Okay, you monsters, it hasn't even been a week since I updated this, and you actually left so many reviews! So obviously, I had to rummage for some free time to get the next chapter for you guys. I promise you that as long as that many of you leave reviews, I'll do my best to keep the waiting short. By the way, I really like this chapter, for lots of reasons. If you notice, me writing as Isabella ends up being very wild, blunt, and emotional, because you know her... she's headstrong, but delicate, and she's a stupid girl, just like me. Meanwhile, Ferb is quiet, thoughtful, smart, and don't forget, British! So I tend to write him more poetically. So this is a good Ferb chapter. Please tell me what you think!

"You idiot! What are we doing? We took something rock hard, our friendship, we added so much physical, emotional, and sexual tension, and we broke it. Now it's just hanging by a string."

It was haunting me. I couldn't get it out of my head. The sound of Isabella, in all her perfection, dragging a reclusive truth into the spotlight. I didn't want it to be true. I desperately didn't want it to be true. I need Isabella as my friend. But she was right. Our friendship was on the rocks. And I'm almost positive I'm the one to blame. I was not only the jealous stalker who had watched her come home, but I was also the jerk who made fun of her jealousy.

I said a little while ago that the thought of Isabella being in love with me was terrifying. It's still terrifying. At one point, I was worried I would have to reject sweet little Isabella and become part two to the Phineas dilemma. But that's not the terrifying part. The terrifying part is that Isabella ever having feelings for anyone else had never been part of the equation.

Truthfully, that was unfair on my part, but never once did Isabella ever having feelings, real feelings, for any other boy, seem like a possibility. I never thought about it much, but maybe I would have been jealous all along, of Baljeet, Buford, Irving, and half our high school, if I had ever thought that Isabella would reciprocate their feelings. And now that I know Isabella is willing to… be intimate with other guys… I pounced on the first unlucky coworker that I noticed.

But, we had ended the night on a positive note. She wasn't upset anymore. Thank god. When Isabella cries, it kills me. It really does. And always has. Sometimes, starting when we were little kids, I feel the urge to kick Phineas when he makes her cry, and tell him to stop being so bloody stupid.

I know what everyone might think; Ferb, do you want to be with Isabella? The answer is… is… of course not. I'm in love with Vanessa, because I see flowers and hear music when I see her. And of course, Isabella sees the same thing with Phineas. So, there's no reason why I would want to be with Isabella. Preposterous. Now, if you asked, would you mind being with Isabella? Then I would say, I wouldn't mind. We could be a good couple. I almost guarantee we would. We would be just like we are now, but there would be no more secrets, and therefore, no more fighting.

But I can't be! I mean, we can't be. I know Phineas better than anyone, and somewhere, under all that obliviousness, he's harboring just as much affection for Isabella as every man who's been bewitched by her. Probably more. And Isabella will never get over Phineas, even if he never shows it.

I wasn't sure what to do this morning. I felt like someone had tried to throw a brick at my nose, and had ended up hitting everywhere else. I checked myself out in the mirror when I woke up to check out any damage. Bloodshot eyes and a couple scratches on my back again. Nothing too bad. I had dark teeth marks around my neck, but nothing a turtleneck couldn't handle. After I got dressed, I ate, did some work, watched TV, mediocre stuff, really. I couldn't stop thinking about Isabella.

"Ferb. Ferb. Ferb." I heard repeatedly from the kitchen. I walked out there to see what Phineas was so hyped up about.

"Guess who just got four tickets to the Mayor's Charity Ball?" He asked excitedly. "Us!"

It's actually a big deal. Mayor Doofenshmirtz is so adored by Danville that invitations are very exclusive.

I smiled and sat down at the table. "It'll be fun." Phineas said excitedly.

"Why four?" I asked.

"Well, two of them are actually just guest passes. So you can bring friends." He said. Dates, Phineas, dates! They were for you and your date! "Maybe Vanessa…"

"No!" I said quickly. "She doesn't like these sorts of parties. She prefers them to be more offbeat. After all, her uncle is the Mayor; she must have been to dozens of these things already. And, Phineas, she's ENGAGED."

"Come on, Ferb, a boy, a girl, together at a ball…"

Oh god, it hurts! If love were a graded subject, Phineas would still be in elementary school.

"Just think about it. The ball isn't for five more days." He said sadly.

I sighed. "Got any plans for today?" I asked half-heartedly.

"You don't sound like you're up for it." Phineas said.

I sighed again. "I need some air." I muttered inaudibly. Phineas blankly stared at me as I left.

I closed the door to the apartment, and leaned against it. I found myself staring at Isabella's door. I wandered closer and heard music coming from her place. I wanted to go inside. I knocked quietly, but nothing happened. I glanced at the door handle. I turned it and realized the door was open. Shoot, that must be my fault, from last night. Even though she could've locked it herself, I never want to leave her or her things unprotected again.

