Isabella's POV

As we walk away from the muscular, now speechless man with the winning price in hand I can't help but let my smug grin grow even more, looking at my friends' faces, they're just about as surprised as the man's. Well, except for Ferb, he never seems to get surprised.

At last, Baljeet decides to break the blissful, victorious silence. "How… in the world of Vishnu were you able to do that?! You just beat the freaking Hulk! Who are you for real, and why are you hiding among ordinary people who wish you no harm?" he exclaims, waving his hands in front of him as he's speaking, as if to emphasize his point.

I roll my eyes amusingly and shrug innocently. "Well, I guess I'm just strong for a girl? And for a full grown man who's only life goal seems to be becoming the strongest man alive? Surprising coincidence, isn't it?" I say casually, becoming better at hiding stuff the more minutes I spend with these people. I think I really manage to hide every possible truth to them, which really is a miracle, considering my lies these week has been all but believable. For a bunch of geniuses, they're definitely not that smart.

However, technically I'm not lying to them right now, I'm just showing them my true side, as a girl. As a matter of fact, I shouldn't have to lie about anything while being with them, except for lying about Isaac of course. Yeah, I want to make friends on this school, but if they won't accept me as I am, then what am I actually wasting my time on trying to do? Acceptance isn't actually acceptance, if you let people accept someone you're trying to be, not who you really are. Maybe they just have to accept Isaac being kind of girly, that's just who he is. I mean, who I am… Ugh, this is so confusing!

Phineas chuckles at my statement. "I guess it is. It's not everyday you meet such a strong girl, that's probably the reason why we're so surprised. I actually think that was really cool!" he smiles and lifts his hand, asking for a high-five, which I gladly return with a smile.

Baljeet shrugs with a smile as well, wordlessly declaring his acceptance as well. He then looks towards the sky, frowning. "It's getting dark, what time is it?"

I reach into my pocket, saying: "Wait, I can check."

Panick quickly overtakes me when I can't find my phone, which I am sure I left in my back pocket. Then I remember the previous events and how I instinctively threw it in the bushes. I groan inwardly, but on the outside I simply let out an exasperated sigh.

"I just remembered I left it in a safety locker." I quickly lie, satisfied with my ability to come up with something so quickly. Phineas smiles in reassurance and picks his up.

"It's okay, it's 10pm." he puts it down in his pocket again, then frowning. "We should probably head back to the school." we start walking for the entrance, but Phineas stops dead in his tracks, groaning. "Guys, we still gotta find Isaac! He hasn't returned yet, or even called!" he exclaims, looking around. "Where is the bathroom he's in, Isabella?"

I take a deep breath and put on a worried face. "I… don't know why he hasn't returned, he's been gone for the entire day! But don't worry, I'll go and see if I can find him! I need to say goodbye to him anyway, considering I gotta leave. It was so nice to meet you guys, hopefully we'll hang out again sometime!" I exclaim to them, but then I remember I shouldn't encourage them, since that will put me in more trouble trying to be in one place as two different people again. I pretend to remember something and frown. "Buut unfortunately, I don't think we can meet again for a while, I'm going away to Europe to… be an exchange student in Italy for the semester! And I'm leaving next week, so.. Too bad!" I say, putting on my best sad face. I think that actually sounded really believable!

I look at the three boys in front of me as I break the news to them, noticing how Phineas' expression turned slightly disappointed and sad, but it was gone almost as fast as it came. He steps forward, opening his mouth to speak. "Oh, that's too bad… Well, it was fun hanging out with you, too! Goodbye, Isabella! I hope you'll have a great time in Italy." he says in a friendly way, smiling that beautiful smile of his. I can feel my heart flutter at the sight of it and his kind words, but I try to shrug it off and put on a smile of my own.

"Thanks, Phineas. Bye, guys!" I turn around and walk away towards the bathrooms, but not before getting my backpack in the safety locker. I quickly walk inside the girl's bathroom afterwards. I hurry into a stall, shut it close and lean against the door, letting out a big sigh in relief. It was an exhausting day and a terrible plan, but I made it trough without being caught! And in the end, I really had a great time, being completely myself around the boys I have come to call friends. I think they enjoyed spending time with me as well. It makes me kind of sad knowing I can't be around them as Isabella anymore, but now I have to keep on faking to be somebody I'm not. And considering the way I'm starting to feel around Phineas, I know this is going to get harder and harder to hide. I just have to avoid the way he makes me feel, it shouldn't be too hard?

