Day 2- Velma Pit… stop! – part 4
The ride to Pitstop Manor was silent and peaceful – except for the absurd thoughts that appeared inside Velma's head, making her notice the physical beauty of her friend Fred Jones. Velma tried her best to get rid of such thoughts, not only because Fred was her friend and her friend's boyfriend, but also because those thoughts confirmed what Daphne had said about her. At the mansion, Daphne and Fred said goodbye and promised to return later to help her fix the Compact Pussycat's mileage.
During the day, the mansion was not scary. There were no mysterious noises around, no doors moving by themselves, nor signs that a ghost was lurking around. Thus, Velma felt ok to walk through the corridors and get to know better the place where she would have to stay for the next few days. At the third floor, Velma shuddered to see Penelope's room unlocked. The same room was locked the night before, Daphne said Penelope had locked it herself, and Marcie was not succesful when she tried to open the door. When she entered the room, Velma saw the messy bed, the open closets and drawers, and other clues that she used that room a few hours ago. It was scary to not have memories of dressing in that bedroom, but it was a big clue that Velma was not changing her behavior conciously. "Come on, Velma, react! Show up, wherever you are!", she thought. But she didn't get any signs of herself. Instead, she grabbed a Vogue magazine off the shelf and threw herself down in the bed, to see some fashionable looks.
To Velma's surprise, when she opened the magazine, she didn't find any fashionable look. There were no articles about fashion, nor about cosmetics… instead, she found several scientific articles, and soon she recognized that content. "Hey, this is Nature magazine!", she exclaimed. "But why the hell would a girl like Penelope have a Nature magazine? And hide it behind the cover of a Vogue magazine?". Velma tried to flip through the articles, but none of them caused interest on her, and soon she threw the magazine away. On an impulse of self-assertion, she retrieved the same magazine and insisted on reading - to wake up the sleeping Velma inside her -, but in the fourth line of an article about artificial intelligence, she gave up again. And she sighed, because she felt the article was boring and uninteresting. Against her will, her body walked to the shelf again, eager for another Vogue magazine, but when she opened it, she discovered another hidden Nature magazine. And the same happened with all the magazines available, until she started getting the books and discovered that, unfortunately, they also had fake covers. The Twilight saga was, in fact, Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir books, Harry Potter was a collection of Greek philosophy, and Fifty Shades of Grey were mechanical engeneering books.
Inside the last book – a fake Jojo Moyes cover hiding a Stephen Hawking book – Velma found the biggest surprise: photos of Sylvester Sneekly. Not only ordinary photos, taken during events and during family moments, but photos of all kinds: a copy of Sylvester's driver's license, Sylvester's passport photo, photos taken from newspapers and magazines, a photo torn from Sylvester´s yearbook, and even pictures of Sylvester sleeping, or in situations in which he clearly wasn´t aware that he was being photographed. The last photo showed Penelope and Sylvester hugging each other and smiling, and several hearts were drawn around them using a pink pen. "Jinkies! Seems like Penelope has a secret!", Velma inevitably exclaimed – and the exclamation made her happy, since it showed the real Velma was still inside her. On the following pages, more surprises: folded papers full of calculations and scientific projects, certificates of courses in robotics, physics and technology, secret diaries and… many love letters from an obsessed teenager who was secretly in love with her tutor, Sylvester Sneekly, but he had no interest in her. "Well, certainly, Penelope isn't the kind of girl I thought she was… and, certainly, that crime didn't happen exactly in the way the media reported it… she wasn't attacked and he wasn't obsessed with her…", she concluded ."So… if Penny isn't who I thought she was, the only reason I'm becoming who I thought she was is: I'm really doing it because I want it… not because of a curse, or a possession, or something like that…it makes no sense that Sylvester´s soul is doing it with me if he didn´t have any romantic interest on her…", she thought. And she got very disappointed, because she didn't want Daphne, Madelyn and the others to be right about her new personality.
"It must be terrible to hide who you really are and live a public lie for years", Velma vented while she gathered the secret papers and photos and put them in their hidden place. Those words were also about her. Maybe she was living a lie during her whole life, being the smart girl outside the beauty standards. Maybe she was like the popular girls she criticized, but she never had the courage to admit it. And now the courage to be who she really was appeared for some reason. Was the reason her friendship with Daphne? Or the contact with Penelope? After all, the real Penelope and the new Velma were very similar in their simultaneous passions for science and fashion. "Maybe Penelope pulled some unconscious trigger?", she thought. However, when Velma was about to be sure of her voluntary change, the phone rang to sow some doubts.
Mrs. Mertens: Hello… please, I would like to speak with Madelyn's sister… it's Velma, right?
Velma: Yes, that's her… what happened to Madelyn?
Mrs. Mertens: Hmm…that´s exactly what we´re trying to understand… your little sister has been locked in our bathroom crying her eyes out for more than an hour, and she is saying she wants to take her own life, we don't know what to do! In fact, we fear for her… maybe someone in the family can help...
Or, perhaps, the reason behind her change was the odd fact that a cocky brat like Madelyn was crying in a bathroom and wanting to take her own life: something very bizarre was really going on.
