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It was another quiet day in Danville.
Mid-May increasingly heralded the long-awaited return of summer and the end of the school year, which the students couldn’t wait for. Of course, there were days when the weather wasn’t so kind—but those were rare, as mostly warm rays of sunlight reigned over an impeccably blue sky without a single cloud. Middle and high schoolers had finally reached the much-anticipated end of the week — Friday. Some collapsed exhausted onto their beds, others went out into town, and still others stayed at home. The third group included the Gang.
During the summer before the third year of middle school, when they met Emily Stevenson, the group of friends had grown closer. At the start of the school year, Phineas came up with the idea of establishing a small tradition: every Friday, they would take turns meeting at each other’s houses to spend time together watching a movie. Naturally, everyone agreed — after unnecessary questioning from Buford, though he was secretly pleased about it — and in the meantime, they decided to take turns choosing the films.
The honor of picking first went… to Baljeet. Naturally, he picked a science movie, which put everyone to sleep except him.
However, this evening it was Isabella’s turn. The fourteen-year-old had waited all week for this moment to finally arrive — Emily and Ferb were honestly tired of her over-the-top excitement and chatter about “the plan,” yet they remained silent, fully aware of how important it was. In truth, they were anxious along with her, asking themselves many questions and waiting for the answers.
“Who’s picking today?” Buford sprawled comfortably in an armchair in the corner of the Flynn-Fletcher living room, holding a bucket of popcorn. Right next to him on the floor, with a blanket over his lap and a mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows, sat Baljeet, raising a brow in disapproval.
Placing the rim of his mug to his lips, he muttered quietly: “Isa.”
Buford groaned loudly. “There’s going to be some romance, I’m sure…” he grumbled, disgusted.
“Sit still, Van Stomm,” Emily scolded him, kneeling near the TV with the excited Isabella, preparing the DVD. “Why do you have such a problem with any romance, huh? What’s wrong with love?” she asked rhetorically, while Buford made a gagging gesture.
“We told you that when we were about ten, a troop of Fireside Girls came to visit from Paris, and they with Izzy tried to earn of ‘North American Tracking patches,’” Phineas interjected from the kitchen, struggling to suppress his laughter. “Buford dressed up as a bear that they were supposed to chase through the forest. It turned out he had once dated their leader, Brigitte…”
“…and in the end we chased him, but he was running from us so he wouldn’t see his old love,” Isabella finished, and Phineas erupted into uncontrolled laughter. “Phineas!”
“So basically: Buford ran away in a bear costume from love,” Emily summarized, rolling her eyes. “No wonder he hates all romance now,” she added with a snort.
“Hey, that’s not true!” Buford immediately denied, pointing at her. “I dressed as Cupid for a date with that nerd’s old friend, and for Candace’s date with Jeremy!”
“Buff, you just dug yourself deeper,” Phineas shook his head in full disapproval. “So, when do we start the movie?” he changed the subject.
“Hey, hey! First of all, that was your idea, DinnerBell,” Buford reminded him accusatorily. “And second… I was afraid to say no to you.”
“Afraid?”
“Phineas, when you’re angry at someone, it’s like someone else takes over you. You’re a completely different person,” Baljeet explained logically. “That’s why we try not to annoy you, especially Candace with Perry,” he added with a nervous snort. Phineas rolled his eyes.
“Okay, no more talking. Time for the movie,” Emily announced enthusiastically, brushing invisible dust from her hands. She stood up, fists on her hips. “Ferb! Do you have the rest of the popcorn?” she called to the green-haired boy, who appeared from behind the wall a second later with two bowls. He handed one to Phineas, standing by the couch, and took the other to another chair, sitting down. After a moment, Emily joined him, smiling widely, surveying the living room.
Phineas, with a barely noticeable shrug, claimed the couch, snacking on popcorn as he waited for Isabella, who took the remote in hand and approached him. She settled beside him, brushing her shoulders and legs against his, passing him the remote. Phineas turned on the TV, placing the remote on the armrest, and handed Isabella the popcorn bowl. She took a handful, settling in more comfortably.
“What’s it about?” Baljeet whispered, watching the slow intro on the screen. Isabella and Emily exchanged sly smiles, as if silently saying to each other:
“Thank you for asking.”
