That was it. That was the last straw.

I had taken Phineas' obliviousness for so long now, I had almost become used to it. When we were ten in Paris, when we were fourteen at my birthday party, and now, when we're sixteen, his blue eyes staring intently at me for all the wrong reasons.

Tears poured down my cheeks as I turned and walked across the ever-so-familiar backyard and into the living room, where Linda Flynn-Fletcher sat on the couch.

"Isabella, honey, what's wrong?" she asked, seeming intently worried. I shook my head, looking down at my shoes. She got up and hugged me, placing her hands on my shoulders comfortingly.

"He's just so oblivious. It hurts me knowing that he has no clue. I can't take it anymore."

She didn't even need to ask what I was talking about. I had made it so obvious over the years that even she had recognized my feelings.

"Aw, Isabella. I know it hurts, but one day he'll realize, and then the pieces will all line up . . ."

"I shook my head against her shoulder, bringing my palm up to my face to wipe the tears from my eyes. "I'm honestly starting to wonder of that day will ever come."

Just then I heard the screech of the back door open and I directed my attention towards Ferb, who stood their with a sympathetic look displayed on his face. Over the previous years he had become my rock in these situations. It had all begun when he had found me on my fourteenth birthday sitting on my kitchen floor eating cake and crying. After that he had always just come looking for me when I disappeared because of Phineas. He was the perfect consolation in those circumstances.

"I'll leave you two to talk then," Linda said, clasping her hands together and exiting up the stairs.

As soon as her footsteps mellowed I sighed, plopping down on the couch, Ferb right behind me. "I've given up," I said. "I can't do this anymore."

Ferb shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day."

I chuckled, wiping the remaining tears off of my cheeks. "I'm out of ideas, I don't want to put in any more effort, and don't want to get my heart broken anymore. Is it really that bad of a decision? "

Ferb licked his lips. "Well, there is one more thing . . ."

I shifted, shaking my head vigorously. "Oh no. No no no. I am not telling him. That's a – wait." Ferb raised an eyebrow at me. Both of my hands were grabbing at my long, black hair in attempt to grab onto something, anything. "What if you tell him?"

He lightly shrugged his soldiers. "What if I did?"

I nodded. "That's my last effort. That's all I've got left."

"Your last effort is something in which you are practically not involved at all?"

I laughed, gently smacking his arm. "Just go talk to your brother."