Mabel yawned, stretching her arms over her head as she woke up from a not-very-restful night. She had been dreaming about something in between the nightmares that plagued her sleep last night… something important maybe. She couldn't remember, and half-heartedly thought about going back to sleep to see if she could find the dream again. She glanced at the alarm clock reading 6:03 am and sighed. The bed was warm and it was still early and blankets were cozy...

Just as she nodded back off, the realization that today was Moving Day hit her, and she sat up in bed with a big smile, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. For the past four years, she had moved to Gravity Falls the day after school ended for the summer to help her Grunkle Stan run his Mystery Shack, an oddball little shop in the middle of the woods selling fake, strangely popular supernatural memorabilia. The work was boring, but Mabel loved her Grunkle Stan, and she had made some good friends in the weird town. Also it was nice to spend time with her grunkle. Mabel and her parents were the only family he had, and although Mabel didn't like to think about it, Grunkle Stan was old. She wondered what it would be like to be old and running the Mystery Shack herself. That was a bit of an alarming thought. She liked Gravity Falls and loved the Mystery Shack, but she didn't think she wanted that to be her entire life.

It's better than here, at least. And there are perks to being in Gravity Falls, she thought to herself, but that tied her stomach in knots for reasons she didn't want to deal with until she got to Gravity Falls, so she occupied herself rummaging around the room shoving random items and clothes into a battered suitcase. The chaos of the room soothed her. Mabel liked to think of herself as a free spirit, and the Random Acts of Glitter scattered about her room were a testament to that fact. Unfortunately, most everyone else just thought she was weird. She had struggled to make friends when she was younger. No one wanted their kid palling around with the sweater-obsessed weirdo who spent too much time talking to an invisible friend she kept insisting was her twin brother, which was why her parents had shipped her off to her grunkle's for the summers. They had worried—still worried really—that she spent too much time alone. Mabel had told them they could always give her a real little brother or sister and she wouldn't need to pretend all the time. She had always wanted a sibling, but that hadn't happened. Why her kid brain had went with a brother who always insisted on wearing an ugly hat and the same clothes every day instead of a cool sister to share fashion tips with was a mystery to her.

The suitcase was full, so she grabbed her other, larger suitcase from the closet. Two months isn't a short stay. Why not take both suitcases? Her mom wouldn't like it, but she wasn't the one stuck over thirty miles from a mall with a cranky grunkle who hated clothes shopping. She took a break from packing and worrying about what her mom didn't like and sat on the bed wondering what this summer would be like in Gravity Falls and remembering past trips. That first summer in Oregon, she had resented being sent away. Not that she showed it. Mabel firmly believed that you didn't accomplish anything without a positive attitude and you had to make sure everyone knew how positive you felt. And if you felt like your parents were just tired of you and were dumping you on an old guy you had met maybe twice in your life… well, just dial the happiness up to eleven, and before long it would be real.

That was how she had felt before figuring out there were cool people there. Maybe they're a little weird yeah, but I like that weirdness more than what everyone here thinks of as normal. And Mabel had to admit to herself at least—although she would die before admitting it to her parents—that if she had been lonely enough at home to be completely unable to tell apart an imaginary friend from real people, then maybe summers in Gravity Falls and therapy the rest of the year was the right call. Both her parents worked full time, and Mabel's doctor thought it best she have supervision a bit more prepared for what Mabel's therapist called "her particular coping mechanisms"—or as Mabel preferred to call it, "having fun"—than a teenage babysitter who talked on the phone while Mabel and her imaginary friend entertained themselves with projects alone in the other parts of the house during the day.

Mabel frowned. She could almost remember his name but it slipped away from her every time she thought she had it. Was I dreaming about him? She shook her head and bounced up from the mattress. No time to worry about that. Too much packing to do!

