Today was the day. Keely's 17th birthday. Phil was finally ready to give her his present. He invited Keely over to his house to tell her. Phil was dressed up in a pair of good jeans and a white shirt. Keely was at her house getting ready. Phil had told her to dress nice because he had something special for her. Keely was in a pink dress over black pants and had white sequin flats on. Her hair was curled and she had earrings with light pink hearts on them. She smoothed out the creases and took one last look at her outfit. She was finally ready. She walked downstairs and grabbed her car keys and purse of the table in her living room.
"Bye mom! I'll call you if anything changes." Keely said running out the door so her Mrs. Teslow couldn't play twenty questions. She started the car and headed to Phil's house. She was so nervous but nothing was going to keep her away.
Phil was pacing in front of the door holding the letter in his hand. He heard a knock on the door. He hesitated for a few seconds then opened the door and there was Keely. She looks so gorgeous Phil thought.
"Hey Keely." Phil said with nervousness in his voice. He grabbed her arm and led her over to the swing in the back. As he walked he slid the letter into his back pocket. Keely sat on the swing and patted the seat next to her telling Phil to sit.
"Keely I have a surprise for you." Phil said. He had suddenly lost every thing he rehearsed over and over again but it didn't matter… he was going to tell her.
"I edited you demo tapes and sent a few to a couple of people. The Dean of Princeton's son replied with this letter." Phil pulled the letter out and handed it to Keely. She took it and began to read.
"Phil he invited me to a party! It's tomorrow… you don't mind do you?" Keely begged him with her eyes. They both knew it could be her big break.
"Of course not! You go and have fun! But not too much." Phil said with a playful smile on his face. She hugged him and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you so much!" Keely kissed him again. She jumped of the swing from being so excited but suddenly she heard a slow song play. Phil held up his wizard. He set it down and walked over to where Keely was standing. He grabbed her hands and they started dancing. Keely couldn't have been happier. Phil had helped her get her journalism carrier started. She never would have thought of sending her demo tapes into colleges.
…………………
Keely was so nervous about the date with the Dean's son. He had called her that morning. His name was Conner. He was going to meat her at the coffee shop just a few blocks away. Phil was over at her house helping her pick out a professional looking outfit that was still casual. After trying almost twenty different outfits the finally found one. She had a brown long tank top on with a gold belt over it and her newest jeans. She also had a white blazer incase it got cold… and her infamous cowboy boots.
"Is this okay?" Keely said sounding concerned. She turned around and looked at Phil who was looking at Keely.
"You're beautiful." Phil said standing up and walked over to Keely. He put his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.
"I know… but how about my outfit?" Keely said jokingly as she put her arms around his.
"It's cute." Phil said. He looked at his watch and noticed that it was almost time for Keely to meet Conner.
"Keel we gotta go." He said pointing to his watch with his shoulder.
"Um okay…" She let go of his hands to get her purse, cell phone and keys. She grabbed Phil and ran down the stairs and through the front door. Phil ran in front of her and opened the door to Keely's car for her. Keely stuck the car keys in the ignition and started the car. She honked the horn and waved goodbye to Phil before completely leaving the driveway. Phil began to walk to his house. He knew Via and Owen would be there soon.
He opened the front door and saw Via and Owen sitting on the couch watching a black and white movie. Phil remembered watching it before with Keely.
"Hey guys." Phil said. He sat down next to Owen.
"Now we wait." Via said.
Five movies and fifteen popcorn bowls later there was a knock on the door. Phil jumped up and ran to the door. He opened the door and there was Keely.
"Hi Keel… I didn't expect you back this early!" Phil said hugging her. Her arms stayed by her side. Phil pulled her into the living room and sat her on the couch. He sat next to her and looked at her. She looked different but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"How was it?' Via asked. The anticipation was flooding her body.
"Great!" Keely said. "He took me to a get together that him and his friends were throwing. They were all such gentlemen." Keely looked at the TV and fixed her thoughts on the movie. Phil knew better than what Keely was telling them. After the movie was over Phil knew both Owen and Via had to go.
