I saw, I think, my new favorite rom-com this weekend, sort of magical. But I'm still a bitter little girl, so both of those themes might be in this. But really, if anything, this chapter is really a lot of Isabella reflection on relationships and stuff.

As much as I wished life could be as adorable and fluffy and wonderful as it was with Ferb, it wasn't. I remembered that today when I tripped on my own dress at work and everyone laughed at me. I remembered that today when my mother called yet again to nag me; I don't know what the heck my parents expect from me. I can barely remember life without a boyfriend. Jesus, I was so pathetic. My life had revolved around Phineas, but that wasn't the only problem. I was… I don't know, full of myself? I automatically expected everything to work out for me, friends, family, and love life, and put on the façade that I was the cute perfect one. The only person who truly saw behind the, the, "Whatcha' doin'?" was Ferb. Weirdly enough, I only got the "Mrs. Perfect" tag after we got together… seems like it only took the appearance of a cute couple for everyone to think your life was perfect. No one knew about the fights, the insecurities, the drama, the backstory… although now, apparently, they know all about our sex life. Thank you, Phineas. No one in the world was better at fixing problems than Ferb. And that's the biggest contributor to the perfect couple… having the perfect boyfriend. At least, the perfect boyfriend for you.

I was still upset that Baljeet and Ginger had broken up. As I had told her, Baljeet and Ginger were the perfect couple. Ginger was the one with her whole life together, the one who had actually landed her crush and soul mate. You know… Mishti was leaving tonight. And without Mishti, they definitely could make-up. If I could just get them to actually speak to each other. I was working on it.

"Isabella!" Ginger threw a cushion at me. "Off in another fantasy?" She chuckled.

"No." I denied. Having Ginger here to just hang out was the best I could come up with. No pressure. Ginger wasn't even that upset right now. She was almost her normal Gingery self. "Are you doing something weird?"

"No." She said.

"Hmm," I glanced at my feet. "Should I get my toes done for tonight?"

"Why?" She tilted her head. Oh god, please tell me she was invited to the party tonight. "For Baljeet's?" She rolled her eyes.

"You should come." I encouraged.

"Oh, I'm coming." She said defiantly. "I'm tired of letting him think he's won the gang."

"Kay." I said weakly. I glanced around the room. Her loft was so nice. We all thought it. "Hey, Ginge… What would it take to get an apartment in your building? Your loft is so nice." Ginger sighed. "Because Ferb and I – "

"I get it!" She almost cried. "You and Ferb are moving in together. Could you stop rubbing it in?"

I stared at her. "Ok, Ginge, I already have one friend making random outbursts like this. I know you're upset about Baljeet, but… is there something else? Did I do something? Tell me if anything is up; you're my best friend."

"Am I though?" She asked. "What about Adyson? And Gretchen? And Buford? And Phineas and Ferb? And BALJEET? And… Mishti?

I groaned. "Please don't tell me you're that jealous of her? Ginger, she's leaving tonight! And she's not doing anything with Baljeet!"

"She would've though." Ginger stated plainly, without jealousy even in her voice. "Like we said earlier… how many single guys were running around here? I mean, we know she doesn't want to be with Phineas."

"Ginger, you've always been leaving the room while they're together. I'm sure she's never like that with anyone else." I sighed.

"No, she flirts with all of them." Ginger declared.

"No… not on purpose, I think." I said. It was true; Mishti was just a naturally flirty person.

"But she does it anyway." Ginger said. "You know, like you did."

"Me?"

Isabella the flirt, who hit on all her guy friends. Isabella, the loser who spent all day desperately seducing one guy, her best friend. Isabella, the bitch that made someone cheat on their girlfriend. Isabella, the one with the fuck buddy.

I KNOW my friends don't think that about me. I know they don't. But, why can't I stop thinking this about myself? "I think I need to leave." I said weakly.

"Ok." She responded.

"You better come tonight." I said indignantly.

