Isabella's Men Chapter 3

Isabella's Men Chapter 3

"Okay Bella. So a nice trip down by the lake, doesn't that sound fun?"

"A blast…" the raven-haired girl muttered dryly as she ran a hand through her messy hair. She sat down at the kitchen table and poured herself a bowl of cereal. She sat quietly as she stirred her cereal in circles repeatedly.

Roman smiled sympathetically. "Or we could go for a wa-"

Vivian Garcia-Shapiro sprinted into the room with a smile plastered on her face. "ROMAN!" she yelled, startling the man.

Roman rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly while Isabella rolled her eyes. Vivian ignored this and continued.

"You remember Linda? My friend from across the street?"

Roman slightly nodded.

Vivian smiled. "Good because, she's glad you're back and she's throwing a 'welcome back' party for you in her backyard!"

Roman rose an eyebrow. "That seems like a lot of fuss to make over the fact that I'm in town for a month…"

Vivian shook her head. "No, Linda's very friendly like that. She also wants you to meet her husband and stepson."

"She remarried?"

Isabella coughed into her hand causing both adults to look at her. "Um…" she started nervously as she traced circles on the surface of the table. "S-should I maybe go get dressed?"

Vivian nodded happily. Everything would work out perfectly. Roman would meet the Flynn-Fletcher boys without actually knowing that Isabella was incredibly close with them. He would meet the whole neighborhood at once so that, there would be no need to confront Isabella about her friends. Not only that but Isa would have a wonderful time before she had to stay away from them for the rest of the month.

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"So no diabolical plans today?" 20 year old Candace Flynn asked as she approached her brothers.

Phineas shook his head. "Well…I did have this awesome idea for a starship but Mom figured to have a party for Mr. Shapiro, so Ferb and I called off the starship."

"Mr. Shapiro? Isabella's dad?"

Phineas rolled his eyes comically. "How many Mr. Shapiro's do you know?"

Candace ignored his statement and frowned. "Isn't Mr. Shapiro a little…tough?"

Phineas shrugged. "I dunno. I doubt it though, Isabella's too nice for her dad to be mean."

"Keep in mind that Isabella hasn't seen him in years."

Phineas frowned. "I-I guess. Do you think he'll be upset?" He turned to both his brother and sister with pleading eyes.

Ferb and Candace exchanged worried glances. Ferb proceeded to rest a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't worry. He'll like you because Isabella likes you."

Phineas nodded before going back inside the house.

Candace crossed her arms and looked back at Ferb. "He'll HAVE to like him, because Isabella likes him."

Ferb sadly nodded. He secretly wondered if either Mr. Shapiro or Phineas was aware of Isabella's feelings towards the redhead boy. He doubted it though, and if they both didn't know who could imagine how either of them will react when they found out.

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"C'mon!" Isabella said as she tugged both her parents across the street. She was currently wearing a knee-length pink and white sundress and sneakers. When she finally released her parents she ran into the Flynn-Fletcher backyard.

Roman looked worried. He turned to Vivian. "Isn't that kind of rude?"

Vivian waved him off as she rang the doorbell. "No. Isa's known them all her life, I think they've accepted her."

Linda smiled as she and Lawrence opened the door. "Viv' and Roman!" she said as she hugged each one respectively.

Roman and Lawrence shook hands as Linda introduced them. Linda led them through the house hoping to familiarize Roman with the house.

Isabella smiled as she skidded to a halt in the backyard. Everything was all decorated and had plentiful trays of food. She walked over to where the four boys were currently sitting.

Buford looked up from his plate of food to acknowledge the girl's presence. The other three smiled as she took a seat at the table.

Baljeet placed his book down on the table. "So Isabella, are you excited about your father's visit?"

Isabella shrugged. "Kinda can't wait for him to leave 'Jeet." She turned over to the redheaded boy on her right. "So? No starship, I see. Why?"

Phineas chuckled. "Mom kinda wanted to throw this party, so we couldn't really build it."

"Bummer…" Isabella said smiling, "I was kinda looking forward to being your first mate, Captain." She said as she did a mock salute.

The entire table erupted in laughter.

"Bella?"

Isabella immediately stopped laughing. She turned around to see her father calling her and she frowned. 'Why can't he just leave me alone?' she thought to herself as both her and Phineas' parents approached the table.

"And this is my stepson Ferb, and my son Phineas."

