They stopped at the pond and started tossing pebbles into the water when Buford asked, "Does Ferb have a thing for guys?"

Phineas whipped his head around. "What?"

Buford calmly repeated himself. "Does Ferb like guys? I'm just wondering, keeping my options open, ya know. In case things don't work out with 'Jeet."

Phineas tossed a pebble and pointed out. "Ferb married his girlfriend." With a laugh, Buford replied. "That doesn't mean anything, he's 17."

Phineas picked up a few more pebbles. "I've never heard him express an interest in guys."

Buford shrugged his shoulders. "Ah well. I can always dream."

Disgusted, Phineas looked at his friend. "...do you even understand the concept of TMI?"

Buford shook his head. "Nope. Do you?"

Phineas rolled his eyes "Better than you, obviously."

Buford punched Phineas in the arm. "You should casually ask him if he's interested in guys."

Phineas turned a brilliant shade of red "What? Why? I'm not going to meddle in his love life."

With a grunt Buford pointed out, "You already did. Besides, 'Jeet and I've been talking about spicing things up a little."

Phineas averted his eyes. "Get Baljeet to ask him, then."

Buford smiled. "'Jeet would just about die."

Phineas laughed lightly. "Yeah, he'd get that all-over blush he gets when he's really embarrassed."

Buford rubbed his hands together. "...okay, that does sound tempting to watch." Phineas laughed.

"You sure you're not interested in guys?" Buford asked.

Phineas nodded. "Fairly sure, yeah."

Buford grabbed his arm again. "Okay, answer quick... if you were to ram your tongue down someone's throat who would it be?"

Phineas rolled his eyes. "Isabella. Duh."

"So why haven't you?" Buford inquired.

"I'm not sure she wants me to," Phineas answered sheepishly.

"Your tongue isn't the only thing she wants from you," Buford muttered to himself.

"WHAT!?" Phineas exclaimed, embarrassed at this turn in the conversation.

"Oh, come on man! Don't you have eyes? She's been trying to get into your pants for years." Buford almost yelled.

Phineas started wringing his hands. "Buford, that's disturbing."

With a swift kick at a piece of litter Buford replied. "It's healthy. Though why she'd choose you... whatever."

Phineas scuffed his shoes as he looked to the ground "You're right, I don't know why she'd want me. I think you're seeing things."

Buford hit him upside the head with a smack. "She wants you, Dinner Bell. She totally wants you."

Phineas shook his head. "You can't be serious."

"Have you seen the way she looks at you? The way she talks to you?" Buford inquired.

Phineas shook his head. "She's never treated me any different than she's treated you, Baljeet or Ferb."

Buford had to hold himself back from grabbing the dense one. "She all but ignored Ferb in favour of you for the first three years we all hung out."

Phineas took three steps back. "...she did?"

Buford nodded his head vigorously. "You didn't notice? Seriously?"

With a shrug of his shoulders Phineas replied, "...I was too busy trying not to make it obvious that I was watching her."

Buford sadly shook his head. "No wonder Ferb jumped at the chance to move out."

"Hey, he's had his own room for almost two years," Phineas said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I can't believe it took that long for him to get his own room." Buford pointed out.

"We liked sharing the room." Phineas replied calmly.

With a shake of his head Buford replied, "That's not what he said."

Phineas started walking and he threw his hands in the air. "Oh? Why didn't he say anything?"

Buford started after him. "You never listen."

Phineas took a step closer to his friend. "Of course I listen. I might tune Ferb out after the first hour, but I listen."

Buford pressed his finger into Phineas' chest. "If you listened to him, you'd know that by the time you were 13 he was pining for his own room."

Phineas scoffed. "No he wasn't. Mom asked me from time to time if I wanted Ferb to move into the spare room, and have the large room all to myself." Phineas' eyes went wide.

"Uh, huh." Buford said as he saw understanding come to light in his friend's blue eyes.

