Chapter 9:
Shaggy watched Freddie leave, then shook himself.
Did he just say that he and Daphne were getting married?
No, actually he didn't. He said that he was going to ask Daphne to marry him... not that she would necessarily say yes. But still...
Why did this feel bad, somehow?
Shaggy was puzzled. When Fred first admitted that he wanted to propose to Daphne, Shaggy had been earnestly and 100 percent excited for him. But by the time Freddie left, a strange sadness had filled Shaggy.
Was it that deep down he didn't feel Fred and Daphne were right for each other? That was a very simple explanation. But it didn't seem like the answer-- somehow Shaggy and Velma and Scooby had all kind of assumed that their friends would get married eventually, even when they were kids. It seemed that for them not to get married would be far stranger and more wrong, especially now that there was an obligation...
So the problem wasn't a concern for his friends. As Shaggy searched himself, he realized he wasn't feeling sorry for anyone...
Except himself.
Shaggy wasn't worried about Fred; he was... jealous of him?
Oddly, that did feel right. But if Shaggy was jealous, what was he jealous for?
Daphne?
This idea seemed more alien than the ones Shaggy had just gotten used to working with. Still, he had to test it, to see if it were true, to rule out all possibilities. He tried to think clearly. Was there ever a moment of romance between them? A sweet laugh at one of his jokes, a magical "accidental" touch, a dance... anything? Well, what about appearance? Had Shaggy ever taken special notice of Daphne's hair, her eyes, her fashion sense?
No. He couldn't think of anything, and thinking about her more did not make her seem any more attractive. As honest as he was trying to be, Shaggy couldn't seriously picture Daphne as anything other than a really good friend.
His relief at this liberation was short-lived; sure, it was good to know he wasn't crushing on the girl his friend was going to marry, but now he had the frustration of sorting out his jealousy all over again.
Somehow, what really seemed to be the case was that Fred and Shaggy had each wanted something for a very long time. Fred was well on his way toward his dream; all that stood in the way was a one-syllable word from Daphne and he would have it. Yet somehow, it felt like Shaggy had wanted something for just as long, and just as desperately, and he was nowhere near having it. But what was it?
Giving up, and no longer possessing an appetite, Shaggy slid his five uneaten sandwiches to Scooby (a very eager recipient), stood up, and wandered out of the room.