“A group of friends goes on a summer camp trip, where they meet two new girls,” Emily began in a whisper, grinning foolishly. “The ‘leader’ of this group and his best friend fall for these girls, which leads to them spending a lot of time with their group,” she elaborated.
“Jealousy, first teenage love, found family, and stuff like that,” Isabella added briefly, snuggling into Phineas’s side, who raised an eyebrow but remained silent. “‘That Summer’,” she read from the screen.
With the start of the movie, everyone fell silent. Baljeet wrapped the thin blanket more tightly around himself, holding the half-full mug of cocoa. Buford sprawled fully across his chair, right leg on the armrest, left forearm resting on the other. Ferb leaned casually on the back of his chair, enjoying the quiet and the TV sounds. Emily, without embarrassment, wrapped her arms around his forearm, using her free hand to reach for popcorn.
Isabella let out a soft, joyful sigh as she munched popcorn, pretending excitement as the camera showed a red-haired boy, around thirteen to fifteen years old, packing an open suitcase for camp in his room. Before her eyes appeared an image of Phineas from a year earlier, which made her smile dreamily — something the boy next to her did not like.
This is going to be a long evening, he thought, trying to suppress his unwelcome jealousy.
“Okay, Bella is NEVER picking the movie again,” Buford grumbled, arms crossed, watching the action unfold. “And, actually, Rapunzel too,” he added after a pause, causing both girls to roll their eyes.
“First of all, it’s not even my turn yet, after the last one,” Emily immediately retorted, raising a warning finger. “Second, don’t write off Iz — maybe you’ll like some romance after all. If not this one, then the next,” she shrugged, returning to her nearly finished popcorn, fully focused on the movie.
Phineas tried to ignore the typical Buford-Emily quarrel, wanting to focus on the film, though unsuccessfully. He couldn’t deny that a tiny irritation crept in every second he heard Isabella’s quiet, joyful, almost tender sigh as she watched the TV, where the main character looked strangely similar to him. Or identical. Or… a doppelgänger?
He shook his head to push the thought away. That’s impossible. It shouldn’t be… unless Isabella wanted to annoy him, make him jealous…
Don’t be ridiculous, Flynn, he scolded himself silently, snorting at his own thoughts. Isabella wouldn’t do something like that, right? And even if… Okay, the only explanation is that it’s just my imagination.
He was jealous of a stupid actor.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” he murmured into Isabella’s ear, handing her the now-empty popcorn bowl. Confused, she looked at him as he rose from the couch and quietly disappeared up the stairs, unnoticed by the others. She raised one brow, glancing around the living room.
Baljeet — and surprisingly Buford as well — watched the movie she had chosen with curiosity. The bucket Buford had used for popcorn earlier lay empty on the floor, while he himself sprawled upside down in the chair. Baljeet, sitting nearby, wrapped himself tightly in the blanket, pulling it over his head as well. He had set his empty cocoa mug on the coffee table a few minutes earlier.
She turned her head toward the other “loving” pair. Emily was half-leaning against Ferb, her head on his shoulder. She looked like a five-year-old cuddling up to her mom or dad, seeking refuge from the world or whatever she feared. As for Ferb, he seemed unbothered by the blonde’s behavior — despite a swarm of butterflies in his stomach and warmth in his chest. He held her protectively with one arm, stroking her back slowly.
Isabella froze, lips pressed together, when Ferb turned his head toward her. He briefly scanned the place where Phineas had been sitting not long ago. He smiled faintly at the corner of his mouth, looked back at his friend, and slightly nodded before he returned her gaze to the TV. Isabella tightened her grip on the popcorn bowl until her fingers turned white, lowering her head. She stared blankly at the floor, taking a deep breath.
Once sure she wasn’t attracting anyone’s attention, she slowly rose on shaky legs and silently left the living room. Looking cautiously over the railing, she climbed the stairs to the upper floor, wincing even at the slightest creak, which wasn’t particularly loud anyway. As quietly as possible, she crossed the long hallway, slowing her pace near the bathroom door. The tension didn’t leave her body; on the contrary — it grew with every passing second. She stood by the nearby wall next to the bathroom, straight as a rod. She bit her lower lip to the point of drawing blood from fear, nervously fiddling with her fingers.