The second suitcase was close to full. Mabel picked up a mauve sweater with a blue kitten design, but hesitated as she started to stuff it in the suitcase. Flamboyant sweaters had always been her signature, but she was sixteen now and worried sweaters like this might keep her from being taken seriously, which was a new-ish concern. Looking in the closet, she saw an old, brown leather jacket Wendy had given last year when she was going off to Portland for college. Mabel grabbed it and slipped it on. She looked in the mirror and smiled hoping that Wendy would be back this summer. This was going to be her first summer in Gravity Falls without braces and she wanted Wendy to see! She had never told anyone, but the braces had always made her feel self-conscious. She thought the beat-up, weathered leather jacket was a good look for her. Mabel pulled her long, chestnut hair into a ponytail and nodded triumphantly at her reflection in the mirror and winked. Mabel laughed and resumed trying to stuff her whole closet of clothes into the two suitcases she was taking on the trip. Maybe it would be a good idea to take a backpack as well…

A few hours and one huge fight with her mom and dad over Mabel's desire to drive to Oregon instead of taking the bus later, Mabel was deposited by her parents at the dingy, local bus stop promptly at 9 am with slightly forced hugs and kisses and waves goodbye. She had lost the argument about driving to Oregon, and it had even devolved into her and her parents shouting at each other at the end. This is so stupid! I saved enough to rent my own car! God, it's so damn unfair! Even thinking a curse word caused Mabel to stop and look around in case someone could tell she was thinking it. Then, she sat down on a bench beside the door into the lounge area and fumed. She was mad that she couldn't drive and mad that even thinking a curse word made her feel guilty. Her parents never trusted her and never let her do anything on her own. They still think I'm a crazy freak who talks to an imaginary twin brother. Mabel gave her suitcase a hard kick and refused to care if anyone thought she was mad or crazy or wrong or whatever.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she decided this was another time to keep looking on the bright side. At least now she had a lot of extra spending money, and she was laying the groundwork for next summer. Next year would be her last summer in Gravity Falls before she went to college… although that might be an "if she went to college" unless she could finally grind through calculus. She felt sad that she only had this trip and one more before life and responsibility took over, but Mabel was determined that she would make these last two visits be the best two, and driving up in style next summer would be the coolest thing ever!

Mabel's mom and dad thought she would be far too busy getting ready for college next summer and this would be her last summer trip to Oregon. Stop it, Mabel! Those are sad thoughts and nope! This was Moving Day, so instead of being sad she distracted herself while sitting on the bench outside the station by counting the different types and colors of cars in the lot. After less than ten seconds of that, Mabel thought her eyes might melt from boredom.

Her thoughts drifted to the dream she had last night that remained frustratingly slightly out of the reach of her memory. She had never been a good sleeper. Even as a small child, restless nightmares had been the norm instead of the exception. The frequency had reduced a bit the past few years to the point where she could at least get a few hours of sleep each night without being medicated into Zombie Mode, but there was almost always a good chance she would wake up shaking and soaked with sweat. She could never quite remember what had terrified her in her sleep although that worried her parents more than it did her, and she never had nightmares during her summer trips to Grunkle Stan's. Gravity Falls was her safe place.

"Maybe I should move to Gravity Falls or go to college in Portland like Wendy," Mabel said quietly to herself. She noticed her bus pulling up to the curb. She grabbed her ticket out of her backpack and with the past night's dream quickly forgotten, boarded the bus with a smile. She took an empty seat, pulled the leather jacket tight around herself deciding she had chosen wisely not to take the sweaters, and with that drifted off to sleep before the bus even pulled out of the lot.

The trip required three bus changes and lasted almost ten hours, but finally the little town deep in the middle of the Oregon woods came into sight. Gravity Falls was a picturesque location nestled in the lush forest, and it had a romantic quality as the sun lowered towards the trees in the west with beautiful golds and oranges painting the town with warmth. Finally! Relief and excitement raced through Mabel. She felt like she might start vibrating, but she forced herself to stillness. She wasn't a kid anymore. She needed to be cool about stuff. The bus lurched to a stop and forgetting herself momentarily, Mabel shot up in a very excited and very not-cool manner. She quickly converted into a full stretch. That should look cooler.

It's what Wendy would have done, she thought to herself. When in doubt, do what Wendy would do. Glancing around, none of the few remaining riders or the bus driver seemed to be paying attention, but Mabel had decided coolness was a lifestyle, sort of like yoga. You had to practice all the time or it didn't do any good.

