Eek! I'm so sorry I took so long. It's been a month since I updated anything. I might have told people already, but I suddenly got an amazing opportunity given to me for my script/screenplay work, so I'm going to be working mostly on my writing portfolio from now till January/February. I know this will slow updates, but have faith. They'll be every so often.

"Check mate." I declared triumphantly, crossing my arms over my chest.

Phineas frantically eyeballed the chessboard, trying to see where he went wrong. He seemed upset for a second before smiling. "Every time." He said. "You beat me every time. I surrender."

His surrender was meaningless. I can't believe we're actually spending our time playing chess. I enjoy chess, but when two young single guys end up playing chess in their apartment, it's abnormal. Why can't Phineas just go out on dates, eat our leftovers, and occasionally argue with me like a normal roommate? He was less than a minute away from announcing some idea for a giant chess-related plan. I could sense it. In five, four, three, two…

"GUYS!" There was a loud banging at our door. "OPEN THE DOOR!"

I jumped up and answered it. She marched in very quickly. "Isabella." I could just barely get her name out.

Isabella. I'm not even going to pretend I don't remember what happened last night. I do. I told Isabella I loved her. To her face… though she was sound asleep. I was talking to myself more than anybody else. And what did I mean? Love, but not in love? In that case, I love Phineas, and Candace, and the rest of my family. I even love my friends. But that is NOT anywhere close to the way I feel about Isabella. Because now it's impossible for me to say my love for Isabella is not sexual in nature. And now I'm never going to be able to erase last night from my brain. The night when my best friends threw me an amazing surprise party, when I saw my lovely Vanessa with her fiancé in person, when my best friend danced with me all night and gave me herself as a present, and when I told Isabella those three little words that I have yet to decipher. I love you.

"Oh, hey Isabella!" Phineas said, in that chirpy way he does. Suddenly, I felt irritated.

"Guys," she said, looking back and forth between us. She ran her hand down her face. "You gotta help me!"

"Help you with what?" Phineas asked.

"It's Adyson!" She sat down next to Phineas. "She's sobbing up a storm in my apartment right now! And the girls totally bailed on me! Can you believe them? As soon as Adyson comes in crying like a baby, they have a million places to go. Gretchen said she would stay, but I let her leave because she had to deal with her enough already." Isabella huffed.

"What's wrong with Adyson?" Phineas asked.

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Her boyfriend broke up with her. It isn't even that big of a deal!"

"We all know how quickly YOU get over old crushes." I said sarcastically. She broke her frustrated pout for a second and flirtily stuck her tongue out at me. Phineas arched an eyebrow at us. I awkwardly cleared my throat.

"Um, poor Adyson." Phineas said.

"Not really. I told her that boy was trouble. Anyway, I need your help. I know you guys are always cheering people up so…" Isabella said.

"Got it! We'll get the whole gang together and cheer up Adyson! I have to call Buford and Baljeet!" Phineas said excitedly, as he ran out of the room.

"Yeah! You do that and… oh, forget it." Isabella said.

I sat down in Phineas' empty chair. "You do know that most of Phineas' attempts to heal love related wounds are dismal failures, right? Clowns as makeup artists?"

"Ferb, don't even remind me!" She groaned.

For the first time all day, our eyes locked. She blushed and looked away. "So, how are you boys? Did you have fun at the party?"

I slid my chair closer to her. "No need to act coy or make small talk. Phineas can't hear us."

"Did he have fun?" She questioned.

"I have no idea." I said coldly.

Phineas Phineas Phineas. He did what he always does at parties. He planned, managed, and… normally he would end up dancing with Isabella towards the end of the night. That's what happened at all parties we went to. In fact, she was the only girl who he danced with sometimes.

"Oh… oh no. I stole your dance with Phineas last night, didn't I? When we were…"

She tilted her head at me. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Don't you normally wait for Phineas to ask you to dance at parties?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh… I guess I do." She said. "Well, it was your birthday. I was only thinking of you."

I rolled my eyes. "That's a first." She whacked me. "Ow!"

"Ferb! When did you turn into a smartass?" She asked angrily.

"It is true." I grumbled.

"I think about you all the time." She declared. "About how I've finally gotten you to talk to me. And how you're a total nerd. And how you're far nicer than ninety-nine percent of the people I know." She was moving closer to me. "And how the only way I can describe your voice is sexy. And how I think it's kind of nuts how attracted I am to a guy with green hair."

"Isabella," I whispered. "You're basically on my lap."

"And about how you make me feel beautiful. And special. You make me feel like I'm the greatest person in the world." She said softly.

