The Lost and Found (A Sequel to Change of Identity)

Chapter 11 "Tell Her!"

"Put her down, Bill!" I screamed.

"Why should I?" He laughed. "You have something that belongs to me..." He directed a glare at Caitlyn.

"I don't belong to you anymore, Cipher!" Caitlyn screeched in reply. "I'm out of your stupid mindscape, I have my own body! So I'm my own person!"

"Yeah, whatever." Bill shrugged, turning to me. "Now give me the girl or you won't get your precious Shooting Star back."

An idea formed in the back of my head. "Well, I guess then you've lost your leverage on that other deal."

"Huh?" He looked genuinely confused.

"If you already have Mabel, then I guess you won't be able to threaten me with taking her. You've lost all leverage." I shrugged, a smile playing at my lips.

"I-I..." Bill was lost in this, so lost he dropped Mabel.

"Let's go!" I screamed, grabbing her and pulling her after me as Caitlyn and Pacifica followed, leaving a still confused Bill behind us.

We jumped out the window and ran from the school at top speed, heading for the golf cart. We all piled in, with me in the driver's seat, Mabel next to me, and Caitlyn and Pacifica in back.

"Where are we going?" Pacifica asked as I started the cart and sped away.

"Back to the shack!" I replied, swerving off the road to take a shortcut through the woods.

I sped through the forest, beating both shack-reaching records and making it in only 12 minutes. I swung the cart around back and hopped out, pulling Mabel with me. Pacifica and Caitlyn hopped out after. We all slowly walked inside to find Stan at the register.

"Uh..." He raised an eyebrow at the banged up group. "The hell did these two come from?" He pointed at Caitlyn and Pacifica.

"School." Mabel answered. "Friends. Yada yada."

Stan shrugged and went back to reading Gold Chains for Old Men as we walked upstairs.

I flopped onto my bed, and Mabel onto hers. Caitlyn and Pacifica sat down on either side of me. I sat up.

"What now?" Caitlyn asked.

"We aren't going to school tomorrow." I replied, shaking my head. "We're hiding out here for a while. Bill still teaches art. He'd 'pull us aside' during class and nab us again."

Mabel nodded. "Okay! Wait. Does that mean..." A grin spread across her face.

"Oh, please no, Mabel. Just please-" I began, but she cut me off.

"SLEEPOVER!" She screeched, leaping on top of me and throwing me back onto my bed.

"No, it's hiding from a demon." I rolled my eyes as she giggled and threw pink glitter onto my face.

"Whatever, Dipwad!" She laughed. "I can call it what I want!"

Pacifica and Caitlyn were breaking into laughter and doubling over at this point.

I pushed Mabel off me and spit out some glitter that had gotten into my mouth. "Seriously. We have to be serious."

"I can be serious!" Mabel exclaimed, making a face that vaguely resembled Puten scrunching up his nose.

"Okay, stop. No." I sighed.

"I think your sister is hilarious!" Caitlyn told me, grinning.

"Her name is Mabel." I replied, gritting my teeth. Everyone's craziness was getting to me.

"Geez, Dipper, lighten up!" Pacifica shook her head, smiling slightly.

"I won't lighten up when a demon is after us." I glared at her.

Everyone silenced at once for some reason.

"What?" I looked around.

"Seriously, Dipper." Mabel shook her head. "Just calm down! We have new friends, let's hang with them!"

I sighed. She was right, I was overreacting. "Fine. But don't expect me to enjoy anything."

Instantly, Caitlyn was in my face. "Gonna tell me what you weren't telling Mimi now?"

"Mimi? What?" Mabel looked utterly confused.

I pushed Caitlyn out of my face. "No. Stop bothering me about it."

She immediately turned to Mabel. "I don't get it. What isn't she telling me?"

A grin slowly spread across Mabel's face as she directed a glance at me. "Oh, I don't know. What aren't you telling her?"

"Mabel, this isn't the time for-" I started, but again I was cut off.

"I totally think I know what you aren't telling her!" Mabel jeered in a sing-song voice.

"Mabel. Not. The. Time." I bit my lip.

"Oh, why don't you tell her?" Mabel leaned in closer to my face, purposely breathing hot air straight onto it.

"Mabel. Stop." I pushed her away.

"Aw c'mon!" Mabel laughed. "Tell her! Tell her!"

"Tell me! Tell me!" Caitlyn chanted giddily.

"Yeah! Tell her!" Pacifica agreed.

"Will you all just shut up?" I screamed, silencing them all. "Do you even get how personal this is for me? It's my decision, not yours."

I got up, spun around, and stalked out the door.