Chapter 16 "War"
"Phil… how much longer do we have to put up with Mary?" Keely said laying her head on Phil's shoulder.
"No idea… Why does she hate you so much?" Phil said.
"Probably because we were making out in front of her…" Keely said
"Twice." Phil reminded her.
"I forgot about the mall… that's when I found out she liked you…" Keely nodded her head.
"Oh really?" Phil said looking at Keely who was twisting a piece of hair around "Is that why we took the 'shortcut' through the store." Phil said making air quotes around shortcut.
"Maybe." Keely said. She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him. Phil kissed her cheek and laughed. Until that moment he couldn't figure out why she would take a shortcut that took them longer to get to the car.
"Well, well, well now we see why she hates you… but that still leaves one question… why does she like me so much?" Phil tapped his chin with his index finger.
"Well… all she told me is that you were cute but is we…" Keely grabbed the notebook and wrote something down under the last two plans. She flipped it around and crossed her arms in satisfaction. Phil looked at it and smiled. He nodded his head and laughed. It was the same plan the worked with the Grady-liking-Phil-who-was-supposed-to-like-Grady issue a year earlier.
"This is it." Phil said circling it.
"Just like the Giggle said," Keely replied nodding.
"Giggle knows all." Phil said.
"Keely, are you staying for supper dear?" Barbara
"Sure Mrs. Diffy." Keely said. She grabbed Phil and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Keely sat down next to Phil and Pim sat next to him. He thought he felt Keely's foot by his so he started play a game of footsie.
"Phil are you trying to make me puke?" Pim said with a disgusted look pointing at her brother.
"No. A simple look in the mirror would do that." Phil said with a cocky tone.
"That's nice and all but that's not Keely's foot." Pim said.
"Ew." Phil muttered as he moved his foot away from Pim's. Keely grabbed Phil's leg under the table and gave it a squeeze when she noticed Phil's cheeks go from tan to crimson.
"Thanks Keel." Phil said
"Any time." Keely replied as she went back to her dinner. After finishing spray chicken and spray mashed potatoes Keely and Phil ran back upstairs to his room.
"So how are we going to do this?" Phil said unsure that he could do it.
"Well…" Keely said as he moved towards his ear. She whispered the plan into his ear and backed away and raised her eyebrows.
"Ah, one problem… do you have his number?" Phil said grabbing his cell phone and scrolling through his contacts list.
"I dated him once…" Keely said scrolling through hers as well. Phil stopped and looked at her.
"Really?" Phil said sounding concerned.
"Yea… but only for a day… he wouldn't even hold my hand." Keely said
"Well would he ever do this?" Phil said dropping his phone and kissing Keely
"No one could do it like you Phil." Keely said as the both picked up their phones until Keely came across his name.
"Got it!" Keely said holding the screen in front of Phil's face.
"Great!" Phil said flashing his signature smile. Phil rummaged through his book bag until he came across the Insta-Morph. He had secretly scanned Mary earlier that day so all Phil had to do was hit a button and tadow! There was Mary in all her nonexistent glory.
"Okay Mary, me and Keely are going to hold up lines for you and Keely will help you if you get stuck she's one the other line… Lets practice shall we?" Phil said holding up the cue cards. The clone tried to read them but it realized… it couldn't. So Phil took the voice changer out and set it to Mary's. He held it up to Keely and she now sounded like… Mary. He hit another button on the Insta-Morph and the clone was gone.
"How is this gonna help… oh I get it!" Keely said. She dialed Ryan's number and put it on speaker.
"Hullo?' Ryan said
"Yea Ryan? It's Mary… I just want to say I really, really like you… Do you wanna go out with me?" Keely said
"Um sure… I'll meet you at your locker tomorrow okay?" Ryan said happiness playing in the tone of his voice.
"Okay see you there. Bye sweetie." Keely said and hung up the phone. She changed her voice back and turned to say something to Phil only to find him rolling around on the floor laughing.
