Hey guysss!
I love that you loved that last chapter. Seriously every time I read your reviews, they literally make me smile. So gracias again!
Alright, wanna clear something up really quick. Funvince- You mentioned the whole thing with the InstaMorph vs. the Wizrd. You're right, that's my bad. I can't go back and change it because that would be changing too much, so I can't really change it in this chapter either. I'm just gonna mention it briefly so we can just…pretend. P Sorry about that.
Also, about the thing with Pim's Wizrd, that part may have been a little confusing, but she did basically sum up what happened to it. Remember in the first chapter when she interrupted Phil and Keely's phone conversation and Phil threatened her, saying that she should use her Wizrd while she still has the chance because he could easily tell their parents about her report card scheme which she pulled on her mom and Hackett? (You can go back and read if I confused you there, lol) Well in this chapter, he asks her what happened to her Wizrd, and she says "Hackett lives next door now, oh how word gets around" etc., well she was talking about how Hackett and her mom were talking about the report card thing, and she got busted for it. So her mom ended up taking it away. I'm sorry that was so confusing, lol, I figured that I could have Pim sum it up for you guys in that way she has of uh, summing things up…I just thought it would be funny if she walked in on them while Phil was Messerschmidt, and freaked out. Lol. She still has her issue though, like in the 3rd chapter, so we'll see what happens with that. Like I said, it all ties in.
Oh speaking of Messerschmidt, I don't know how I came up with that clown thing really. I just started making stuff up. I was watching the "Maybe Sitting" episode the night I started typing that, so I guess I sort of drew from that. Lol. Messerschmidt's crazy.
By the way, thank you for all of you telling me that I have the characters down so well…I try. ) Personally, I flippin' love Pim. So if you couldn't tell, I love writing her character.
A lot of you are curious about Melody now. Teehee. Anyway, remember how I said that this is my idea of how the third season could end up working out. That's all I'll say.
Anyway! Here it is! Spring break is over now so instead of balancing hanging out with friends and writing my story, I'm mostly balancing school and writing my story. A little tougher maybe, but oh well. Four more days til the weekend, and 29 (school) days until summer break! (As of the day I started this anyhow.)
……
Chapter 6
"Mom, it wasn't funny. He scared the crumbs out of me. I thought it was really Messerschmidt!"
Barb couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's story as she imagined it. It did seem like something Phil would do.
"Honey, I can assure you that your teacher won't be around here during your summer vacation," she told her daughter. "Unless Phil and Keely take on another babysitting job…" She shrugged.
"They won't." Pim narrowed her eyes.
Barb laughed. "Okay then."
Pim lay back on the hammock in the Diffy backyard, gazing up at the summer's late afternoon sky. Her mom stood nearby, watering some flowers she'd planted. Everything seemed to have settled into place. They were full residents of the 21st century now. Even Pim didn't mind admitting to that one.
The thing was, everyone in the century—the ones who lived there because they were born at the right time to naturally be able to do so—knew what they were all about. They had their friends, they had their activities, they knew what to do to keep themselves entertained, especially when there was nothing else to do but that. Pim could easily keep herself entertained, no problem at all. She just had a different way of going about it—using a lot of fancy gadgets unheard of by the community she had come to know here.
It was more fun that way, being one of the only ones who possessed that kind of technology.
Wasn't it?
The clouds above her moved at a leisurely pace, just like Pickford's vacationing residents. Pim followed them with her eyes. Moments passed, and she found herself slowly mesmerized by them. There was something about the large, vast sky above her head that was so fascinating. She couldn't believe it, but there was.
"The sky is really…cool-looking," she said suddenly.
Barb paused a moment. "What was that, sweetie?"
Pim shook her head, trying to pop herself out of a trance, but she found that wasn't in one. The sky was just enjoyable to look at.
"I said the sky looks cool today," she repeated. "I don't know what it is, but there's…something about it."
Barb gazed upward, shading her eyes with one hand. "It doesn't look much different to me," she commented. "But it is really pretty, isn't it?"
"Doesn't it seem …I don't know…too perfect-looking?" Pim asked. "I mean, like it's fake, like someone painted it up there, only…it's not?"
