Chapter 1: What's changed

June 2017

Pacifica

Just three months left before I head off to college; I was so glad that I was finally leaving this backwards town behind. Though I must admit, I'm probably gonna miss this place. Probably.

I know I'm gonna miss riding my bike to work at Greasy's Diner every morning. I've been working there for two years now, though on days when I had school, I'd work here in the afternoon.

"Morning Susan," I greeted as I entered the diner quickly putting on my apron to get ready for work.

"Morning sunshine," Lazy Susan greeted back, pouring coffee for Manly Dan who sat at the counter. "Head over to table 5, there's a cute boy that seems about your age. Could be a potential Summer Love. Wink."

I chuckled as I grabbed my pen and notepad ready to take the young stranger's order. He had thick, tousled light brown hair with parts of it covering his forehead. Lazy Susan was right, he was cute. Although his face seemed vaguely familiar to me.

"Oh! Hi there," he said sweetly as he looked up from his phone. "I don't suppose you guys have Wi-Fi here?" he asked.

"Not really," I told him and leaned in closer to whisper. "I know it says we have Wi-Fi, but between you and me, I doubt anyone here besides you and I know what Wi-Fi really is."

.

Dipper

I chuckled lightly at her little joke, taking the menu that she handed me. She was kinda cute. Maybe I'll ask her out sometime. Woah Dipper, you're getting ahead of yourself. What if she already has a boyfriend? Wait! Why am I even thinking about dating her already? I've only been here for five minutes!

"Uh, I'll have some pancakes, and a coffee." I said, handing back the menu and noticing her nametag. "Elise."

"Coming right up," she said with a smile as she turned towards the kitchen.

Her name seemed familiar to me, though I don't recall ever meeting a girl named Elise in Gravity Falls before. Must've been a new girl in town.

She returned after a few minutes with my order, "Here's your pancakes and your coffee. Anything else you need?"

"Uh, yeah. I hope you don't mind me asking; how long have you been living here in Gravity Falls? I mean, I've been here before and I don't remember seeing you around these parts."

Yeesh! Did I actually say that? I'm starting to sound like Stan!

Elise blinked a couple of times before she said, "Wait, Dipper? You're Dipper Pines aren't you?"

Her question caught me off guard and I looked at her again. Her hair was ash blonde, tied in a bun with a long fringe that she tucked behind her left ear. Nothing was coming to me.

The girl sighed and rolled her eyes noticing the confused look on my face before blurting out, "It's me dummy- Pacifica!"

"Whoa! Pacifica? No way! I barely recognized you! I mean- your hair is a darker shade now and—what's the story with your nametag? Is that like an alter ego or secret identity…?"

Pacifica scoffed "It's my second name. Pacifica doesn't sound much like a waitress name, if you know what I mean." She explained as she spun her hand lightly. "And sometimes blonde hair darkens with age. Something you brunettes wouldn't know."

I tugged at my shirt sleeve as I let out a nervous laugh, "Yeah. I guess I take back what I said about your blonde hair being fake." I told her looking down embarrassedly.

She chuckled, "That was ages ago! Who cares? Where's Mabel by the way?" she asked.

"When I left the house she was still asleep. I'm more of a morning person than she is." I explained.

.

Pacifica

He told me he was more of a morning person than his twin sister Mabel, and judging by the small bags under his eyes, I wasn't sure if that was because he really was a morning person, or because he barely got any sleep.

"Well, I have to get back to work. Enjoy your breakfast, and tell Mabel I said- hi."

"Sure thing- Elise."

I suppressed another eye-roll at whatever he was trying to say and just let out a giggle for some reason I couldn't understand.

"Whatever." I jokingly told him before walking away.

We didn't talk much after that. After he finished his breakfast, Dipper waved goodbye to me before leaving the diner.

"So?" Lazy Susan asked me eagerly in a hushed whisper while she wiped the counter.

"Did you know that was Dipper Pines, Susan?"

"What!" she exclaimed in surprise, though thankfully still in whisper form, I actually half-expected her lazy eye to open up! "No way! Dipper? Oh look at the little man, all grown up! Those Pines men let me tell ya. Good genes." She muttered, nodding to herself.

I didn't know what she was talking about, all I saw was one Pines man that actually looked good to me.