She threw her backpack over her shoulder and once off the bus, dragged her suitcases out of storage. The bus pulled away in a cloud of smoke and noise, and Mabel scanned the street for her Grunkle Stan's car, which was nowhere to be seen.

Did he forget I was on my way? She wondered. Maybe I should go to the diner and ask Lazy Susan to use the phone. Unfortunately, Mabel had killed the charge on her phone halfway through the trip listening to music. She waited for a moment or two just in case Grunkle Stan showed, then started trying to manage her luggage down the block to the diner. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to try to pull the suitcases all the way to the Mystery Shack in the dark. She felt safe in Gravity Falls—safer than anywhere else she had ever been—but trudging a little over three miles in the dark over dirt roads with two large suitcases would be less than ideal.

Mabel had made it a little over halfway to the diner when a long, black car pulled up beside her and stopped. The door opened and out stepped Pacifica Northwest, sole heiress of the obscenely rich Northwest family and youngest in the long line of descendants of the "Gravity Falls City Founder," a fact Mabel knew to be an outright lie. Pacifica was dressed in a pale lilac blouse that complemented her honey-blonde hair and designer jeans that likely cost more than the combined price of everything in both of Mabel's suitcases.

The blonde girl sneered and turned to her parents saying, "I told you peasants carry their own bags, Daddy!"

Her father chuckled and responded, "Would you like us to drop you a little further up the street, Pacifica, darling? No need to associate with such… rabble." Mr. Northwest gave Mabel a cold, appraising stare.

Pacifica turned her head towards Mabel and arched an eyebrow. "Oh no, Daddy! I'll enjoy watching her struggle!" Mabel kept her mouth shut and gave Pacifica a tight smile, which the other girl quickly returned.

Mr. Northwest started to object but was interrupted by his wife. Mrs. Northwest waved her hand, dismissing Pacifica, and stated in a very bored tone, "Very well then. We'll pick you up at nine when the library closes."

Mr. Northwest gave his daughter a stern look, obviously not liking the idea of leaving her in close proximity to The Unwashed Poor or whatever he thought Mabel was. Pacifica shut the car door and blew her parents a kiss. Quickly, the car pulled from the curb and sped away.

"Must be nice to be a Northwest and not have to worry about silly things like speed limits." Mabel said wryly.

Pacifica frowned. "I suppose there are perks." She grabbed the handle of Mabel's larger suitcase and started wheeling it behind her as Mabel resumed her journey towards the diner. It was definitely easier pulling only one suitcase.

During Mabel's first summer in Gravity Falls, she and Pacifica had gotten off to a rocky start to say the least. The two highly competitive girls met at a party fighting over a silly-in-retrospect popularity contest and had loathed each other on sight. Several flare-ups followed, but midway through the summer, she and Pacifica had made peace over miniature golf, of all things, although that had also started as a showdown which would settle who was best once and for all. It was odd how winner-take-all mini golf matches had seemed perfectly logical when Mabel was twelve.

And she was glad she had found common ground with Pacifica. She had a couple of friends in town already, Grenda and Candy, but you couldn't have too many friends. Unfortunately when Pacifica's parents found the two girls sharing ice cream after mini-golf, they had grounded their daughter for the rest of the summer for associating with "bad elements," which Mabel still thought had to qualify as child abuse. No one in Gravity Falls saw Pacifica until after Mabel had returned home. The day after she arrived in Gravity Falls the next summer, Mabel found a note slipped into the Mystery Shack's mailbox signed only with a "P" asking to meet in the town's library and to tell no one. She had hesitated but decided to go anyway, and that was where she and Pacifica renewed their nascent friendship. Pacifica had tried deflecting any and all questions about her grounding, but Mabel had pieced together enough bits and pieces to determine that whatever had happened wasn't good and probably should have involved Child Protective Services. Some of the rumors she had heard from other people made Mabel sick to her stomach, but every time she tried to apologize, Pacifica refused to hear it.

Pacifica gave Mabel a puzzled look. "You could have texted me and I would have met you without Mother and Father along."

Mabel shrugged and sighed. "Phone's dead. You try riding for ten hours with a creeper trying to chat you up. My only escape was putting on my headphones and listening to music… and then pretending to listen to music after my phone died."

