◄ Pacifica Pines ►

     "Gideon, do you believe in ghosts?" I asked, hesitantly. I was reading the Journal, flipping through the pages. I was sitting on the brown barrel, and Gideon was sitting on the large earth globe and spinning on it.

     He had his arms spread out as he spun around it with a goofy smile on his face. 

     This was good progress, and it's been two weeks since 'the incident'. We don't talk about it anymore and we haven't seen the Gleeful twins since then. Either we avoided them like the plague, or they did.

     Our lives have mellowed down a bit, and I've regained some of my anger and make sure I don't blow up around anyone else like I did with Dipper flipping Gleeful.

     "I believe you're a big dork," giggled Gideon as he kept spinning on the globe. I scowled at him and put my pencil on the globe and it stopped suddenly. Gideon fell off and landed on the floor. "Argh!"

     The door to the Mystery Shack opened with a 'creak' and Bud walked in with a scowl.

     "Deuce! Wendy! Eh, she's not here, oh - ah - Robbie!" he grumbled. "I'm headin' out, you two are gonna wash the bathrooms, right?" Suddenly, Bud started grinning as he pointed at them questioningly.

     "Yessir!" barked Deuce.

     "Absolutely not," said Robbie as he saluted him, copying Deuce.

     "Ha-ha!" Bud let out a hearty laugh, "You stay outta trouble," he said, closing the door and disappearing from view.

     "I'm going to go clean the bathrooms now," said Deuce as he grabbed the mop and bucket and marched up the stairs.

     "Hey guys, wanna come with me?" grinned Robbie.

     "How about no."

     "Heck yeah!"

     "Fine, be a wuss, Paz. Let's go,  Gideon," teased Robbie, "Take care of the Shack, will ya?"

     "I'm fine on my own, and my shift ends in..." I looked towards my watch, "Ten minutes!" I chirped happily.

     "Deuce'll take over after you," he shrugged and grabbed Gideon and they both walked outside.

     I leaned against the wooden table, flicking through the pages. There were so many things, from ghosts to monsters to gnomes! I began to read a page when I heard the bell ring from the door.

     "Welcome to the Mystery Shack," I called out, my eyes never moving from the book. My eyes soaked up each and every bit of the information that was written in this book.

     "Not even going to say a hello, sweetheart?" I heard a familiar voice say. My head immediately shot up and I scowled by instinct, "I'm hurt," said Dipper, feigning a look of sadness and put a hand on his chest.

     He was wearing a dark blue vest with a light blue shirt that was tucked into high waisted black slacks. I glanced down to his shoes, which were dark blue converse.

     "Done checking me out, dear?" he said in a smug tone. I wanted to give him a snarky reply but held my tongue. I was tired and I didn't want to deal with him.

     "Why've you decided to see me after two weeks?" I asked bitterly, opening up the Journal and started reading.

     "Missed me, princess?" he whispered in my ear. My hand immediately shot out and I pushed him away.

     Yes. "No."

     "Stop denying it, sweetheart."

     "I couldn't care less if you were burned and fed to little demon midgets."

     "I know you love me."

     "I hate you."

     "Liar!"

     "Why are you even here!?" I said, shooting him an exasperated look. "Don't say you're here as a customer!" I wagged my finger at him threateningly, "And how did you get my number!?" I growled.

     "I have my ways," he grinned mischievously. "Now, on to serious matters... I'm here because I need that book," said Dipper,  pointing at the book in my hand. I immediately hugged it and shook my head.

     "Never."

     "I'll take it one way or another."

     "No."

     "I don't care if you give it willingly or not," he said, a cold look sprouting on his granite features. His bedhead seemed to be on point again, and his chocolate eyes gazing at me heatedly.

     "I don't care," I said, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice, "You can get out now," I snarled at him, getting up and pushing him out. Surprisingly, he did not resist. I shut the door behind me and quickly turned the 'We're Open!' signs around. I grabbed the shutters and pulled them down on each windows.

     I leaned against the door and sat down, sighing with the book clutched safely in my hands.

     "I hate Dipper Gleeful," I whispered, my eyes closing and sleep enveloping me like a warm blanket.

     ~

     "Rise and shine, sleeping warthog! Get up, will ya?" barked a voice. I suddenly jolt up, my eyes ripping open only to meet a blindingly white light. I was back in my room and Bud was standing at the door.

     "Bud?" I croaked, squinting at the man in the red floral shirt.

     "Couldn't have guessed right-er!" he chirped happily.

     "Why are you so happy?" I said, stifling a yawn.

     "Sales!" he giddily replied. "Lots and lots of sales! Lots of naive customers too," he added with a hearty laugh.

     "Right," I drawled. I got off the bed and stretched my hands and legs. Memories of yesterday came flooding through me. My face immediately morphed into a scowl.

     Dipper flipping Gleeful visited me yesterday.

     I'm not going to lie, it was nice to see him again.

     "Well you're a sore sight for the eyes," a new voice grumbled. It was gloomy Wendy, with her tangled red hair and black jacket and hoodie that was pulled over her head. The splatter of freckles across her face added to her brooding beauty and squinty green eyes.

     "Thanks," I sarcastically said, going over to the mirror only to see that I was a sore sight for the eyes. My fair hair resembled a badly made nest and my eyes had slight bags underneath them. My bright blue eyes were now dull and lifeless.

     "Well, I'm going to try and get dressed," I muttered. Bud and Wendy left downstairs, probably to attend the Shack. I wondered where Gideon was, but quickly shook that thought out.

     As soon as I was done taking a shower, I quickly changed into a dark purple vest and white shirt and shorts. I tied my now dry hair into a floppy bun and skipped out of the bathroom into my room.

     Only to meet the one and only brown haired mystery laying on my bed.

     "Hey there, Delilah," he sung, with a sly smile that only spelt trouble.

Published: Apr 02, 2016 | Reads: 700 | Goal: 800