Chapter 4

Phil knew that home was a long way off, and he wanted to tell Carlee how he felt. He was still afraid that she might not like him back, but that was a chance he was willing to take. She must like me somewhat, Phil thought. She came to get me and my family before she left...and she said that I looked adorable in my boxers. He smiled to himself.

Carlee came into the small room where Phil sat, thinking. "Hey," he said when he saw her. She smiled back.

"Carlee?" he asked.

"What?" she replied, turning her attention to him instead of the floor. Her beautiful blue eyes locked with his chocolate brown ones.

"Why did you risk going home for me?" he questioned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you risked not being able to get home to come get me and my family to bring with you. And you didn't know that my dad had extra fuel, so then you might not have been able to go home."

"I just...I guess I just didn't want to go home and leave you," she paused and blushed. "I either wanted to stay in 2006 with you, or go home as long as you came," she said. Then she looked away. Phil smiled to himself.

"Really?" he asked, still smiling.

Carlee nodded, still looking away. "Yep."

More awkward silence filled the room, other than the sound of the parents laughing and having a good time outside.

"Carlee?" Phil asked again, this time hoping she would look at him. She did.

"Hmm?"

Phil moved his head closer to hers. This was it - he was going to kiss her.

But before their lips met, the time machine came to an abrupt stop.

"We're home!" yelled Uncle Dodge from the front of the time machine.

"Yay!" everyone shouted, mostly the parents.

Dang, Phil thought. Bad timing.

Carlee got up and walked to the window of the time machine. She shifted the curtain so that she could see.

"We're home," she sighed.

"You don't sound too happy," Phil stated.

"I don't know why, but I kind of miss the past," she told him.

"Yeah, me too." Oh my God, Phil thought. Keely! What am I going to do? I never told her we were leaving...I never got the chance to say goodbye! Well, I said goodbye, but just for her trip to Alabama...not forever...

"Phil, are you okay?" Carlee asked.

"Wha? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was just...thinking."

"About Keely," she said. " I can tell that you like her."

"You can? I mean...wait a second..."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I can tell that you like her," Carlee said.

"Carlee! Come on, sweetheart, we're going home!" her father called from outside.

"Bye, Phil," she said, and left.

Great, Phil thought. Now she thinks that I don't like her, and that I like Keely.