Pacifica shuddered at the thought of being trapped with a guy who wouldn't take no for an answer. "They didn't have a power outlet on the bus?"

Mabel laughed. "Ha! No, they definitely don't have those on the bus, and I didn't have time during stops."

Pacifica laughed. "I would have enjoyed having the time to read a nice, long book without interrupting parents," she said with a dreamy expression.

Mabel rolled her eyes. Of course Pacifica would bury her nose in a book. She pretended to only care about fashion and other topics deemed appropriate by her parents around them and the other townspeople, but Mabel knew Pacifica's one true passion were her books. "Thanks for the help with the bags. Are they still giving you a hard time?"

"Always," Pacifica replied with a shrug. "I'm just counting days until I'm out of this town and then it's goodbye forever, Jerk Parents."

Mabel grinned. "I have a driver's license now. Say the word and I'll be here as fast as my dad's Volvo will go."

Pacifica arched her eyebrow again. "And your parents would be okay with you taking the car to another state to pick up a girl with whom they've never even spoken?"

She's really quite good at that eyebrow thing, thought Mabel. I'll have to try learning that. "Who said I'd ask?"

Pacifica raised her hand to her heart, feigning shock.

"What?" Mabel exclaimed, playing along. "I've picked up a thing or two from my grunkle."

The two girls laughed at the idea. Pacifica stopped and pulled her phone out. "Speaking of Mr. Pines, you can use my phone to call him, Belle," she said holding it out to Mabel.

One day out of the blue, Pacifica just told Mabel she thought the name "Mabel" sounded too old-fashioned and informed her that she would be "Belle" from now on. Pacifica explained that it made it easier to pass off to Pacifica's parents as one of her high society friends calling. Despite disagreeing that her name was old-fashioned, Mabel didn't want to be left out of the fun, and had returned the nickname favor deciding Pacifica would be "Pax" instead. Less syllables and much less pretentious. Well, maybe less pretentious. She only knew the word because her old imaginary friend had been into Latin of all things. But it was definitely fewer syllables. Pacifica said "Pax" felt more natural than her actual name.

Trading nicknames had made Pacifica really happy and had cemented Mabel as her best friend. To commemorate the new BFF-status, Pacifica told Mabel about her family's secret: Her ancestor hadn't been the town founder, although Pacifica didn't go into too many details except to say that was the leverage that both got her ungrounded and kept her from being sent to boarding school in Switzerland until she was eighteen. The two girls put on a show in public of pretending to be mortal enemies in case her parents decided the humiliation of their daughter befriending a poor person outweighed the risk of being exposed as frauds.

Mabel took the phone and quickly dialed her uncle who said he was stuck with a tour group but the van was on the way to meet her at the diner before abruptly hanging up. Mabel handed the phone back to Pacifica and relayed the information. "Want to get some pie at the diner?" She asked.

Pacifica looked down nervously. "I don't know."

Mabel regretted the offer. She had no idea how Pacifica endured the situation with her parents. Mabel had issues with her mom and dad but it was nothing like what her friend had to go through. "I'm sorry, Pax. I should know better. It's just… we're sixteen and I don't get why they get to say who you can be friends with and I won't be coming back to Gravity Falls many more times and I like spending time with my best friend." She trailed off and shrugged. The situation sucked.

Pacifica put a hand on Mabel's arm and squeezed. She shook her head. "Not your fault. Like I said… counting down the days."

"If it gets too bad, you could always come stay with me at the Mystery Shack or even back home," Mabel offered.

Pacifica smiled and surprised Mabel with a strong hug. "Thanks, Belle, but my parents would devote their entire lives and fortune to making you and your Grunkle and your parents regret that. Besides, it's only another nineteen months and twelve days." She let Mabel go and the two girls sat on the curb to wait for the van.

"Ooh! Then we could get an apartment in Paris! And we could start a kitten sanctuary!" Mabel said grinning.

"Of course, that would be what you…" Pacifica started but trailed off, narrowing her eyes. "Your braces are gone, and you didn't call me!" She swatted at Mabel's shoulder playfully. "No braces! Switching out the insane sweaters for a leather jacket! You're finally upping your game, Belle!"

