What Might Have Been •Phinabella• |Phineas and Ferb Short Story| {COMPLETED}

Friend Zone?

The four of us decided we were hungry for lunch, so we headed downstairs after having a rather vivid debate about body spray (kinda random, I know). We walked to the kitchen and began preparing ourselves lunch. Though we all pretty much just decided we'd be lazy and make sandwiches—despite Buford already just having one. He rummaged through the fridge while Baljeet and I were making our own lunch, and Ferb was already eating his.

"So, I hear Isabella is off to Tri-State State." Baljeet commented, immediately grabbing my attention.

Isabella..I thought to myself, a small frown forming on my face. Just her name made my heart race. She was my best friend for as long as I could remember, but lately we hadn't been hanging as much as we used to. It honestly felt like I never got to see her at all anymore, almost like she was avoiding me. But I knew that was silly.

I put on a nonchalant facade, pretending not to care too much. "Oh wow, really? Huh.." I said, closing up the bag of bread so none of it would go stale. "I haven't seen much of her this summer.."

"Why do parents buy such weird food?" Buford asked, obviously paying no mind to our conversation, "Everything's 'lite', 'low', 'non', 'free', or 'diet'."

I shook my head and looked back at Baljeet, trying to ignore Buf's random question. "So she's...leaving?" I asked with a small ache in my heart. I didn't want her to leave, not until I could see her. Just one last time is all..

"Yes." He nodded, "Huh, I always thought the two of you would end up together."

I scoffed, glancing at the floor. "I wish. I am so in the friend zone there.." I said sadly. For years, I tried to be subtle yet obvious with Isabella, but I always ended up looking stupid. Eventually I had just given up on my crush, and decided that she'd only ever see me as a close friend and nothing more.

The three of them looked at me like I had said the dumbest sentence ever said. "You are..kidding, right?" Baljeet asked, raising a brow at me, "You do know she had a giant crush on you for ages?"

"Uh..no?" I said, narrowing my eyes. This was crazy talk, obviously some joke he was trying to pull. No way Isabella liked me like that.

Buford suddenly joined the conversation as he walked over to us. "Oh, come on! It was so obvious! She came over to your house every day for eleven years just to see what you were doin'!" He said straightforwardly.

"When she looked at you, her pupils actually formed little hearts." Baljeet said dramatically, "Like, I do not know how that is physically possible. She changed her eyeballs!"

I was fairly sure at this point they were just exaggerating. But..was it true? Did she really like me this whole time? "Wh- I don't believe it..Ferb?" I looked over at my brother, who just nodded silently. "Well..why didn't you guys ever tell me?"

"We are guys. We do not talk about feelings." Baljeet said nonchalantly.
There was a brief moment of silence between all of us. I mean, while he did have a point, I wouldn't mind talking about my feelings every once and a while (but I guess that was deemed 'unmanly'). "Did you see the new car Irving got?" He asked randomly.

"Can we eat yet? I'm starvin'!" Buford said, gesturing at the plates.

I shook my head and put my hands to my temples, "Um, I'm sorry..I feel like my brain is broken. I-I gotta think. I'm gonna take a walk. Uh..see you, guys." I said awkwardly, dismissing myself from the room. I walked out the back door as quickly as I could, then made my way out into the street of the neighborhood.

So it was really true. Isabella had a crush on me for god knows how long, how did I not know this?! I mean, the other guys knew, so it must've been obvious. Unless she might've told them and made them promise not to say anything to me. But if she did, they would've broken that promise years ago. They're horrible liars..

I wondered how many other people knew about it. I'm sure her girl friends all knew, and maybe some of her family members..oh god, what if our entire class knew and I didn't?! Then I really was oblivious, huh..

I circled around the block a couple times with my hands in my pockets, ignoring the scenery around me, except for when I'd walk by Isabella's house. I still couldn't wrap my head around this..I couldn't imagine how frustrating it must've been for her considering how clueless I was. Now it might've been too late, she might've lost those feelings or liked someone else. All because I didn't notice her sooner..

I finally looked up from the ground, noticing an older lady struggling to push a package into a mailbox. But then I immediately recognized the lady when I got closer, it was Isabella's grandma, Nana Shapiro. I quickly walked over to her and pushed the box open for her. "Here, let me get that for you, Nana Shapiro."

She looked up at me and grinned widely, "Phineas Flynn! Oh, look at you, so tall and handsome! You're going to college I hear! Oh, how time flies. Where're you going to school?"

"I haven't really decided." I admitted, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Isabella came over to say goodbye this morning. She's off to-" She said, but I immediately cut her off,

"This morning?! But..her school doesn't start for two more weeks!"

She frowned a little in pity, "Oh, honey, didn't you know? She's leaving today! As soon as she's done with work. Something about needing to—"

I cut her off again, not really meaning to be rude, but it was more out of instinct. "Today?! But.."

I was at a loss for words. It was worse than I thought. She was leaving much too soon, it was definitely too late by now.
Nana Shapiro's expression grew a bit serious, "Phineas, look at me. If you have anything you need to say to her, you'd better go over to the restaurant and say it. Her summer's almost over."

I paused, glancing at the ground. There was no way I could tell her how I really feel now, could I?! I mean, I had no idea what to even say! What do you even tell the girl you're in love with when she's about to leave town for good? What if she was mad? And would if I made things too awkward..?

But Nana Shapiro was right. Summer was almost over for us. Even if she turned me down, at least she'd know how I really felt. "I— you're right. Thanks!" I said before running off.

"The restaurant is that way!" Nana Shapiro called out, pointing in the opposite direction of where I ran.

I quickly turned around and ran past her in the direction she was pointing, "Thanks again!"

Here I went, on my way to tell her how I really felt. My heart was pounding, and not just because I was running..