State of Mind
I feel the weight of the world sometimes, Hanging on my head, Look for the light at the end of this tunnel once again. Mad Caddies
The television blared softly as a red-headed teen sat sprawled out with his brother on their old settee. The distinct notes of an old jazz saxophone blared out across the black and white set-pieces as the old noire film played out its second act. Sighing the despondent teen slumped even deeper into the faded brown pillows, affectionately rubbing his hand across his pet's teal-green fur. Ignoring his vibrating phone he glanced over to where his older brother was watching the flickering screen with rapt attention, his eyes glued to the scene playing out in front of them. His phone buzzed again, vibrating against his leg and sending his muscle into a slight spasm. There was an annoyed sounding growl from his lap as his napping pet started to become frustrated by the movement.
"Aren't you going to get that?" his ever observant brother prompted, glancing at the platypus readjusting himself on his master's lap, and looking like he was trying to avoid the insistently ringing phone.
"No," the younger teen replied, pushing the phone further away from him, and drifting back to watching the movie. Seemingly content with the lack of vibrations the platypus curled back onto his owner's lap, quite content with the continuous affection. "No I am not,"
"It could be Isabella," his brother suggested, popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully.
"It isn't, Ferb," his brother slouched even further into the couch. "I have no idea who it is, they've been ringing constantly over the last few weeks, and it's starting to get on my nerves. They started to ring and then hang up if it isn't answered immediately, but now it's just continuous ringing. I've had my phone on constant silent or vibrate over the last few days,"
"That's out of the ordinary,"
"You're telling me," the boy replied, absentmindedly rubbing his finger across the fur on his pet's back. "I got a real odd answer message as well the other day. All it said was "Phineas if you get this please call me back, immediately," he glanced across to his brother, who's face had just fallen into a deep concerned frown.
"You should really talk to mother and father about this,"
"No!" the red-head snapped a little to loudly, pulling his pet closer towards him as a source of comfort. "I-I don't want to worry either of them, especially Mom,"
Phineas winced as his brother turned his attention fully towards him, turning down the volume on the television so he could fully hear the conversation. "Why wouldn't you want to worry our Mum?" he questioned. "You're surely going to worry her if you tell her about this anyway,"
Suddenly feeling incredibly uncomfortable the red-head drew his arms away from his pet and wrapped them defensively around his body. He tucked his head into his chest and pressed his back further into the soft cushions of their sofa. "I don't want to talk about it Ferb," he replied. "The lack of memories I have aren't good. They're not good at all," he dared to look over to his brother, who was sitting there with a look of confused empathy on his face. Phineas watched his brother's face fall into shocked realisation when the situation of his predicament hit him.
"It's your-" he garbled, his shock stopping his words from forming. "You've got to tell Mum!"
"I don't," Phineas hissed in reply, tensing immediately. "You wouldn't understand. I tell her I get her involved, and that's something I don't want to happen," to his surprise his pet shifted on his lap, looking up at him and then nudging his arm with his beak to get more attention. "Oh sorry Perry old boy," the teen replied, resting his hand back on his beloved monotreme, calming the suddenly impatient pet. "I'll just ignore it,"
"How did he find-"
"Ferb stop!" Phineas commanded suddenly, his voice rising with frustration. "Just please. I don't want to talk about it," his brother opened his mouth. "And don't talk to Cadence about it either, please she wouldn't want to think about it,"
"Phineas, you've got to tell Mum, if it's about your father-"
"Adam Nealson was never my father!" the red-head suddenly snapped, his back ram-rod straight and his eyes glistening. "He may have been my biological Dad, but he was never my true Dad. Get. That. Straight," he ground out through gritted teeth. "I'm out, I don't know when I'll be back," his anger overpowering him the teen stood, placing the beaked mammal in his arms gently onto the sofa. He grabbed his phone and stalked out into the hallway to get his shoes.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know!" he called back through the kitchen, canceling the call on his mobile the furious teenager left the house, slamming the door as quietly as he could, just to prove a point to his older brother.
