Title: Over My Head Version 2.0
Author: alienangel19852003
Rating: M, sexuality, violence, language, slash, self mutilation, and character death.
Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Phil of the Future nor do I own Over My Head (Cable Car) which I'm using yet again for inspiration, it's such a wonderful song. If you haven't heard it, you should really check it out. I have a Pheely video of it on my myspace, and the Fray's actual video of it.
Summary: 12 years after Falling Through Keely and Phil are still in over their heads and their kids are getting in on the act as well. Keely wasn't entirely over her mother's death when the loss of her best friend happens she pulls away from the family and from Phil who is trying desperately to hold everything together. Cadence discovers the shocking secret of her birth when she finds her mother's old journal which sends their world reeling all over again.
Author's Note: If you haven't read Falling Through you probably should seeing as this is the sequel.
"Life has moments…"
Liam skated down the halls of H.G. Wells Junior/Senior High as he did everyday. He had to go down Jockstrap Avenue, where all football team's lockers were to get to his English class. And just like every other day he got knocked off his board and put into the trash can for his trouble.
"Motherfucker…" he said once he discovered that he couldn't get out.
The Jocks had found a new way to put him the trash can, ass first for once and he was stuck thanks to his backpack full of books. He kicked his legs in an attempt to tip the trashcan over and roll out, but it was too no avail he was too deep inside the can.
The bell rang and the Jocks had long ago walked away with their arm candy after calling him a "spaz" and his personal favorite, "faggot". He hated school with a passion even though he loved learning. Everyday was exactly the same, torture pure torture. His teachers hated him and his smart ass attitude. The Jocks hated him because he was different. His parents didn't understand him anymore.
He dug in his shirt pocket with his only free hand for his cigarettes and lighter. He managed to get one out of the packet put it in his mouth and light it. He didn't care anymore, he had taken all he was going to take. His give a damn had not only been busted it was demolished. The fire alarm was so sensitive to the smoke that it started ringing fortunately the sprinklers didn't go off as he was right under one, he would have been really upset if his cigarette went out.
Liam watched with grim satisfaction as students started filing after their classes, Principal Neil Hackett stalked down the hall trying to calm everyone down finally caught sight of Liam stuck in the trash can smoking.
"Liam? What are you doing?" the bald man questioned.
Hackett was a close friend to Liam's family, and he often took it easy on him. However he didn't understand how badly he had it there, but hopefully today would be an eye opener. Liam wasn't a complainer; he knew snitches and talkers get stitches and walkers. He just took the abuse the Jock's gave him and didn't rat them out to the authorities for their abuse.
And it was abuse, getting stuffed into the trash can was nothing compared to the hell that was usually inflicted on him. Sometimes the older boys would beat him just because they could and he had to lie to his family and tell them that he'd been fighting.
"Chilling…" Liam responded with a smirk.
"How'd you get in the trash can? Did someone push you in?"
Liam rolled his eyes and took another drag from his cigarette, "And the prize for best Princpalling goes to…"
"Who did this…?" Hackett demanded, there was already a crowd forming around them.
Liam started to answer but he saw two of the main boys in question standing inn the crowd cracking their knuckles.
"I was skating and I couldn't stop…" Liam lied, "I crash landed in here and got a little stuck and decided on a smoke break…"
"Liam…" Hackett didn't seem to buy his story, "Let's get you out of there and we can talk about your suspension in my office."
"Oh my God…Liam why are you in the trash can smoking?" His younger sister asked as pushed through the crowd.
"Long story…well not all that long fell in got stuck and started smoking." He explained.
"Alright everyone nothing to see here, go back to your classes the threat is contained." Hackett shouted, and the crowd began to disburse.
"Liam did those guys do this to you?" Calli asked in a whisper.
"I did this to myself," he threw his cigarette, and allowed them to pull him out of the trash can.
"For existing," he added.
"Follow me…" Hackett said, "Calliope you'd better be getting back to class before you get a tardy slip…"
Liam shrugged his shoulders at her and started down the hall after the principal.
Keely was furious, another meeting with Principal Hackett about Liam. He'd earned himself another suspension. She stomped down the halls of H.G. Well's High School with Liam in tow surprised that it still smelled the same the comforting mix of the "Dolphin Safe Tuna" and B.O.