"Isabella," I stammered. "We both know what's going to happen. You're going to kiss me, and I'm going to kiss back, and before we know it, we're going too far and Phineas catches us. Why are you-"

She put her finger over my lips. "Two words, Ferb. Public… elevator." She hissed.

I kissed her. I couldn't help it. And this was no innocent little kiss. Things were getting heated, and she was right on top of me, running her hands through my hair. Oh, and somewhere along the way, she had unbuttoned the only two buttons her shirt had, so her cleavage was peeking out. Come on, Fletcher, say something!

I broke the kiss. "Too far, Bella." I panted. "Too far."

"Right. Sorry." She sounded crestfallen; like what I said had some sort of meaning I didn't understand.

Phineas came rushing back in the room. "Okay, so I think we should get a whole bunch of wild stallions and…"

"Phineas!" Isabella said in a frustrated voice. "Sometimes all a girl needs is some ice cream and time with friends!"

"Okay." He said, a little surprised. "The four of us can go out for ice cream then."

"Great." Isabella muttered. "I'll go get our weeping beauty."

I subtly gestured to her shirt. She hurriedly buttoned it as she walked.

"Gee, what's wrong with Isabella? Do you think I upset her?" Phineas asked.

Since when does he care? I didn't say anything. I heard footsteps and Isabella came back in with Adyson. It looked like she had desperately tried to scrub away all the black marks her running eyeliner and mascara had left, but she had missed some. She gave us a weak, watery smile.

Poor Adyson. Those weren't drama queen, Isabella-style tears. She had genuinely been crying. Besides Baljeet and Ginger, she was the only one in the whole group who had been in a real relationship. I decided to be especially nice to her tonight.

"Ice cream time!" Phineas said happily. He offered his hand to Isabella. She stared at it in surprise. I nudged her and she took it, then they started walking towards the elevator.

I offered my hand to Adyson. "Why thank you." She said giggling. We started walking. "You know Ferb, you're so sweet! I never got to dance with you last night."

"Maybe some other time then." I remarked.

She giggled again. "Sure. You're so cute. I love how you say everything all… British-y." Okay?

Adyson seemed perfectly perky by the time all four of us had walked to the ice cream parlor. I couldn't see what Isabella and Phineas were doing, but it looked like he was talking to her and she wasn't paying attention. I even saw her look back a couple of times.

"Okay, what flavors do you guys want? I'll get ice cream for all four of us." Phineas said. "I'll say it now. This place has anything you can imagine."

"Okay." Said Adyson. "I want rocky road."

"Red velvet cake." I said absentmindedly… at the exact same time as Isabella blurted out the same thing. Her eyes grew wide and stared at me. I was blushing.

"Coming right up." Phineas said slowly.

"So, feeling any better, Adyson?" Isabella asked.

"I guess." She responded.

"Don't be upset. Everyone's had some tough break-ups." I said comfortingly.

She smiled, and pulled her hair behind her ears. "Have you, Ferb?"

"Not specifically. But I know how love can hurt. You just need to find a certain someone who can make that feeling go away."

Isabella inhaled sharply. I glanced at her and faintly smiled. She seemed a little surprised by what I said.

Adyson sighed. "You're such a saint, Ferb. But I don't see that happening soon."

"Why not? You're beautiful and smart. Just keep an eye out for that 'someone'." I said. "Ow!"

Isabella just kicked me under the table. I glared at her. She looked furious.

"Adyson, Ferb and I have to talk!" Isabella said. She got up and pulled me to my feet, then away from the table.

"I can't believe you kicked me. Feeling abusive today?" I whispered.

"Stop flirting with her!" Isabella hissed.

"I'm not flirting with her! I'm being nice. She just lost her boyfriend." I whispered.

"Well, quit it! You're being too… attractive." She said. I smiled and crossed my arms over my chest. Her eyes opened wide. "No. Oh no! Do not say it because it is not true!"

"I don't have to say it. It's blatantly obvious. You're…"

"Ferb, I'm warning you…"

"Jealous." I concluded cockily.

"Do you want me to hit you again?" She hissed.

"Admit it." I said.

"No! You never admitted you were jealous when you totally were!" She said.

"So you just admitted that you won't admit the truth because I never admitted something you concocted in your mind, yet through that statement you acknowledge that this jealousy is in fact true and…"

"Stop your stupid smart guy mind games!" She loudly whispered.

"I'm going back to Adyson." I stated.

"Fine!" Isabella ended up shouting.

I sat back down, irritated. Adyson smiled at me.

"Hey Ferb, do you have a girlfriend?" She boldly asked.

I nearly fell out of my chair. "Why do you ask?" I stammered.

"No reason." She said sweetly.