A light tap on a window woke a girl with flowing, raven-black hair. Yawning the girl stretched and blinked, turning towards the continuous tapping on the glass of her window. She frowned as she saw a red-headed teen balancing slightly on a ladder with one hand resting on the window-pane. For other teens of her age this would be a very disconcerting sight, but she'd become used to her best friend knocking her awake for the last few months. Pulling herself off her bed she shuffled over to the window and heaved it open, standing back she let her friend through into her bedroom.
"Thanks Bella," he murmured, closing the window behind him. To her surprise she saw that his eyes were wet and his face red and blotchy. He looked like he'd been crying.
"Phineas," she touched his arm. "Is everything all right?"
"No, no it's not," he muttered, and she pulled him into the room with practised ease.
"Adam again?" she asked, concern written over her pleasant features. Her best friend nodded and she lead him over to the blush bed. He collapsed onto it, burying is face into the pillows as she ran a tender hand through his wild orange hair.
"Isabella what am I going to do?" he groaned, his voice muffled by the pillow.
"You need to tell your Mom," the girl soothed, rubbing his shoulder in comforting circles.
"I change my number, and he still found it!" Phineas griped, furious with his stalker. "I don't know how he does it!"
"Phineas!" Isabella's heart broke to see her best friend so torn up. "You need to talk to somebody before this get way out of hand!"
"Don't you see it already has!" Phineas cried rolling over so he could look her straight in the eye. "My biological Dad is stalking me to the point were it's starting to affect my day to day life! I can't even-" he paused, startled as he saw her eyes were swimming with tears. "Isabella what's wrong?" he pulled himself upwards and placed his hand over hers, his blue eyes swimming with empathy.
"I know it's selfish for me to get upset," Isabella choked, her voice suddenly stuck in his throat. "But seeing you like this tears me up inside,"
To her surprise he gave her a small watery smile, and lifted his thumb to stroke the tears that had gathered at the corner of her eyes. "At least I know you care,"
"Phineas we all care," the raven-haired girl protested, "It's just that you're not telling anybody about this,"
"I don't want to worry anyone, you know that," he drew his hand back from her face when he realised that it had been resting on her cheek for longer than necessary.
"You're worrying me," Isabella stressed, pulling herself away from their close embrace, already missing the warmth and comfort of his body.
"I'm sorry! You're the only one that I can trust right now Bella," he muttered, staring down at his hands, he fiddled with a loose thread on his hoodie.
"Wait. I got you something that might help," Isabella stood and hurried over to her desk, pulling out a small leather bound black notebook. Jumping back onto her bed she pressed the fresh notebook into his awaiting hands. "This, it's for you," she explained. "For whenever Adam calls you write down a time and date, and what was said. It means if this ever goes to court you have full documentation,"
"Isabella, I-" Phineas started, his voice caught in his throat through the kindness of the gesture.
"Just do this for me, please," she placed her hands over his as they clutched the book. "I need to know that you're handling it well, and this means that it's not always in your head,"
"I have some space," Phineas realised, he was extremely touched by the gesture, and it caused hope to flourish in his chest, maybe there was a way out of this. His phone buzzed, and he froze, Isabella saw the look on his face and she leaned over to pick the phone up. To her delight Ferb was emblazoned across the screen. Turning the screen over so Phineas could see she handed it to him and flopped backwards on her bed, allowing him to answer the call.
"Yes Ferb? I'm over at Isabella's I'll be home shortly, sorry for shouting at you. I'm just stressed at the moment," Phineas voice gave away his exhaustion as he slumped against the plush quilt of the bed. "I'll be five minutes," he killed the call and turned back to his best friend, pocketing the small black book his trouser pocket.
"Thank's Bella," he smiled, leaning forwards and pressing a kiss against her cheek, before heading to the window. "We'll pick you up for school like normal right?"
