Chapter 1 "Gone Fishing"

It was another hot day… just like all the others. Pickford was extremely over heated.

"Phil," Keely whined "it's too hot… do we have to do this today?" Keely looked at him doing her best pouting face but it wasn't working.

"Keely you said you wanted to go fishing… and there's only a week until school starts. We don't exactly have all the time in the world." Phil said. He looked over to see how Keely was coming along with baiting her hook. She has made no progress Phil thought to himself. After 15 minutes of unsuccessful tries Keely still couldn't get the worm on the hook. I better go help her before she gets too mad. Phil balanced his pole against the fence in front of the Pickford Pond then he walked over to the bench were she was sitting desperately trying to get her worm on the hook… with little success.

"Want a little help?" Phil looked down at her and smiled. He walked around the back of the bench and sat beside her grabbing the worm and hook. He slid the hook through the worm making a knot. He wiped the dirt and worm fluids on a towel. He reached out his hand signaling Keely to take it so he could help her up.

"Stand here." Phil said to Keely placing the rod in her hands and stepping behind her. He showed her were to put her hands. He put his hands over hers and pulled them back for the cast. They swung their arms forward together and the line landed in the perfect spot. Ripe for the fishing.

"Thanks Phil," Keely said looking back at him. She now noticed that he was about an inch taller than her. He looked down and smiled then walked over picked up his pole and sat in the grass. Keely did the same.

"Anything to help you Keel… but why did you want to go fishing if you don't like it?" he asked with a confused look on his face and his head tilted to the side.

"Because I thought it would be more fun with you." Keely looked over but quickly looked out to the pond pretending to be extremely interested with the smooth ripples around her line.

"Keely," Phil said "I think you caught something." Keely jumped to her feet and began to reel the fish in using great speed.

"Keel slow down! Nice and easy ok?" Phil said gently in a mellow tone. Keely began to wonder how he knew so much about fishing. Before she had time to ask the fish had been reeled up to the shore of the pond. Phil ran to grab it and pull out the hook Keely ran over just as he pull the hook out.

"Wanna put him back?" Phil said holding a small bass in his hands as it gasped for air.

"Um.. sure but you have to help" she replied. She bent down and held the fish with Phil and slowly dipping their hand sin the water letting the fish swim back into the water.

"Next time we go out" Keely said looking over at Phil "we're not going fishing… I'm thinking the mall." She looked at Phil and he nodded in agreement.

"But why wait until next time? Why not now… in Paris?" Phil gave Keely a playful smile. He took a small, glowing orange orb from his pocket and dropped it onto the ground. It was nothing other than a Sky-ak made for two. Phil reeled his pole back in and began to put everything else away. Finally Keely snapped back into reality and started helping. Phil shrunk the poles and tackle boxes and put them in the trunk of the Sky-ak. He pulled out two helmets and offered one to Keely. She hesitated pretending to think about it but Phil knew she was only playing one of her games. He knew she had wanted to go and shop in Paris for sometime now and he thought it would be the perfect surprise.

"How could I say no to that offer Phil?" Keely said as she grabbed the helmet and climbed into the seat. Phil felt her arms around his waist signaling she was read to go.

The beginning of the ride was a little bumpy and Keely tightened her grip on Phil's waist but he really didn't mind. After a little while he felt something on his back. He turned his head around and saw Keely resting her head on his back. She looked so peaceful looking at the stars and the passing sites below her. Nothing made her happier than a good Sky-ak ride with Phil.

Phil parked the Sky-ak in a field right outside of Paris and made sure Keely was off before returning it to it's glowing orb and placing it in his pocket. He stretched his hand out waiting for Keely to take it. She finally saw it after adjusting her helmet hair and grabbed it intertwining her fingers into his. Keely and Phil walked into Paris—the city of love—hand in hand.

"Oh my…" Keely couldn't even finish her sentence she was so amazed by the sites, sounds and smells of Paris… some of the smells were… a bit odd.

"Phil is it just me or does the Eiffel Tower smell like… wet cat?" Keely said with her nostrils flaring trying to absorb and analyze the smell.

"I think it's the Tower." Phil pulled her closer to him as he led her to a restaurant called "Mama Mia". Keely let a sigh of relief out when she remembered Phil could speak French. She thought.

"So what are you hungry for?" he asked Keely. "Order anything." Phil looked at her and smiled. She smiled back and told her exactly what she wanted.

"Since we're in Europe… Spaghetti. I hear it's the best here."

"Okay. Here comes a waiter now." Phil looked over and saw a waiter with a strange moustache come over to take their order. Phil tried his best to tell the man what the want… he hope he got it right because he wanted everything to be perfect tonight.

The waiter came out with to plates of spaghetti the size of their heads. Keely took her napkin of the table and placed it delicately on her lap. She grabbed the fork closest to her hand and twirled the fork into her spaghetti making a ball at the end of her fork. She took a bite and smiled.

"Phil this spaghetti is so awesome!" Keely said with a smile on her face.

After they had finished most of the spaghetti they finally agreed that they were full to capacity. Phil looked up ay Keely and noticed a glob of sauce in the corner of her mouth.

"Keely come here…" Phil said. Keely removed her napkin from her lap and sat beside him. He reached out and wiped it off and wiped his finger on his napkin.

"Ready?" Phil said looking Keely in the eyes for the first time since the arrived in Paris.

"Uh-huh" she said. He asked the waiter to bring him the check. He paid the waiter and gave him his tip. Keely grabbed his hand again and lead him out the door into the busy streets.

"Ready to shop?" Keely asked lacing her fingers into his

"As ready as ever." He pulled her close and they walked down the street into the first shop

e.n.d...o.f..c.h.a.p.t.e.r..1