Chapter 4: A chat, a walk in the park and invitation to the dinner
As Shaggy and Scooby returned from the hot dog stand, Shaggy asked, "Like, Maggie, do you want a hot dog?"
"Like, sure thing, Norville." Sugie replied enthusiastically. "I could always have a snack."
"Same here, Shag." Daphne smiled. "And I have to say that you sure got a cute little sister."
Sugie blushed when Daphne made the comment, but she still managed to smile back at Scooby and her brother as he replied, "And Scoob and I noticed that you're becoming fast friends with her, Daph."
"That's right." Daphne smiled as she patted Sugie's head. "She's a really sweet cute girl, plus she really has a good sense of fashion."
Shaggy smiled as he nodded in agreement. "Like, in case you're wondering, Daph, Maggie got her ascot as a Christmas present last year. She really liked it and has been wearing it ever since."
Daphne smiled as Shaggy explained what she was actually wondering about before nodding. "I see. I have to say that your ascot really matches your skirt and Shaggy's pants well, Sugie."
"I like your ascot, too, Daphne." Sugie smiled. "It really looks like it matches Norville's shirt, plus it goes well with your purple dress, too."
Daphne simply smiled at Sugie's last remark as they all sat down to relax on the bench facing the creek.
"Just a bit of curiosity, where were you living at before moving into the mansion across from where we live, Daph?" Shaggy asked before taking a bite from his hot dog.
"Well, I lived in Ruby Hills for a while before moving into the neighbourhood with my parents, mainly because they felt that the neighbourhood is more quiet and that I will have a better chance in socializing with kids in my age group." Daphne replied. "To be honest, I don't think it served its purpose of improving my ability to socialize with others until I met you and Scooby this morning."
"Like, wow." Shaggy remarked as he nodded understandingly.
The four friends then spent the next while chatting about other topics, such as school, family life and social events. During that time, Daphne came to like Shaggy, Sugie and Scooby as a friend more and they had a few laughs with some of Shaggy's jokes.
Eventually, the four decided to get up and take a walk around the park. As they did so, Daphne decided to ask Shaggy a question, "Well, Shag, I've been wondering about something about you since you and Scooby finished your tall sandwiches in one bite during lunchtime."
"Like, let me guess: You're wondering about how Scoob and I can eat that much without getting a bellyache, right?" Shaggy asked.
"That's right." Daphne nodded. "I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries, it's just that I'm curious, you know?"
"Well, I'm sure you're curious about Norville and Scooby's large appetites, so they sure won't mind telling you the reasons behind their large appetites." Sugie smiled as her brother and Scooby nodded.
"Yeah, like, don't worry about overstepping my boundaries, Daph." Shaggy smiled as they paused. There was no one around at the area they were standing at in the park. "Now, you won't believe this, but my large appetite has something to do with a genetic disorder that affects one out of four relatives of mine."
Daphne raised her eyebrows. "What kind of genetic disorder is it?"
"A disorder that gives Norville a stomach that can digest food in a speed twice of that for an average person, as well as cravings for unusual food combinations and high physical capabilities." Sugie explained.
(Note: The idea of Shaggy having his large appetite due to a genetic disorder is inspired by ArtFreak101's story Some Food for Thought on )
Daphne nodded understandingly and smiled. "I see. It also explains why you excel in gym class and took part in those athletic competitions and help the school win those awards."
"Like, you got that right, Daph." Shaggy smiled as Scooby nodded while his sister placed her arm on his back.
After speaking about that topic, the four friends continued to chat about various other topics as they continued to walk through the park, and eventually, they were back walking on the sidewalk along Easy Street.
Soon, they arrived at the front gate to Daphne's mansion.
"So I guess I'll see you guys around, eh?" Daphne said as the four stopped at the front gate.
"Reah." Scooby nodded as Shaggy added, "Like, and Scoob and I should thank your father for offering us the lift home."
Daphne smiled. "Well, I think your family should come over to my place and have dinner with my family sometime."
"Like, that sounds like a groovy idea!" Sugie smiled as she looked up at Daphne.
"Reah. Roovy!" (Yeah. Groovy!) Scooby added in agreement.
Smiling at their responses, Daphne patted Sugie's head and shared a smile with the trio before taking her leave.
As Daphne made her way to her mansion, Shaggy turned to his sister and Scooby and said, "Like, let's head home, guys. Mom's probably preparing dinner right now and might need some help at the kitchen."
"Good idea, Norville." Sugie nodded as she smiled at her brother and Scooby.
As they crossed the street, she added, "Like, I don't know why, Norville, but I've got a feeling that Daphne may be having an interest in you."
"Oh really, Mags?" Shaggy asked.
His sister nodded. "I just have this feeling."
Shaggy nodded understandingly as they entered the front door of their house. "I see."
At the Blake Mansion, Daphne's parents were at the living room when Daphne arrived home.
"Hello, Daphne. How was your afternoon walk?" George Blake asked his only child after she entered the living room.