"Oh… my… God that was FUNNY!" Phil said between laughs. Keely smiled and shook head.
"So… Since it is Monday and that means mom is serving casserole... can I stay over tonight?" Keely said pouting her lips.
"Yes… you can even pick out an outfit on the wizard if you want." Phil said. He looked at the clock. It was already 11:30 and he didn't want Keely walking alone by herself. Phil tossed her the wizard and picked out some pajamas. He climbed into his bed and shut the light off.
"Night Keels." Phil said
Keely looked up at the clock… 7:45
"Wow it's… OH MY GOD! Phil get up!" Keely said using her foot to kick him out of the covers and onto the ground
"Wha... Keel…" Phil said rubbing his eyes trying to erase the sleep.
"Phil… School is in fifteen minutes!" Keely said grabbing the wizard and picking out a peach mini skirt with a white tank over a black tee and checked low-top Converse.
"Cute." Phil said as Keely threw him the Wizard. He flipped through the outfits until he came along ripped jeans, black flip-flops and a white and blue striped polo. Phil grabbed his keys and rushed Keely out to the car. Lloyd and Barb followed in their car driving Pim. Phil parked the car at H.G Wells Jr./Sr. High student parking lot while Pim got dropped around back. She didn't want anyone who didn't know that her parents were such twits. She was busy thinking up her latest scheme when she heard Debbie Berwick's chirpy voice.
"Oh Pimsy!" Debbie said wrapping and arm around Pim's shoulder. Phil and Keely who were walking behind them we laughing at the sight of Pim shuddering under the weight of Debbie's perkiness. Pim heard the laughter and glared back at them, which only made them laugh harder. Debbie noticed her stare and looked back as well.
"Oh Pimsy you didn't tell me Phil and Keely were dating!" Debbie said clapping her hands.
"Yes, Blondie is dating my older brother… big whoop everybody… hey wait I'm not done!" Pim said as Debbie walked off to congratulate them.
"When did you to start dating?" Debbie asked Phil and Keely who stared at her blankly wondering where she had been the last three months.
"Uh… three months?" Phil said looking at Keely.
"Yep." Keely said squeezing Phil's hand in delight. Phil had remembered that tonight was their three-month anniversary. Phil almost forgot but he knew exactly what to get her. Keely flipped open her phone as Phil chatted sub-concisely with Debbie about going out with Keely.
"Phil… hate to break this up but we gotta go or we'll be late." Keely said winking to let him know she was going to save him.
"Oh right. Well bye Debbie." Phil said grabbing Keely's hand and pulling her towards their lockers.
"I owe you Keels." Phil said spinning the dial on his locker.
"I know, Phil I have to tell you something."
"What?" Phil said trying not to sound concerned.
"Conner called me last night… he said he was going to get me for turning him in." Keely said. Phil pulled her close so she wouldn't start crying.
"Keely, it's okay. Nothing will happen to you. Okay? Nothing. He can't hurt you anymore." Phil whispered into her ear. She smiled and squeezed him closer for a minute then released him to get into her locker. Both got their books and went to class without a sound. The same thing went on for the rest of the day. Even during free period with Mary in the broadcast lab.
"Keely, I have a surprise for you." Phil said. They walked into town and to a jewelry store. Keely looked around at all of the shimmering rings and bracelets. Phil walked up to the sales counter as Keely walked around in awe at the sights. Phil Sat Keely in a velvet covered chair.
"Close your eyes." Phil said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. It was a platinum ring with a beautiful diamond and two rubies next to it on each side. Phil slid it on her finger and told her to open her eyes.
"Ohmygawd! Phil! How did you… But? It's so beautiful." Keely started to cry and hugged Phil close so that he was all she felt. The sales lady handed Phil back his license and his change. Keely couldn't stop looking at it.
"That's not all that goes with it." Phil said pulling her to the little bridge over the river in the park and knelt down.
"Keely Teslow will you marry me?"
e.n.d..o.f.c.h.a.p.t.e.r..1.6
