Lawrence and Ferb went to the shop. Linda saw father and son enter and looked questionably at them. "Why aren't you at school?" She demanded of Ferb, who shook his head in response and made a beeline for the back office. Once behind the closed door he just stood in the dark for a moment, then turned the light on and sat at the desk. It was a really nice antique roll-top desk with lots of drawers. He carefully ran his fingers over the surface of the desk If only this desk could talk, the secrets it could tell. He thought to himself as he pulled out his homework assignments and started working.

"Time to go. Ferb, are you still here?" The teen in question heard his father call, he put his papers and books into his bag and left the office area.

Ferb went to the car while his parents locked up. On the drive home Linda tried talking to him. "What happened at school that you're father had to have a meeting with the principal?" Ferb looked at his parents in the front seat, before answering. "Just deciding on where I'm going to go to school next year." He replied without enthusiasm. The car stopped at a stoplight. "Have you decided yet?" His father inquired, Ferb shook his head. "Not yet."

Linda tried in vain to get an answer out of either of the two Fletchers. Lawrence had promised his son that he wouldn't say anything until a final decision had been made. "He's got a lot to think about. He was given a number of options." Lawrence replied, knowing that by saying this Linda would be appeased, for a while.

Once home, Linda went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Lawrence went to his study to check on upcoming estate sales and auctions, and Ferb made his way up to his shared room.

Phineas heard the car pull in and was expecting his brother to come out to the backyard where their friends Isabella, Buford, Baljeet, Gretchen and Ginger were. When Candace came out to announce that dinner would be in ten minutes, Phineas asked her "Is Ferb home?". The eldest of the siblings looked at her brother. "Yeah. Of course he is. What do you think?"

The group of friends looked around at each other. "It's just that we would have thought he'd come hang out with us." Phineas said. Candace stepped over. "I think you should leave him alone for a bit." She said as she looked directly at her brother. Phineas looked to the ground. "That bad?" Candace nodded and replied "That bad."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ginger inquired. Phineas shook his head and scratched at his ear. "It's... nothing." He didn't know how to explain to his friends that sometimes Ferb turned himself into the most anti-social entity on the planet. He didn't know how to explain that to others, because he didn't know how to explain it to himself. Sometimes it was just a day or two, though there was that one time Ferb didn't talk with anyone... not even Phineas, for almost three months.

The friends said their goodbyes for the evening and filed out the back gate.

Phineas went into the house and washed up for dinner. He saw his brother, in the kitchen, helping. "Ferb, why didn't you come outside?" The green-haired teen shook his head in response. The shorter one took the plates from his brother's hands and put them on the table. "Does this have to do with your meeting with the principal today?" He inquired. Ferb nodded and stepped around his brother.

After dinner Ferb went to his room and Phineas followed. Ferb was sitting on his bed looking over some papers, and making notes. "Is this your homework?" Phineas asked as he walked in. Ferb looked over, narrowed his eyes then shook his head and continued with his task. Phineas came over and took some of the papers and started looking them over. "Boarding school? Semester at Sea?" He read. "What is this about Ferb? Aren't you going to high school like everyone else?"

Ferb grabbed at the papers. "I don't know yet." He replied then turned his back on his brother, as he continued his perusal of the papers.

Phineas went downstairs. "Dad? Why is Ferb looking at boarding school forms? Is he really going to go elsewhere for school? And what is 'Semester at Sea' that sounds fun, can I do that?" Lawrence looked over at the boy. "Did he show you these?" Phineas shook his head, I saw forms in our room and took a look. Lawrence shook his head. "You shouldn't have done that."

"What are you boys talking about?" Linda inquired as she came into the living room. "What is 'Semester at Sea' Lawrence?"

"I'm going out with Jeremy for a little bit, I'll be back soon." Candace called as she headed out the front door.

Ferb came downstairs and saw his parents and brother talking. They turned toward him and quickly changed subjects, literally... they each started talking about different subjects. Ferb shook his head and went to the front door. "Where are you going Ferb?" Phineas inquired of him. Ferb put his shoes on and grabbed his hoodie. "Just out for a walk." He replied, then added. "By myself."

"You've got two hours before I start calling and sending out search parties." Lawrence said jokingly. Ferb nodded in reply and left.

The green-haired teen walked around the park for a while. He saw some people he knew, and many he didn't. Ferb walked over to the pond and started to cross the bridge. He stopped in the middle, leaned on the rail and looked over the pond.

Someone came over and stood beside him. After a few minutes they spoke up. "Just had to get out of the house?" Jeremy asked him. Ferb nodded in response. "Yeah, I know what you mean." The older teen said. Ferb turned, looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Well, your siblings are not exactly the quietest. Then when everyone starts talking amongst themselves. I can understand why you'd want to leave. Candace told me that you get depressed from time to time." Jeremy said quietly. The younger teen looked to his feet. "I'm not depressed. I'm..." He paused looking for the words then continued. "I'm just in need of my own space, my own quiet space."

Jeremy moved a little closer so that their conversation could remain private. "Candace is positive that you are-" Jeremy said before Ferb interrupted. "I'm not depressed. Even if I were, what's it to her? All she does is try to make my life difficult." The younger teen shot before walking away.

Jeremy had to jog for a moment to catch up to Ferb, but soon fell in step with him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..." The older teen started before being interrupted. "Just drop it." Ferb shot as he shook his head. Jeremy reached out and grabbed Ferb's arm making him stop. "What's wrong? Talk to me. I won't tell Candace." Ferb looked to his feet, then back at his sister's boyfriend. "What's it like in high school?" He asked seriously.