"Ferb," I laid my head gently on his shoulder. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"Why do you keep asking me that?" He said gently.

"Because I think there is." I responded.

"Time for a toast!" Baljeet said loudly. Everyone stood up or turned their attention to him. "To my oldest friend and the newest favorite of our gang."

"To Mishti!" We all cheered.

"Thanks guys!" She giggled. Oh, I'm going to miss that giggle. "Baljeet, you were sooo sweet to throw this for me." She hugged him. Ginger glared.

"It is nothing." He said smugly.

Honestly, I don't think Mishti made him nervous and excited at all anymore; I think he flirted with her just to piss off Ginger… and maybe Phineas. I searched around for him. God, I hadn't seen him all night. There he was… Phineas was leaning against a wall, far in the corner, his arms crossed. He had a small smile on his face and he raised his glass when we toasted just like everyone else, but that smile was plastic. Ferb told me he had come home this morning in a total panic, and Ferb was so confused. And the only thing he had been muttering was… "She's leaving, she's leaving."

Oh Phineas. Why did he do these things to himself? I figured he of all people would have been right on top of every single day Mishti was staying in the U.S., but no, he had been too caught up in the moment, and it had flown right by him. Of course she was leaving! The first time she had been here for like one day! He was lucky he got her for a month. He had all these pretty girls swirling all around him every day, and while Mishti was a knockout, that wasn't why Phineas wanted her. I mean, when we saw her in the airport, he didn't care, while the other three were about to faint because of their dumbass male minds. Phineas wanted Mishti because she just… was Mishti. She had started something in him. She brought out something in him. And I guess that was going to go back into hiding again now.

I sat down on the couch next to Ginger. "Sooo…"

"What?" She said.

"Ginger." I gave her a look.

"What? If you're implying that I'm going to get back together with Baljeet just because his trampy little friend is leaving tonight, then you are very mistaken!" She said haughtily.

"Ginger, stop it. You are such a bitch when you're angry."

"But… but…" She broke her bitch persona. "Isabella, I can't."

"But you love each other." I sighed. "It took Ferb and I soooo long to confess that we love each other. We were yelling at each other, throwing things, breaking into each other's apartments in the middle of the night… ok, that part was fucking hot."

"Izzy!" We started laughing. "I'd rather not hear about Ferb's and your freaky sex life right now."

"Ok, babe. I'll try to give better advice in a minute. I'm just gonna grab a glass of water." I laughed. Ginger was smiling, but she sighed to herself as I left.

God, I hate this. Baljeet was being such a jerk. I really wanted them to get back together, but I knew if I was in Ginger's position, I would be holding firm like her. Baljeet and Ginger had been in love each other, real love. I guess the deepest love can turn into the most intense hatred if you let it.

I sighed. I watched Mishti, gabbing away with the guys and the girls. She looked absolutely perfect, like always. Her red dress was a Mishti original, and I think Adyson would actually kill a man for one. It wasn't fancy or short or sparkly or anything, but the way it hugged her curves just made it look special. This was the first time I had seen her hair curled. I never curled my hair; it was just too puffy already. I assumed Mishti's was similar, but she had gone the extra mile to probably straighten, then curl it. I was going to miss her. She was a little irritating, a little vain, a little clueless… but she was the sweetest person.

"Hey Mishti." I said, gently to her.

"Isabella." She said, happily.

"You know, I'm going to miss you a lot." I said sadly.

"Oh," She pouted. "Me too. Well, I had a lot of fun this trip. What is it that you guys always try to do? Have the best day ever? Well, this was the best!"

"Oh, come back soon. We'll have more girls' nights!" I said. We hugged. I let her go; the party girl had to go back to being center of attention.

"Mishti! Get your camera! You need some party pics!" Katie said happily.

"Ok! One second, I have to grab it from a suitcase!"

