Chapter Thirty- Three Forgotten Years

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"Uh...kid? Ya look like you've seen a ghost," Stan states, crossing his arms.
"Wha...? Who...who are you...?" Dipper asks, staring wide-eyed at Stan's twin brother.
Now Ford looks just as shocked as Dipper does.
"What? He...he doesn't remember me?" Ford breathes, eyes widening.
Then Ford yells angrily, "Small concussion my behind!"
"Dipper, c'mon! You remember Ford," Stan says with worried eyes. "My twin brother, Stanford? One of the guys who practically raised you since you were twelve?"
Dipper clutches his head and groans.
No...this isn't right. This can't be real, Dipper thinks. I...I couldn't have forgotten that much. And I couldn't have just dreamt up all that just happened between Tilla and I...all that just happened this Summer.
"I...I'm sorry, I don't..." Dipper grunts, shaking his head.
"You remember me, don't ya?" Stan asks, concern flooding his face.
"Yes, yes, I remember you," Dipper answers quickly, frustrated. "I also remember being twelve years old and visiting Gravity Falls for the Summer!"
Stan and Ford both share concerned and confused glances.
"Son...you were born here in Gravity Falls," Ford states, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You and...you and Mabel grew up here until you turned twelve. Then, when your parents had to move to California, thanks to Shermie's job...Mabel went with them, and...and you stayed here, with us,"
"What...?" is all Dipper can mutter. "No...that can't be right,"
Stan grabs a memory scrapbook Mabel made from on top of a nightstand and hands it to Dipper.
"Mabel...Mabel made this when you two were still close," Stan mutters sadly, looking at the ground.
Dipper hesitantly opens it.
He sees a picture of Dipper and Mabel laughing, wearing party hats, with the caption, "Mystery Twins turn Eleven!". In the background you can see the Gravity Falls water tower.
He continues to flip through the pages; he stops when he sees a picture of Wendy, Mabel, and him, once again wearing party hats, with the caption, "The Three Musketeers turn Twelve!".
He sees Wendy wrote in the bottom left corner, "Technically I'm still a month older than you goofs! Ha!".
We're...we're the same age as Wendy? Dipper thinks. That...that definitely can't be right!
Then he sees a blank, bare page with the title, "Dipper and I turn THIRTEEN!".
He notices the pictures and captions stop after that.
Dipper closes the book, staring into space, baffled by what he just witnessed.
"You and her got in some big fight before she moved away. She hasn't visited in three years," Stan sighs, eyes glazed with sadness. "That is...till now. She's visiting for the Summer,"
"What?" Dipper states, sitting up. "I need to talk to her. Where is she?"
"Hey, take it easy. She's upstairs in her room," Stan replies.
Her room...? Dipper thinks.
He shakes his head.
If anyone can help me sort things out, it's Mabel, Dipper thinks determinedly.
Dipper stands up and dashes up the stairs.
"Wait, kid! Wait!" Stan yells, Ford rubbing his temples.
Dipper bursts into their room, eyes wide.
In the attic there is one bed with fluffy pink covers.
There is one dresser, decorated with rainbow stickers.
There is even a sign that says, "Mabel's room; KEEP OUT!!".
And in front of Dipper is Mabel herself, sitting on her bed, crocheting something.
She snaps her gaze up at him and raises her eyebrows in surprise.
"Um...Mabel! I...I wanted to talk to you," Dipper stutters, rubbing his arm.
Mabel almost looks happy for a second, but then she snaps her gaze away and rolls her eyes.
"Oh, do ya now?" she spats, standing up. "Sorry, bro bro, you're a bit too late for that,"
Then she shoves him out of the room and slams her door shut, yelling, "Out!".
Dipper stands facing her door, eyes wide with surprise, confusion, and now, sadness.
What...what happened between Mabel and I three years ago...? Dipper thinks.
"No...nothing happened between her and I three years ago!" Dipper reminds himself, shaking his head. "Three years ago we lived in Piedmont, California, and we were nine years old!"
     Dipper is now pacing back and forth in the gift shop area, when he hears Wendy walk in through the front door.
"Hey, Dipper!" Wendy smiles, eyes bright. "Ya feeling any better?"
"I...u-uh," Dipper starts, sweating.
I won't get anywhere by fighting this, Dipper thinks hesitantly. I...I'm just gonna roll with it for now.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Dipper states, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding eye contact. "My head isn't hurting as much,"
"Good, dude! I don't know how I'd survive without you and your mystery hunts," Wendy laughs, rubbing the back of her neck as well.
"Yeah, heh, right," Dipper stutters nervously. "So...there's just this one issue,"
"And?" Wendy asks.
"Well...I can't exactly remember me and Mabel's...friendship status," Dipper asks.
"Oh...that," Wendy says uncomfortably. "Yeah...you usually don't like bringing up Mabel in your conversations,"
"What!?" Dipper states, but catches himself and calms down. "Um...I mean, why haven't I talked to Mabel since she...moved?"
"Well, after your fight, once school started up, it was just...weird," Wendy sighs. "You really connected with the people here, especially our little group with Robbie and Lee and them. But Mabel...she found no one back at her new school in California,"
Dipper's eyes widen, surprised.
"So she constantly wrote to you, but you had no time to write back. Too busy with your adventures and school and friends and stuff," Wendy stutters, looking at the ground. "So she decided not to visit. Until this Summer. Because your parents forced her,"
Dipper is speechless.
He feels like his heart has dropped into his stomach.
"I...how...how could I do that to her...?" Dipper mutters under his breath.
"Hey...it's alright. You've still got opportunities to patch things up," Wendy says, placing her hand on his shoulder.
Dipper looks at her; it's strange being around the same height.
Then he finds he's been staring too long.
"R-Right...thanks," Dipper stutters nervously, walking towards the stairs.
"What are you gonna do?" Wendy asks him.
Dipper stops and glances back at her.
"I'm going to wait for Mabel," he replies, walking up to her room.
Wendy smiles, a look of relief showing up on her face, like she knew he'd get to it one day.

(Note: Ta-da, we got to the big thirty! 😄👏🏻‼️🎉🎊3️⃣0️⃣🎊🎉‼️👏🏻😄Hope you all liked it!!! 😃 What are your comments and critiques? Anything you want me to change? Anything you want to stay the same? Let me know in the comments! Love yas, you ...

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(Note: Ta-da, we got to the big thirty! 😄👏🏻‼️🎉🎊3️⃣0️⃣🎊🎉‼️👏🏻😄
Hope you all liked it!!! 😃 What are your comments and critiques? Anything you want me to change? Anything you want to stay the same? Let me know in the comments! Love yas, you Fallers!! -Mabelwaffles127)

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