Welcome to my very first fanfiction! It's quite the project, and quite the long read, and quite the journey. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Phineas and Ferb.

CHAPTER ONE:

Opportunity

ISABELLA

Today's the day, Isabella. Today he'll finally notice you as more than a friend.

A girl could always hope. That was my role, forever hopeful. I just knew that one day, after years and years of being the curious girl across the way, I'd come forth into his attention. Phineas would recognize me as more than just his best friend for the past twelve years. It would happen.

It would happen.

"And it will happen today," I promised my mirror, pulling a yellow bow taught in my hair. I smoothed out the front of my new yellow blouse, fluffed my fingers through my dark hair, and spun once.

Yes, today would be the day.

I slid around my mom, nestled at the table with the daily crossword puzzle and a glass of orange juice. As she often did, she'd prepared my toast, and I grabbed it on my way. One kiss, one scratch behind Pinky's ears, and I was on my way to the door with a shout of, "Adios, Mama."

"Que le vaya bien, Mija," she called in farewell, and I closed the door behind me.

I didn't know what it was about waking up today that had invigorated me so. It had been the right side of the bed, I supposed. I'd had a great dream last night—yet another wonderful adventure in Phineasland—and woke up with an incredible amount of courage coursing through my veins.

Birds were chirping, and nothing compared to a warm Danville morning. Even the road seemed to shine on my way over to Phineas and Ferb's house. Maybe it knew good things were going to happen today too.

Not everyone made it these days, of course. Despite being seventeen, Baljeet often took online college courses, and Buford was doing… well, whatever it was Buford did. Some things were better left unknown. We didn't see them on a daily basis, but Phineas, Ferb, and I were as close as ever.

Phineas said we were "getting a head start." Although he'd always been an early riser, there was the rare occasion when it wasn't enough. Today was one of those days, and my feet were lofty with anticipation. I eagerly opened their gate, the motion so committed to memory I could have done it in my sleep, and stepped inside.

My two favorite boys were sitting under the tree, which was a common sight. Less common, however, were the red, pink, and white papers strewn about on the grass.

"Hey, Isabella!" Phineas called automatically, and I smiled.

"Hey, Phineas. Hey, Ferb." I placed my hands behind my back, sauntering up to them. "What'cha doing?"

"We've got big plans," Phineas exclaimed, smiling up at me. "We're making Valentine's Day!"

I blinked. Wait, had I just heard him right? Valentine's Day, in the middle of summer? I met Ferb's eyes, silently asking him if it could possibly by true.

Ferb had been my number one wingman for the past seven years, ever since we all tried to circle the globe and got stranded on an island. From that time on, he'd soothed my every down and supported each of my failed attempts to gain Phineas' attention. He'd grown into my closest friend—other than Phineas, of course. But Phineas was a completely different story.

As an answer, he pressed a few buttons on the watch he'd made, and small holographic calendar materialized in the air. It had a date circled: June 15th. It was Mr. and Mrs. Flynn-Fletchers's anniversary.

"Remember Valentine's Day earlier this year?" Phineas began.

I had to hold back my scoff; of course I remembered Valentine's Day. As always, I'd flirted with Phineas, and as always, it went over his head. But I smiled and nodded, reminding myself that it would only take so many sweet smiles before he realized what was right in front of him. I was now one closer. Baby steps. He'd see soon enough.

"Well, Dad was out of town for an antique convention, and Mom didn't get to see him. Ferb and I had the idea to make it up to them by having today be a half-Valentine's Day, half-anniversary mash up. A Valintiversary!"

Music, sweet music to my ears. This was perfect! I knew there had to be a reason for this feeling today. I couldn't waste this opportunity.

I sat down in the grass next to him. "Can I help?"

"Sure!" he exclaimed, standing up. Of course… I sit down next to him, and he stands up. "You and Ferb can start cutting out paper hearts while I handle the flower delivery man. He's due to be here at any minute."

