Chapter 21: Time Passages
'As we reflect on our lives, there are many memories that stand out to us, the memories that made a difference in our lives and those memories we will never forget. While reflecting on her relationship with Robbie, Wendy thinks back to the time they met and what led to their break up.'
Many things reminded her of him, from the cellphone ringtone to the pictures hanging on her bedroom wall that were taken throughout the years. Half they took together, half they took with friends, but the rest, were a mix of in between. Out of every guy she dated before him, the break ups never hurt or left a dent in her heart where the current break up did, so what was so special about Robbie? Why did that break up hurt more than the others? Why did she cry when speaking those words of dread to him? Something about him stood out to her so why not try to find out?
Laying back on her bed, the auburn haired teen has her ear buds in and is listening to the song "Time Passages" as it streams from her music player. As the first verse of the song lyrics play word for word, the teen closes her eyes, her mind transporting her back to the eighth grade, particularly the spring dance at the junior high school to when she and Robbie first met.
Gravity Falls Junior High Spring Fling
Colorful lights danced about the gymnasium in a random fashion, appearing to be moving with the beats of the house music selection that the DJ is blasting from the speakers. The dance floor is full of mingling students who are dancing wildly to the music while others are running about the room playing pranks on many of the students that are standing against the wall, the wall flowers. So while many of the students were busy, there is one student in particular that is standing by the refreshment table and is dressed in the brightest pink ensemble that anyone has ever seen with matching shoes! She didn't want to be at the dance, she didn't want to wear that awful dress her aunt made for her and her father forced her to put on, and she didn't want to see that school until she was there to attend class during the week. That had to be the worst night of her life!
Grabbing another cup of fruit punch, the auburn girl sighed as she took a sip of her punch, wishing more than ever she was somewhere else at that point. Not one guy has asked her to dance and has completely ignored her like she didn't exist. Of course with the dress she had on, how is it impossible to miss her in that room? I guess it is a good thing they are ignoring her as she doesn't want to be there anyway. Dances, dresses, high heels, and make up has never been her thing and never will be!
With her cup of punch in her hands, the girl walks away from the table and towards the "wallflower" chairs on the left side of the gym. Taking a seat, the girl sighs once more as she looks out at the dance floor. Everyone who came with a date is having a blissful time and doesn't have a care in the world. Why should they? They're happy, an emotion that hasn't found her since she arrived at the dance. If only she wasn't there, she'd be having a blissful time watching television in the comfort of her room in her pajamas, but her father didn't want her to miss her dance so he insisted she attend.
"This is the worst." The 14 year old Wendy Corduroy lightly whines as she leans her head back against the wall. "Why did I have to be here dad? Why?"
Leaning her head up, the 14 year old finishes off her punch and places her cup on the floor next to her chair. Looking back out on the dance floor, the teen continues observing the dancers waltz across the dance floor happily.
"I could be anywhere right now, but I had to be here!" Wendy fumes. "I must remember to thank the dad for the 'best' night of my life!"
"So dances aren't your thing too huh?" A deep male voice speaks to the girl from behind her. "Yea, I was forced here against my will by mom too."
Whipping around, the auburn haired teen now spots a young man with black hair, a black hoodie with the mockery of the top half of a tuxedo, black jeans, and black hush puppy shoes. Raising an eyebrow at the teen, Wendy simply nods.
"You know where I would rather be right now?" The boy continues. "At home, playing my guitar while I catch a few flicks on tv. Instead my mom didn't want me to miss this dance so she forced me out of the house. I told her if I had to come, I'm wearing what I want to wear to this thing."
"So she didn't object to you wearing that?" Wendy asks, adding into the conversation.
"Nah, as long as I was out of the house, she had no objections." The boy replies. "By the way, my name is Robbie and I believe we have the same math class together with Mrs. Morello. Awesome teacher isn't she?"
"I guess." Wendy cracks a small smile. "My name is Wendy, Wendy Corduroy."
"Nice to meet you Wendy." Robbie politely says. "So what's with the dress?"
