In the morning Phineas awoke before the alarm went off, again. He crept out of bed and crossed over to where his step-brother was sleeping. It's not fair. Everyday it's the same thing, girls always asking... 'Is Ferb going to be there, what are Ferb's plans for later? Do you think Ferb would go out with me?' You might be my brother, but sometimes you're a real pain. He thought to himself before pouncing on his brother to wake him up.
"Get up. Time to get ready." Phineas said to the lad who was trying to desperately cling to the last fragments of sleep. "Give me a minute, will you." Ferb mumbled back as he stretched his legs before swinging them out of bed.
Phineas went to the bathroom, and got ready before heading downstairs for breakfast. Ferb took his seat at the table just as his brother was finishing his second helping. "So, Ferb... are you ready for our science test?" Phineas inquired and Ferb shrugged his shoulders and took the offered plate from his mother.
The boys got to school, went to their lockers and started pulling their books for their first period classes. "Whatcha' dooin'?" Isabella called as she approached with Adyson, Milly and Gretchen. "Oh, you know... the usual." Phineas replied and Ferb stoically looked at a point down the hallway above the girls' heads.
Milly casually glanced at her friends. "Ferb, we've still got a bit more work to finish up on our geography project. Do you think we can work on it before Sunday." Ferb nodded, checked his watch and walked down the hallway to his history class.
Ferb entered the classroom, took his seat and opened his books. He started taking down some notes from the board when she came up to him. "You need to stop apologising for him." Gretchen said, then took her seat in front of him and turned around to talk. Ferb shrugged his shoulders and glanced up quickly and back to his notes. She tapped her pen against his to get his attention, once she had it she spoke again. "I should be the one who's apologising, though. I had a rough time at the meeting last night. I had glue in my hair, ink on my blouse and somehow my jeans got cut up." Ferb nodded.
"Milly said that you gave her passwords into your computer so you could work on the project together." Gretchen stated and, once again, Ferb nodded. "Why don't the two of you get together and just work on the project normally?" She said, not expecting the response she received. Ferb looked at her, leaned forward in his seat and quietly replied. "I've got commitments after school, as does Milly. Also, her father gave her a curfew of 8pm. We can't just get together to study. I had to give her access to my files so that we can both work on the project instead of one person doing all the work and both taking credit." Gretchen's eyes widened. "I had no idea..." She said before being interrupted.
"Mr. Fletcher." The teacher called from the front of the class. "Would you mind sharing with the rest of us, your plans for this evening with Ms. Weiss?" The class snickered as Ferb shook his head. "I'm sorry sir. I've no plans with Ms. Weiss this evening." Gretchen blushed as she faced forward in her seat.
After class Ferb grabbed his books and headed into the crowded hallway.
Gretchen picked up her books, turned around and caught a glimpse of green hair as Ferb walked out of her field of vision.
Isabella was the first to arrive at the lunch table in the cafeteria. She was soon joined by Buford, Baljeet and Adyson. Phineas and Gretchen arrived, followed by the rest of the former Fireside Girls. Ferb arrived ten minutes later with his laptop. "Here Ferb." Milly said as she handed over a thumb drive." He took the data stick and with a few clicks and taps handed it back to her.
"I guess you'll be coming over tonight then, Gretchen?" Phineas asked then took a bite of his lunch. Gretchen looked toward Isabella who gave a slight nod then replied. "Yeah, sure Phineas. I've no problem with that. What's a good time?" Phineas tapped the table. "You could either come over straight after school or how about 6:30 tonight?"
Gretchen tilted her head side-to-side a couple of times. "After dinner would work best for me, if it's all the same to you." Phineas nodded. "Sounds great."
That evening, Phineas was setting up his books in the living room. "Mom, Gretchen's coming over to work on a project with me. We'll be in the living room, that's okay isn't it?" Linda chuckled. "Of course it is. I'll make sure you've got some snacks and drinks."
The doorbell rang and Linda went to answer. "Good evening Gretchen, please come in. Phineas is in the living room." Linda greeted and helped the girl with her coat. "Miserable weather tonight. Do you think you'll need a ride home?" Gretchen shook her head. "I just need to call my father and he'll pick me up; but thank you."
Gretchen walked into the living room and smiled at her host. Phineas stood up and indicated she have a seat on the couch beside him. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of putting together some notes." He said.
A car was heard pulling into the garage then the sound of two doors closing, followed by a third. "You're right, that last call should have gone to you... not against you." Lawrence said as they entered the house. Ferb adjusted his equipment bag as he walked into the living room and made a bee-line for the stairs.
Gretchen looked over the notes Phineas had made for their project. "You know, I think the teacher's looking for..." A loud crash was heard and Phineas leapt from his seat and went upstairs calling back as he left. "Sorry, I'll be right back."
Phineas entered the shared room and noticed that Ferb was coming out of the bathroom. Probably going to start working on the same project I am. He thought to himself. "Ferb?" He called out breaking his older brother out of his thoughts. Ferb opened the bedroom door, titled his head to the side and cocked an eyebrow. "What was the crash?" Phineas inquired. Ferb shook his head and glanced around.
The boys heard noise coming from the closet. "That better not be a mouse, Mom will freak." Phineas whispered and Ferb nodded agreement. "Just a minute, let me get a pillowcase to catch it." The youngest said and ran to his bed and removed the pillow from its fabric covering. He came back with the case in hand. "Okay, Ferb... open the door."
Ferb opened the closet door and Phineas dove in and caught something in the pillowcase. "Ouch!" Phineas leapt backwards as he shook his pained hand violently. "Something bit me!" He said with a couple of tears in his eyes. Ferb carefully peeked into the pillowcase, then walked over to Phineas' bed.
