By the way, this story is an AU, so if you think the characters are OOC, they were made to be. If you are worried about whether this story will have a happy ending or not, don't worry, it will end well. But bumpy the road will be. The biggest difference in character when comparing the show to this story is the character flaws. This story is chalk full of flaws. Flaws to be mended...
Phineas stirred. He got up, brushed his teeth, and went outside to wait for Isabella. He was still oblivious to how much he really loved her. Linda actually went out to talk to Phineas. "How are you doing, hon?" Linda asked.
"I am just waiting for Isabella to come over," Phineas responded.
"Aw! You two are so cute together!" Linda remarked.
"What do you mean?" Phineas asked in confusion.
"Nothing!" Linda defended. Phineas felt strange new appetites bubble up inside of him. Isabella wasn't even there, and it was happening. He wanted something he couldn't define, it was just there. Isabella was the relief, he knew that much. A chill ran down his spine. He felt very clueless and a little nervous. What was this flippable tortilla that now seemed to reside in his stomach? He visibly cringed. "What are you guys going to be doing?" Linda asked.
"Probably just hang out, because apparently no one likes my inventions anymore," Phineas explained.
"Aw, sweety, I love your inventions!" Linda encouraged. Of course, she thought they were pretend.
"That's 'cause you're my mom," Phineas responded. Linda frowned and got up to do some chores around the house. Phineas continued to wait. "Isabella is coming, right? She has to... Oh no, I think I have one of those thingies for Isabella. This is great; just great," Phineas thought. He sat distraught and fiddled with a blade of grass impatiently. It broke in two. Then he tried to piece it back together. It didn't work. Then he put the pieces adjacent to each other so that it would look like it was fixed.
"Phineas?" Isabella called.
"Yes?" Phineas responded.
"Whatcha' doin'?" she asked.
"What do you want to do?" Phineas asked back.
"I don't know, maybe we could do what we were doing before Buford interrupted us," Isabella suggested flirtatiously.
"Of course!" Phineas agreed. It was cloudy that day, but not overcast. "Look at that cloud!" Phineas pointed. They were both laying down in the grass with a small distance between them just like before.
"It looks like a baby," Isabella hinted.
"Yeah, a baby," Phineas responded in a knowing tone, even though he was technically still oblivious. Isabella was almost visibly shocked. This was that strike one she had been waiting for all of her life. Two more strikes, and it was an unsealed envelope; she would tell Phineas everything. But she had to make sure.
"That one looks like a crib," Isabella remarked.
"Mhm," Phineas responded with a lack of interest. She was sure of it now. She, in her excitement, counted it as strike two.
"What about that one? What do you see?" Isabella asked. A stork-like bird happened to pass by at just the wrong time.
"I see a stork," Phineas answered.
Isabella refrained from facepalming, but barely. He had gotten her hopes up so high, too. Patience was what she needed, but she had been waiting all her life. "Just for the rest of the summer," Isabella promised herself. She just wanted to cry. Storks?! Really, Phineas? "You know just how to suck the life out of any heart, don't you, Romeo," Isabella thought disdainfully.
"Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?" Phineas asked fearfully. If Isabella had had time to conjure a response, it wouldn't have been very good. But her immediate response was an apology.
"No, of course not!" Isabella responded. "It's fine." Phineas immediately visibly relaxed. His ribcage rested once more.
"Look at that one!" Phineas exclaimed.
"It looks like- I have no idea," Isabella informed.
"-maybe two guys pitted against each other," Phineas guessed.
"Those are some pretty blobby guys, then," Isabella remarked. They both burst into laughter.
"We're running out of clouds!" Phineas joked. This earned some more laughter.
"Which one is your favorite?" Isabella asked.
"The baby," Phineas responded. He said so because that was the one Isabella seemed to like most. Isabella flushed red. That was strike three, and all three happened in less than thirty minutes. But something was holding her back. In her language, he just told her something she was all too pleased to hear, but there was one problem: Phineas didn't speak Isabella's language, he spoke his own English. Still, she couldn't help but doubt this. She couldn't help but doubt that they were not meant to be. She could not help but doubt that they had different destinies. But these things she doubted were previously accepted supposed facts. "Patience, Isabella. Just for the rest of the summer," she promised herself once more. "After that, if Phineas doesn't ask me out, or something equivelant, I will stop going across the street every morning." Of course, this monologue was all inside her head.
"That was my favorite one too," she responded.
"Do you see that little cloud way far away?" Phineas motioned.
"I think so. Barely," Isabella reported.
"What does it remind you of?" Phineas asked.
"I don't want to talk about it," Isabella pushed.
"You know, you can talk to me about absolutely anything," Phineas consoled.
"Phineas, I said I don't want to talk about it," Isabella defended.
"That's okay, but could you at least tell me what I could do to make you feel better about it?" Phineas asked. That was not something Isabella was prepared to answer. So Isabella just shook her head rather violently, and surprisingly started tearing up. These weren't super emotional tears, but they were rather from anxiety than anything else. "Why can't I help you feel better?" Phineas pleaded.
"Because you would refuse," Isabella answered.
"No, I wouldn't," Phineas denied.
"No, you would never want it. You have some other destiny..." Isabella started.
"This is about my destiny? Why are you so unsettled by my destiny? Why do you care so much about my destiny? I don't know what my destiny is, but I know that it will be good enough, so why are you so interested in my destiny?" Phineas asked filled with curiosity.
"I think I got it, but just in case, I wasn't listening, so tell me again," Isabella dodged.
"Why do you care so much about my destiny?" Phineas asked.
"You would never understand," Isabella responded.
"Why wouldn't I?" Phineas challenged.
"Because you're oblivious," Isabella countered.
"You could just tell me," Phineas prodded.
"It isn't my place," Isabella explained.
"Then whose place is it?" Phineas asked. "You're the one who cares about my destiny, but not to explain?" Isabella started blushing really, really intensely.
"You know what? I don't care anymore! I have been sitting here for years waiting for you to understand!" Isabella burst.
"How do I know something I have never been told?" Phineas interjected. "Maybe instead of waiting for me to magically figure it out, you should have just told me. You think you are waiting for me, but you are really waiting for yourself. Are you ready now?"
"No," Isabella answered meekly. "In fact, I need you to find out yourself. You have until the end of summer." That line shut Phineas up pretty well.
"Any hints?" Phineas pleaded.
"Not a chance," Isabella responded. "I have already said too much." Phineas already looked distraught, which was not good news for him. A new threat looked over his head, one more frightening than any he had ever faced before. He could lose Isabella forever.
Now Phineas knows, but he doesn't. What a unique turn of events. I am incredibly satisfied with this chapter. (takes bite of wonderful hoagie) Mmm! Don't tell Buford! 8-p