.

.

Dipper

"Oh! You guys are finally up I see." I said to the trio who were just having their breakfast in the kitchen of my Grunkles' new home.

"Dipper, where were you?" Mabel asked me as she poured cereal into her bowl and sat on the chair next to Stan.

"At Greasy's Diner," I replied taking a seat next to Ford. "You won't believe who I ran into."

"Uh, half the town maybe?" Stan said sarcastically.

"No, Pacifica. Who goes by Elise now. At least while she works at the diner."

"Pacifica?" Mabel's head shot up and gave me a sly look, "Did she hug you?" she taunted, playfully.

I huffed, "Mabel! It's been five years for Pete's sake! Let it go already!"

"Hugged?" I should've kept a closer eye on you kids" Grunkle Stan groaned going back to drinking his coffee and reading the paper he was holding in his other hand.

"You got hugged by a Northwest? Hmph! Of all the people in this town." Grunkle Ford mumbled before shoving a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

"Guys! It was a little hug! Back when we were twelve! You know what? I'm going out again." I said when I'd had enough of my family's craziness and decided to go into town to see what's changed.

Walking around town, I saw that not much's changed. There were some faces I recognized, others seemed new to me. Mabel decided she wanted to revisit Gravity Falls before we headed off to college- relive our childhood one more time before turning eighteen on August, and I tagged along hoping to spend more time with Grunkle Ford now that he and Stan were back from their voyage.

.

.

Pacifica

The clock at the diner struck three announcing the end of my shift. I was free to spend the rest of the day … alone.

I sighed as I plopped myself on my bed as soon as I reached home. Every summer I think I'll be invited to the parties, bonfires, or road trips- and every summer they prove me wrong. I was too poor for the rich kids, and too rich for the poor kids. I guess sometimes people don't want to forget how much of a meanie you were, no matter how much you try your best to show that you've changed for the better. Another reason why I couldn't wait to get away from here.

The only people that believed that I could change for the better were that psychotic lumberjack ghost, Mabel, and Dipper.

Speaking of whom, I got up from my bed and rummaged through my big pink trunk at the foot of my bed, for my old diary. I bought it four summers ago because I needed to let out all those things that I desperately wanted to tell somebody but couldn't. Not even my mother.

I opened it to my very first entry which I had written shortly before I went to that party at the Mystery Shack one evening a few years back.

Dear Diary,

I saw him again today, that cute new kid I'd seen around town last week. He was passing out flyers for a party this evening at the Mystery Shack today at the mall. And even though he personally handed me a flyer, he didn't seem to notice me. But I decided I wanted to go anyway and maybe ask him if he wanted to come to the after-party at my parents' boat. I mean, how could he refuse?

.

I turned the page to my second entry, and I could tell that I was pretty mad when I wrote it because you could feel the words embossed on the paper from me pressing the nib of my pen too hard as I wrote down each word.

Dear Diary,

I should've listened to my friends when they wanted to change my mind from wanting to go the party which was a total and complete waste of my time! Not only did he not notice me, again, when I approached him at the ticket stand. But he was all over that redhead like a lovesick puppy! I even overheard them talking and laughing later during the party while I was in the bathroom! Like it wasn't bad enough that there was this lame-o, brace wearing dummy had the nerve to compete against me for the Party Crown (which I managed to win by the way).
I couldn't even get the chance to get him to come my after-party! He wasn't with the crowd that followed me out of the shack.

.

I fell back on my bed, holding the book to my chest and involuntarily started to imagine what it could've been like had I been a little nicer to everyone; maybe I would've had a chance with Dipper. I sat up and shook my head as if to shake away the thoughts.

Oh Pacifica …
.

.

.

Author's Note: So I guess this is going to be my first official Gravity Falls fanfic (not counting the one-shot I wrote about Grunkle Stan, check it out btw.)
I was re-watching Gravity Falls over the weekend and noticed a few of Pacifica's actions around Dipper (one of which I already mentioned in this chapter) a little strange. So I decided, why not write a fanfic on these two cuties? What do you think so far? I am so excited to write more of this and read your thoughts on the story so far.

And if anybody knows any Dipper x Pacifica fanfics (well written, consistent with the show) tell me about them, because so far, I couldn't find one that I really enjoyed reading.