Barb smiled at her daughter, who seemed to be caught up in a moment of wonderment. It was a very rare side of Pim, who usually tended to be caught up in her next plan of domination instead.
"The sky almost always looks like that around here, honey," she said to Pim. "It's one of the things that I love about this place. There's so much natural beauty, even in our own backyard." She grinned fondly at her flower arrangement.
Pim was quiet for a moment as she watched the clouds some more.
"Are you sure the sky has always looked like that?" she asked.
Barb put down the watering can, taking off her gardening gloves. She looked up at the sky, sharing the gorgeous view with Pim.
"It always has," she said. "I think you just haven't ever really noticed it, sweetie."
Pim was thoughtful. Barb smiled in enjoyment at her daughter's expression.
"We never really saw stuff like this in ol' two-one-two-one, did we?" Pim asked.
Barb looked up again. "No," she responded. "We never really did."
Pim just folded her hands back underneath her head.
"Hmmm," she muttered. "Funny. I'm actually enjoying myself…by staring at the sky." She raised an eyebrow, puzzled. Barb laughed, as Pim's brief amazement seemed to come to an end. As usual though, she said exactly what she was thinking.
"It's possible," she told Pim, winking.
"Well, I guess." Pim pretended to be nonchalant about it, but she and her mom exchanged a smile. She focused on the formation of the clouds again, noticing, again for the first time, exactly which shapes they made.
"Pim, now that you really are enjoying yourself without using any of our future technology," Barb asked her, still grinning, "have you given any more thought to what we talked about the other day? About finding some kids to hang out with during the summer?"
Pim paused. "Well, yeah."
"And?" Barb asked curiously.
"Well…" Pim kept her eyes on the sky for a moment, but finally sat up slowly, leaning on her elbow. "That's kind of what I was doing this morning."
"Oh really?" Barb asked, interested. "What did you do?"
"Well…"
FLASHBACK
Pim, Phil's borrowed Wizrd in hand, stepped out into the backyard, where a restless Curtis was waiting. "Ooh! Pim ready to play?" he asked eagerly, jumping up from his spot on the ground.
"Yeah, Pim's ready," she answered, grinning. "In some form…"
Curtis watched as a blue ray of light produced an exact clone of Pim, from the blonde braids to the wide blue eyes to the "Barbie Dumped Ken" T-shirt to the pink skirt and sandals. The clone stood there, crossing her arms over her chest and gazing back and forth between the original Pim and Curtis.
Pim picked the tennis ball up from the ground and tossed it to her clone. "There ya go," she said. "Take it away, so I don't have to."
Her clone looked at the ball, shrugged, and tossed it as far as she could. "Go get it, caveman!" she yelped.
Original Pim left the yard, grinning to herself. "Now, where to begin?" she muttered.
She wandered aimlessly down the street, eyeing the people she saw outside. She spotted a few little kids, a few old people and a lady walking a weird-looking dog. "There's gotta be someone around here interesting enough to hang out with," she mumbled. "Or at least talk to."
She walked on. The sun was hot, and she was bored. The Virtu-Goggles, or at least the TV, were starting to call her name.
"This is hopeless," she said carelessly, rolling her eyes.
Suddenly, there was a voice from behind her.
"Excuse me!"
She paused a moment. It sounded like someone relatively close to her age.
She whirled around.
"Um, what do I do now?" came the voice again.
The source of the voice was her very own clone, standing on the sidewalk behind her.
"What are you doing out here?" the original Pim demanded.
"Um, your caveman kinda got excited," Pim #2 said, holding up the shredded remnants of the tennis ball.
Pim sighed, grabbing her clone by the arm and shoving her back towards the Diffy house. "He'll get over it," she muttered. "In the meantime, you can't be out here!"
As she shoved Pim #2 into the backyard again, Pim rolled her eyes.
"So much for finding new friends around here, Mom," she muttered.
"Debbie is your friend," her clone remarked.
Pim shot her replicate a "What is wrong with you?" glare.
"And you're a replicate. Bye." She waved cheerily, then zapped the clone into nothingness.
She sighed, hands on her hips.
"Pim make other Pim," Curtis spoke up suddenly, causing Pim to look over to where he stood patiently in the yard, where her replicate had left him. "Pim make other ball, too?"
She rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Flinstone," she replied.
END FLASHBACK
Barb looked amused by the story.
"Well, it's...a start," she said slowly. "At least you tried. Honey, I know there's somewhere you can find friends before school starts up. There's only about four weeks left until it does, if I'm right."
"Well, if all else fails, Dawkins will be back sometime before then," Pim said lazily. She quickly added, "Not that he's my first choice. Just if things get desperate." She lay back down, closing her eyes.
It was then that the back door opened. Phil entered the yard.
"Oh, hi, sweetie," Barb greeted him.
"Hey, Mom." Phil walked over and stood near her, folding his arms across his chest. "Whatcha doin'?"
"Oh, just taking care of my flowers. The old fashioned way." She grinned and nudged him proudly.
"Oh. Very cool." Phil nodded, smiling. He caught a look at his sister, lying on the hammock.
"What's up with Pim?" he asked.
Barb glanced over at her. "Oh, she's just resting," she answered. "I think she's really enjoying herself."
"Without the Wizrd, InstaMorph or World Domination Weekly? Incredible," Phil remarked.
"Hey, Futurehead, you depend on those too," she called from her spot. "Except for the magazine I guess. Speaking of which, has this month's issue come in the mail yet?"
Barb rolled her eyes. "No, haven't seen it."
"Darn." Pim lay her head back down. Phil just shook his head.
"No Keely?" his mom inquired.
"Oh, she's helping around the house tonight," Phil said. "Her mom wants to start making sure it looks spic and span for next week, I guess."
"Next week? What's happening next week?"
"Oh, um, well that's what she told me this morning," he answered. "Turns out her uncle and cousin are moving here, and they're gonna stay with Keely and her mom for a little while, until they find a place to settle down."
"Oh, are they really?" his mother asked, interested. "That's nice of Mandy to do that. What does Keely think about it?"
"She's okay with it," Phil said. He shrugged. "What she's not okay with is…well…" He glanced over at Pim, to make sure she was off in her own world.
Slightly softer, he said, "Her dad is coming up next weekend."
Barb looked surprised. "Is he?"
Phil nodded.
"Well, I knew he didn't live with her, but I didn't know how she felt about him," Barb said. She motioned Phil over to the picnic table, and they sat down on it.
"He…took off when she was little," Phil explained quietly. "She hasn't seen him very much since then. When I talked to her this morning, she said she was really anxious about him visiting." Phil looked down. "I mean…she started crying. She doesn't feel like he really knows her that well. We went out and played some tennis today so she could get her mind off of it, but I can tell it's still bothering her. I wish I knew how to help. You know?" Phil looked distressed.
"Oh, sweetheart," Barb sighed after she heard the story. "Now I wish I could, too."
"Yeah," Phil said quietly.
"But, I think," Barb said, putting a comforting hand on Phil's knee, "the best thing you can do for Keely right now is just be there for her. That's something you're really good at." She smiled. "I'm so happy for you two, Phil."
Phil beamed gratefully. "Thanks, Mom."
Barb put her arm around him and kissed the side of his head, before standing up. "Make sure to tell Keely that she's welcome to come over anytime she needs to, okay?" she told him. "In fact, you should see if she wants to come over for dinner tonight."
Phil nodded. "That sounds like a good idea," he said. He jumped up off the picnic table. "I'll go send her a text message. She's probably still helping her mom."
He paused before heading into the house, glancing over at his sister, who appeared to have fallen asleep. Grinning mischievously, he tip-toed over to the hammock, picked up his Wizrd which Pim had left underneath it, and began fiddling with the controls.
Just as he was about to blast her with the tickle ray…
"I wouldn't," she warned him, not even opening her eyes. "I may not have access to my Wizrd, but I do know where the DNA Scrambler is." She fell silent again.
Phil drew back. With a "how the heck does she do that?" expression, he turned around and headed towards the house again.
Barb whispered to him with a smile as he passed by. "No she doesn't."
"Thanks for having me over, Phil," Keely said as she stepped in through the door. "You guys rock."
"No problem at all, Keel," he said. "My mom made her specialty chicken tonight—the spray kind." He added the last part quickly, not wanting Keely to worry. Everyone knew that Barb's regular 21st century cooking skills weren't quite up to par yet. "I know you love that."