"Yeah, this will be a great album…" Katie was chattering to no one in particular, but Mishti had suddenly vanished. One minute she was headed towards the dark hall to the bedrooms, where I assume her suitcases were, the next she was gone. I stared for a moment, then walked down that hallway, but paused when I heard voices.

"Do you have any idea," He murmured. "…How hard it's been to get ahold of you?"

Oh great. I wasn't supposed to spy on him anymore. Gah! But… how could I not? I mean, where had the clueless boy been the whole night? Where was Mr. Perky? I figured he would've been competing with Baljeet over who would throw this party or who could make it more awesome for her. Phineas would be running all the activities, cutting the cake, making the toast, etc. I figured at least he would've been partying with his new best friend-with-benefits, Mishti. Instead, he had practically been in hiding… and I guess, stalking her.

"Phineas! You scared me!" She said breathlessly. He had pulled her into this little dark alcove in the hallway.

"So…" I heard a kiss. "You're leaving me?"

"Phineas…"

"You're leaving me?" There was the puppy dog Phineas voice. Oh Phineas! What was wrong with you?

"Phineas," She said seriously. "You knew this was going to happen, ok? We had rules. I told you right from the beginning. This – us – this was just for fun. We had no…"

"No strings attached, I know." He said, exasperated. FUCK, I'm really starting to HATE that phrase. I fucking HATE it. Curse whoever came up with it. "I just… I don't want you to leave, Mishti." He said, sheepishly.

"Oh, Phineas…" She chuckled. "You're such a…"

"Sweet boy! I know! I get it! Stop calling me that!" Phineas said angrily. He was full on throwing a tantrum now, be it a quiet one. "You, you can't go! What am I supposed to do without you? Huh? Did you think about that? What am I supposed to do without you here? I'll… I'll be… bored!" He said, looking for a word.

"Mera dil…" She said lightly. "You're Phineas Flynn. I'm surprised that term is even in your vocabulary."

"Oh… no…" He needed an excuse, anything he could say that could magically convince this girl to drop her entire life and move to a foreign country for a goofy redheaded kid that she had jumped in the sack with a few too many times. And, honestly, what kind of excuse existed for that? Because "I'll be bored" sure wasn't it. "I'll miss you" was closer. There was only one thing he could say, and that was "I love you". I'm truly, madly, deeply, in love with you, and I'll die without you here. And ha, this was Phineas. There was no way he could feel like that about anyone. Right?

"So you're going to just… just, just keep being their… their 'Miss Mishti'? Even after all that we…" He said, frustrated. "You don't want to go!" He declared angrily. "I know you want to stay here!"

"Want? Want?" She said weakly. "Yes, mera dil, yes, I enjoyed this trip. I enjoyed my time with you. And I know that with me, with you, we can just… have fun. But that doesn't mean…"

"I want you to stay with me." He murmured. "I need you to stay with me."

"Phineas Flynn," She groaned. "Just, why are you so…"

"Please stay…" He whispered.

I had never ever heard Phineas like this. I had honestly never heard anyone like this. No matter how many of the girls' breakups I had comforted them over, no matter how many times I had nursed Ferb over the evil Vanessa, no matter how many times I had been the one in tears… Phineas sounded like he was just… dying. Like he was literally dying and only Mishti could save him.

"Oh Phineas…" She sighed softly. " You know this far better than any of us; summer can't last forever."

"Oh… no, no, Mishti… you can't go!" He groaned to himself. I heard more kissing. Ha, um, I wasn't sure who was kissing what though, but I had a general idea. "Mmm, oh, don't… don't leave me…"

"Phinnn…" She gasped. Ok, what the hell? A couple weeks and apparently Phineas was able to seduce Mishti, when last month he probably didn't know what seduce meant!

"No, you can't leave me, Mishti." He breathed. "Oh, you just… can't." The kissing noises were continuing and their breathing was getting heavy.

"Ohhh…" She moaned. He was getting to her. Jesus, ok, if he ends up taking her into Baljeet's bedroom, that is where I draw the line!

