grade. She wants to take these big steps with you."

"It's those big steps that freak me out, Via," Phil said.

"Oh Phil, you're so sweet," Via said, smiling. "You'll be fine. Keely'll be fine. You'll live happily ever after. I think you're afraid of growing up here. That's what this is really about. You're so lucky that you've found the girl who I am willing to bet you'll be with forever. But not if you keep living in this Phil-and-Keely high school paradise. She's moved away from all that. She wants you to be her for-real boyfriend, not her playmate."

Phil didn't say anything. He just felt stupid.

"Phil, answer some questions for me, okay?" Via said.

"Okay." Phil said.

"Do you love her?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to be her boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"Are you sexually attracted to her?"

Phil blushed and laughed nervously. The knot grew in his throat and he found it hard to look directly at Via.

"Phil? Are you sexually—"

"Via."

"Well? If you aren't then this is a total waste of everyone's time," Via said.

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes. I am sexually attracted to Keely."

Via laughed. "Was that so tough?" she said.

"I guess not," Phil said. He felt really, really stupid.

"Phil, it's not a crime to feel that way about someone. God, I don't know what planet you came from, but here on earth you're allowed to have those feelings for other people. And it's especially great when the other person has those feelings back," Via said. "Didn't you have this talk with your parents when you were a kid?"

"Well, uh, where I come from, we didn't really discuss it. I guess it wasn't really necessary," Phil said.

"Where are you from, Phil? The fifties?" Via said.

"Not exactly," Phil said. In 2121 people didn't have to have sex to make babies. It was all very technological. Test tubes and wires and machinery. Not a lot of human emotion in the entire century. Maybe that's why I'm so lost, Phil thought.

"Look, start out small and work your way up," Via said, putting her hands on Phil's shoulders.

"That's kind of what Owen said. 'Kiss her and stuff, see how it feels,'" Phil said.

"For once in his life, Owen was right," Via said. "Baby steps, Phil. Baby steps."

"Thanks, Via," Phil said, hugging her.

"You're my friend. I want you to be happy," Via said. "Now where in the hell is Owen?"

"O-Dog, at your service," Owen said, walking out onto the porch carrying a sandwich in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.

"Let's go, Owen," Via said, grabbing his arm and pulling him down the steps.

"See ya, Loverboy!" Owen shouted at Phil, whose mother had joined him on the porch to wave goodbye.

"Loverboy, huh?" said Barb. "This doesn't involve Keely, does it, Phil?" she said.

"Mom..." Phil started.

"I'm sorry, honey, I won't pry," Barb said, then she went inside.

Phil followed her in, picked up the phone, and dialed Keely's number.

"Hello?" Keely said.

"Hey Keel. It's me. I'm coming over," Phil said.