"I can't believe you would do something so dumb, this is even stupider than the time you liberated the lab rats and set them lose during a pep rally." Keely said.
Liam stalked on ahead of her, "You wouldn't understand why I did that."
"I'm tired of hearing that, try me I might just understand." She said once they'd reached the parking lot.
"You wouldn't, you were Miss Popular around here. You don't know what it's like to walk around here and not be the center of attention." Liam said.
"Sometimes I wish I hadn't gotten so much attention in high school." She whispered, "Are you being teased again? Is that what this is about?" Keely asked.
Liam didn't answer, she knew she was right.
"Why would anyone want to stuff you into a trash can?" Keely asked.
"Because I don't fit into their little mold." Liam told her, "If you've forgotten those in power around here like to reject what's different."
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"It's not like you're going to do anything about it. If you get my drift."
Liam said.
"Of course I am we're going to back in there and tell Hackett." Keely said.
"No! We're not. You're going to make things ten times worse for me if you do. There's nothing Hackett can do about those guys, it's completely over his head. They play well so they're above the law." Liam said glancing around nervously, "Can we just go home."
"Get in the car. I'll take you home. We're going to figure out something." She said as they got into her car.
"I've got it worked out only two more years and I'm out of here." Liam said.
"You think that you'll just let them do that and just wait until you get out of high school."
"I'm fine Mom…can't you just leave well enough alone."
"You are not fine. You got stuffed ass first into a trash can. They spray painted horrible things on your locker last semester. You're a worse liar than your father. I can't believe that I let this go on that I let this happen to you." Keely whispered.
"Promise me you won't tell dad." Liam said.
"I can't promise that…" Keely said, "It's our job to look out for you to protect you, it hurts to know that I haven't been doing that."
"It's no big deal." Liam said.
"How long has this been going on?" she demanded.
"Since seventh grade." He whispered. "It never stopped Mom..."
"Was that what you were trying to tell me this morning?" She asked.
"No…that was something else." He cocked his head not meeting her eyes.
"You know you can tell me anything…" Keely told him.
"Let's just see what you do with this secret…" Liam told her.
She finally started the car and drove them home, it broke her heart that her son was hurting and she hadn't even noticed it. She'd thought he was just acting out but he'd been hiding something much worse than that, she wondered what else her son was hiding. She knew better than anyone that people will believe whatever you chose to show them. That was one thing high school had taught her.
She'd managed to keep a secret of her own for over eighteen years. She could understand the lengths her son was going through to keep whatever he was hiding to himself, but she didn't want him to go through it alone. She decided to hold off on telling Phil about what the kids at school were doing to Liam, until she found out what else he was hiding.
Phil was in an exceptionally good mood when he'd arrived home from work. He'd gotten the investors to kick in the extra money he needed to take over the hotel in Los Angeles; it was by far his biggest business venture. He walked through the front door to hear the sounds of Liam's stereo. He groaned he was hoping he would just find Keely at home. He'd gotten off early just go come see her.
He walked upstairs, passing his son's room the door was closed as usual with its normal DO NOT ENTER sign on the front that appeared to be scrawled in blood, he prayed it was red paint.
He didn't feel like finding out why Liam was home from school so early. He just wanted to tell his wife the good news.
He found Keely in their bedroom sitting on the floor looking at a photo album.
"Keels…" he whispered from the doorway.
She looked up startled, "Phil…you're home early."
He smiled and ventured more into the room walking across the soft plush white carpet to sit down beside his wife. She looked beautiful, wearing a different outfit than the one she'd worn that morning it was a purple and black kimono over black bellbottom dress pants. Her hair was adorned by a purple flower; she smelled like lavender, her very presence excited his senses. He couldn't even remember what he had to tell her.
"Yeah…the meeting wrapped early," he said.
"So what's the word? Are they going to invest?"
"Oh…yeah they are…I kinda forgot about all that work stuff when I saw you." He said.
"You should be very excited, this is a huge deal. You're getting to restore this old hotel to its former glory and make it flourish again." She said.
"I am…" he whispered.
