Triple Pines

Back to Work

Dipper insisted that we work in the Gift Shop to show our appreciation towards Soos and Melody's hospitality. I didn't want to at first. (Come on, man- it's summer!) But eventually he talked Mabel and I into it. Soon enough, we were working in the Gift Shop, just like old times.

Wendy still worked there of course, but apparently she hadn't gotten the memo of our arrival. You could tell by her reaction when she walked in that morning.

"What're you guys doin here?!" she exclaimed, returning a hug she had received from Mabel and tousling Dipper's hair.

Wendy hadn't changed hardly. The only differences were her change in clothing, from a teal flannel to red, high-waisted shorts, and faded leather hiking boots with thick wool socks rolled down to her ankles. She wore Dipper's old trucker hat over her messy pony tail. (When I saw her face to face I noticed she also had a few new piercings in her ears)

"Yo, Dipstick, where's my hat?" Wendy asked, taking off Dipper's, "we're supposed to switch ya'know."

A guilty look crossed over his face as Dipper winced and said, "Er...I may or may not have forgotten it back in Piedmont."

"Are you sure? Common, I'm helping you check your room right now. I want my freaking hat back, man." Wendy said, slipping Dipper's hat back on, grabbing his jacket sleeve and practically having to drag him upstairs.

Once the two disappeared behind the doorway Mabel leaned over to me with a devilish smile on her face and whispered, "Ha. Dipper's childhood dream finally came true, Wendy's in his bedroom!"

I snorted and broke into laughter. That's when Dipper and Wendy arrived back in the Gift Shop, Wendy holding her hat triumphantly in the air.

"The doofus forgot he had it hanging off the coat hanger," she said with a smirk. Wendy stuffed the hat on her head and shoved the trucker hat on Dipper.

"Thanks, Wendy." Dipper said awkwardly, his face was bright red and he had both hands shoved in his jean pockets. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Dipper still had a thing for her.

"Don't mention it," Wendy replied, taking her seat behind the counter. And nonchalantly propping her legs beside the cash register.

"So tell me, what brings you freaks to Gravity Falls this summer?"

The three of us shared a look that consisted of a raised eyebrow and a shrug. Mabel answered for us, "I dunno. We don't know for sure what's gonna happen when we graduate next year, so we decided to spend summer here, it may be our last chance to."

Wendy nodded slowly. She bit her upper lip in deep thought until finally snapping her fingers, she had an idea.

"Got any plans for the summer yet?"

We shared "the look" again.

I answered this time (since Dipper seemed momentarily paralyzed, and very very very red)
"We didn't plan anything. We just thought we'd go with the flow." I suggested.

Wendy shook her head in a way that made her look like a teacher, like we were doing something wrong.

"You gotta be kidding me, this could be your last summer in Gravity Falls and you haven't planned anything?"

We hesitated to nod.

"Well, it's a good thing you got me to get you through the summer. Stick with me and this will be the best summer of your lives!" Wendy exclaimed.

Mabel looked like she might just explode in a cloud of glitter, sugar, and pure happiness. Dipper looked ever more red, like, fire truck red. I just smiled. It was nice to know that we might just have a close to normal summer.

Or, at least as normal as Gravity Falls can get.

                        . . . . . . . .

"Someone has to run to town and hand out flyers," Melody announced.

The four of us stopped what we were doing, silently debating who was going to go. The reason we were so hesitant was because in order to get anywhere away from the Shack, you had to go through the woods.

We all knew what was in there.

"One...two...three..." Mabel began slowly then shouted "NOT IT!"

"NOT IT!" Dipper and Wendy shouted simultaneously, leaving me to be the last one to shout.

Dang it.

"Looks like it's you, Ty." Dipper said, handing me the stack of flyers along with a roll of tape, "good luck, soldier." He slapped me on the shoulder, sending me stumbling towards the exit.

Wendy and Mabel jokingly saluted me as I stuffed the flyers in my bag and began to exit the Gift Shop. I wasn't scared of the woods. Literally the scariest things in there were the gnomes. I could handle a few gnomes.

I pushed open the door, a chilling breeze hitting my face as I set sneaker on the ground. The last thing I heard before the door swung closed was, "who wants to bet he doesn't make it?"

A/n: Another update! YAAAY yeah since its a long weekend I thought I'd give you guys a bonus

This is the part in the story when things get a little interesting...

Stay tuned!

~Cath