"Well, I can't let you turn all the heads, Pax!" Mabel laughed. "And the sweaters are colorful, not insane!" She was glad Pacifica approved. The girl had a great sense of fashion.

Pacifica snorted and then giggled. "You would say that." Pax's face turned serious. "And don't worry about the other stuff."

Mabel started to interrupt, but Pacifica cut her off. "I mean it," she said. "Stop worrying."

Mabel shrugged saying, "I think you're the only person in the world that thinks I worry about anything."

"Well," Pax responded. "No one knows you better than I do."

"It's just that," Mabel began shifting uncomfortably. I might as well say it. She hadn't meant to make this so heavy emotionally, but it was what it was at this point. "You aren't just my best friend. You're like a sister to me." She had never admitted that to Pax before. She worried her much cooler friend would laugh it off or find the idea dumb. Mabel didn't think she could handle that, but this was the summer she wasn't going to hesitate because she was worried about being rejected.

"I only rate high enough to be 'like a sister?'" Pax asked with a small smile. "I don't think of you like a sister. I think of you as a sister."

"Quit being a pedantic snob, Pax," Mabel pretend-scolded. "So… sisters? You and me? Against the world?"

Pax hugged her again and said, "Of course. You and me." She broke the hug and nodded indicating something over Mabel's shoulder approaching from behind. "Your ride is here," she said.

As the van approached, they saw a young woman with long red hair driving. "Wendy's back!" Mabel said in entirely too high a pitch. That's like the opposite of cool, she thought. "I mean… it's good to see Wendy again." Better. Staying cool. Like jelly beans. Wait? Jelly beans are cool right?

Pacifica rolled her eyes at Mabel. "Sure. I take it we're still pretending then?"

Now it was Mabel's turn to roll her eyes. "I don't know what you mean, Pax, and who is this "we" you speak of?"

"Fine, fine, but let's not repeat last summer which consisted entirely of you pining for a solid two months, shall we?" Pacifica responded with a pretend-exasperated shrug and a half smirk. "Meet up tomorrow? Usual place?" They had long ago found a beautiful, peaceful clearing in the forest almost midway between town and the Mystery Shack, and it had immediately become their special place where they could escape everyone else.

Mabel beamed and hugged her friend goodbye. "Sure! I'll text you when I can make it. Well, as soon as I charge my phone."

Pacifica broke the hug before Wendy parked beside them, but not before whispering in her friend's ear, "Just tell her already."

Mabel couldn't find words to respond before the van stopped beside the girls, and Wendy stepped out to help with the luggage. "Nice jacket, Kid," she said with a wink.

Mabel resisted the urge to smile like a fool. Play it cool. She shrugged and said, "Yeah, it's a gift from a friend. She went off to college, and I wasn't sure I would see her again."

Wendy laughed and hugged Mabel while speaking to Pacifica. "Hey, Pacifica. Keeping Mabel company?"

Pacifica sniffed. "I stopped to remark how even the destitute should have enough sense to save up to hire drivers. Buses are disgusting." She quickly turned on her heel and walked backed the way she and Mabel had come in the direction of the town library.

Wendy snorted but didn't say anything until Pacifica was out of earshot. "You two still playing that game? No one will tell her parents."

"Better safe than sorry. And it's not a game," Mabel responded sourly. She probably shouldn't have told Wendy about her and Pax's arrangement, but Wendy was cool and wouldn't tell anyone. Mabel trusted her completely and felt a bit sick to her stomach for responding so bitterly to Wendy's question.

Wendy grimaced. "Yeah, I suppose after what I heard about last time." She coughed and changed the subject. "Anyway, I'm so sorry I only got to be in town for a week while you were here last summer! I couldn't make it back down. It was just too much chaos getting settled in for school." She hugged Mabel again. "It's great to see my favorite girl again!"

Mabel was thrilled but decided to play it off with a nonchalant wave. "Ah, I bet you say that to all the girls!" She reached down and grabbed one of the bags and put it in the back of the van.

"Nope. You're my favorite," Wendy said as she put the other bag in. "Now let's get you home."

Mabel hoped Wendy couldn't see her blush as she climbed into the passenger seat for the ride to the Mystery Shack. "Does this thing have a phone charger?" She asked.