"My aunt made it for me just to come to this thing." Wendy replies. "She wanted to make me something 'special' just for this dance, but I hate wearing this more than being here. Dresses, make up, heels, not my thing!"
"I can tell." Robbie observes. "You look uncomfortable wearing that."
"That's because I am." Wendy laughs. "I'd love more than anything to get back into my normal clothes and do what I want to do."
"I hear ya." Robbie nods.
Looking towards the dance floor, Robbie notices the happy couples dancing. While dancing was not his or Wendy's thing, an idea suddenly comes to the boy's mind.
"So, even though we both don't want to be here, but were forced here against our will, do you maybe want to dance or something?" Robbie suggests, now turning back to Wendy. "You know, have a bad time together?"
Seeing the smirk on Robbie's face, Wendy musters up a full laugh and nods.
"Sure." Wendy agrees. "Let's have a bad time together. I guess while I'm wearing this dress, I might as well put it to good use."
Getting to his feet, Robbie extends his hand out to Wendy. Placing her right hand into his welcoming hand, Wendy is helped to her feet and lead out to the dance floor. Despite how uncomfortable her dress is, how bad her heels are hurting her feet, and how much the war paint smeared across her face is making her face itch, the worst night of her life has now become the best night of her life. Leaning her head on his left shoulder, Robbie wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer as the two slow dances to the slow song the DJ has begun playing. That moment couldn't be more perfect.
End of Flashback
The song streaming from her music player now enters into the second verse, the previous memory still swirling around in her mind. Cracking a small smile, the teen had to admit, that was the one memory that changed her 14 year old life. Being at the worst event in history and then meeting the one guy that changed her life at that event she was forced to attend, like a princess waiting for her prince to come along and whisk her away into a fairytale romance. That's how she can describe that night, with Robbie being her night and shining armor.
The memory now fades with another one moving to the forefront of the teen's mind, this one having taken place on the first day of high school.
Gravity Falls High School (9th Grade)
Middle school was over and the now fifteen year old Wendy found herself in a new school and in her eyes, a strange place. Everyone she met and made alliances with back in junior high were attending another high school far from where she was now attending. Sure she would talk to them after school and on the weekends, but what good was being at place where you knew no one? She felt like an alien in this strange land and without a guide to find her way around, she was bound to run into some kind of trouble. Now walking to her locker with her back pack full of books, Wendy reads over the instructions and the combination to open her new locker.
"Two lefts stop at 34, one right at 51, and then stop at 6." Wendy says to herself. "Seems easy enough."
Putting the slip of paper back in her jeans pocket, Wendy begins working the combination lock on her locker. Now reaching the last number, Wendy pulls on the lever to open the locker only for it to remain tightly shut!
"What the-?" Wendy expresses, continuing to pull on the locker hoping it would open. Feeling that the locker is remaining tightly shut, the auburn haired girl sighs in frustration.
"Great first day!" Wendy fumes, slamming her fist into the locker. "My locker hates me!"
"Yea, these things can be tricky." A familiar masculine voice speaks to her. Knowing who the voice belongs to, a smile forms on the girl's face as she turns to the owner.
"Robbie?" Wendy nearly screams with excitement. "I thought your dad got transferred out of state and that you moved away."
"He did, but he got a transferred back in town a day ago so here I am." Robbie replies with a small smile. "So you got the tricky locker I see. Yea, mine was not so friendly this morning either."
"Seems like it." Wendy nods. "So how did you get yours open?"
"Like this." Robbie answers, now banging his left fist in the center of the locker. The door to the locker now opens with ease. "There you go."
"Thanks Robbie." Wendy smiles as she places her back pack in the locker and shuts it. "I just hate when I have to fight with these things you know."
"Tell me about it." Robbie agrees. "So what's your first class?"
"Geography." Wendy answers, now remembering that her schedule is in her backpack, but even worse, in her backpack in her trouble locker! "I don't know what room my class is in because I left my schedule in my back pack! Oh man, now I'm going to have to fight with that locker again to get to my schedule!"