"Oh, okay," I smiled. He returned the gesture before bounding off, but as soon as he was gone, my upturned lips quickly slid into a frown. The years had been kind to both boys, but not to Phineas' cognizance of the opposite sex.

"I keep telling myself his cluelessness is cute," I muttered, shaking my head. I huffily picked up a pair of scissors. "I keep telling myself, but there also comes a point when I just want to take the truth and smack him in the face with it."

Ferb nodded and smiled in a way that said, That I'd like to see.

"I think today's going to be the day, Ferb. I can feel it. It's the perfect opportunity, and I think I'm ready." I looked up at him, and the edge of his mouth pulled up in his signature smirk.

"You certainly dressed for the occasion," he said with a quiet chuckle.

"Shut up," I laughed, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. Yes, I did little things to try to get Phineas' attention, like wear his favorite color. My shirt choice was definitely on purpose. And of course Ferb would pick up on that. Really, I doubted there was anything Ferb didn't know. I started cutting a heart out of a red piece of paper. "I just thought he might like it. Bunch a good it's done me so far."

"I think I like your red shirt from earlier this week better, but that's just me," he said, putting down his sixth heart just as I put down my second.

"How do you do that so quickly?"

He winked at me, but remained silent. Oh yeah, now he stopped talking. Devious Brit. After so long—and so many dismal failures on the Phineas Front—Ferb talked to me quite often, but it was only in the rare times like these when we were alone.

"We told Mom to keep her alarm clock off this morning," Phineas explained, returning to the backyard with a giant flower wreath in his arms. It was beautiful, made from roses and lilies woven together in the shape of a heart. "We should have a few hours to get everything set up. We were going to put hearts all over, flowers, maybe a romantic dinner later. They'll love it."

Ah, opportunity. It was knocking. No, it was more than that; it was singing through the air. I held up one of the hearts I'd cut out. "What do you think, Phineas?"

"Looks fine, Isabella," he replied, then hauled off the flower wreath.

Yet another swing and a miss. Isabella: 0, Obliviousness: too many to count.

"It is a little lopsided," Ferb commented, flinging one of his perfectly shaped hearts at me from his stack of finished ones.

"Hey, at least mine have character," I pouted, pointing my scissors at him.

Ferb developed a smirk that said, Character? Is that what they call it these days?

"Perfect little British boy," I muttered under my breath, and he laughed again.

Phineas returned, this time carrying a small toolbox. He meandered over to the fence where he'd deposited the wreath and held his hands up like a picture frame. Well, now was as good a time as any.

I stood up and fixed my shirt, whispering, "Wish me luck," to Ferb. His smile and thumbs up was the only response I got, but that was all I needed. I could do this!

I strolled over to Phineas. "Want help hanging the flowers?"

"Sure, that'd be great," he chirped. He picked up the wreath and positioned it in the center of the fence. "Hold it here?" I held it where he asked and he nailed it in. "Thanks."

He smiled his usual genial smile, and was already turning to continue on with his project. That was always the case with him; he poured himself into his wonderful ideas and filled them with life. This time, though, I knew I would be noticed. I wouldn't let him run off to his next task yet.

"Do you have a valentine, Phineas?" I asked, stepping in front of him.

"The real question is, do I have a Valentiversatine?" he laughed. This was yet another Phineasism, redirecting things like this. He didn't do it on purpose necessarily, I knew. I was used to it, and had learned long ago the ways of rolling with the naiveté.

"Well do you have a Valentiversatine, then?" I asked sweetly. "Because I don't."

"Of course I don't," he said. "I've got enough work to do before Mom wakes up. I think it's a little too late to get a whole orchestra or something, but I think I have the time to whip up a nice string quartet."

He stepped around me, and I blinked. Yet another failure. Before I could even begin to think of what to try next, he continued from behind me.

"Oh, and don't worry about not having a Valentiversatine, Isabella," he called, and I brought myself to turn around. He was studying a blueprint by the tree. "I have plenty of tasks to go around. I was thinking of maybe getting an ice sculpture! What do you think? Too much?"