"This is an awesome opportunity for you Phil…" Keely smiled.
"Yeah…" they were talking about two different things, "What are you looking at."
"Nothing…just old snapshots of the family." She said.
"You only do that when something's wrong. What happened?" he asked.
"Liam got suspended again, but it's not entirely his fault." Keely said.
"Whose fault is it? That boy is always getting himself into one thing or another. I'm gonna call that military school in San Diego. I can't deal with that boy's drama anymore." Phil said.
"Phil…he's acting this way because he's hurting….I'm his mother and I don't know how to help him. Remember how happy he used to be when he was younger?"
"Yeah… I do. We would play laser squash and camp out in the living room. We used to be best friends…I wonder what happened." Phil said sadly.
"I think I do." Keely whispered looking down at the album in her lap.
"I remember that one," he said pointing at a picture of seven year old Liam sitting on the kitchen counter smiling brightly showing off his missing tooth.
"I wish we were just dealing with a loose tooth or a skinned knee with him this time. That's something I can fix." Keely said.
"We can't help him unless he wants us to." Phil said putting an arm around her.
"I know…I wish he'd let me in…I just realized we don't know him at all…he just shows us what he wants us to see. All of the trouble he's been in I think it's a distraction." Keely told him.
"From what I wonder." Phil said.
"I certainly intend to find out." Keely said.
"We'll talk to him after dinner. Right now, I need to hold you." He told her.
Keely smiled, and blushed. After all this time together, he could still make her blush. He closed the album and picked her up and with him and walked them over to the bed.
"Remember how we used to just lie in bed and just talk about everything in high school?" Phil asked.
"How can I forget? It used to be hell for me lying there beside you wishing I could kiss you. I never knew…that you wanted me too." Keely said.
He smiled, as they lay side by side holding hands.
"I used to do the same thing. It just feels like second nature to love you. And I just know that no matter what happens our love is going to see us through it."
"I feel like that this just the calm before the storm. About as calm at it gets for us around here." Keely said.
"Whatever happens, we'll be alright."
"I hope so…" she whispered it was the last thing he heard before he went to sleep.
Keely noticed that Phil had fallen asleep; she kissed him on the cheek she lay there beside him for a few minutes before she went downstairs to make Liam a snack. She had loads of time before Calli's tryouts of the play.
She made him a plate of fresh fruit and brought him some yogurt, her son was a weird one while the girls guzzled down can after can of fruity soda and ate sugary candy bars and starchy chips Liam liked fruit. In some ways he was the kid every mother dreamed of he kept his shoes off the living room rug which was more than Keely could say for the boy's father, he ate all of his vegetables, a feat Keely herself couldn't master even at thirty five.
She made her way upstairs with the food and knocked softly on her son's bedroom door. He slowly pulled it open and peered at her through his hair.
"Can we talk?" she asked.
"Sure why not…" he said pushing the door open all the way, "Ignore the mess."
The room was a chaotic swirling mess. Clothes, books, and just about everything you could imagine was strewn all over the place, his bed was unmade.
"I always do…" she said, "But if your father sees this I'm not going to stop him from boxing all your stuff up and putting it up in the attic. You'll be stuck with one standard issue army blanket and only three outfits to wear. I know you couldn't stand that anymore than I could. If I cleaned my closet you can do something about this. I had clothes in there from the Nineties for crying out loud."
She earned herself a smile from the sullen teenager.
"Mom…you do know that that makes you really, really old right?"
"Despite the fact that I remember the nineties I am still surprisingly youthful and peppy." Keely smiled.
"Yeah…"
"This out fit practically screams youthful and peppy mother of teenage children! Everyone thinks so…" Keely said.
He smiled and she realized he was just messing with her.
"Liam…I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything…"
"Mom I know you've said that many times today alone."
"I thought you were hungry so I made you a snack." She handed him the plate of fruit.
"Thanks Mom…"
"Will you talk to me…help me understand who you are now. What you're going through…you aren't Mommy's little Pooh Bear…anymore, I don't expect you to be. You're well on your way to becoming Mommy's little Pooh Bear the Man…" she found herself babbling.
"Will you promise you won't hate me?" Liam asked setting the food aside.