I went inside, and shut the door, then locked it. Isabella was loudly playing a Bettys song. They might be a little old now, but they still get stuck in your head. I kept walking, until I caught sight of Isabella. I smiled. She was bopping along to the song, while flitting around, getting ingredients for whatever she was making in her big blue bowl. Then, she took a spoon and started mixing it.

She hadn't seen me yet, so I stayed in the doorway, leaning against one side of it, the smile never leaving my face. She had her hair in a ponytail, but she had left some out to frame her face. She was wearing a long-sleeved pink dress, with a low neckline that exposed her shoulders. And as she moved, I could catch glimpses of her smile.

Isabella was just about ready to finish her guitar solo with her wooden spoon, when I think she saw me, because she dropped it like she just had a heart attack.

"Oh my god! Ferb!"

"You left the door unlocked." I said.

"Great. I know I'll never do that again, in case someone else tries to watch me make a fool of myself." She said. "You were just watching me?" I nodded. "You weirdo. Anyway, I'm making cookies. Completely from scratch. So much better than store-bought junk. Or the stuff I used to make in my quickie bake oven." She walked over to the tray she was dropping blobs from her blue bowl on. I noticed she was limping a little.

"Why are you walking strangely, Isabella?" I asked.

"Oh, umm, I'm kind of… sore." She said awkwardly.

"Whyyy?" I asked slowly.

"Well, you didn't mean to, but last night-"

I cut her off right there. "What!?" I rushed to her, and frantically looked her over. "Are you saying I HURT you last night?" I was horrified. I couldn't believe it. I know I was a little rough yesterday, but I would never, EVER hurt a girl like that. I was practically hyperventilating. "Why didn't you tell me I was hurting you!?"

"Oh my gosh, baby, calm down!" Isabella said, caressing my face and trying to stop my heavy breathing. "Ferb, I'm fine. Ok? Things got a little intense last night. And I know, based on what I remember, that your decision to wear a turtleneck today is more than just a fashion statement." She said, a little flirtatiously. "For the record, a good foundation hides hickeys."

I glanced at her neck area and cringed. If I looked closely, I could just barely see the teeth marks and bruises. "I don't want you to think… I'm not that kind of guy…" I stammered.

"I know you're not." She said sweetly, as she slid the cookies into the oven. She giggled. "I know you're a good boy, and I'm a good girl, but it's okay if sometimes, when we're together, to be a little bad."

God, look at her. How many other girls would shrug it off like that? And her laugh and… self-control self-control self-control… she's so perfect, and… self-control self-control… Jesus, just because we're friends-with-benefits does not mean I can just take her every time I see her!

"Wanna lick the spoon?" She asked.

"You mean that same spoon that you dropped on the floor?" I said.

"Uhh…"

"Sure." I said, without a second thought.

She giggled again and gave it to me. I licked some cookie dough off the spoon. Not bad. It figures Isabella would be good at stuff like baking. It's sweet and cute like her. I'm more of a dramatic gourmet dinner kind of chef. I could do dinner and she'd do dessert… if we, uh, ever needed to.

"Is it weird that watching you standing there, licking cookie dough, is totally turning me on?" Isabella asked.

"Yeah, it's a little weird." I remarked. "I didn't know 'standing' was one of your turn-ons."

She started whacking me. "Ferb! You are such a little troll sometimes!" She said, as we laughed.

I wanted to kiss her. I mean, I REALLY wanted to kiss her. But I couldn't.

"You staying until the cookies come out of the oven?" She fluttered her eyelashes.

I knew what that meant. It actually meant, "You want to screw around until the cookies come out, and probably go for round two while they're cooling?" Yes, I wanted to. Sex plus Cookies equals Happy Guy. Sex plus Cookies times Isabella equals Super Happy Ferb. But, I told Phineas I went to get air. Not Isabella.

"Sorry, I need to go back." I said.

"Alright." She said, drooping a little.

I was walking to the door when I suddenly ran back to her side. "Save them for me?" I said, winking at her.

"Uh-huh." She said coyly.

I suddenly kissed her on the cheek as fast as I could. Before I ran out of there, I saw her mouth drop open into a huge smile.

I don't know precisely at what moment, whether it was when I was watching her dance, or when I left her place, but I had my epiphany.

I was in love with this girl. I didn't just love Isabella; I was in love with her. There were no floating flowers and no heavenly music (unless you count Isabella's stereo) like when I see Vanessa. It didn't feel anything like being with Vanessa. It felt like being with Isabella. The feeling like I can tell her anything, and joke around with her, and even be a sarcastic jerk, and I know she'll forgive me. The feeling like no man deserves her. That feeling like I can't even stand next to her without wanting to kiss her. And suddenly, I feel like I've been falling in love with Isabella since the day I met her, at an excruciating pace.

I'm completely in love with Isabella. And I'm damn terrified.