"You're telling me, he was asking for his own room all along?" Phineas asked.

Buford nodded "Yep."

Phineas looked worried, "...am I this dense with everyone?"

Buford nodded again. "Yep."

Phineas rubbed his hands down his face. "I never realised," he whispered.

"So, now that you've been enlightened; whatcha gonna do about it?" Buford asked him.

"I should apologise to Ferb," Phineas said as he pulled out his phone and walked away.

Buford watched as his friend spoke to his brother on the phone. Poor kid, he thought.

Phineas sat hard onto one of the park benches. I hope I'm not interrupting anything.

"Ferb?"

"How's your date going?"

"Fascinating. I'm learning all sorts of things I didn't realize."

"Good for you."

Phineas fidgeted, shuffling his feet in the dust. "I wouldn't really call today a 'date' though. More of a learning experience."

"Buford does have a brilliant insight into his friends."

"That's one thing I've been learning. Tell me, why; why did you never say anything?"

"About?"

"Wanting to move out."

Ferb snorted. "You didn't want to listen."

"Do you think things would be different if I had listened to you?"

"Doubt it."

"What do you mean?"

"You still haven't kissed Isabella... or anyone for that matter."

"I didn't know," Phineas pleaded.

"That's probably the only reason she hasn't killed you."

"Why would she want to do that?"

"Frustration."

"Can you give me some advice?"

"You could kiss her."

"What would that accomplish?"

"Two things. #1: It would acknowledge that you actually see her as a person. #2: You'll know right away if you're destined to kiss girls or guys for the rest of your life."

"Well, technically, I'll know if I'm destined to kiss girls or not. I'd have to test with someone else to see if I'm destined to kiss guys instead of, or in addition to girls."

"Pedant," Ferb sighed.

"Fine. So I'll go track her down and give her a kiss."

"Good. I'd say 'good luck', but you won't need it."

Phineas disconnected the phone and looked at it.

Buford walked over and sat beside his friend. "So, what did Beanpole McGee have to say?"

Phineas looked at the boy sitting next to him. "I should go kiss Isabella and that he doesn't feel as though he needs to wish me 'good luck'."

Buford clapped his hand on Phineas' shoulder then stood up. "Nope. We done here?"

Phineas offered Buford a small smile. "I think so. Thanks, Buford."

"Whatever. Don't forget what I told ya," Buford said as he walked away.

Phineas headed home and opened the gate to the empty backyard. Ferb was at home with his wife, Candace was home with Jeremy. His parents were out on a date. He sat back against the tree, thinking. The gate opened and Isabella entered.

"I saw you get home. Whatcha' doin'?" She asked sweetly as she made her way over to him.

Phineas looked up nervously, then replied, "...thinking."

Isabella clasped her hands behind her back and started rocking on her feet. "About?"

Phineas stood up and looked directly at her. "Us."

With a sigh, Isabella looked to the ground. "What about 'us'?"

Phineas reached for her hand. "I've heard that I've been blind to you for years."

She looked at her hand in his, then looked into his eyes. "Who told you that?"

He offered a sincere smile. "It doesn't matter."

Isabella pulled her hands out of his and stepped back. "No. This isn't what I wanted. I wanted you to figure it out on your own, not feel obligated once you knew my feelings."

Phineas looked pleadingly to her. "I've also heard that I'm not the only one who's been blind."

Isabella looked at him and shook her head. "What do you mean?" Phineas looked to the ground a moment before answering. "You weren't the only one who's been dropping hints."

Isabella crossed her arms over her chest in anger. "Who is she?"

Phineas tried offering his hand again. "Not she. Me. I've wanted you all along. But...I wanted to wait until I knew it was mutual."

"Oh, Phineas," Isabella said with a sob.

"Can I ask you something?" Phineas asked as he took her hands in his again and she nodded. "Can I kiss you?" he asked as he took another step closer. She nodded again as she took a step closer to him and let him brush his lips against hers.