Keely didn't seem worried at all. "Sweet!" she exclaimed. She kissed Phil's cheek and gave him a warm hug.
Phil smiled as he embraced her back. When they pulled away, he noticed a new glow about her that he hoped would last throughout the evening. Dressed fresh and pretty for dinner in a white and yellow striped halter top and yellow tennis style miniskirt, her hair pulled up simply in a high ponytail and white hoop earrings dangling from her ears, even with a male's perspective—or maybe especially with a male's perspective—he thought she looked incredible.
"You look awesome, Keely," he told her.
She smiled bashfully, brushing her bangs aside. As she did so, the row of yellow bangles on her wrist slid down around her arm, clicking as they hit one another. "Thank you, Phil," she replied. "Do I even have to tell you how adorable you are?"
"Could you?" he joked. She jabbed him in the side.
"Anyway," he laughed, changing the subject as they headed into the living room. "How did cleaning go?" He bit his tongue, hoping it wouldn't remind her of her stress over the events of next week.
Luckily, it didn't seem to. "Not bad," she answered. "Although I did accidentally suck up a pair of my earrings in the vacuum cleaner. Other than that, fine." She smiled.
"Great." He grinned. "I mean, not the earring part."
"I know what you mean." She laughed. "I'm constantly adding to my earring collection anyway. No big deal. Oh, hey Mrs. Diffy!"
Barb came into the room, smiling as she noticed their guest. "Hey Keely!" she greeted her, giving her a hug. "So glad you could make it for dinner, honey. It's almost ready, if you guys want to come on into the kitchen." She motioned them to follow her.
Dinner was pleasant and normal, everyone discussing their personal accounts of the day. There were jokes and laughter, all the usual…if you could consider anything in the Diffy house "the usual". Eventually though, there was a lull in the conversation, as everyone ate quietly.
Phil watched Keely for a moment, wondering what she was thinking. For a second, she caught his eyes over the rim of her glass as she lifted it for a drink. He smiled, and she put the glass down, smiling back. They both saw something in one another's eyes. They knew each other way too well. But nothing was said. Not by them, anyway.
"So, Keely!" Barb said brightly. "Phil tells me that your uncle and cousin are coming to town?"
Phil looked cautiously from his mom to Keely, internally begging his mother not to bring up the "father" subject.
"Oh, yeah," Keely smiled. "It should be…fun."
"Is your cousin around your age?" Barb asked casually.
"Fourteen," Keely answered. "So, kind of."
"Oh, fourteen," Barb replied cheerfully. "Just like Pim." She looked over at her daughter.
"Huh?" Pim set down her glass, wiping her mouth with her sleeve.
Barb sighed, handing her a napkin. "Use it," she commanded gently. "Anyway, I was just saying that Keely's cousin who's moving to Pickford, is the same age as you." She smiled.
Pim wiped her mouth. "Mom, if you're trying to get me together with some anonymous kid just because he's my age and he's Keely's family…sorry, but wouldn't it be enough for you if just one of your kids married a Teslow?" She shot her brother a very quick glance as she said it. After her speech, she simply picked up her fork again.
As she spoke, Barb's, Phil's, and Keely's eyebrows had all raised. When she was finished talking, Keely's eyes widened as she realized what Pim had said, and Phil's expression mirrored hers. Lloyd just looked confused.
"Um," Keely began, collecting herself, "actually Pim, my cousin isn't a boy. She's…a girl."
Barb just laughed and shook her head.
Pim looked around the table, perfectly aware of the reactions she had caused, but keeping it hidden under the smug look on her face. "Oh," she said. "Well, sorry Mom. I guess that changes your plans."
Barb opened her mouth in protest, but shook her head instead.
Phil looked up at Keely, and saw her struggling to keep her smile under control. He bit his tongue, trying to do the same. Finally, they almost couldn't contain themselves.
Phil jumped up quickly. "Hey, Mom," he said. "Want me to clear the table for you?"
Keely caught his drift, and raised her hand. "I can help, too," she volunteered.
"Oh, that'd be nice," Barb replied. "Thank you, kids."
Keely grabbed her plate and glass, and Phil grabbed his. He took his mother's plate, and Keely went for Lloyd's. When Phil reached for Pim's, she slapped his hand. "Not done," she said sweetly.