What she planned now could either completely destroy her friendship with Phineas Flynn or elevate their relationship to a new level.
She shook her head, taking several breaths to calm her wildly beating heart. She paused beside the bathroom door, leaning her back against the wall and closing her eyes, counting to ten in her head. Once she had regained control of herself, she nervously twisted her fingers in every possible direction, staring blankly ahead as she waited. More than five minutes passed before she heard the quiet click of the lock turning and the soft creak of the door beside her. Moments later, Phineas appeared, raising an eyebrow questioningly as he nearly bumped into his best friend.
“Sorry I took so long. You can go in now, Izzy,” he said, giving her a charming, apologetic smile. Isabella flinched, pulled from her strange trance, and slowly turned her head toward Phineas. She slowly lifted the corners of her lips, returning the gesture.
You can do this, Fireside Girl, she told herself, straightening up. She discreetly swallowed, wetting her dry lips with her tongue, then hesitantly met Phineas’s gaze, who looked slightly confused by her behavior.
“I actually wanted to ask you something…” she began, clearing her throat. Her lips pressed into a thin line, gathering the last bits of courage to ask the one question that could change their entire relationship.
“Did something happen?” he asked cautiously, slightly alarmed by her words. He blindly turned off the bathroom light, closing the door behind him. Leaning against it with his shoulder, he crossed his arms, studying Isabella’s face. “You look pale. Are you feeling okay?” he asked, concerned.
“Yes, yes,” she quickly assured him, waving her hand energetically. She bit the inside of her cheek, exhaling through her nose in frustration. She brushed her face with her hand, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and looked at Phineas shyly with a faint smile. “It’s just that ever since we started watching the movie, you’ve been… Acting rather strangely,” she began, observing his reaction. Phineas’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he processed what he had just heard.
“Strangely?” he repeated with a laugh. “I don’t understand. Why am I acting strange?”
“I wish I knew,” she replied with a quiet sigh, leaning her left shoulder against the wall. She clasped one hand in the other, looking at him from beneath her lashes. “From practically the very beginning, it’s like something bothered you… Or someone,” she said subtly, intertwining her fingers.
“Oh. Right, because I don’t like the movie. It’s boring, I guess I don’t care for romances,” he lied, nodding. Isabella raised her eyebrows in astonishment, noticing his hand twitch involuntarily.
“Phin…” she sighed, massaging her temples. “You almost scratched behind your ear. And I’m the only one who knows that whenever you do, it means you’re lying,” she said, waving her hand vaguely. They both fell silent, frozen, staring into each other’s eyes. Neither the noisy shouts from the Gang downstairs nor Candace’s phone conversation could pull them away. They remained in a trance until Isabella finally spoke. “Phineas, you’re not jealous… Are you? Not platonically?”
Phineas froze, his mouth agape, eyes wide. He stared at Isabella as if she had revealed some impossible secret. No words came. All he could do was lower his gaze to the floor, scratching the back of his neck. He drew a breath, then slowly shook his head.
“I’m not jealous of anyone, Izzy,” he denied after a long pause, avoiding her gaze. “And certainly not some stupid actor who looks exactly like me,” he scoffed mockingly, before turning stiffly and heading toward the stairs. Only at the last second did Isabella realize what he had said.
“But I didn’t say anything about Alex Brooks,” she spoke, pushing off the wall and taking a few steps forward. She stopped in the middle of the hallway, watching Phineas halt at the top of the stairs. “You’re jealous, non-platonic? Like Candace with Jeremy?” she repeated, waiting for any reaction.
Before either of them could register what was happening, Phineas closed the distance to Isabella at lightning speed. The last thing she fully felt were his fingers tightening on her hips — and then everything blurred. Before she knew it, Phineas’s lips were on hers, and a muffled moan escaped her throat uncontrollably. She instinctively returned the unexpected kiss, hardly believing that her lifelong dream was unfolding in this single moment. She felt Phineas smile, which made her smile too. Breathlessly, she deepened the kiss, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him press her against the wall.