Deciding I have been in here for too long, I take my stuff out of the backpack and quickly change into my boy's clothes again, walk out of the stall and attach my beard and wig in the mirror, after making sure nobody was there.

I take one last look in the mirror, satisfied with my boy outfit and walk out of the bathrooms. Before I catch up with the guys however, I quickly run up to the bush where I threw my phone. I find it's still there, working completely fine. The leaf-filled branches must have prevented its hard fall against the ground. I walk for about five minutes before I find the guys by the entrance, and I run up to them, waving.

Hey guys! Sorry I was gone for the entire time, but I really felt nauseous after that roller coaster. I don't know why I went, that always happens to me!" I lie, smiling a crooked, apologetic smile at them, to which I am granted with three smiles in return.

"It is okay, Isaac. I hope you feel better by now!" Baljeet says to me, putting his phone that he was playing on back inside his pocket.

I nod. "Yeah, I definitely do! I hope you had a great time without me, anyway."

I look over at Phineas, who by this sentence grew a big smile on his triangle face, nodding. "Oh yeah, we had! Your girlfriend was really cool to hang out with! She's so different from other girls, she beat an incredibly strong man in one of those test-your-strenght games! It was incredible!" he exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air for more effect.

I blush from his exclamation and actual compliment towards me, but I quickly shrug it off and shrug. "Yeah, that sounds like my girl. You're right, there's no one quite like her, she's awesome. Too bad she's going away now…" I say, remembering to play along with the previous lie about Isabella going to Italy.

Phineas' smile fades slightly and he puts an arm on my shoulder. "I hope you'll be okay, man. Maybe a long-distance relationship will work out just fine between the two of you!" he encourages optimistically.

I smile at his hopeful attitude and wave it away. "Yeah, maybe, who knows? Let's just head home"

When we arrive at the school again, it's about 10.45pm. Phineas and Baljeet yawns in a scary unison as we step out of the bus and onto the campus.

"It has been a really fun day, but exhausting as well. I think I am going to bed immediately, see you guys tomorrow!" Baljeet waves and heads off to his dorm. We wave after him, and after a while Phineas speaks up.

"I think I'm gonna follow Baljeet's example, I'm more tired than I thought I would be. You coming Isaac?" he asks, looking at me with a tired smile.

I look towards the cafeteria and look down to hear my stomach rumble. I look up at Phineas and shrug. "Sorry, but I gotta grab something out of the cafeteria first, I'm starving! I'll catch up with you soon, okay?"

Phineas nods and turns to Ferb, fistbumping him. "See you tomorrow, bro! Don't invent something without me!" he laughs slightly and takes off towards our dorm.

I look at Ferb, who hasn't moved from his spot. "So, you're heading off to bed too?" I ask, starting to walk backwards towards the cafeteria. Ferb shakes his head and follows me wordlessly, like he usually does.

I smile and turn around to walk normally, reaching the cafeteria in about three minutes of comfortable silence. Considering Ferb is almost always quiet, it's easy to get used to the silence with him, and it quickly turned into being comfortable instead of awkward.

I order a toast and an orange juice which I take with me from the cafeteria eating it on my way to the dorm. As I walk, however, I feel Ferb's hand on my shoulder behind me, distracting me from walking. I turn around and face him looking at his facial expression. It doesn't hold his usual, blank face, but now it's a mix of both seriousness and… smugness?

Ferb opens his mouth to speak, crossing his arms over his chest. "I know my brother and Baljeet may be oblivious sometimes… But unfortunately, you don't know us well enough to know that I'm not. But then again, I don't blame you for not knowing how observant I can be. It's a trait you get when not talking so much, it gives you time to observe more important things." he says, his face not changing expression for one second.

I feel myself starting to sweat at his sudden confrontation, and he has yet to reveal what he's talking about. However, I have a good guess…

"What… are you talking about?" I ask, trying to get my voice to sound innocent. I fail miserably.

Ferb leans closer to me, acting like a cop on an interrogation. "I'm talking about how I know everything, Isaac. Actually, I understand you may have gotten tired of hearing people call you that for an entire week. May I be the first one to call you by your actual name, Isabella?"

Bam, cliffhanger! I bet it's not a surprise Ferb figured it out, he is Ferb after all.

And I truly, deeply apologize. I know I haven't been writing in ages, and I'm sorry. But if you read my other currently ongoing fanfic, When Two Worlds Collide, I have explained everything there.

And also, my imagination has been in the bottom of the ocean… so I would like to thank DreamCastinn for some ideas to the fic, like Ferb confronting Isabella about this! Thanks for being such a supportive fan!