"Phineas, I… I love you."
Ferb was gone for 'sister – British step brother bonding time', as so appropriately deemed by Candace.
Isabella, of course, jumped at the chance: she would declare her love to Phineas. Perfect.
Hence, there she was: waiting for a response from Phineas, whose eyebrows reached the heavens. "You do?"
A firm nod ensued.
"Oh."
Well, her imagination certainly hadn't offered that response.
"Yes, all summer, Phineas. But you've been blind to the whole thing … Evidently, I was dropping anvils as hints. I still can't figure out why you didn't notice."
"Maybe I noticed you were acting different, but are you sure that's the right word?"
"Phineas, I love you," she reiterated. He cringed at the word's weight. Love.
"Are you really unable to put two and two together?" she demanded. "For crying out loud, Phineas, I sacrificed a moment of romance – on an island, no less – so that your world philosophy could stay intact! I've waited months, years for this, and that's all you can muster? 'Oh'?"
"Isabella, look. It's not that I don't think of you as more than a friend, because I do. My gosh, you're the best friend anyone could ask for. But we're just not ready for love yet. We're young. We'd mishandle something so important – for now, at least. It's … heh, it's impossible."
That was it. The breaking point. "Let me get this straight: traveling through time, building a molecular transporter, and flying the world in one day are all possible compared to reciprocating emotion? Well, please excuse my ignorance! Phineas, you just can't expect – "
Much to her thanks, her lungs elicited a sigh as natural refrain. She was unaware of how to continue. All she had wanted was him; was that too much to ask?
"I'm sorry. It's just ... difficult to wait for ambiguity," she pined. "Please try. Not for my sake, but yours. I'll still be here when – if – you're ready."
And as quickly as she had come, she was gone, leaving Phineas to stare vacantly at the grass.
He couldn't detect its sudden motive. He wasn't sure of it, nor did he want to be.
Moments later, Phineas found himself racing to Isabella's home.