They kissed for several — or perhaps a dozen — minutes, completely forgetting the movie night with the Gang and the fact that their friends were in the living room. Only the lack of air forced them apart, which they did with difficulty. Both were panting; a few drops of sweat appeared on their foreheads, and their hair was in complete disarray — though it was less noticeable on Phineas, as it suited his style, but on Isabella it was very obvious. They didn’t care. With wide smiles, they stared into each other’s eyes, seeing their own reflection.
Isabella swallowed, moistening her throat and licking her lips as she leaned fully against the wall. She tilted her head thoughtfully, scanning the flushed face of the boy before her. “You kissed me,” she whispered, pointing at him.
“I did,” he confirmed with a wide smile, little wrinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes. He stepped closer, placing his hands gently on her hips. “And you kissed me back,” he added, a sly, flirty smirk forming.
“Mhmm,” she purred, draping her arms over his shoulders. She slightly furrowed her brow, looking up at him. “How long?”
“How long what?” he chuckled softly.
“How long… You know…” she trailed off, the word stuck in her throat. She swallowed hard. “…have you felt something for me?” she whispered. Phineas opened his mouth, but nothing came out. All he could do was stare, enchanted, at the girl in front of him: his best friend since age four, the neighbor across the street.
He took a deep breath before speaking. “I’ve known for almost four years, but I probably felt something more since we met…” he confessed nervously, with a shy smile.
“If that’s true…” she reached up, tangling her fingers in his fiery hair and tousling it even more with a tender smile. “…then we like each other exactly the same amount,” she giggled.
“Wait, you’ve liked me since our first meeting?” Phineas frowned, stepping back slightly. Isabella shrugged carefreely. “Great, now tell me you tried to show it or something,” he said with a chuckle. Isabella widened her eyes, avoiding eye contact. “Don’t joke…”
“Well, when we were ten, I came over just to give subtle hints about my feelings. Only later, after the Gang formed, did I come over for other reasons too, though I still tried to get you to notice me the same way,” she admitted reluctantly. “Plus, probably all of Danville — or even the universe — knows about my feelings…” she said awkwardly.
“I’m an idiot,” he groaned, resting his forehead on her shoulder. She stroked his back sympathetically, holding back a giggle. “At least we’re even now,” he murmured, hugging her tightly around the waist.
“Hey, even?”
“You think all those inventions were just friendly? That I wasn’t trying to impress you?” he snorted, rolling his eyes. “You didn’t even catch the hints, Miss Flynn.”
She poked him in the ribs. “Don’t throw around my future last name when we haven’t even settled anything,” she hissed jokingly. Phineas rolled his eyes, stepping back a few paces, arms crossed. Isabella assumed a battle stance, hands on her hips. They stared at each other until they both gave in, laughing. “Go back, I’ll come in a minute and make sure they don’t suspect anything,” she sighed.
Phineas raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He gave a short nod, then headed down the hallway to the stairs and descended quietly. He entered the living room again, sitting back on the couch. He waited a few seconds, then looked toward the stairs, where blushing Isabella was coming down. Biting her lip, she took her original spot, tucking her legs beneath her and hesitantly resting her head on the red-haired boy’s shoulder. He leaned slightly into her, a small smile on his face.
After an hour and a half, the movie ended. The living room was filled with darkness, illuminated only by the still-on TV showing the credits. Emily struggled to free herself from Ferb’s embrace, slowly stood, trying not to lose her balance, stretched her stiff limbs, and yawned mightily. She lazily rubbed her sleepy eyes, glancing sideways at the sleeping Ferb. She smiled fondly, looking around the room.
Baljeet, murmuring in his sleep, was wrapped from head to toe in a blanket, leaning the full weight of his body against the side of the chair, which was occupied by the still-upside-down, snoring Buford. Rolling her eyes, Emily looked toward the couch, occupied by the sleeping couple. Isabella nestled against Phineas like a little kitten, wrapping her arm around his waist and resting her head on his chest. Phineas laid his temple atop her head, holding her close.
A fond gleam appeared in Emily’s blue eyes. She found her phone, unlocked it, quickly tapped the camera icon, and took a rapid photo. She silently left the living room for the kitchen, poured herself a glass of cold orange juice from the fridge, and took a sip, glancing sideways at the photo before sending it to the Fireside Girls and Candace.
“Iz’s going to kill me,” she whispered to herself, shaking her head.