"Yes…" Keely said.
"If you pinky promise I'll tell you everything. You can't tell anyone even dad what I'm going to tell you." He told her.
Keely was numb after she walked out of her son's room. He'd told her everything; about how scared he was to let anyone in, to let them find out he was gay. They'd both hugged and cried and she'd left him alone after assuring him that she loved him and there wasn't a damn he could do about it.
She had no problem that he was gay, one of her best friends was a lesbian, Owen was bi, as was Via. She and Phil had discovered that the night they graduated from high school, Phil wasn't too pleased about getting groped by a drunken Owen. Phil had always tried to convince her to fool around with Via, she'd always joked about doing when he did something with Owen, he had responded by putting his hand to his throat and shaking his head.
She went back down to the kitchen, and started deciding what to make for dinner. She went though the motions like a robot.
Phil walked into the room, "Are you ready to go to the try outs?"
"Yeah. Did you ask Liam if he wanted to come with us?" Keely asked.
"I did. He said he wasn't feeling up to it. I hear getting suspended takes a lot out of you. What did he do this time?"
"Well he got caught smoking after some bullies stuffed him into a trash can. He kinda got stuck and he just lit up."
"He's being bullied again? I thought we talked to the parents and took care of that after the whole locker incident." Phil said.
"Wrong…he's been in like three fights since then."
"Yeah I remember him limping around the house. I'm sorry; I haven't been paying enough attention to the boy. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to keep the boys away from those girls of ours, it is exhausting. But that's going to stop this weekend we're going to go fishing. Just the two of us."
"Phil! You aren't supposed to be scaring their boyfriends away. Cady's a senior it's high time she went on a few dates. But I don't blame you from keeping them away from Calli she's much too young for that kind of thing."
"I don't even think she knows the difference between boys and girls, you've got talk to her again, and she's dressing like the Princess Bride again." Phil said.
"Well, I seem to recall a man who dressed up like Chi Chi Rodriguez last Halloween. She likes frilly skirts and gloves and scarves she's just a kid." Keely said.
"Well, I don't want her to be getting stapled to her desk again by Mini Candida." Phil said.
Calliope looked out into the crowd of students that had gathered to auction for the play, "So this the competition…" she mumbled walking forward making her way over to Ms. Greene the drama teacher.
She handed her papers, the signed forms from her parents and a copy of the monologue she intended to recite. She took a seat and looked around for her mother.
"Calli!" she heard Cadence calling her from the doorway to the auditorium.
Calli got up and trudged over to her sister her soft purple ballet slippers making no sound as she switched form linoleum to carpet on her journey up the aisle to meet her sister.
"Has mom got here yet?" Cady asked.
"No not yet…are you and Kent going to watch me try out?" Calli asked.
"We could and maybe ask mom and dad when they get here." Cady looked over at her freckled friend who nodded nervously.
Calli rolled her eyes, she wished the two of them would get together already.
"Ask mom and dad what?" Calli asked.
"About taking Cady to Brad's party, it's no big deal…" Kent said.
"I heard it was going to be the party of the year. It's not the best idea for a first date. One of you is bound to get drunk, more than likely she will and then you'll spend the whole night taking care of her, you don't want this to be filled with clichés you might as well stay home and watch 10 Things I Hate About You."
"This isn't a date!" Both Cady and Kent said indignantly.
"Whatever, did you know that that movie is based on a play by William Shakespeare? It's called Taming the Shrew." Calli explained.
"We know that we read the play for English last year." Cady said, "Is Ms. Greene going to care about us coming in there?"
"Just as long as you don't talk loudly and keep your cell phones turned off, she hates that worse than someone chewing gum in the middle of a monologue. I learned that the hard way," Calli said with a sweeping dramatic gesture.
"You guys take some seats I've got to go back with the others; it's almost most time to begin." Calli said as they made their way down the aisle again trying to beat the rush of the other kids auditioning to the stage.
"Calli, you know you don't have to run, they go in alphabetical order." Cady pointed out.
"Oh right…I'm just so nervous…" Calli said as her sister and her friend took seats in the middle section.