Perry cautiously crept out of the bag and looked up, wide-eyed, at the redhead. "We must have scared him, I'm sure he didn't mean to bite." Ferb stated as he gave the platypus a few reassuring pets before retrieving some treats from the bookshelf.
Ferb's phone indicated an incoming text. "I should get back to Gretchen downstairs." Phineas said and left the room. Ferb read and answered the text as he took his seat at his computer.
Phineas went back downstairs and sat beside Gretchen to continue working on the project. She had taken out some of her own notes, and obviously had added a few more in the past five minutes. "So, you decided that you want to work on the project after all?" She asked him. "Yeah, why not. You're smart." Phineas said and started looking through the Geography text.
"Humph." Gretchen sounded as she flipped through her text and made some notes. Phineas sighed. "I didn't mean it like that. I know that we're not the best of friends, but we're still friends right? I know that Isabella worries about you, she's always asking if there's something Ferb and I can create to make you feel better. I just don't know you that well, so I have no idea... and well, Ferb just... Ferb is Ferb." Gretchen nodded sadly.
Phineas and Gretchen continued working. "So, France... what do we know about France? They speak French, they drink wine and they've got the Eiffel Tower." Phineas said. Gretchen agreed and filled him in on various points about the different wine districts and some of the history of the Eiffel Tower. "France is also the fourth most populated European country." She said.
The doorbell sounded. "Excuse me, I'll just answer that and be right back." Phineas said and went to answer the door. "Isabella? What are you doing here?" Phineas asked. "Actually Phineas, I'm here to see Ferb. I texted him and he said he could give me some information about... my geography assignment. You see I was assigned England.
Phineas took her rain coat and hung it up. "Ferb's upstairs." He said, and Isabella disappeared up the stairs to the boys' room. Phineas went back to the living room to work with Gretchen.
An hour later Phineas turned to Gretchen. "I've never accomplished so much in such a short time before. We're almost finished the entire project." He said awestruck. Gretchen nodded. "It's not that difficult, just sit down and do the work." She said and thought to herself. He's the brains behind all those projects? What does Isabella see in him?
Phineas stood up. "Would you like a drink? Mom said she had some snacks and drinks, if you'd like." Gretchen nodded. "Sure, sounds great. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." She said and pointed to the stairs. Phineas nodded and went into the kitchen.
Gretchen stepped out of the bathroom and into the upstairs hallway. The door to the boys' room opened and Isabella stepped out. "I had no idea Ferb. Thanks for all the info. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Ferb nodded and stepped into the semi-crowded hallway. He glanced at Gretchen and offered a small smile that quickly disappeared. He extended his hand out indicating she should precede him down the stairs.
Isabella reached the bottom of the steps and saw Phineas come out of the kitchen with two drinks. "Oh Phineas, thank you." She said as she took a drink from him. "I didn't believe you when you said that given the chance, Ferb could talk for hours. I'll never doubt you again." Gretchen stepped off the bottom step and went over to the coffee table to collect her books and papers. "Here you go." Phineas said as he handed her a drink and returned to the kitchen for another when he saw his brother standing on the steps. "Hey Ferb, you want a drink?" He called out and the taller teen finished his decent, nodded and followed his brother into the kitchen.
The brothers came back to the living room with their own drinks and some cookies that their mother had baked. The three friends sat down and chatted for a while. Ferb sat and listened.
"What was in your bag when you came home?" Gretchen asked after a while as she turned to Ferb. He blinked and was about to reply when Phineas interjected. "That's his fencing equipment. He's really good... level two. Or is it now three?" Ferb shook his head and held up two fingers. "That's too bad Ferb, I know you were wanting to pass to third." Phineas said and Ferb shrugged his shoulders in reply then sat back, crossed his arms over his chest and cast his gaze toward the floor. Phineas then continued, "Yeah, for the past few years, every time Ferb goes to get his next level... well, there's these two judges who choose their own students over students from other masters. I'm sure Ferb would've been master level years ago, if it weren't for them."
Gretchen looked between the two brothers. "I didn't know you fenced." She said as she looked at Ferb. He was about to say something when he was once again interrupted. "He's been fencing for years, since he was five." Phineas replied. "If you're interested, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to spar with you." Ferb narrowed his eyes and glared at his brother a moment then turned his gaze to the window.
Phineas and Isabella were talking with Gretchen about the class assignment. Ferb stood up and left the living room for the den. There, he sat down and turned the television on quietly. He called up the cable listings and lucked out, one of his favourite shows was starting in a couple of minutes. He selected the channel and made himself comfortable.
He lost himself in the program and was brought back to reality when he heard a scream and was grabbed from behind. He looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at Gretchen. "I'm sorry, I just wanted..." She started when she thought she saw him smile a little. Ferb stood up and extended his hand toward her. She took it and walked around the couch and took a seat. Ferb sat back down and gently brushed his fingers across the back of her hand.
Gretchen moved her hands into her lap. "Phineas said that you might be selected to be on the Olympic Junior Fencing Team." She said and Ferb nodded. "There's a chance I could be selected." He replied and Gretchen's eyes went wide. "He's telling the truth? He's not just trying..." She said before clamping her hand over her mouth. Ferb raised his eyebrows at her. "I'm sorry, Ferb. I should be heading home." Gretchen quickly said as she tried to recover herself and stood up. Ferb stood and extended his hand toward her. She placed her hand in his and he smiled softly and kissed the back of her hand causing her to blush. "May I walk you home?" He asked.
Gretchen shook her head. "I've called my dad, he'll be here soon to pick me up." She said. Ferb continued to hold her hand. "At least let me walk you to the door." He replied and she smiled.