"Okay… who's helping clean up?" Phil said.
"Um… I have… this thing with Owen." Via said quickly
"What thi… ow!" Via elbowed him in the ribs and raised her eyebrows.
"Oh right… bye Phil!" Via grabbed Owen and let themselves out. Phil grabbed Keely and led her up to his room.
"Confess" Phil said. He knew something was up.
"Ok… Conner took me to a big… fancy… frat party. All of the people there where drinking. Then when he took my back to the coffee shop he tried to kiss me… twice. I told him to get away and that I had a boyfriend. He said I was leading him on the whole night and then he hit me." Keely said taking off her blazer showing Phil the bruise, it stretched from the front of her shoulder to the back of it. Phil looked back at Keely's face. She was crying.
"He told me that he only asked me to go to the party was because he thought I was hot and single. He said the Dean didn't even want to see me." She started to cry harder. Her body began to collapse from the weight of her tears. Phil grabbed her and sat her down on the bed. He sat down next to her and guided her head to his chest. She put her hand on his chest and felt his heartbeats through his shirt. She moved it up to his shoulder then to his neck. She looked up at him begging him to take the pain away. If only he knew how. Phil leaned in closer to Keely and titled his head. He moved slow giving her all the time she needed to reject what was going to happen. Instead she tilted her head and closed her eyes. When their lips finally touched Keely lost all the pain she felt. Phil buried his finger in Keely's hair. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and ran his tongue over the smooth surface. He could taste the salt from her tears.
Keely tried so desperately to loose it all in this kiss. It wasn't like her normal kisses. She wasn't conservative or shy. She was desperate and Phil could help feeling sorry for her.
Keely pushed Phil closer until he was all she felt. She pushed him closer still. It wasn't enough. Phil stood up and pulled Keely with him until her feet no longer touched the ground. Breathing now became a factor. Both Phil and Keely broke away for only a second to breathe but went straight back to the kiss. She pushed him closer and closer until he became everything. There was nothing else that mattered in the entire world beside that one moment in time. They could finally show how the felt, all in one kiss.
Phil was the first to pull away panting for air. He let Keely fall back down to the ground. She kept her eyes closed trying to fantasy last.
"Do you want to stay here?" Phil said breaking the silence.
"Sure. I really don't want to drive home. Just let me call my mom and tell her." She took her cell phone out and dialed the number for her house.
"Mom? It's Keely, I'm staying at Via's. Love you. Bye." She flipped her phone shut then re opened it and called Via and explained her situation. She flipped her phone shut for the last time. Phil pulled two mattresses out of the closet and set them up in front of his bed. Keely helped him put sheets and blankets on it. Phil gave her some shorts and a t-shirt to change into. Keely came back in and laid down on the bed. She twisted the back of the shirt so it wasn't so big on her. She tucked the twist under the back of her shirt and laid down. Phil laid down on his bed. The scooted as close as the could to each other. Phil pulled her close to him. He couldn't let her leave his arms. Her heart was as bruised as bad as her shoulder.
"Is your arm ok?" Phil asked pulling up her sleeve to get a closer view of the bruise.
"Yea. It just hurts a little." Keely said pulling her sleeve back down. She grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together. It seems like Keely was getting hurt a lot lately. First the car crash then this. Phil couldn't help but want to throttle the man that did this to her. Not only did her hurt her on the outside but on the inside as well.
"Phil what's wrong?" Keely said. Phil didn't realize he wasn't doing such a great job hiding how he felt.
"I just can't believe he could do that. He hurt your heart… not just your shoulder. He had no business hitting you. Not only was he probably drunk but he hit you Keely! I don't know what to do." He pulled her closer trying to comfort himself.
"You just have to stay with me. Promise?"
"Promise."
e.n.d..o.f..c.h.a.p.t.e.r..7
