Chapter 5 "A New Beginning"

The day was finally come. The first day of school. The new beginning to regain you reputation if you happened to ruin it the year before. Girls came back with golden tans… except for Via who was still white. Boys came back a lot taller than they left… including Phil who now stood and inch and a half over Keely. She now had to look up to see his smile. The first day was always hectic… kids trying to find their next classes, meeting up with old friends and boyfriends not to mention finding and learning to live with a new locker… Keely was at her new locker lining the walls with flowered paper. She stuck her magnetic mirror to the door. She planned how to fit her books, bag and purse in and still have enough room to close it.

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Pim was having as much luck getting used to her new schedule. The worst part was… Debbie Berwick's locker was three lockers away from hers. The peppy girl and her pigtails made Pim want to puke. She was as sweet as a cupcake and then she was sugar coated.

"Hey Pim!" Debbie said grinning from ear to ear. Her pigtails were unusually long.

"Berwik, can't you go be nice to someone else? I'm a little busy." She turned around and looked up and Debbie. She couldn't believe that she was still standing there… then Pim realized she was at her locker the whole time. Pim slammed her locker shut and headed down the hall to her first class. She hoped she could get away before Debbie caught up but she just wasn't quick enough. Pim sped up but so did Debbie. She finally got to her first class walked in sat down and pretended to be engrossed in her book. It was going to be a long year for Pim.

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Phil walked into his 3rd period class only to find Keely and Via chatting away. Half her books were set on her desk and the other half were on the desk next to hers.

"Is this seat for me?" Phil said doing his best macho voice Via laughed and Keely laughed when she turned around and found out who had said it.

"Yes… it's… for… you." Keely said between laughs. She moved her books back over to her desk so Phil could put his down.

"I just found out the Vice Principal Hacket is teaching this class for a semester." Keely said looking over at Phil. "I can't believe it… I'm already bad at math… but when you bring in the giant math geek teacher… it doesn't do much good." Keely was a bit nervous but she was also excited that Phil was next to her. He was good at math. Although she wasn't sure she could trust him after getting her into advanced math… although he did help her with her homework… and he helped her get out of it. She was just happy to have a the math genius next to her.

"Okay class…. I know it's only the first day so I'm going to start you out with something easy." Mr. Hacket said as he pulled the sting for the A.V screen. Hit rolled up reveling a problem as big as the board. Both Keely and Phil pretended to be hard at work for just long enough to make it look less suspicious.

"Do you have it Phil?" Mr. Hacket said looking at him with his you-up-to-something stare.

"Not quite yet Mr. Hacket… but when I d I'll tell you." Phil said looking up from his paper with a mellow tone and a smile. Hacket looked at him then quickly went back to reading and add about hair restoration. Keely bit her lip to conceal her laughter.

After spending the entire period doing math equations the bell finally rang for lunch. Phil and Keely ran to their lockers… that were now beside each other curtsy of Seth wanting a locker by Owen. Phil spun his dial…. 40, 10, 26 and Keely spun hers 24, 32, 3 Click their lockers opened. They shoved their books in met Via, Seth and Owen and made their way to lunch.

"Come on guys we gotta move if we want a good table!" Keely said trying to get them to go faster. Phil ran ahead a grabbed the last good table and waited for the rest to catch up. When everyone was seated Owen, Seth and Phil got their food along with Via and Keely's.

Phil walked back out and handed Keely her food. They began to talk about how annoying Mr. Hacket was getting and how it didn't help that he lived next door.

"I don't mean to interrupt but Keely… what are you doing tonight?" Via asked. Keely looked at Phil and gave her a look that said don't-worry-I'll-hang-with-you-later. Keely shook her head.

"What did you have planned?" she asked giving Via her complete attention. They began to give each other ideas and who ever came up with the best one would be what they did… they decided on getting their nails done. Phil was glad Via was there to take Keely to do that. After Tia moved Keely used him as her new bestest girlfriend. With that responsibility came getting his hair done, face masks, manicures… not to mention he now had at least three halter-tops. He was glad she had Via to do stuff like that with but he missed spending all that time with her. He knew he'd see her later that night. He routinely went over to her house to make sure she got to bed all right.

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Pim sat listening to Debbie ramble on about taking cupcakes to the senior center and how she thought Pim should help as well. Pim merely poked the meat surprise with her spork trying to figure out how present day-ers ate it.

"Debbie," Pim said trying to sound as sweet as possible. "How could I possibly take your job I mean your so good at it anyway!" Pim went back to mashing her meat and Debbie continued talking now about this thing called a library.

"Wait… you mean a library has books about everything?" Pim looked deeply interested.

"Um yes… like cookies and cupcakes!" Debbie said clapping her hands together.

"Would you mind taking me to this 'library'?" Pim said with an evil plan hatching in her head.

"Sure!" Debbie said pulling Pim out of her seat and dragging her down the hall.

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Phil was at his locker waiting for Keely. After about 10 minutes he finally opened his locker. A small pink piece of paper flew down from the shelf. He quickly caught it and read it.

Phil,

Went home sick… that food gave me something. Stop by after school ok?

Keely

Phil stuck the note in his bag and began to walk to Keely's house. As he walked down the road to her house he thought it might be a good idea to bring her some soup. He ran to his house where Mrs. Diffy was trying to make a centerpiece for the table from feather dusters and different colored Styrofoam balls on different sized wires.

"Mom," Phil said trying to get her attention. "Do we have any soup?" Phil looked at Mrs. Diffy as she put her finger to her chin.

"I think so… check in the cupboard." Phil searched through it until he found his target. Two cans of alphabet soup.

"Thanks mom." Phil said and walked out the back door. He began walking to Keely's house again carrying one can in each hand. He walked up the steps on her front porch and rang the doorbell. He heard footsteps coming closer to the door. When it open there was Keely wrapped in a big blanket.

"Hey Phil!" She said in a hoarse voice. She gave him a hug and pulled him inside where "How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days" was playing on her TV.

"I brought you something." Phil said putting his hands behind his back.

"What?" Keely said putting her hands together and looking at him with excitement.

"Soup!" He led the cans out in front of him. Keely clapped her hands together and hugged him again.

"It's almost like you're in my head!" She pushed Phil into the kitchen and handed him a pot. She started giving him instructions on what to do. Finally he managed to make the soup without completely destroying Mrs. Teslow's kitchen.

"Cheers!" Keely said holding her bowl up and clanking it together with Phil's.

"Dig in!" he said in return. They clanked their bowls again and began to eat.

e.n.d..o.f..c.h.a.p.t.e.r..5