"I…guess?"
"Si. Si. That's mi chica. Your father will only be here for a month."
"That's 4 weeks. 31 days tops."
"Ok I understand it seems like a long time."
"Seems would mean it isn't really. I'm stating facts."
"Mi chica…I-"
"I know. I know."
Isabella took a deep breath before facing away from the mirror and turning towards her mother.
"He is my father and I must treat him with the upmost respect once he enters this house…"
"Si. Si. "
Vivian Garcia-Shapiro kissed her daughter's temple before sighing.
"It's beautiful."
Isabella turned back towards the mirror.
She frowned.
'I look so stupid', the 15 year old thought to herself as she stared at her reflection. Her hair was up in a braided bun and she was clothed in a big puffy coral colored dress.
"Why must I wear this again?"
Vivian looked her daughter in the eye.
"Because chica. It will please your father and it fits you well."
Isabella rolled her eyes.
"Well none of the guys better catch me in this ridiculous thing…"
Vivian's eyes widened.
"No. No. No. Chica, I...I'm not sure your father will approve of you and the boys. Trust me, I have nothing against them b-but, you hanging around with I bunch of boys. Your father will be very displeased."
Isabella huffed.
"So what? I go a month without the guys?"
Vivian looked at her daughter with pleading eyes.
"Oh fine." Isabella said as she threw her hands up in the air.
"Fine, mama. I'll go a month without my BEST FRIENDS. Does that please you?" she sneered.
"Very much." Vivian said sarcastically as she hurried off to cook downstairs in the kitchen.
Isabella sighed and plopped down on her bed.
A month without the guys?
Was that even possible?
"Al-most there…."
Isabella's head shot up as she turned to face the window.
"What the?" she raised an eyebrow.
She peered out her window and stared in shock at the peculiar sight of the boy across the street climbing up to her window.
"Phineas?" she shouted down.
He looked up but didn't respond.
"Phineas!"
He looked up once again and smiled.
Isabella slumped against the window sill until the boy was in her window frame. She held out her hands to help him gain entrance into her room.
"You know…we have a front door."
Phineas chuckled.
"Yeah but coming in through your window was cooler."
Isabella rolled her eyes.
"It's my bedroom. I could've been naked for all you knew."
"Lucky me, that you weren't." Phineas said as he winked at her.
This time Isabella giggled at her friend's statement.
"So…" Phineas said as he raised an eyebrow.
"What's with the dress?"
Isabella's smile faded.
"M-my dad…"
Phineas' expression softened.
"Oh."
Isabella sat on her bed, next to him.
She pouted before playfully punching his arm.
"What was that for?"
Isabella smiled.
"Make me laugh."
Phineas raised his eyebrows before coughing.
"What?"
Isabella frowned, the atmosphere now serious.
"One last time. Make me laugh."
Phineas sighed.
"W-what do you mean 'one last time'?"
Isabella breathed. Her mouth forming a perfect little 'O' shape. She stared at him. The boy who just climbed up her window. Her best friend. She didn't like to think of him as vulnerable. But sitting here, on her bed with him hunching over awaiting an answer, that was all she could think.
Apart from how simply adorable he was.
She took a deep breath.
"Phin. My dad's not keen on boys. Mom says that he probably won't want me hanging out with you all."
Phineas furrowed his eyebrows.
"For a month?"
Isabella sadly nodded.
"Oh."
"Well…we'll have to change his mind."
Isabella's heart stopped.
Change his mind?
Phineas was crazy, another quality for which she loved him, but that would never happen.
"I doubt that…"
Phineas took her hands in his and smiled.
"Stop doubting, Izzy."
Isabella smiled in a dazed expression. She was too distracted by him holding her hands to listen.
"So I'll round up the gang and we'll figure this out. Kay?"
Isabella snapped back to reality and nodded hastily.
Phineas approached the window, ready to climb out.
"Phin."
He turned to face her.
"We have a door."
Phineas smiled and shrugged her off.
"Windows are more my thing…"
He positioned himself to jump out of the window but at the last minute turned his head back to face Isabella.
"Oh, and by the way that dress looks really pretty on you."
And with that he had jumped out her window.
Isabella blushed and peered out to look at the redheaded boy run into his house across the street.
'Well I guess I'm keeping this dress', Isabella said to herself before giggling.
She was startled by the sound of the doorbell.
She instantly felt nervous. Her father had arrived and she didn't even know how to greet him. He left when she was five, around the same time her mind had been occupied by images of a little redheaded boy. Her father was a military man; her mother said that after the war he changed. Became more aggressive, drank a little more, smoke a little more. It got so bad that the couple got divorced.
If Isabella was sure of one thing was that when she married Phineas, no matter how much he begged, she would never allow him to join the military.
Though he would look irresistible in uniform.
Isabella shook her head as she walked downstairs.
This wasn't about Phineas. This was about her father.
She gulped before entering the kitchen to find her mother and father talking at the dining table.
The sight of this man brought back so many memories. Both good and bad.
She flinched as memories came racing back to her.
The man stood up and greeted her with out-stretched hands.
"Bella!" he called while grinning from ear-to-ear.
Isabella took one step closer.
"Daddy…"
Author's Note: Well if you're reading this, thanks for your time. I love to know that people read my work but I especially love reviews, so if you can please leave me one so that I can make this story even better. (Remember, that this is my first Fanfic so please don't go to hard on me...)