Still shocked by the sudden display of affection Isabella ghosted her finger against her cheek, forcing herself not become lost in his platonic gesture. "Yeah Monday, tomorrow, see you later,"
"Thanks Izzy I don't know what I'd do without you," he beamed at her before hauling up her window, and making his way down the ladder, and across the lawn to his own house. Shutting the window Isabella let her moment of weakness overcome her as she collapsed on her bed, throwing her arm across her face and letting out a despondent sigh.
What had they gotten themselves into?
Monday seemed to go without a hitch, the old group of friends piling out of the shared Flynn-Fletcher mobile (as it had been dubbed) and heading into school. Isabella noticed that Phineas seemed to be far more relaxed then he had been in the previous week and she hoped that their small talk and the journal were the reason why. As she made her way to her locker she paused, surprised to see a large, well-toned, muscle rippling teen, called Zach. He was standing with two friends, both sporting the Danville High Football Jerseys. She frowned, glancing across to Ferb, who shrugged and nodded.
"Hey Isabella," the large football player greeted casually, his dark eyes flickered over to Ferb. "Flynn-Fletcher,"
Ferb blinked in response, waiting for Isabella to get her books so he could join her on their trek across the campus to AP history.
"So I was wondering Isabella, it's the first match of the semester and I was thinking, are you interested in goin' to the after party with me?"
Taken aback from the sudden interest Isabella's mind jolted in surprise, but her she forced her face into a passive uninterested smile. "Sorry Zach but I'm busy," she looked up at him from under her eyelashes, "Could you move please? I need to get to my locker," to her surprise Zach and his two friends let her pass to her locker, and she was genuinely touched and relieved that Ferb had come to stand beside her, eyeing the other three boys with an incredulous stare.
"I'm wonderin' why you're lettin' every guy down. That's all," Zach prompted up an awkward start to the conversation. "Bein' in the cheerleadin' squad means that you've got to put out y'know," Isabella had almost dropped her books in shock to his crude statement, she turned, her face flushed with rage and humiliation.
"Because I don't believe in putting out," Isabella replied tautly, snapping her locker shut and gladly accepting the offer from Ferb to hold her books. "I don't need to be on the arm of a conceited, egotistical jerk to feel like I'm somebody,"
She pushed past the trio before heading into the crowded corridors. Ferb had no problem keeping up with her quickening gait as they made a beeline for the history department. They slowed as they reached their classroom and Isabella sighed heavily, the sound gushing from her cheeks dejectedly as she slumped against the wall. Glancing up at Ferb she silently asked if she looked okay, and he smiled, nodding in reply. Even though she never saw herself within the popular crowd and their narcissistic groupies, she knew that she was one of the prime links within the school society chain, even if it was unwanted. She knew that any weakness, seen from any angle would derive itself into a mirage of unwanted rumours and whispers. She was a link between the unpopular and the popular people at this school, and she hated it. The period bell ripped her from her entangled thoughts as Ferb flicked his eyes over to the classroom door. Swallowing her anger and frustration she grinned at him, rolling her eyes as he pressed her books into her arms and gave her a sweeping bow.
Steeling herself she strode confidently into her second period, ready for whatever the day would bring.
The rumours sparked just after third period. They then leapt alive like boisterous young flames, jumping from kindling to branch, and then alighting the forest. By lunch they had exploded into a furious fire, unhampered by attempts to dampen its raging power. Ferb's ears twitched as he heard his brother's voice spoken freely within the corridors. It wasn't a rare occurrence, (seeing their rather inventive) pastimes, but by the disbelieving and worried tones of the students he instantly knew that something was up. As he entered the lunch-room (on his own, only he'd taken music as an extra recreational subject – his brother had wanted to play not learn) he made a beeline for his normal table. Surprised, none the least, to see that it was void of his normal excitable red-headed brother. Baljeet waved him over, a smile on his face as the elder teen wandered towards them. However as Ferb drew closer he realised that the smile was not all that it was cracked up to be. From years of being silent Ferb had developed a talent with reading people. He knew exactly what emotions they were thinking just by their facial expressions, and by the small smile that Baljeet was giving him (it didn't go all the way up to his eyes) he knew that something was most definitely wrong.
