I never asked for it to happen, really.

It was more like I prayed.

Just yesterday, I would have never given a single thought about Gravity Falls. I thought it was over, done with. I had forced myself to move on after months of misery and feeling sorry for myself after finally having to leave. For me, it was better just to forget it all.

It had been three years since Mabel and I had been to Gravity Falls. There were some parts I could never forget, like the wild golf cart rides and some of the adventures and mysteries we encountered. Most of all, though, I could never forget her. Wendy. As much as I wanted to move on, I couldn't. I often found myself wondering how she was, or what she was doing at the moment. I didn't still love her, but I definitely missed her. A lot.

And then here we were, in the car, on our way back.

Ever since Mom and Dad had lost their jobs due to the sudden depression in Chicago, we were sort of forced to all move back in with Gruncle Stan at the Mystery Shack. I guess I was looking forward to that, but bad memories with Gruncle Stan came to mind more than any good ones. I loved the guy; I mean, he was my family. He was just... demanding.

My mind was racing as I stared out the rainy window. There was so much I wanted to do... so much I wanted to see again. My heart pounded with the eagerness to finally arrive. I almost couldn't breath. The whole car ride, I had been fantasizing about walking into the Mystery Shack and seeing all the familiar faces of Gravity Falls. Long story short, I could not wait. But my anxiousness was nothing compared to Mabel's.

"Can you believe it, Dipper?!" she squealed. Yeah, we were now fifteen years old, but her maturity level was still the same as her old, twelve year old self. "We're going to be living in Gravity Falls. I am sooo. Excited!"

Mabel was still the same on the inside, I can assure you that. But on the outside... she had changed. Well, a lot. Instead of her poofy sweaters that she always wore, she had replaced them with dresses. Pink, floral print, polka dots, lace, black and white stripes... she was trendy now. Images like puppies playing basketball were so out for her. To top it all off, she always wore a pair of little high heels with a decorative bow on the front. Her hair was always down and wavy. She had mascara on, and before that I had never realized how ridiculously long her lashes were. Her lips were always painted a light red, and she carried a pink lacy purse with her wherever she went now.

As much as I hated to admit it, if I wasn't her brother, and I was some random stranger walking by... well, I would probably think Mabel was hot.

I guess I had changed a lot too myself. I no longer wore those wimpy short pants. I wore jeans like every other guy on the planet. And that silly little vest? No. I had lost that almost as soon as I left Gravity Falls. I wore Vans now. Over the last three years, I had learned to skateboard, and that had automatically given me tons of friends. So instead of that pesky vest, I wore turquoise and dark red hoodies. You know, just your average skater kid.

My hair was still the same. A lot of girls back home had always liked to ruffle it and play with it. I guess you could say when I finally returned, I was sort of popular. I expected the same to happen at Gravity High, our brand new high school where Mabel and I would know nobody. Oh joy!

All of a sudden, the car pulled up to the one and only place known as The Mystery Shack. I could see Gruncle Stan outside waiting for us, just like Mom had told him to on the phone fifteen minutes earlier.

Mabel had already unbuckled and was out of the car, speed walking towards Gruncle Stan. I could tell she desperately wanted to skip, but was too afraid of falling due to her ballet pink heels. Her perfect curls bounced this way and that, and I followed her excited.

"Gruncle Stan!" she shouted, embracing him in a huge bear hug. He wrapped his arms around her, and I could tell he had really missed her. I knew Gruncle Stan would never admit that he missed her, but he would do his best to show it in that hug.

When he finally let go, he looked over to me. I gave him my big, sideways smile.

"Dipper?" he said, eyeing me up and down. "Is that really you?" I wondered why he only asking me this. Mabel had changed a great deal too. "Red skinny jeans and a blue hoodie. I love it!"

"You do?" I asked, feeling stupid directly afterwards.

"Yeah. 'Makes you look cool."

I shook his hand, my cheeks blushing. Gruncle Stan had never really complimented me. Maybe now I would finally get respect and be treated like an adult.

"Make way!" Mom shouted as she pulled the luggage across the parking lot and into the house. I watched her go, and then noticed someone else walk out of the Mystery Shack.

Pacifica Northwest.

Mabel's old rival.

She was licking a vanilla ice cream cone, and those two friends of hers followed behind her. I watched her as she made her way through the parking lot, with her head held up high. I had to admit, I admired her confidence. But that was it.

All of a sudden, she came to a stop and she turned her head to look at me. She squinted a little bit as if she were trying to read my mind. I knew what she was thinking though. She was just shocked that I was back... and probably that I had changed a lot.

She started to approach me. Now a long time ago, I would have panicked and ran. But I was different now. I waited for her to come, and I braced myself for anything stupid she might say.

"Dipper? Dipper Pines?" She licked the ice cream of her lips.

"Uh... yeah." I ran a hand through my hair, and she watched it, making it kinda awkward for me.

"When did you get so cute?" Her friends were nodding in agreement. I blushed again, and I didn't know how to respond.

"I..."

"Are you going to Gravity High? It's the best high school in this town, you know."

"Yeah, actually. Mabel's going there too-"

"Mabel?"

As if on cue, Mabel walked out looking happy as ever. Pacifica turned to look at her, and her eyeballs grew wide as she realized the Mabel might have even been prettier than her. Then she turned back around to me like she never saw her.

"So I'll see you on Monday then, right?"

"Yeah."

"Kay. See ya later, Dipper!"

"Yeah, bye."

My heart sank as I realized that she had been acting like a lot of girls had been back home, and that could only mean one thing. Pacifica Northwest was crushing on me.