"Don't sweat it because I have the same class with you." Robbie lightly laughs. "I'll show you the way."
"Thanks a lot." Wendy smiles with relief. "What would I do without you?"
Returning the smile to the girl, Robbie places an arm around her as the two begins down the hall.
"So how are we going to get my locker open before lunch?" Wendy inquires to her longtime friend. "It's going to be stubborn like when I first tried to open it."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure to always be there to open it for you." Robbie promises as the two continue down the hall.
"You are awesome." Wendy says, now leaning her head on his shoulder as the two continue to their Geography class together.
End of Flashback
Those were the good days, the days where she met a great guy that did everything he could to make her happy and bring a smile to her face, even if at the time they were just great friends. Those are memories that she will cherish forever, but what happened to this great guy? Where did it all go wrong and make him change from the guy she met at 14 and asked her out at the mystery fair last year? What made him begin lie to her like he did?
As the song continues onto the third verse, a memory of lesser fondness now replaces the good memories of when the two first met, a memory that not too long ago took place this summer of 2013.
Friday Night Two Weeks Ago
Wendy's shift had just ended at the shack and she and Robbie made plans to go to the newest movie that had just opened that night. She has been excited about seeing the movie since seeing the commercials that constantly streamed on television about it. Having called her boyfriend on her break at work to make sure their plans were still a go that night, she didn't reach him. Taking it as he was readying himself that night, she brushed it off and waited until her shift ended to try and reach him so they can go see the movie. Now that her shift was over, she has called him three times and with each call, there was no answer on his end. The movie started at 7pm and he said he'd be there to pick her up at 6:30pm sharp, so what was keeping him?
This was the third month into their relationship and as her father once told her, most men normally show their true colors by the third month into a relationship. Changes will come about that will have her questioning why she even decided to date him. As much as she didn't want to admit it or even let those words play in her mind right then, she is seeing firsthand what her father was talking about. She started seeing changes in Robbie long before the third month, but yet, when the third month came around, the small changes she noticed turned into big changes, big changes that did have her questioning a lot about her relationship with him. He became negligent, purposely forgetful, and emotionally distant. It felt to her that he didn't care about the relationship, but yet wanted to keep her around for his own selfish reasons.
For each moment she waited for him to call her back, time seemed like it slowed down dramatically and the more she waited on him, the more time was being wasted. Still sitting behind the counter in the mystery shop with her cell phone next to her, the teen decided to head home. If Robbie hadn't called her by now, it didn't look like he was going to so why wait by the phone if he wasn't by his?
After this day, this is where her relationship with Robbie became strained. The changes that she saw in him, but denied admitting to herself, were there. While Wendy isn't one to get overly emotional about things such as this, it did hurt her to experience him standing her up on a date that he set up with her. However like her father, Wendy was good about holding her emotions in and right now, that's exactly what she was going to do. She was not about to let him get the better of her, but the next time she saw him, she was not going to let him off that easy!
End of Flashback
The song 'Time Passages' now comes to an end with Wendy removing her ear buds and getting into seating position on her bed. Now that she had a chance to mentally go back in time, the analysis of her relationship with Robbie has been made. With how he changed from the guy he used to be from their first meeting is the guy she misses. He did everything for her from showing up at her residence to walk her to school every day to coming to her job to visit her, despite Stan's protests. She really misses that guy before he became who is at this moment in time. Why did he change? What made him change? Why did he hurt her? Why couldn't he remain the same? So many questions, but no answers for any of them!
(It was late in December, the sky turned to snow,
All round the day was going down slow,
Night like a river beginning to flow,
I felt the beat of my mind go,
Drifting into time passages,
Years go falling in the fading light,
Time passages,
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight)
They danced the night away at the eighth grade spring fling she was forced to attend by her father and despite the horrible dress she was wearing, she was having the time of her life thanks to one guy who came and swept her off her feet.