Calli continued up to the stage tripping several times as she did, "Why does the carpet have be so damn bumpy and my skirt so frilly…"
Phil and Keely made their way into the auditorium. He spotted Cady sitting with Kent that was one guy Phil had no problem with Cady going out with. He led his wife over to where they were sitting.
"Dad! I didn't think you'd be able to make it today…" Cady said.
"I got finished early and decided I'd come home early and go to Calli's auditions." He told her.
"Mr. Diffy do you think we could talk after the try outs?" Kent asked.
"Sure," Phil wondered absently what the boy would want to talk to him about but he didn't have long to ponder it Keely put her hand on his thigh.
"I forgot the camera out in the car. I've got to go get it." She told him.
"Keely, she's not going to be able to focus with you taking pictures of her. You should think about leaving it out there. She's going to be nervous as hell, to begin with."
"You're right that's why God invented camera phones for quick flashless pictures." Keely said.
They watched the students audition some of them were quite good. Finally Calli's name was called.
"Calliope Diffy." The drama teacher called.
Calli stepped from behind the curtain and managed to get caught in it. It took her a second to untangle herself from the curtain then she tripped over the microphone stand, it was almost painful to watch.
Then when she righted herself from that minor disaster, she gazed out into the audience. There were so many people staring at her, she spotted her parents in the audience. Then she cleared her throat and adjusted the microphone. She smiled when she saw her father, and she managed to recite her monologue effortlessly.
"That was the best I've ever done," she said after the auditions were over.
"You didn't throw up at all." Cady shrugged.
"I did a little in my mouth." Calli said.
"I think you did great Sweetheart." Her father said pulling her into a hug.
"We're really proud of you Calli." Her mother smiled.
"I can't believe it…I might actually get a part in the play." Calli said, "I've got to go see how Jamie is doing she fainted during her audition."
Cady watched her sister walk away it was the perfect time for Kent to ask her parents if he could take her to the party. She nudged him.
"What?" he asked.
She gave him a look and made a gesture.
"Oh…"
"Mr. and Mrs. Diffy can I ask you two something?" Kent asked.
"Kent what's with the formalities, we've always been Uncle Phil and Aunt Keely to you since your mom married Alicia." Phil said.
"Sorry." Kent blushed, "I was wondering if you guys would allow me to take Cady to the Homecoming Party tonight."
Cady looked at her father awaiting his answer, he seemed to be in deep thought.
"You don't drink?" Phil asked.
"No, sir."
"Smoke?" Keely asked.
"No…"
"What are your intentions with my daughter?" Phil asked.
"I don't have any intentions," Kent said with heart breaking honesty, "I'd just like to take her out and show her a good time."
"Do you mean show her a good time or show her a good time in the backseat?" Cady's mother asked.
"Mom!" Cady said glowing from embarrassment; she'd never even kissed a boy much less fooled around in the backseat with one
"We're just fooling with you…you guys can go to the party. Bring her back at twelve thirty without any suspicious marks on her neck and without a drop of alcohol in her system." Phil said.
"Thank you Daddy." Cady threw her arms around her parents.
"Now…you know what would be super sweet if you guys took Calli out for ice cream as a practice date." Keely suggested.
"Not gonna happen." Cady responded.
"You know your mother she had to try," her father shrugged.
Cady smiled, "You guys head home we'll get her some ice cream."
"Yeah," Kent agreed.
"See they weren't that bad, you didn't get stabbed with any dining utensils or pushed down a flight of stairs." Cady told him as they went to go find Calli.
"I guess…" Kent said he seemed to be deep in thought.
Cady wondered what he was thinking about, she didn't have time to ask before her sister came up talking a mile a minute.
"Well, you ready to go, we have the whole car to ourselves we could go and park on Slater's Hill like we used to senior year." Keely suggested with a wink.
"Sounds good to me…" Phil said pulling his wife close as they walked out of the auditorium.
"How do you feel about Kent taking Cady to the party?" Keely asked.
"Ifthere is anyone other than myself that would take better care of her at the partyit would beKent."
"I think he likes her." Keely smirked.
"I certainly hope so, I've got their wedding invitations already printed up, the dates just need to the tweaked the Wizard."
Keely rolled her eyes at her husband's antics, she had no doubt that he was serious.