"Heya Ferb," Buford's heavily accented voice broke him from his mental musings, and he nodded in acknowledgement towards the ex-bully, taking his usual seat next Baljeet. "How's it hangin'?"
Ferb tilted his head to the side, and shrugged, before turning back to his lunch.
"That good eh?" Buford grunted, leaning across the table to swipe Baljeet's fries and replace them with his unwanted greens. Over the years the constant love-hate relationship between the ex-bully and the nerd had dwindled into a hesitant friendship, and then into a much stronger bond, which seemed to cause them to co-exist more as a couple then close friends (but if anyone dared to point it out they'd receive a complaint stamped and signed by Buford's fist).
"Has anybody seen Phineas today?" Baljeet asked, sipping his drink delicately and receiving an eye roll from Buford for his astounding etiquette.
"Nope, I ain't seen Dinnah Bell all day, you seen him Ferb?" Buford grunted.
"Come to think of it he wasn't in AP Math," Ferb pondered, his brain clicking into overdrive as his brothering instincts kicked in.
"Hey guys what'cha doing?" Isabella's voice broke them out of their conversation as she sat down in her usual seat, frowning at the space left by her favourite redhead. "Where's Phineas?"
"We were jus' wonderin' that question Girly, you ain't seen him today have yer?" Buford asked playing with his chips.
"I haven't got a single period with him until biology this afternoon," Isabella replied, pulling out her lunch. "The girls haven't seen him around either,"
"What do you do keep checks on 'im?" Buford smirked, delighted at the way the girl's cheeks flushed.
"No," the younger girl snapped. "It's just that he's been out of it for a while now, I think even you, how dense you are would have realised,"
"Huh Girly's got a point. What's with that Ferb?" he turned his questioning on Ferb, who shrugged and carried on eating his lunch, his concern about his brother's whereabouts mounting.
"So what's the deal with your brother attacking Zach?" the voice startled him out of his revere and he looked up to see two footballers towering over their table. "Sup Buford,"
"Sup," Buford replied, keeping his head low and hoping they wouldn't cause a scene, it wasn't the fact that the ex-bully was scared of them, oh-no, it was the fact that being on the team was the only chance he had in getting into collage, and he wasn't about to blow it on some petty fight.
"Phineas got into a fight? That does not sound like him," Baljeet responded, glancing across to Isabella, who had gone strangely quiet.
The dark haired teen ignored Baljeet and turned his attention to Ferb once again. "So turns out Phineas threw quite the punch at Zach, woulda given him a black eye but y'know he's just kinda scrawny,"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ferb replied, his eyes locked on the jock.
"Sure you do. You've heard the rumours flyin' about this morning," the jock stated, his eyebrow raised.
"I can't believe I have," Ferb lied, becoming increasingly frustrated.
"I mean everyone knows he's got a thing for Isabella, and it wasn't like it was even that much of an insult. He heard what Zach said and went apeshit!"
Isabella's face twisted into an amalgamation of annoyance and shame, but she kept calm as she listened to how the conversation played out.
"I mean it's kinda weird how she's the only girl in the cheer leading not to have put out yet-"
"Oi!" Buford was suddenly standing, his fists clenched and his face set. "Never ask any of the girls to put out for you, that's just," he paused. "Discriminatin',"
"Look it's high school Buf, it don't matter anyhow, if people are just gonna be stuck up their own asses-"
"That's enough," Buford growled, knowing that this would be effecting Isabella more than her picturesque façade would let on. "One more word Todd and I'm gonna punch your block off,"
"Y'know that's one thing you don't wanna Buford, it'll go straight go coach," the other teen smirked. "All Zach asked was if Isabella wanted to come to the first party of the semester. Right Isabella?"