(Well I'm not the kind to live in the past,
The years run too short and the days too fast,
The things you lean on are the things that don't last,
Well it's just now and then my line gets cast into these,
Time passages,
There's something back here that you left behind,
Oh time passages,
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight)
Despite the locker that gave her issues that morning in that strange new place without anyone she previously met in junior high school, one guy made her first day one she will never forget and even shared his geography book with her thanks to hers being a prisoner in her trouble locker!
(Hear the echoes and feel yourself starting to turn,
Don't know why you should feel,
That there's something to learn,
It's just a game that you play)
The day she never saw coming, he stood her up on their first official date! They made plans to see the popular new movie that opened that night and she was so excited to go see it with him, but he never showed up or bothered to call and apologize for standing her up that night! She called him to see what his status was several times throughout the day, but she never heard from him! Despite how badly it hurt her to experience this, she was not willing to let him get the best of her, but thanks to him their date was ruined because he was negligent to her and her feelings!
(Well the picture is changing,
Now you're part of a crowd,
They're laughing at something,
And the music's loud,
A girl comes towards you,
You once used to know,
You reach out your hand,
But you're all alone, in these,
Time passages,
I know you're in there, you're just out of sight,
Time passages,
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight.)
The night the two went to look out point, the night where her young friend, Dipper Pines, helped her see the guy Robbie V truly was, is when the void was made in her heart. The lying, the negligence, everything, it all had to stop right then and there! He claimed to have wrote her a song only to later find out that he plagiarized that song from another artist! That lying jerk! For a moment she actually believed that he wrote that song for her and found it sweet, but when she found out the truth, she couldn't forgive him after that! She couldn't forgive him for anything that he's done anymore and that's when those words were spoke: We're through! Good-bye!
The night she returned home crying from having to speak the words that tore her heart to pieces, she was truly done with Robbie V! He went from prince charming to a frog over the course of three years and even to this day when she thinks about what she said to him, it still hurt! But in the long run, she saved herself a lot of agony and distress. However, she can't help but think about the friend that helped her see her now ex-boyfriend for who he truly was. Dipper, Dipper Pines is his name. When she thinks about the chocolate haired boy and the cute pine tree hat he wears, she can't help but smile. If only Dipper were her age, she'd give him a chance. Out of all of the guys she has met, Dipper was different and definitely mature for his age, and despite their age gap, she knows that he is the one guy that is willing to go to great lengths for her. After what happened at lookout point, he proved that beyond a doubt! No other guy has ever done that for her or showed her how much they cared for her like Dipper did.
Time is one cruel mistress as she has put her and Dipper ages apart, thus slimming the chances the two could have of being together, but she had no complaints. Being friends with him was better than nothing. While yet another boyfriend came and went, Wendy knows that Dipper would always be there for her no matter what the circumstances. If only he were a bit older, she'd proudly walk around town with him on her arm and even though she not one for fairy tale romances, deep down, she is looking for her happy ending.
Turning to the clock on her desk, Wendy notices that the time reads 2pm, a half hour until her shift at the Mystery Shack begins. Smiling, Wendy grabs her hat and places it on, knowing that during her shift, that familiar pine tree hat that sits atop the head of her young friend will be there to put a smile on her face. She is more than looking very forward to work today!
While various objects around the room reminded her of Robbie, it isn't too late to make new memories with someone new. Looking to the framed picture of her and Dipper at the mystery fair that was taken after he won her that stuffed animal, a small tear of happiness escapes from her right eye.
No, it's never too late and despite his young age, she would rather make happy memories with him even if they remain just friends.
2-5-19-20 6-18-9-5-14-4-19 1-18-5 6-15-18-5-22-5-18!
Well everyone, here is another Wendy/Dipper one-shot. I was given this idea by author Mon-ra, who suggested a timeline of the ex-couple's relationship growth through the years so thank you for that and here it is*smiles*. I'm not exactly sure what the next fic here will be, but I guarantee that you all will love it as I always stick to my word and deliver my best! The song "Time Passages" that was used in this fic is by artist Al Stewart. It's an oldie, but a goodie and fits this fic just right for the content! Well, if nothing else,
Review Please!