Author's Note: I promise! This is a Ferbella story. It felt too OOC to have Isabella just switch from one brother to another. It will take some time! Also, this is lowkey songfic. Based on Taylor Swift's songs. See if you can figure them out as the story progresses!

I waved goodbye to mom and walked across the street to the Flynn-Fletcher residence. Deferring from the usual path, I walked into the garage, not the backyard.

"Hi, Ferb." Gently nudging the man in question as he worked under his mom's car, the oil needed changing.

He didn't respond verbally so he must have gestured a hello back. A moment passed before he emerged from under her car looking triumphant.

"What did those mechanics do to her car?" Linda, as she insisted I call her, took it to a commercial mechanic when it was running a little funny and came back worse. Ferb volunteered to look at it and change her oil.

"Only gave her the wrong kind of oil for her car." He said looking smug.

"Oh I see, nothing major really," I replied sarcastically.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Ferb, you know I'm joking." To which he gave a half smile.

And that is when I noticed he had an oil smudge on his forehead. In the same place, he always got them from wiping his brow with his hand. Predictable Brit. I grabbed a clean rag and wet it in the sink.

"You got oil in that spot again." I gently held his chin while sipping the oil with a rag. And after a moment, "you need to learn to clean your face young man."

He raised both eyebrows at me saying "young man, really? I laughed lightly with him before Phineas opened the door with his mom.

"Hi, Isabella!" Phineas practically bounced his way to Ferb and I. "Are we ready to go Ferb?"

Ferb nods and Linda smiles at him. "Thank you, Ferb. As a treat, you can drive tonight. I'll stay home. Have fun kids. Not too late though."

"Yes, Mom," Phineas said obediently.

Linda tossed the keys to Ferb who caught them and started the car. Ever the gentleman Phineas gave me shotgun. And off we were to the mall, the second time for me though my boys don't know that.

We arrived and I led them to the store. talking as we went. "So the girls were here earlier and Ginger said she found a dress I should try on, it's gonna be behind the counter for me on hold. But other than that I'm thinking pink." Trying to keep them off the idea of the perfect dress that isn't pink I told them my original plan.

"That's a great color choice, Isabella. And it was nice of Ginger to think of you. How many dresses are you thinking of trying today?" Phineas said animatedly.

"I don't want too many options so only two others."

Ferb nods along and Phineas says, "good, now we have parameters. Pink and two dresses."

We make it to the store and I send the boys to do a quick look while I get the sea foam dress. When I meet back up with them Ferb is looking at the first pink dress I had planned to try on. He notices me approaching and points to it. I nod and grab my size off the rack. Looking around for Phineas who seems to be scrutinizing two dresses.

"What's going on in that brain of yours Phin?" I ask looking between the dresses he is looking at.

"Well they are both pink, but I don't know which one you'd like more." He says candidly.

I look again and one of them is the second pink dress I had planned to wear. Pointing to it, "I'll try that one. That makes three."

I guide them to the changing room area. Stepping inside and hanging the dresses up I start with the dress Ferb had seen. Luckily I can zip this one on my own. It's a princess neckline a-line dress that stops just below the knees and is a bright pink with no embellishments. It's pretty, but nothing special. I step out to let Phineas and Ferb see it, spinning slowly once I'm in front of them.

"Option 1, what do you think boys?" I ask once I've done a full rotation.

"I like it!" Says, Phineas, "you look great!"

"Thanks, Phin. Ferb what about you?" I look at him.

He states and then squints a little before giving a so-so hand sign. "It's simple."

I nod, "I think so too. It's nice, but not homecoming nice. Not a bad choice but two more to go!"

Back into the dressing room and into the tulle, shapeless blob that is the second dress. It was dyed an unfortunate shade of pink that only looked good in certain light. I felt like a big cupcake in it, in a bad way.

Stepping out I spun unenthusiastically. "Alright, so thoughts for this one."

"It certainly is big," Phineas says unsure what else to say.

I look at Ferb who is wide-eyed, clearly trying to not laugh as he shakes his head no.

"Ferb! Don't be mean." He has the gall to pretend and be affronted. "This is not it. Once more."

Time for the dress. I can't wait to see his face when I'm in this. I start to zip it up and struggle.

"Shoot" I forgot I needed Ginger's help earlier. I peek my head out of the dressing room, "Ferb? Could you assist, please? The zipper is fighting me." He nods and makes his way to me.