Isabella forced a sweet smile onto her face. "Course Avery, and I said that I was busy,"
Avery grinned. "Course you did," Ferb raised his eyebrow and placed down his lunch. He could see the obvious effect that this confrontation was having on Isabella, even if no-one else could.
"I think you should leave," Ferb prompted, his cool English accent taking the control of the situation. He stood, his growth spurt causing his 6ft of lean muscle to tower over the two footballers.
"Threatenin' us Ferbmister? Doesn't seem like you," Avery drawled, not bothered by the intimidating stance of a teen that towered above him.
"He's not gonna be the one throwin' the punches," Buford growled, and Isabella refrained from rolling her eyes. The last thing that she needed was the entire conversation to be blown out of proportion by some fist fight in the lunch-room.
"What's going on?" someone tapped her on the back of her shoulder and she turned to see Adyson, a concerned frown across her pretty features.
Isabella shrugged helplessly. "The guys think that they need to defend my honour, to be honest Adyson, I think we'd better leave before this turns into a punch up,"
"Punch up eh?" Buford smirked. "I'm likin' the sound of that," he braced himself, his shoulders tightening and his hackles rising.
"Buford I do not think that it is a good idea," Baljeet tried to dampen the situation.
"Yeah Buford listen to the little runt," Todd ridiculed, his eyes shining with laughter. "It's adorable how he follows you around, kinda like a little-" Todd didn't get to finish his sentence as the ex-bully launched forwards, throwing a hard punch into Todd's jaw. The other teen staggered back, clutching his jaw and glowering at Buford. Avery was about to throw a second punch, but his fist was stopped in it's path as Ferb stepped forwards (as cool and as impassive as ever) and caught his fist. His eyes glinted dangerously, as if warning Avery to take a second blow. He forced Avery's hand back at his wrist. The small gesture wasn't enough to break the bone, but the pain was visible across Avery's face, and with a small inclination of his hand Ferb had the elder boy on his knees. The rest of the lunch-room's chatter froze as the scene unfolded around them.
"Do you want to take this outside or end it here?" Ferb's quiet controlling voice determined the direction of the conversation.
Avery was silenced, his face twisted with pain from the stinging sensation that was coursing through his wrist.
"I think you should leave now," Ferb stated. "And stop spreading rumours about my brother, otherwise I'll spread more than just then just your face against this floor. Understood?"
Anybody who knew Ferb knew that he'd never touch them again, but with is determinedly cool exterior, and the position that Avery was in now, people were going to beg to differ. Avery nodded, scrambling up from his position as Ferb let go of his hand before sitting back down to continue with is lunch, the stern gaze that he sent towards Buford telling him to do the same. In response Buford almost growled at the glowering Todd before sitting back in his own seat, and flexing his hand. Sensing that there wasn't going to be a confrontation the rest of the lunch-room descended back into it's normal chatter.
"What was all that about?" Adyson easily slipped into the free spot near her good friend, and eyed the group wearily.
"Nothin'," Buford grunted, and cracked his knuckles before delving back into his food.
"Baljeet?" Adyson probed, knowing that the Indian boy would be easy to crack.
"It is not my place to say," Baljeet muttered, taking an overly large bite of his sandwich, to avoid further questioning.
Adyson glanced over to Ferb, who shrugged and continued with his meal. Pausing when is phone vibrated in his pocket, flicking out his flatscreen he frowned as he read the text.
I'm waiting for Mom to pick me up, I've been suspended for the week. P. Ferb almost choked on his sandwich with surprise.