"What will I do without you? Mishti, what will I do? What will I do?" He whimpered desperately.

"Phineas…" She whispered. "You know that I – You and I… mmm… that I have to… ohhh… stop… You'll be fine, mera dil. You'll be perfectly fine."

"But I just can't… What would I… How can I… No!" He declared frantically. "Oh… you'll… stay… with me." Mishti was starting to purr. "Say you'll stay with me." He pleaded. "Because you can't leave. You can't leave me. "

"Phineas, you… you need to, oh… listen to me…" Mishti moaned weakly. "Please listen to me." She sharply gasped. "Ohhh, stoppp…"

I shouldn't be listening to this! I couldn't! This was far too intimate, on a million levels. I felt awful. I started to take tiny steps away.

"Please don't leave me, Mishti." He whispered. "Please… Mishti… please…"

"Phineas… no… no…." She moaned softly. "Stop… stop it!" She said angrily. "That's it! Enough!"

Goddamn, she was amazing! If Ferb was doing that to me, hell, maybe if any guy so sweetly had been doing that to me… I would've broken. He was literally begging her to be with him. But then, it was pretty obvious what this meant. Mishti thought of Phineas as her vacation fling. An incredibly passionate fling, starting with a drunken wedding, and resulting in daily doses of a whole lot of sexy time, with a cute, sweet, and lovable boy, but a fling nonetheless. And Phineas? Phineas had avoided even the idea of having sex his entire life! What was Mishti to him? A goddess, a temptress, a siren? No, she was… a necessity. It was like he had been suffering from dehydration his entire life, and he could never see it, only we could, but he never let anyone help. Then, the minute his lips touched hers, he finally realized how thirsty he really was, and he needed to down the whole bottle.

"I am going back to enjoy my party! You are free to join me, if you would like, Phineas Flynn! Then, tonight, I am boarding a flight to India, ok? Do you understand?"

"Mishti…" He said weakly.

"Phineas, they're right! They're all right! Get your head out of the clouds!"

She walked out and back to the main room. I don't think she saw me. It was subtle, but yeah, if you knew, you could see it… the curly hair slightly ruffled, a lot of the gloss missing from the red lips, and a tiny scowl.

Phineas walked forward. His face was the weakest I had ever seen him. It was like she could have slapped him in the face, punched him in the gut, tore apart every one of his plans, cancelled summer, then kicked Perry or something, and it wouldn't have mattered! He still, STILL, would've begged and pleaded for her to stay. He looked as if he wished she had never entered his life in the first place, because now taking her out would cause it to autodestruct… as if he really was terrified of what life was going to be like without her now… as if he really didn't think he could live without her. Almost like, ha, you know, he was truly, madly, deeply in love with her and he was going to die without her here.

FUCK! MISHTI'S HIS GRAVITY.

Oh, and… he did see me, because he jumped about a foot in the air.

"Isabella!"

"Hi?" I said awkwardly.

"They're right! You do spy on me!" He said angrily.

"Phineas…" He was walking too fast to the main door. "Phineas!" I cried. "Wait!"

"We love you Mishti!" Milly said in a bubbly voice, hugging her.

Phineas stared longingly at Mishti, in her pretty red party dress, and her hair beautifully curly, unlike her normal buns or silky straight do's. He closed his eyes real tight. "Oh no, no, no… SHIT." I heard him say to himself, as he walked through the door.

"Phineas!" Oh my god! No, I didn't want this! His words had so much pain behind them… the way mine… the way everyone's did… when your first love breaks your heart.

I couldn't follow him through such a crowd. Suddenly, I felt Ferb catch my hand. "Are you ok?" He asked me, concerned.

"She's his gravity, Ferb. Mishti's his gravity." I said desperately. I could tell by the bewildered look on his face he had no idea what I meant. "He's in love with her. They're not just friends, they're not just friends-with-benefits, Phineas is in love with Mishti."