Penny for your thoughts?

The first time it happened, he thought that his sister was talking to him. It was their somewhat usual banter, like the problematic sibling duo that they were. She said mean things to him, and he does the same. His sister detests his grubby mannerisms and his carelessness. Undeniably so, he also detests her over-enthusiasm and finickiness. As she defined him once before, he was like a pebble sinking in the river, because no matter what he does, he sinks because he's too dense. Like a pebble. He's not being carefree, he's being careless. He's not naive, he's just ignorant. He's not tired, he's just lazy.

Despite being the older between the two, he can say that he's life isn't as good as Phoebe's. It's far from good.

"Huh, what did you say?" He was just in the kitchen counter, sitting on a stool and making some sandwich, with some chicken-spread since they already ran out with homemade peanut butter. He doesn't really like those manufactured and brandish peanut butter. So, he was stuck with this chicken-spread that his mother bought for some reason. It was until he heard his sister muttering some nonsense, it wasn't his business but he heard a very familiar name.

As he cranes his neck towards the living room, his sister was laying down on the sofa, her phone was, as usual, on her hands.

"What? What did I say?" His sister turns her head to look at him, wearing an expression that he read as utter confusion.

"You said something earlier. I didn't catch it." He said, looking at her incredulously. Did she honestly think I couldn't hear her? I definitely heard her saying Leo's name. Does she have a crush on him? That's gross.

He wants to gag at the thought. He didn't know that her sister doesn't only have bad tastes with movies, she has bad tastes with men too.

"What, Phin, I didn't say anything. What are you on about? Are you high or something?" Her eyebrows furrow even further, wrinkles forming on her forehead and nose. Phineas couldn't believe the improvement of his sister in acting. She used to be bad at lying.

Phineas bites on his sandwich.

There was a pause. Phineas expected some snorts and laughing by now. There wasn't any though, seconds pass, then a full minute. Phineas becomes annoyed. Usually his sister would give up on her shuddering attempt on fooling him, her trying to be funny ended up as failures. Since her jokes and pranks were mostly not humorous than she intends. Joking about chemistry bonds and having references about bad movies usually doesn't make anyone laugh. Not all people watch bad movies for fun.

"I swear to God, if you're playing with me-" Phineas growls, dropping his sandwich on his plate as he gets up from the stool, making Phoebe straighen up. He attempts to go to her, but she stops him with a cry.

"What? No! I swear to my Junji Ito collection! And you know, I hardly say something serious like that!" She stood up, hands up as shows her fingers. Trying to convince him that he wasn't lying.

However it was true, Phoebe doesn't usually bring up her undeniably obsession on collecting horror-themed mangas. She usually keeps it hidden, and she doesn't want people seeing her read it or touch it.

Phineas rolls his eyes and gives her one last glare as he turns around.

"Just, just forget it or whatever. Just go back to your stupid Snapchat." Phineas grumbled, making his way towards his stool as he pushes the whole sandwich in his mouth, clearly still annoyed.

"Who pissed on your coffee, you loser." Phoebe plops down on the couch, probably rolling her eyes, continuing with what the hell she was doing

"Shut up." Phineas hisses as he gets on his way to get some apple juice. Maybe it was just some wind or something, or some ghost talking about another Leo or just a figment of his imagination. Whatever it was.

It didn't happen for a few days until Phineas' shift with his part time job in the local cafe near his school. It was a normal day, supposedly, it was 4:15 in the afternoon, a lady was trying to order some drink.

"Oh okay, so one Iced Caramel Macchiato." He said, without looking at the customer and she hears her voice again. With along the lines of how do you know that? Honestly, Phineas tries to ignore her other words tries to focus on his job.

"Two slices of dark chocolate mousse cake. Anything else?" He finally looks up and sees the woman. Stun and shocked. Like someone made a magic trick. Is she high or something? Can she ghost? Phineas rolls his eyes, he doesn't need this when his shift is nearly ending.

"Huh? Um, yeah, thank you." The woman clears his throat, looking at him like he's some weird and rare hybrid. It's rude to stare, Phineas wants to say. But he doesn't want to fired. He doesn't want any other customer trying to make him fired.

"How did you do that?" The woman spoke up after giving him the money.

"Excuse me?" Phineas was caught off guard that fumbles on the change.

"How did you know what my order would be?" The woman continues as Phineas hands him the change. She looks at him still, this time like he was some fascinating creature. Phineas made a face as he squints his eyes at her.

"Because you told me." He deadpans.

"But I didn't say anything." She counters. Looking at him expectantly, like wanting him to say. Oh, that's because I read your mind! And pigs can really fly.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but could you please sit down and wait for your order?" Phineas, more annoyed now, muttered this as he gestured the tables. The woman tenses up.

"Right, I'm sorry." The woman blinks as she made her way to the tables. A table that has a clear view of the front counter. Is she some newfound stalker?

"That lady's been staring at you. Lucky you, Phin." His coworker jokes, elbowing him as he giggles like a school girl. Talk about being mature. Phineas rolls his eyes, pushing him off of him.

"No, that girl's creeping me out. She said some weird things." Phineas hisses, as side glances the girl. And she was, in fact, still staring at him.

"Should I cheer you on or should I be worried for you? Which is it." His coworker looks at him, pervertedly. Should Phineas be worried on what's going inside that head?

"Shut up." Phineas growls as he removes his apron and went to the backroom. He wanted to just go to bed and sleep.

Phineas sleeps that night with voices in his head. It was weird, it was like whispers. He couldn't sleep, so he gets up and make some coffee. The voices get louder and louder as he steps outside his bedroom. It was like he was in a crowded place and people were just talking all at once. His head hurts, just trying to listen to it. He wants it to just stop.

What should I watch today?

I wonder if Jodie likes me back?

Samantha is such a snake.

Dude, I think I like Ryan. Like, like like him. What should I do?

I HATE MY FAMILY, WHY ARE THEY SO CONTROLLING!

Should I end it? I don't really want to, but I want to rest.

Phineas just wants to grab some headphones and scream. The voices were just so loud. It was like people were actually talking to him. And he hates it. He wants to sleep. He wants to stop hearing them talk, scream, cry and just everything.

In the end, he doesn't get to sleep. Eventually the voices slowed down and faded away, but it was still there. Some were.

Phineas goes to school next day with heavy bags under his eyes. His hair was far more unruly than it normally was. The voices was still there. He hears his name a few times. He doesn't know if it's just the demons saying, but most of them were bad things.

He sees a mop of brown hair amongst the sea of students, Leo goes to him with a crooked grin.

Woah, he looks crappy today.

Phineas groans and pulled on his hood, so much for a better day.

"You look terrible. Penny for your thoughts?" Leo says, with a smirk. Sometimes Phineas hates him, he laughs at his misery.

"Shut up. I couldn't sleep last night." Phineas grumbled under his breath as he rubs his tired eyes, trying to stay awake. Coffee didn't do him any better.

"Anyway, could I copy your assignment? I didn't do mine." He adds as he opens his locker. Then he hears something with this Leo voice that he hasn't heard before.

Cute. Phineas stills as he saw the fond smile on Leo. What the heck.

Phineas was a mind-reader. And his sort-of friend slash sister's crush likes him.

"Sure. But do your assignments next time, you loser."