Jeremy started rubbing the back of his neck. "That's a difficult question. You see, there are teams, clubs, all sorts of things." Ferb nodded. "I'm thinking of not going." He said and started walking again. It took a few minutes for Ferb's words to sink in before Jeremy ran after him. "Whoa, hold up a minute. You're not going to continue with school? That's got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say. Do your parents know of this decision?" Ferb smiled a little. "I'm actually considering taking distance learning, a suggestion by my principal Mr. Morris. He thought I'd get more out of a custom curriculum versus a static curriculum. Take into consideration that I don't like people..." He trailed off and brought his hands to his head.

"Come with me." Jeremy offered, he felt he had to get the younger one walking again, and if he could talk with him some more; he might be able to figure out what the underlying issue is. "What exactly do you mean you don't like people?" The green-haired teen walked silently beside the blond for a while, before replying. "The school counselor says it's perfectly normal. That there's nothing wrong with me. Supposedly, I'm not a freak; like everyone thinks I am." Jeremy paused in his step. "People call you a freak?" Ferb nodded in response.

The sky had turned dark. Jeremy and Ferb had been walking and talking for a few hours when Jeremy's phone rang. "Hello? What? He's here with me, I'm sorry we lost track of time. Yeah, I'll see to that right away. Bye." Jeremy hung up the phone and checked his watch. "Ferb, it's 10:45pm. That was Candace on the phone. She said everyone's been looking for you for almost three hours. I agreed I'd walk you home."

Ferb and Jeremy arrived at the Flynn-Fletcher front door. "Thank you Jeremy." Linda said as she opened the door and wrapped her arms around her son. "We were worried." She continued before Candace rushed over and pulled Jeremy into the house. "Mom's been worried about him for hours. I'm so glad you found him. Where was he?" Jeremy looked to Ferb who pleaded with him to not say anything. Jeremy turned to Candace then said. "We just ran into each other at the park and, you know... guy stuff." He said with a shrug.

"I'll drive you home Jeremy." Lawrence offered.

Ferb had somehow extracted himself from his mother. "Lost track of time, sorry." He said. Linda looked at him sternly. "You are not to go anywhere or see anyone all weekend long." She told him. Ferb pretended to be upset at this, but in actuality, he couldn't be happier. He really felt he needed to re-charge. If he's under parental orders to not see his friends... fine by him. What his mother didn't know, or realise, is that that's not a punishment for him. Telling him he's not allowed to read or work on some small projects, now that's punishment. She really does have him mixed up with Phineas.

The youngest sibling came charging downstairs. "Ferb! Where did you go? What happened? Why didn't you come home?" He collided with his brother and hugged him tight. Ferb carefully wrapped his arms around him then replied. "I was just out for a walk and lost track of time." He let go; Phineas didn't. "Please let me go." The middle child asked quietly and started to pry his brother off.

Linda turned to her son. "Ferb's grounded for the weekend. He can't have friends over, he can't leave the house." Phineas was shocked. Ferb, once again, looked disappointed. "But, Mom! Ferb and I were going to build a gigantic..." Phineas started before Ferb put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's okay Phin. If you still want to build that, you can. I'll look out the window from time to time."

Ferb then ascended the stairs to the shared bedroom and got ready for bed. He moved his papers and lay down. It didn't take long for Phineas to enter the room. "Ferb? What's going on? Why do you have all these information brochures and application forms for different schools and such?" The green-haired teen turned to face the wall. "If my grades at the end of the year are adequate, I could be considered for admission to a different type of high school." He heard his brother get into his own bed.

"Why were you called to the principal's office today?" Phineas inquired from across the room. Ferb took a deep breath. "I don't want to talk about it." Ferb heard movement from behind him. "Does it have anything to do with these forms?" The shorter brother inquired. "What does it matter? Who cares." The middle child shot back as he rolled over, sat up and looked at Phineas in the dark. "I just don't care anymore. If I never see another person, ever... I'd be happy." Ferb said and lay down adjusting the covers over himself.

Ferb heard his brother gasp. "You can't be serious Ferb." Phineas choked out. "Why would you even say something like that?" The youngest actually started to cry. Ferb closed his eyes tight. "No one understands what it's like. I try so hard. I get no recognition and I'm... tired. I'm just so tired. I've asked you to leave me alone on several occasions, yet you can't. It's a simple request Phin. Yet, you ignore it." He said, defeated.

Phineas turned on his bed-side light and lay down. "I'm sorry Ferb. Don't do it, don't leave." Ferb hugged his pillow. "I'm not actually leaving. I just want peace and quiet." He said as he looked towards his brother. Phineas continued to sob. Ferb swung his legs out of bed and crossed the room. He sat down on the yellow inflatable bed where his brother slept. "Phin, I'm not like you. I don't need people around me all the time to be happy." The red-head sat up and studied his brother's eyes. "You don't like spending time with your friends?" He inquired. The middle child took a deep breath, held it and sighed. "I don't mind spending time with friends, from time to time."

Phineas continued to study his brother. "From time to time? We see our friends everyday. We look forward to seeing them." Ferb shook his head. "Let's just say I'm glad I'm grounded this weekend. Don't let that impede your fun." He informed the youngest as he went back to his own bed. "Okay Ferb. I'll try to have fun. It won't be the same though."