Big Dipper

Chapter 1:You're too Young

Hey, Dipper here. It's around the middle of the summer season in the stange town of Gravity Falls Oregon. It's as warm as usual and the Mystery Shack has just closed for the day.

Wendy has already left for the night with her friends and Soos is in his break room right now, I can still hear the sounds of him burning his arm on the heating pipes.

Mabel and I are up in the attic playing our favourite game of indoor mini golf and I am pleased to report that I am winning.

I pull out my notebook while Mabel isn't looking, continuing to keep score of the amount of victories I had obtained when competing against her. I know that I promised to stop after the whole crystal incident but I can't help it. If she didn't look, she didn't know. And that is fine in my opinion.

"4 out of 5, pretty good score I think" I smiled to myself as I flip my book closed.

"Hey Dipper!" Her loud voice comes out of nowhere.

I jump in shock and fumble around to keep the book out of sight.

"Uh... hey Mabel" I hide it under my jacket, I know it'll be safe there. "Don't scare me like that..."

Mabel laughs and hits me on the back "Ha silly, who else would it be here?"

I smile and give her a nudge back. We spend the rest of the evening talking about the things that had happened during our vacation, the gnomes, the zombies. It lasted a long time.

"You know, when we first came here I wasn't so sure about what this place would be like..."

"I knew it would be fine" scoffs Mabel in her usual carefree way. She lays back on her bed and sighs happily. "Even better actually."

She picks up Waddles off the floor and hugs him tightly. "Cos I got widdle Waddles here!"

I roll my eyes and lay back on my own bed, breathing a sigh of relief that another hard days work at the shack had been done. Grunkle Stan had made me do double the chores due to his idea on me 'manning up.' I knew perfectly well on why he was doing all this: 'so when the world fights, he fights back...'

But I still think he's still being a little tough on me.

"We've done so much he can't even imagine" I say to Mabel, sitting up again and stretching. "I can't believe he still treats me like a little kid."

"We are kids technically Dipper" Mabel replies. She's pretending Waddles could fly. "Go Waddles, whoosh!" I laugh at her but my own thoughts distract me.

"Yeah but..." I hesitate to speak. "Never mind. Another round of mini golf?"

"You bet bro bro, I'm sure I'll win this time!"

It was later the next day when we were working again. It had been pretty quiet today, you know, a few customers now and then. I didn't mind as that gives me to get the opportunity to spend some *ahem* 'quality' time with Wendy.

She's listening to music. I take a deep breath; now's the time Dipper, now or never. I stroll up to her (I hope I don't look stupid) and she removes the headphones and smiles down at me.

"What's up dude?" she asks. I can't help but stare at her... She's just so perfect. Out of my league...

Wow, I'm starting to sound like Mabel and her friends.

I realise that I haven't said anything to her and I scratch my head and look down at the ground nervously.

"Uh... I was wondering if... Um... You'd like to go..."

"Yeah?"

I find out that I've bit my lip. I finish my sentence nervously.

"Go bowling tonight?"

Wendy smiles "wish I could Dipper but I'm hanging out with the gang tonight."

"Oh, that's cool" I stutter "M...maybe I could come with you?" No! Why did I say that!

Wendy ruffles my hat. "Sorry, teens only tonight. Twelve isn't technically a teen huh?"

I know she's joking but I can't help but feel just a little dissapointed in her reply. Using my own saying against me seems, well, pretty harsh. But I smile politely and carry out the rest of the morning. No doubt that Grunkle Stan wants me to chop more wood. Great...

"Yo Mabel I need you to help sort out these papers that Mr Pines wants shredding. Something about tax or whatever."

"Whoo! More confetti for me!" shouts Mabel jumping up from the floor.

I look away from Duck Detective.

"I'll help too."

"Sorry dude" says Soos, his face dropping to a sympathetic look. "Don't want you getting hurt or a papercut. Plus Mabel is older y'know."

"But we're practically the same age!" I exclaim angrilly.

"Five minutes older bro" says Mabel a little sympathetically and she walks out with Soos.

I remain on the floor, arms crossed and annoyed. How many more times am I going to be treated like this? Like a dumb little kid? I switch the channel. Baby Fights. Just what I need(!)

That evening the lights flicker and suddenly shuts off. Me and Mabel look up in disappointment as we're halted in our twelfth game of mini golf (which I am pleased to say for the record that I was winning again.)

"I guess Grunkle Stan hasn't paid the electricity bill again."

"It could be just a powercut?"

A flash of lighting and a loud thunderous noise proved me wrong.

"Powercut it is then" I say as we run down the stairs. We make our way onto the porch as the weather continues to get worse.

"Soos! Have you fixed it yet?"

"I'm trying Mr. Pines, this is a very delicate job...very delicate." Soos strokes the electricity pole as if it were a precious item.

Stan looks away awkwardly. "Well I don't pay you to play around" Stan calls up to him. "I don't pay you much to begin with..." he adds quietly.

Me and Mabel run over from the porch to see what was happening close up. The wind almost pushes me back and clear off my feet!

"Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Stan!" we call out. He turns to us, unfazed by the harsh weather conditions.

"Scared of the dark eh kids? Ha ha ha!"

"No. Dipper thought you hadn't paid the electri-"

"Okay Mabel" I chuckle awkwardly, putting my hand over her mouth.

I look up at Soos who was now tinkering with his screwdriver. I decide it's time to show them that I am responsible if I can get up there and help. Here I go...

"Hey Grunkle Stan, can I help Soos up there?"

"Whoa kid" exclaims Stan pushing me back with as much force as the wind. "You're way too young to be doing stuff like this. Plus I'm not gonna hand insurance money over to those hogs if you get injured.."

"But Grunkle Stan; remember the zombies, the wax figures, even Wendy says I'm mature for my age."

Grunkle Stan laughs "Until you're as old as her kid you ain't never handling adult stuff like this."

I open my mouth to say something but I find it closes again. Arguing is pointless when it comes to my Grunkle. I can't win against him and I'm not going to risk trying. I bow my head and begin to slowly walk back inside, hands tucked in my pockets. Today has just sucked...

I reach the porch and the lights switch on again. I hear a cheer from Mabel as Soos came down the pole. I might have gotten some appreciation if I had helped, but no. Of course not!

*Sigh*

I need to go to bed, I'm sick and tired of this. It's not like I'm going to become Wendy's age any time soon.