I turn around one hand in the dress and the other holding my hair up. "Thanks, Ferb."

"It's not pink." He says as he carefully guides the zipper closed.

"Very good observation skills Ferb. But just look at it!" I turn towards him.

He stares, difficult to read, and gestures for a spin. Which I happily oblige. "I feel magical in this."

"You look magical."

I blush, "thanks Ferb."

He nods and leaves. I can hear Phineas say, "okay see you soon." Ferb must have left for 'the bathroom.'

It's now or never. I step out of the dressing room, "what do you think?"

"Wow, Isabella! It's so different than the other ones. It's not even pink."

"Ginger picked this one, she said I should expand my closet's color theory."

"I see no problem with having a comfort color of clothing. But, you look great."

"Thanks, Phineas." He nods, and I take a calming breath "so, I have a question for you."

"Okay shoot." He says with slight curiosity.

Okay here goes Isabella, "Do you want to go to homecoming with me?" I wait anxiously to see what he says.

"Well of course!" My heart soars, "we were already planning as going as a group anyway." And it plummets through the earth, I can feel it cracking.

I plaster the smile back to my face, "yea right, of course. I'm gonna change and buy this, I can meet you and Ferb by the bathrooms?" I just wanted to be alone for a few minutes, panic and disappointment rising.

"Oh yea, of course, I'll see you over there." With that, he heads off.

Slowly I take the dress off, struggling without help with the zipper. I want to cry, how can he be so oblivious, he doesn't even know how much that hurt. I can't even be mad at him, he doesn't know. But this keeps happening, I shoot my shot, and he shoots me down. I always end up hurt. This is tiring. I finally get the dress off, returning the other two and purchasing the third. I make my way to the bathrooms. I can see Phineas and Ferb waiting on a bench outside of them, I plaster on a smile so Phineas doesn't suspect anything wrong.

"Isabella! Perfect, ready to roll Ferb?" Phineas says standing up.

Ferb nods then stands and goes toward the exit. Phineas and I follow.

"So what dress did you end up buying, Isabella?" Phineas asks, excitedly.

"I bought the last one I tried on, it made me feel the prettiest," I say honestly.

"You certainly looked pretty, good choice." no flirting, just a genuine compliment from a friend.

I sigh. Ferb notices and looks at me, an eyebrow raised slightly. Questioning, Are you okay?

I shake my head slightly and hold up a hand telling him, I'll tell you later.

He seemed skeptical but let it go. I know he trusts me on these things and I'm grateful for it.

We make our way to the car, filing into our respective places. Ferb sets off. The car ride back is filled with general chatter about school and homework. Normalcy was great until it became the only response I got to my efforts. Phineas and I may never be anything more than normal. Never anything more than friends.

I end up engrossed in my thoughts and don't even notice when we stop.

"Isabella?" Phineas says waving a hand in front of my face.

"Oh, sorry Phineas. I was distracted." I look around, seeing we were at my house, "thanks for driving Ferb. I'll see you both tomorrow at school."

"Okay! See you then, thanks for inviting us to the mall."

"Anytime, bye guys!" I say as I open the car door and leave.

I unlock my door and go inside, waiting until I hear their car leave before I sink to the floor, head in my hands.

"Mija? Is that you?" My mom calls to me from the kitchen.

"Si, mama."

"Come show me the dress you picked Isa!"

I get up from the floor, grateful my mom is so positive.

"How was the mall with your friends?" she asks once I'm in the kitchen.

"It was nice, the girls were very helpful. Phineas and Ferb said I looked nice in the dress."

"Is that really what they said?" she says knowingly.

Darn mom sense, "Phineas said I looked pretty."

"And Ferb?"

Mom is one of the few people who knew that Ferb and I talked, like full-blown conversations. She always makes sure to ask about him.

"He said, that I looked," I paused, "magical."

"Oh, Isa! Isn't that nice of him to say."

"Yes, yes it is mama. Now, do you want to see the dress?"

"Aye, si. Show me, show me."

I nod and unzip the garment bag the store was nice enough to include. I pull it out and my mom gasps.

"Oh, it is beautiful! I love the color. Did Ginger pick that one?"

I nod, "She knows what looks good, I wouldn't have looked twice at this one if she hadn't suggested it."

"You did say you wanted pink. I think it's wonderful."

"Me too mama, me too."