Norman was tired.
Just, tired of it all.
He was tired of hearing his family complain about him.
He was tired of his classmates making fun of him.
He was tired of the towns people looking at him weird.
He just wished that it would all stop.
So, he figured he would leave, no one wanted him anyways.
The night before he would leave he packed his things in his school backpack and left a note on his nightstand in case if someone decided to check on him, though he doubted anyone would.
He didn't know where he would go, or if he would stay with anyone. Heck, maybe he could just pitch a tent in the woods. He'll just figure that out later.
...
Norman got up and got ready like he was going to school as usual, but when he left his house, he went in the exact opposite direction.
He walked with his head down, maybe no one would notice him for once.
Well there is a issue with walking with your head down.
You don't see around you as well.
"Norman, watch out!"
Norman stopped short a bit too late because in just a second both himself and a boy in a blue pine tree hat were on the ground.
"Norman? Oh, sorry man. I wasn't paying attention."
Norman looked up at Mabel, who was the one who tried to warn him, and Dipper who apparently had been walking with his nose in his usual red leather bound journal.
"It's, fine Dipper. I wasn't either." Norman stood up and offered a hand to Dipper, who took it.
"So Norman, what are you doing walking this way? School is that way." Mabel asked before gasping. "Are you finally going to ask Dipper to walk to school with you!? I could run ahead if you want to be alone with him!"
Norman looked away to avoid Mabel seeing him blush. "I- no. I was just going this way instead, just trying something different." It isn't like Dipper likes me anyways...
Dipper looked at him questionably. "But Mabel and I take this way because it is the only way to school from that direction."
"We won't know for certain if no one tries though right?"
"We have tried, several times. Norman what's up?"
"Nothing is up. I am just going this way and I will see you two later." Norman walked around the twins leaving them looking at each other confused.
...
Norman had set up a little tent close to the edge of the woods. Not to far in to where you would get lost, but just deep enough to where it was kind of obscured by foliage.
It was quiet.
Very quiet.
Until a ghost showed up.
The ghost had graying hair that poked out of his black top hat, and a short mustache. He wore a long black jacket that had a cut clean through the side of as if he was stabbed...which he could have been.
"Why Norman Babcock? What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be at school." He spoke with a posh British accent.
"Not today sir, I am setting up my new home."
"I do say, this is a smaller home than what you are used to!"
"Yes but it will work. I am not going back."
"Whatever you say boy, but you will miss it."
"No I won't sir. And even if I did, no one else would care."
"But Norman, don't you have those friends? You call yourselves the Mystery kids do you not?"
Norman paused looking down. "They don't care sir. I am a freak, why would they care?"
...
After school, Coraline walked along the forest trails looking for any signs of Norman.
When Norman didn't show up for first period, Dipper instantly voiced his worries, and by lunch the rest of the mystery kids had formed a plan to find him.
Dipper and Mabel would check in the town while Wybie and Neil would check his house. Coraline would be left with the woods, though she promised to stick to the paths, for the most part. They would meet back in a couple hours at the front of the diner.
Coraline was considering heading to the diner when she heard someone talking.
...To nothing.
That's him.
Coraline followed the voice through the bushes till she spotted a simple tent with a red hooded boy sitting in front of it, probably talking to a ghost.
"I am fine here sir... My parents wouldn't worry about it... Why would anyone worry about it?"
"Because we care about you Babcock." Coraline walked out of the bushes crossing her arms.
Norman looked up at her quickly, surprise written across his face. "Coraline? What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing Babcock. You really worried the others, not to mention me."
Norman looked at her confused. "Really, why?"
Coraline sighed and sat herself down next to Norman. "Well, if someone like, a close friend or a relative goes missing, it tends to raise questions in people like, are you okay?" She looked at Norman, expecting a answer.
"I'm fine... how are you?"
"Babcock do not, turn this around at me. I know something is wrong with you, I want to know what it is."
"Nothing, it really is nothing Coraline. I am just going to stay in this tent for awhile."
Coraline's expression softened a bit. "Norman, you know you can tell me anything right?"
Norman looked down. "I know that. I just don't want to talk about anything right now."
Coraline looked at the simple set up around her. "So, this is your place right now? Looks small."
"Well, it is just me so I don't need much."
"Reminds me of when I tried to run away once."
"You tried to run away?"
Coraline nodded. "I wasn't happy with my parents, they always seemed to ignore me, so, I ran away. I soon found it lonely though, I ended up missing stuff I never thought I would miss like my dad's cooking or my mom's lame attitude; I was actually only gone for a day... I was nine."
Norman thought for a second. "It is very quiet."
Coraline nodded. "That, it is."
"Are the others actually worried about me?"
"Why wouldn't they be?"
"...Because I am weird."
"Norman, you saw how the others reacted, they loved it, especially Dipper."
"But he is just like that. He, probably sees me as some crazy thing he needs to solve..."
"...He, was actually the first one to be worried about you."
Norman looked up at Coraline, his cheeks tinged red. "Really?"
"Of course, I mean, he probably thinks of you two as more than friends."
Norman's face grew even redder. "You, mean..."
Coraline smiled. "There is only one way to find out right?"
"...I guess, I should probably pack up my camp then."
Coraline got up. "Good, I was running out of ideas."
Norman nodded and started taking down his tent; he didn't want to disappoint Dipper.