Roman nodded as he shook both boys' hands respectively.

"Whoa." He said staring at Ferb. "You're hair's green? Is that like a style choice?"

Ferb shook his head. "No. It's all natural."

Roman frowned. "But it's all bright and stuff…"

Phineas smiled. "One of the very things that makes good ol' Ferbooch unique, sir." Phineas looked away from Roman and towards Isabella. "And if I might add, you have a lovely daughter."

Isabella eyes widened at the statement and her face grew red causing Linda to chuckle.

"Aw, isn't that cute."

Isabella ignored the woman's comment and looked up at her father, waiting for his response.

Roman nodded. "Thanks. You know her well?"

Phineas nodded as Isabella smacked her forehead against the table's surface. Phineas glanced at her but ignored her actions. "Yep. She's my best friend you know. Aside from Ferb of course."

Roman nodded before tearing his gaze away of the redhead and towards Buford and Baljeet. "And you are?"

Baljeet grinned. "I'm Baljeet and he's ..uh.." he turned to face Buford who was currently digging into his plate of food, very, very disgustingly. Baljeet turned back to Roman, "That's Buford…"

Roman nodded. "Got'cha…" He turned back to Isabella. "Well, Bella and I actually had plans today so if you don't mind…"

Phineas leaned in on Isabella and whispered. "You didn't tell me you had plans…"

Isabella groaned as she got up out of her chair. "B-bye guys. Bye Phin." She said as she waved goodbye and followed her father.

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Isabella was silent through the whole car ride to the lake. She scowled at her father's excessive rambling.

"Bella, I mean! C'mon the one with the buzz-cut acted like he had NO home training. A-and the skinny one…" The man erupted into laughter as Isabella rolled her eyes. "W-what was his name again?" he said snapping his fingers.

Isabella crossed her arms over her chest. "Baljeet." She muttered dryly.

Roman laughed more, "Yes. Him. H-he seemed kinda dorky don't you think? I guess he's one of them typical school nerds, am I right?"

Isabella shrugged.

"Well, I give him props for that. Smart gets props from me. A-and that green-haired one, is that really his natural hair color? That can't be anyone's NATURAL hair color, I mean he wasn't bad. His accent that was pretty sophisticated. He carried himself well too. Didn't go on and on about random nonsense…"

Isabella rolled her eyes once again. 'You mean like you?' she thought to herself as he continued.

"A-and the other one. Phineas, right?'

Isabella's eyes widened at this. What in the world was he going to say?

"He was pretty annoying right? I mean he wouldn't shut up! It's like he kept going and going for no apparent reason. He was SO annoying and seemed like he has a little crush on you either that or he's a major kiss-up. I mean 'You have a lovely daughter'? Where does he get off saying that, right Bella?"

Isabella finally spoke up. "It was a complement you know…"

Roman laughed some more, "I know but still…"

"There my friends you know"

Roman turned to face his daughter, "Who?" he said with a smile.

"Them. The 'one with no home training' and the 'dorky one', the 'green-haired one' and…oh yeah 'the annoying one'. I don't appreciate you talking about them like that."

Roman frowned. "I get it Bella, you're a sweet person but you don't have to stand up for that little band of misfits."

Isabella fumed. "FOR THE RECORD, THAT 'LITTLE BAND OF MISFITS' ARE MY BEST FRIENDS! AND I DON'T APPRECIATE YOU TALKING ABOUT THEM LIKE THAT! SO TAKE IT BACK!"

Roman looked at her, confused. "Bella, why do they matter so much to you anyways?"

Isabella felt her eyes water as she clenched her fists. She was so unhappy, where did her father get off talking about them like that? Talking about Phineas like that? But what was she to tell him, don't talk about Phineas and Ferb like that because Ferb was to be her future brother-in-law and Phineas, her future husband? She couldn't say that, how would her father take it?

She chose to say nothing in response.

Roman smirked, "Now if I didn't know better, I'd say you love one of them. But I know you don't because you have better taste than that."

Isabella couldn't take it anymore.

"I HAVE GREAT TASTE!"

Roman smiled, "I know you do Bella, that's why I said tha-"

"NO! YOU DON'T KNOW ELSE YOU WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT PHINEAS LIKE THAT!" Isabella soon realized what she said as she slapped her hand over her mouth. She turned to look at her father who had now parked in front of the lake and said nothing. She heard him curse under his breath before he turned to face her.

"What?"