"It was groovy, Dad." Daphne replied before proceeding to given her parents a resume of her afternoon walk and hangout with Shaggy, his sister Sugie and Scooby at the park.
"Norville sure is one nice gentleman, Daphne." George remarked after his daughter finished her story.
"I agree, dear." His wife Elizabeth replied. "We really should invite the Rogers over for dinner sometime."
"Good idea, Elizabeth. Perhaps we can invite both Police Chief Rogers and District Attorney Jones with their families here tomorrow night for dinner." George agreed.
"Sounds good, Dad." Daphne smiled at her father's proposal. "Will you like me to go over to Shag's place to ask him if he and his family will like to come over tomorrow?"
"If you want to, Daphne, then be my guest." George smiled.
Meanwhile across the street, Wendy Rogers was reading a medical journal in the living room when her two children and Scooby arrived home from their walk in the park.
"Hello, Norville, Maggie, how was the walk with Scooby?" She asked as she put down the journal and looked up to her children and Scooby as they entered the living room.
"Like, it was groovy, Mom." Shaggy replied before he, Sugie and Scooby took turns giving her a resume of their walk and hangout with Daphne at the park.
"I see." Wendy smiled and nodded after the trio finished their stories. "So Daphne suggested that we should go over to her place for dinner sometime, eh?"
"That's what she suggested, Mom." Sugie smiled.
"Reah, reah, reah!" Scooby added excitedly.
"That will be nice of Mr. Blake to invite us over to their place for dinner. After all, you helped stand up for her at school during your gym class, Norville." Wendy nodded.
Shaggy, Sugie and Scooby all nodded as they made their way to their rooms.
After the conversation, Wendy resumed reading her medical journal. A few minutes went by before the doorbell rang.
Swiftly, the mother of two put down the journal and made her way to the front door and opened it.
Standing at the other side was a young attractive redhead in a purple dress with a green scarf and wearing a purple hair band.
The girl smiled as Wendy said, "Miss Daphne Blake, I presume?"
"That's me, Mrs. Rogers." Daphne replied. "I came over to ask if Mr. Rogers and you are available tomorrow night, as my father is planning to invite you all and the Jones' to our place for dinner."
"Ah, that's very nice of him, Daphne." Wendy smiled. "I'm sure Norville, Maggie and Scooby will be happy to accept your invitation, and I believe we're available tomorrow night as well, so we'd be glad to come over."
"Groovy!" Daphne smiled. "I'll let my parents know right away."
Later that evening, after the police chief arrived home from work, the Rogers household sat together in the dining room for dinner.
Their conversations were mostly discussing their respective days, as well as Wendy informing that the Blakes have invited them and the Jones for dinner on the following night.
"You sure did good in standing up for Miss Blake today, Norville." Sam commented after Wendy told him about how Daphne's father got the idea of inviting them to dinner.
"Like, it was nothing, Dad." Shaggy smiled. "Scoob and I just enjoyed helping others."
"That's good." Sam nodded. "I also heard that you and Mr. Jones are in good terms lately."
"Yeah. Fred may still have that competitive attitude from last year, but at least he still maintains his sportsmanship." Shaggy nodded.
"Good. I also look forward to meeting District Attorney Jones and his family at the dinner." Sam nodded approvingly.
That night, Shaggy didn't slept much as he kept thinking about his day. The moment he was asked to escort Daphne to the nurse's office. The shy tone in Daphne's voice as she chats with him and Scooby during lunch period. The moment Daphne agreed to join them in their walk at the park.
Was his sister right on her observations that Daphne was having an interest in him? He only got to befriend her that morning, and yet she already had some feelings towards him, as demonstrated during their encounter near the park when his sister noticed the slight hint of jealousy on her face before he introduced her.
Seeing his sister becoming close with Daphne added into the idea that she may, indeed, be having an interest in him, although he, for some reason, thought that girls like Daphne should be pursuing guys like Freddie Jones. Maybe there's really something more about Daphne that makes her more than being just a friend to him in his sister's view. Maybe his sister was right in her observations on Daphne.
All of those thoughts continued to cloud Shaggy's mind as he drifts to sleep.
Meanwhile in her bedroom, Daphne was lying on her bed thinking about her day as well.
She really wondered why she was starting to have some feelings towards Shaggy ever since he was asked to escort her to the nurse's office that morning in gym class.
He may look like an average guy with little sense of fashion, but she knew that inside him was the spirit of a kind gentleman who never hesitates to help others and has a great sense of humour and never fails to lighten up anyone's mood.
She also remembered the awkward moment she felt a sense of jealousy when she first spotted Shaggy and his sister walking Scooby. The sister, who she nicknamed "Sugie", came to like her alot and viewed her as a sister figure and even mentioned that there's something about her that makes her special and more than being just a friend to Shaggy.
There's something about Shaggy that makes Daphne felt like as if her heart was stolen by a knight in shining armour.
Those thoughts continued to cloud Daphne's mind as she drifts to sleep.
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