Why? F
I punched Zach in the face and broke his nose, it was an accident! I was aiming for his jaw! P
Ferb let out a despairing sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose to ease his frustration. His brother could definitely be a live wire, with a constantly unpredictable spark (especially when it came to Isabella), but this was completely unexpected and out of character. Stuffing the rest of his lunch into his bag Ferb stood, and slung his shoulder bag over his shoulder. He gave a quick nod to the group sitting at the table before he set off. Easily navigating the halls to the principles office he saw his brother slouched on a chair outside the oak door. To Ferb's experienced eye the boy looked exhausted, and (not to his surprise) there was a dark bruise blossoming across his jaw and another blotch of blue over his left eye.
"Hey," Phineas muttered dejectedly as his brother came to join him. "What's up?"
"What the bloody hell were you thinking?" Ferb's outburst surprised them both, and the elder brother with held his furious tirade as he saw a couple of students make their way down the hall and head into one of the abandoned classrooms. "What happened, Phineas?" he regarded the bruised face carefully, not surprised as his brother batted his anxious hands away.
"Nothing happened, I was just walking to math, and then I heard Zach talking about getting Isabella to put out for him at the after-party on Saturday. I dunno know what happened! I got angry, I mean really, angry. I told him that girls just don't do that, especially Isabella, and then he said that she'd put out for me. Something about spreading her legs without even making me pay for it. I dunno- don't look at me like that Ferb – I just lost it! I mean nobody calls Isabella a whore and gets away with it! She has enough to deal with without people expecting her to sleep with them," he groaned resting his head against the wall of the corridor. "I just don't know what came over me. I suppose I saw red, I was floored before I even threw the first punch. Zach knew it was coming. I think I accidentally broke his nose cause I head-butted him in the face as I tried to get up. I'm not a confrontational person Ferb y'know that! What's wrong with me?" Phineas scrubbed his hands agitatedly through his thick mop of red hair, his gaze desperately seeking the advice from his brother.
"You care more than you realise about Isabella," Ferb stated plainly, eying his brother's reaction.
"Well she's my best friend. I," he trailed off, and Ferb couldn't help but grin as he saw the realisation wash across his brother's face. "Oh my god, how did I not realise this before! I like her Ferb! Like seriously like her! I thought all of our accidental touches and stuff like that were just platonic between friends. How long have I been in the dark about this Ferb?" he paused and Ferb shrugged. "Hang on does she know? Does she know that I like her and I haven't realised until now? The fact that it takes someone to call her a whore, and the fact that it takes me to try and fight for her honour means that I like her? Oh damn it Ferb! Why didn't I realise this before? All the lost time, and the lost things. It's not fair!" he scrubbed his hands down his face, and folded his arms, glowering at the opposing wall. "Why didn't anybody tell me about this?"
"Because it's something that you had to work out for yourself," Ferb replied coolly, his brain clicking into silent overdrive as he wondered what his brother was going to do.
"Did everybody know?" Phineas quietly wailed. "Did everybody know?"
"They had an idea," Ferb consoled.
"Does she like me? I'm not surprised if she doesn't, how romantically stunted I am. I mean look at me Ferb! It's taken me – what – almost ten years to realise that I like my best friend? We're now a quarter way through the last year of high school and I've only just realised?"
"You have no problem about Isabella not liking you," Ferb replied, wishing he hadn't when he saw his brother's face twist into horror.
"How long Ferb?" Phineas griped. "Tell me!"
"It's not really in my jurisdiction," Ferb apologised, hating the emotional turmoil that his brother was in.
"Ferb!" Phineas pressed.
Ferb shook his head and blinked, telling his brother that this conversation was over.
"Fine," his brother growled, throwing himself forcefully back against his chair, and ignoring the screech of the legs against the tiles. "I don't see how this day could get any worse-"
"Phineas Flynn-Fletcher!" the furious voice of their mother caused both boys to turn. The woman was stalking down the corridor, her face flushed with anger and her eyes glistening with fury. "What in the world do you have to say for yourself?" Linda demanded as she stopped at their side. Phineas sunk down into his seat, pulling his orange hoodie upwards across his mouth so he wouldn't have to answer to his mother's furious tirade.
