A/N: Story will pick up in next chapter. This is still exposition. :)
We arrived at Shaggy's estate around eight o'clock. Nighttime had already sunk in. The house wasn't much of a house at all. It was similar to mine, extravagant and colored white. It had almost an antebellum look to it.
Fred led me into the house, where we were soon met by a butler who led us to the pool. The pool didn't even have the lights on under the water. Instead, hundreds of multicolored glowsticks illuminated the general area. Shaggy's pool was a sand pool, slowly fading to the deep end.
"Wow, that's really cool." I admitted.
Fred pulled off his white t-shirt. "Very tumblresque." He responded.
The doors of the house opened. Shaggy and Scooby both trotted onto the brick floors. Immediately Scooby began sniffing my feet and jumped up to lick my face. That dog was almost as tall as me.
I giggled. "Hey, boy. Ready for tonight?" I asked.
Scooby barked in response before returning to his owner. Shaggy had taught his dog many, many tricks and commands. It was almost like the dog was completely human now.
My phone buzzed. I looked down to read the screen.
"I'm gonna be late. Emergency project that is due Monday for APUSH. Will be there within the hour." From Velma.
"Velma's gonna be late. She didn't do her history project." I announced.
Shaggy shrugged. "Well then let's start swimming." He said before jumping in.
Scooby pushed a float into the pool with his nose, and carefully stepped onto it. He floated out to the middle of the pool.
I was debating on whether or not to get completely wet. I spent a lot of time working on my makeup, and that's not just something you put to waste. Instead of getting in like the boys, I gracefully sat on the edge of the pool and kicked the water around with my feet. Fred and Shaggy were collecting glowsticks from the bottom and firing them at each other as if they were torpedoes.
My mind set back on my brother. The coroner told us that my brother had been abandoned at the playground, then proceeded to strangle himself to death with the swing set chains. It was a bizarre theory, but it happened. The chain marks from the swings were seared around his throat. The nanny had been fired for not keeping an eye on him.
I had read plenty of mystery novels and seen too many crime shows to just let this slide. Maybe it was because he was my baby brother. Or maybe it was because I knew that something was wrong.
Fred and I talked about it once, when the coroner's report came back. He held me while I cried. I kept telling him that this was wrong, that my brother was murdered. Fred hadn't said anything while I cried, fearing he would make matters worse by saying the wrong thing.
My train of thought crashed when someone splashed water at me. "Come on, Daph! I didn't buy these glowsticks for you to sit there." Shaggy said.
"I'm not in the mood for swimming." Was all I said.
The doors opened again to reveal Velma, not in her bathing suit but in her regular clothes. She looked slightly anxious. I stood up and walked over.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She took in a deep breath. "I was almost in a wreck, that's all. Nothing went wrong, just some guy who cut out in front of me."
"Alright…wanna join me by the poolside?"
"Yeah."
We sat down on the edge and watched the boys race each other to pick up all of a specific color of glowstick.
"Why aren't you getting in?" Velma asked.
I shrugged. "Makeup. I still wanna look okay for the trip. I'm especially proud of it today."
Velma nodded. Fred and Shaggy both swam over to the edge. "Why won't y'all get in?" Fred asked.
"Makeup."
"I just ate. Gotta wait thirty minutes."
"Well," Shaggy began, "we need to leave soon because Fred has to drive for four hours."
"And why can't you drive the rest of the way if Freddy gets tired?" I asked.
"Because I'm not going to do that." Shaggy replied with a half smile.
Velma and I both changed into our pajamas in one room while the boys dried off in the other. We met up at Fred's van, ready to embark on our next adventure. Shaggy, Scooby, and Velma slouched into the bean bags that were safely strapped in the back. I sat in the passenger seat next to Fred.
Absentmindedly, I grasped his rough hand. A gentle squeeze from his own hand brought me to realization. I didn't move my hand, but I blushed slightly by my own actions.
He looked to me before turning on the van. "Sleep." He told me softly.
"Okay." I whispered back before relaxing my shoulders and closing my eyes. Fred's hand did not release mine, and so I was able to sleep peacefully.