He smirked in response, and he and Keely quickly bustled into the kitchen. Once they were safely in it, they both started giggling uncontrollably, not even sure what they were laughing over anymore.
"Sorry about her," Phil said. "Again…"
"No, it's okay." Keely giggled as she put the dishes in the sink. "Some might say she's kind of over the top…okay, I would too, but the thing about your sister is…she's harmless." Keely shrugged. "Most of the time, she's actually pretty funny." She grinned.
Phil looked alarmed, and placed a hand on Keely's forehead. "Are you feeling lightheaded, dizzy, woozy, anything like that?" he prompted.
Keely rolled her eyes, gently brushing his hand away. "I'm serious, Phil. She's not always bad. Some of the stuff she says actually halfway makes sense." She looked down at her hands, then up at him, shyly.
Phil just looked back at her. For just a second, their eyes locked…
Of course though, that didn't last long.
A sudden sound made them jump. Phil glanced over at the table. "Your purse is ringing," he informed her.
She laughed. "Thanks, Phil." She walked over to the kitchen table where she'd left her purse, yanked her phone out and looked at the caller ID. "It's Via," she said, surprised. "Do you mind…?" She gestured to the still ringing cell phone.
"No, by all means." He smiled.
"Okay." She flipped open her phone. "Hey, Vi."
Phil put the rest of the dishes in the sink, rinsing them absentmindedly. He might as well do it the old fashioned way – his Wizrd was up in his room and he was too lazy to go get it. He listened to Keely's conversation on and off, perfectly used to the giggling and chatter.
"You are?" Keely said. "That sounds awesome. Yeah, of course! Do you think I'd turn that down? Yes, we'll be there. Oh…really? Well, next week is…kinda crazy…Well… Okay. I'll call you later, 'kay Vi? Love ya."
Keely closed her phone with a snap. Phil didn't prod right away. He did however, notice that she looked a little…stressed.
"Well," she announced. "The good news is, Via's planning an end of summer party and we're both invited." She came over to stand next to him.
"End of summer party," Phil said, nodding. "Sounds awesome…but, is it, uh, common for people here to celebrate going back to school…?"
Keely laughed. "No. Definitely not. It's just kind of a last big fling of summer before we have to go back."
"Oh. Okay. I didn't think Via was that…weird." He shrugged.
Keely shook her head. "Well, it should be a pretty awesome party…a pretty awesome party that she wants me to help her plan, during the exact same week that two new people are moving into my house!" She sighed.
"Uh-oh." Phil abandoned his dishes. "How big of a party are we talking here?"
"Not huge. Just a bonfire, music, tons of food, decorations, a pool, or maybe the beach…she hasn't decided yet." Keely looked at Phil, whose eyes were wide. She sighed. "I know, it is kind of big. I would be totally ecstatic about it too, if my week wasn't already booked solid with stress." She folded her arms over her chest. "As if preparing for a new roommate and visit from my dad wasn't enough…" Her voice was quiet.
"Hey," Phil comforted her. "Keely, listen to me. You aren't in this alone. I promise."
Keely raised her emerald green eyes to his.
Phil continued. "We're just gonna take this one thing at a time, okay? You don't have to let this party stress you out on top of everything else. If you want…" He shrugged. "I could help you out."
Keely looked at him curiously. "I'm guessing this has something to do with you being from another century…"
He grinned. "You said it, not me."
She just bit her lip and smiled. "Really?"
He shrugged. "Anything I can do." He took her gently by the arms, then slid his hands down to hers, interlocking their fingers.
Keely just sighed in relief. "Thank you…"
"Yes, thank you," came another sickeningly sweet voice before Phil could respond. And there was Pim.
She set her plate down on the counter, next to the sink. "I'm glad you could take care of the dishes tonight, Phil," she said mockingly, grinning. "Sorry I interrupted." Before she could make her exit, she punched her brother's arm lightly and threw a glance in Keely's direction, raising her eyebrows in silent communication with Phil.
"Way to go, Philly-Willy," she whispered before leaving the room.
Somehow, he couldn't say anything in response.
…………
Almost time to meet the family:) Stick around!