I could practically hear Ferb's cringe from here. It almost made me laugh, but when it came down to it I could only sigh. Phineas being this oblivious when he was ten was cute and a little amusing. Now, when he was close to turning eighteen, it was more than just discouraging; it hurt. Every time something went over his head, I felt like my heart was getting poked with a stick. A sharp one. I was about to answer his ridiculous ice sculpture question, when Ferb intervened.

"You know, there's plenty of room for work and fun, especially after Mum wakes up," he said slowly. "If neither of you have valentines, why don't you be each other's?"

Yes! This was why Ferb was my best friend! He was always there for me right when I needed it! I sprang forward to Phineas, shooting the green-haired boy a thankful look on the way. He'd set that up perfectly!

"Where did that come from, Ferb?" I asked, playing along with a shaky laugh.

"Oh come on, Ferb," Phineas chortled, gathering up all of the paper hearts. "You know Isabella and I are just friends. Best friends, all three of us."

Oh.

Oh, ouch.

I felt like I'd just fallen through the ground, slipping through the earth and plummeting further from there. Or maybe that was just my spirit. It couldn't have been my heart; that had just been crushed and carried away as little particles in the breeze. I swallowed hard.

Phineas never responded as I would have liked to my attempts at flirting, but this time was different. He had the perfect opportunity to have me, and he outright said we were just friends. He'd put me on the same level as his brother, as if to say best friends, all three of us, just like siblings.

And the hardest part was that he didn't even realize it. He didn't realize it, and thus I couldn't even be mad at him. How could you be angry with innocence? It defied the meaning of the word.

I could tell Ferb was looking at me, trying to gage my reaction. Phineas' rejection was just beginning to sink in. I could feel it, small pinpricks up my spine, needling into the base of my neck. Pain ran its fingers through my hair, greeting me coldly.

I needed to get away.

I started towards the house, but Ferb grabbed my wrist on the way. He raised his eyebrow; you okay?

I shook my head, tugging my hand out of his grasp. I didn't want to start crying, not here.

When my back was safely turned to both brothers, I called, "I'm going to grab a snack." Despite my efforts to keep my voice calm, it quivered, but Phineas didn't seem to notice.

Story of my life.

I was inside before he had time to respond. Shutting the glass door behind me, I went straight past the kitchen and to the stairs. There was no question, no wavering in my feet. I walked coolly and collectedly right up to the base of the stairs—the final part of my route visible from outside.

I rounded the corner, then sprang up the stairs. I took them two at a time, even though tears blurred my eyes and my body was already shaking with sobs that hadn't breached my mouth yet. They were close, though. I could feel it. Only a few more steps. A few more, and I wouldn't have to hold them in.

I flung myself into Ferb's room and closed the door. I collapsed on his bed, burying my face in one of the pillows.

I… No, there weren't any words.

That was a lie.

Empty. Empty was a word. A very fitting word.

I'd cried here dozens of times. It had been the entire premise for Ferb's friendship with me; he'd comfort me after I messed up with Phineas. It had eventually grown into something more lighthearted over the years. We'd branch out, talking about other things, but it had always been drawn back to Phineas one way or the other.

This was once again centered on Phineas, but this time the center had collapsed. Mine had been punched right out of my, swept from under my feet, burned away into a decrepit nothing. Sure, he'd done stuff like this before, but it was also different. Everything felt so… finite.

I'd always feared that Phineas would never see me as more than a friend, but today, he confirmed it. Phineas and I were just friends. He'd made that crystal clear.

I let the tears come.

Review, please!

Although I keep a lot of light-hearted PnF elements that make the show so uniquely wonderful, I also have worked to create a plot that is more serious, delving into more character traits, strengths, and flaws. I promise an intriguing ride with plenty of twists and turns, so long as you'll stick with me! Hope to see you soon!

~Lilly-Belle