"Hi Mum," Ferb greeted, wanting to calm the furious woman, but he knew that the only way to calm her would be when she knew the full story – and hopefully then she'd understand.
"Ferb sweetheart," Linda smiled. "You'd better get back to your friends. I'm going to have a long talk with Phineas here, and a longer one when his Dad gets home," in relation to Linda's revelation Phineas pulled his hood over his head and pulled the drawstrings tight, completely obscuring his face from view. Ferb knew that it wasn't only his mother's wrath that he was trying to ignore with the temporary darkness, but it was also the rather complex emotional feelings that he'd realised for his best friend.
Nodding, and realising that his Mum wanted to talk to Phineas on a one-to-one basis Ferb patted his brother's leg and headed back to the lunch-room. Wondering when the shit was really going to hit the fan.
"Phineas you need to talk to me, don't even try to hide the fact that there's something going on," Linda's soft voice eased Phineas out of his disparaging emotive state as they pulled up on the drive.
"I'm fine Mom," Phineas replied hastily, wanting to get out of the car and head up to his room, knowing that he was most likely grounded for the rest of his life.
"Phineas," Linda pressed, killing the car engine and pulling out the key, her face taut with worry. "There's something wrong. You can tell me I'm your mother!"
"Nothing's wrong Mom!" Phineas pressed, unclasping his seat belt and slipping out of the car, wondering when his Mom would just drop the subject.
"Phineas! Don't you dare!" his Mom warned as the teen got out of the car and stalked to the front door, unlocking it and heading into the kitchen. "Phineas!" his mother followed his footsteps and cornered him in the kitchen, her face twisted in annoyance and her arms crossed over her chest. "What on earth made you break a boy's nose?"
"It was an accident okay!" Phineas barked suddenly kicking one of the high barstools in the kitchen to control his sudden bubbling anger. "I accidentally broke a guy's nose trying to get up after he floored me!"
To his shock his Mom's anger dissolved as he continued with his tirade.
"Sure I started the fight, only cause he was saying that Isabella wasn't going to put out for him at the party this weekend. I told him to stop with the shit he was spreading about her and he said that the only person that whore would spread her legs for would be me, and that I'd get it for free- how the hell was I supposed to stop myself from getting mad at that? I couldn't help it I went for him okay? It's not my fault I can't control myself when it comes to my friends. I would have defended Baljeet or any of the girls if someone had said something like that about them. I just saw red when I realised that he was talking about Isabella," he took a breath, surprised to see that his Mom had stepped towards him with her arms open for an inviting precious hug. Without even stopping to think Phineas had buried his face into his Mom's embrace, clutching at the back of her shirt as he let out a small moan. "I'm sorry Mom,"
"It's okay," Linda soothed, understanding her son's actions well enough. He wasn't a confrontational person, but even the wrong words said in the right way could push his buttons and send him over the edge (his father had been the same way). She ran a comforting hand through his hair and pulled away to study the bruises on his face. "He really did a number on you didn't he?" she soothed, brushing a tender thumb across his forehead, feeling a surge of motherly protectiveness as he winced at the contact.
"I'm fine Mom, can I just go and study? I'm going to miss enough as it is," Phineas pulled away from their embrace, looking exhausted and emotionally drained.
"Sure. I'll call you for dinner. I'm not going to ground you as I think that a weeks suspension is punishment enough,"
"Thanks Mom," he smiled, before heading up to his room, (saying a quick hello to Perry), wondering if he would ever get any peace and quiet.
First chapter, done and dusted!, I hope you all enjoyed it! Please tell me if there's anything wrong, or there are any mistakes! I am working on several other fics at the moment but this was my favourite one! Please review and favourite if you feel the need too!
Thanks, Caio!
LostLyra.