Chapter 1

Friday, 7:00am

It was a bright and sunny summer morning in the Tri-state area. Phineas and Ferb had just woken up and were sitting up in their beds with their pet platypus, Perry, lying on the end of Ferb's bed.

"Good morning, Ferb," Phineas yawned, "So what's today's project look like?"

Ferb reached over the side of his bed and pulled out a blue print and some notes. He held up the blue print to his brother.

Phineas said, "Oh that's right. We were going to make that whole 'tunnel of love' thing for Candace. I'm sure she'll love it! I know what we're doing today, Ferb. Come on! We'll start as soon as we finish breakfast!"

As Phineas walked out of the room he glanced down at the floor to spot a coin in the carpet. He bent over and picked it up. He said, "Hey look! A penny! It must be my lucky day!"

The boys then continued on their way down to the kitchen.

XX

The two boys went out to the yard as soon as they had finished their meal and were getting right to work.

"More to the right, Ferb! Perfecto!" Phineas called to his brother who was moving a large metal beam with a crane. Their sweet neighbor from across the street, Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, skipped merrily over to their backyard.

"Hi, Phineas! Whatcha' doin'?" she asked batting her eyelashes.

"We're building one of those "Tunnel of Love" boat rides," Phineas answered. Isabella's face lit up instantly. Was she dreaming? She quickly pinched herself on the arm. Nope. This was really happening. She asked trying to hold in her excitement, "Omigosh! Really? That's so sweet! What for?"

Phineas replied, though his attention still focused on the project in front of him, "Well, Candace was telling us last night that she was really disappointed that the amusement park's "Tunnel of Love" got closed down. Now she doesn't know where to take Jeremy for a romantic date. So I figured we could help. After all, the time we helped Baljeet out with romance was actually a lot of fun." Isabella only caught about half of that. She stared at Phineas dreamily.

"Wow, that's wonderful…" Isabella cooed. She suddenly snapped out of her trance and asked eagerly, , "Wait! Are you going on the ride yourself, Phineas?"

"I'm actually not sure. I mean I always use or ride whatever we make every day, but I might end up sitting this one out. I mean it's not like I have a person to ride this ride with."

Isabella's smile faded a little. She said, "Are you sure about that? There's no one you can ride with?"

"Well I suppose I could ride alone, but I would just look silly if I did that."

Inside the house, the boys' big sister, Candace, was walking past the glass door in the living room when something caught her eye. Normally, it would've been the large contraption in the backyard, however, this time Candace stopped to look and listen to what Phineas and Isabella were saying. Isabella said, now getting frustrated, "Of course you would. So why don't you look RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!"

Phineas looked up to see Ferb on the roof of the tunnel with his welding mask on. He said slowly with slight awkwardness in his tone, "Oh… Well I know that Ferb and I do pretty much everything together, but I think riding through the tunnel together would just be… well…"

Isabella was ready to rip her hair out by now."Oh for crying out loud, Phineas! Will you ever get it!" "Get what?" Phineas questioned innocently. Isabella's fingernails dug into her palms and she ran out in a huff. From the living room, Candace's jaw dropped in disbelief. She then threw open the glass door and stepped out.

"Hmm, I wonder what that was all about." Phineas questioned as he stared at the open gate Isabella had just ran through. Candace, hands on her hips, said loudly, "Oh my gosh! Are you really that oblivious, Phineas?"

"Oh hi, Candace! What-"

"Couldn't you tell Isabella wanted to go on the boat ride with you?"Candace interrupted for once completely ignoring the fact that they were building yet another super awesome thing in the backyard.

"She did? That was why she was so angry?" Phineas questioned as if it weren't obvious. Candace slapped her palm over her face.

She said, "Hasn't it ever occurred to you that Isabella may like you?"

Phineas paused for a moment and then asked, "Wait. How did you know all this just happened? Candace, were you spying on us?"

"Answer the question! Has that ever occurred to you? Yes or no?" Candace cried completely disregarding Phineas's question.

"Well of course she likes me. We're friends-"

"I knew that was coming. By 'like', I mean 'in love with'." Candace explained condescendingly.

"Isabella's in… love with me?" Phineas said with a very blank expression on his face as if the answer was on the tip of his nose and he just couldn't see it.

"Figure that out on your own, Sherlock?" Candace said sarcastically with one raised eyebrow. Ferb, noticing the sudden look of dilemma on his brother's face, put down his welding equipment and climbed down the ladder to join him.

"So, Isabella's in love with me. Gee. Who would've seen that one coming?" Candace and Ferb both raised their hands, but Phineas didn't notice. He was still distracted. "Well, what do you guys think I should do?" Phineas asked.

Candace said, "Well why don't you ask her out on a date?"

"A… date?"

"Yea, a date."

"But, Candace, aren't I a little young to date?"

"Yes. Yes you are, but since when has age ever gotten in your way?"

"Well…"

"Come on, Phineas! You have no idea how happy this will make Isabella."

"But where would I take her?"

Ferb loudly cleared his throat and then pointed to the "Tunnel of Love" directly behind them.

"Oh yeah. Okay, Candace. I'm gonna do it! I'm going to ask Isabella out on a… date."

"Right on, bro," Ferb said giving his brother the thumbs up.

"Omigosh! This is gonna be so great! My little brother on his first date!" Candace squealed with delight.

Phineas, unintentionally straying from the subject asked, "Hey, where's Perry?"