(Dipper's P.O.V.)

(Sunday, June 21st, 2015)(The Mystery Shack, Gravity Falls, Oregon)

I looked up at the clock again. It was 5pm. I began to rock back and forth in my seat at the kitchen table.

Mabel had been "hanging out" with Pacifica for almost seven hours now, and she still wasn't back yet. I started to bite my left thumbnail.

Why wasn't she back yet? Where could they have gone for seven hours?

I pulled my cell phone out of my back pocket and tried to call her again. It rang for awhile, before going to her answering machine.

I hung up abruptly and slammed my phone on the table. Stan flung open the kitchen door a few seconds later.

"Who's causing a ruckus in here?!"

I glanced at Waddles, who had made himself a bed on top of Stan's winter coat in the corner of the room. I pointed at him.

"The pig did it."

Stan looked over at him.

"He's asleep."

Oh well. I tried.

"Ok," I laughed. "It was me."

Stan chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah..."

It was silent for a few minutes.

"How have you been?" He finally asked.

"Fine," I answered.

"That's good."

He took a seat across from me at the kitchen table.

"How are your parents?"

"Fine."

"I haven't seen them in a while."

I nodded. He laughed.

"Listen, kid. I know spending your summer with your old, crusty Grunkle Stan might not be the most exciting thing in the world, but I'd like it if we could really make the most of it."

"...What do you mean by that?"

"I mean we should spend some time together."

He flexed his muscles.

"DOING MAN STUFF!!!"

"Such as..."

"Fishing, and hunting, and CHOPPING LUMBER!!!"

"Have you been spending time with Manly Dan lately?"

His aggressiveness turned to calmness.

"Actually, I have! One you get past the initial terror of practically being in the presence of a giant, he's actually quite nice to talk to."

I slowly got out of my chair.

"Well, that's fantastic," I lied, "but I need to go do...stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" He inquired.

"Teenager stuff."

I left the kitchen and quickly bounded up the steps to the attic.

I swear to god, if I was around Stan for one more second, I was going to explode. It's not that I don't like the guy. I do, trust me. I just had too much on my mind right now.

I sat down on the edge of my bed and pulled out a large, spiral notebook from underneath my mattress. I found a pencil lying on the floor, and I used it to begin writing in the notebook.

The entry looked like this:

_________________________________

6/21/15

Mabel is still not back yet. I have no idea where she went with Pacifica, and they've been out for seven hours. She will not pick up her phone. I'm starting to get worried. Also, I don't understand why Pacifica suddenly wants to be friends with her. She always thought Mabel was weird and childish. Maybe she's using her for something. I don't know what for.

Robbie is working at the Mystery Shack. He's acting really suspicious, and the text he received on his phone is making me think. I'm almost certain the message was referring to me. Robbie is watching me for some reason. And he isn't acting alone. He's working for someone.

Gideon being out of prison is unnerving to me. I really pissed him off three years ago, and I don't like the idea of him being free to do whatever he wants. You can practically get away with murder in this town. I know everyone says that he's changed, but I can't accept that. I don't trust him.

I'm still in love with Wendy, and it makes me upset that I'm too young for her. I like to think that she would date me if we were the same age, but we're not. And I guess we could go out when we're both over eighteen, but I don't know if having to wait a total of six years for a relationship will lessen the chances of it working out.

The only thing right now that I'm really happy about is the monster hunt. This is the real reason I was so excited to be in Gravity Falls. As soon as Mabel gets bac

_________________________________

I heard a knock at the door. I quickly closed the notebook and shoved it back under the mattress. I tucked the pencil behind my ear and cleared my throat.

"Come in."

The door creaked open, and a small head poked through the crack.

"Hey, broseph."

I jumped off the bed and ran to Mabel.

"Where have you been?!"

"With Pacifica, dummy!" She answered as she smacked me in the head.

She walked past me and began rummaging through the closet. After a few seconds, she took out a white, frilly, star-print bikini.

"Do you think this would be good for the monster hunt tonight?"

I thought about it.

"Could you please wear a one-piece?"

She groaned loudly.

"Dipper! We're not going to the public pool! This is a monster hunt," she complained. "There's not going to be any boys there."

"Please."

She sighed and threw the bikini back into the closet.

"Fine."

I began to scratch my chin as she searched for a new swimsuit.

"So," I began, "how was your little 'get-together' with Pacifica?"

"It was fun."

Did I just hear her correctly? Did she say it was "fun"?

"...Are you sure?"

She pulled a pink floral one-piece out of the closet and looked back to me.

"Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because she's Pacifica!" I told her. "She hates us!"

"Dipper, she's not as bad as she used to be!"

I threw my hands in the air.

"Do you even hear yourself right now?!"

"Dipper-"

"Do you even remember all the times she's humiliated us!?"

"That's not important anymore. She's changed."

I turned from her and closed the door so Stan wouldn't hear us arguing.

"Mabel, she's obviously using you for something!"

"Like what?!"

I thought about it for a few seconds.

"I don't know!" I answered. "But it's something!"

She put her head in her hands.

"Dipper, I am so sick and tired of your stupid conspiracies. Not everyone is trying to use us. Some people actually just want to be our friends. The world is not out to get you!"

"I'm not saying the entire world is out to get me! Just a few select people!"

"Dipper, please try to see things from my point of view."

I folded my arms across my chest.

"Oh, I'd love to, but I just can't seem to be able to shove my head that far up my ass!"

SMACK!!!

It took me a few moments to process what had just happened. My left cheek was tingling. I looked towards the mirror next to my bed, and saw that it had become red and swollen where Mabel had slapped me.

I slowly turned back to face her. She had her hands cupped over her mouth in disbelief.

"Dipper , I'm s-"

I left the attic and slammed the door behind me. For a few minutes, I just stood outside the room, thinking.

After a while, I began to hear Mabel crying. I started twirling my thumbs. Nothing sucks more than that moment after an argument when you realize you were wrong.

Maybe Pacifica had changed. Maybe she wasn't as bad as she used to be. Maybe...

I turned towards the stairs as I heard footsteps. It was Stan.

"Hey, kid," he greeted me. "What happened to your fa-"

He stopped when he heard Mabel on the other side of the door. He sighed.

'So," he said with disappointment. "You made your sister cry."

I stared at my feet. He took another sip from the can of Pitt Cola he was holding and started off towards his room.

"Nice job, asshole."

A little harsh, but I guess I deserved it. I kind of was an asshole. I couldn't be making assumptions about people without evidence.

When Stan had left, I turned around and knocked quietly on the attic door.

"Mabel," I asked, "can I come in?"

"Sure."