Velma: Honey, give me your location and I'll be there in ten minutes, ok?
When Velma received the location, she left Pitstop Manor at high speed. There were advantages of being like Penelope, after all: instead of ten, she arrived in five minutes.
Mrs. Mertens: So glad you came, Velma... well, we hired Maddie and Luan Loud's magic services for our son's bday party, but for some reason, Maddie failed all her magic tricks during the show... we didn´t blame her, but she got extremely frustrated and had a crisis… unfortunately, the kids and Luan weren't very nice with her, maybe that's why she doesn't want to leave the bathroom… come on, I'll show you the way…
At the bathroom door, Velma wasn't very nice either.
Velma: Madelyn, get out of this bathroom right now, before I kick this door and pull you out!
Velma's southern accent and her menacing tone made Madelyn open the door immediately and wipe her eyes. Instead of leaving, she pulled Velma into the bathroom and locked the door again. Inside, she looked at her sister in continued crying.
Madelyn: You were right, ok? In other words, you're right! Something very bizarre is going on, you and I are totally strangers right now, and I'm desperate because I don't know what to do! I don't know how to be myself anymore, Velma, I don't know how to be me again!
Velma: Madelyn, honey, stay calm…
Madelyn: CALM? I totally screwed up all magic tricks in front of all middle school kids... I am a joke at that school now, Luan hates me and fired me from her show, and my reputation was ruined forever!
Velma: What do you mean by screweing up your magic tricks? You don't do anything else in your life, honey!
Madelyn: Yeah! I did everything right, I trained a million times, I even consulted the magic books and videos, and I still screw the trick in the end! There is no logical explanation for this, I do the same things I always do, but the result is simply different and the trick doesn't work! And everyone says I'm doing it on purpose, BUT I'M NOT!
Madelyn was crying and shaking like a small child. Velma felt very sorry for her and hugged her.
Velma: Look, honey, I don't know what's going on with us both, but I believe in you, ok? I feel that way too, even though I have no idea what's going on... but we will find out and solve it…
Velma's words made her stop crying, and she hugged her big sis tightly. Then, she broke the hug and looked at Velma with a small smile on her lips.
Madelyn: Yeah, seems like we're really weird, under normal conditions we would never hug and support each other like this…
Velma: That's the good thing about being weird, honey...
Madelyn: But what are we going to do? No one will believe us!
Velma: Well, first, let's get out of this bathroom, ok?
Velma: Now, stay here at home until mom and dad come, ok honey? Don't try any kind of Magic trick, nor talk to anyone. I have to stay at Pitstop Manor, otherwise, I won't get the money… but by dinner time I'll be back… I'll need your alibi again to deceive mom… and I'd like you to sleep with me there tonight, we can look around the manor and try to find some clue about what's going on… I don't know, maybe that house has some kind of hallucinogenic fungus on the walls, and we got intoxicated, something like that…
When Velma and Madelyn said goodbye at Dinkley house´s door, Velma's cellphone rang and Daphne's face appeared on the screen. Velma sighed before answering the call.
Daphne: JEEPERS, WHAT THE HELL, VELMA! WHERE ARE YOU NOW? WILL I HAVE TO PASTE YOU HERE AT THE MANSION?
Velma: Hold on, sweetie, Madelyn had a problem and I came to help her, I'll be there in five minutes!
Velma ended the call before receiving a response. Then, she arrived in five minutes.
Daphne: I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU´VE USED THIS CAR AGAIN, VELMAAAAA! IT'S OK TO BE A NEW PERSON, BUT NEXT TIME JUST USE ANY OTHER CAR IN THAT GARAGE!
Velma got out of the car ignoring her friend's rage attack and briefly greeted Fred Jones, who was ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶s̶o̶m̶e̶ visibly embarrassed with his girlfriend's behavior.
Velma: First of all, it was an emergency! Madelyn needed my help, ok? And second, darling, I DON'T WANT TO BE A NEW PERSON!
The threatening tone in which Velma responded – and prompted Daphne to continue the discussion – made Fred feel more uncomfortable, and he signaled that he was going to park the Compact Pussycat and start the mileage change procedures. Daphne rolled her eyes and sighed, showing that she didn't believe her friend.
Velma: Look, honey, I don't care if you believe me or not, I have clues that something weird is going on!
Daphne: The big clue is your denial, right? You refuse to admit that you are doing these things, and this is the big evidence…?
Velma: No, honey, Madelyn is changing too, she screwed up her magic show today and she just lost her job!
Daphne: Oh, sure! The big evidence is the failure of a perfectionist 12-year-old girl who can't handle any kind of frustration!
Velma: Daphne, there is no logical explanation for what is going on with us! Don't you realize that the very fact that I, Velma Dinkley, am saying that there is no logical explanation, is because something is wrong! It's this house! I don't know, these walls must have some hallucinogenic fungus, or the wallpaper must be old and have neurotoxic substances, it's the energy of the crime that happened here… I don't know! But it's this damn house! Everything started here!
Velma was so angry and desperate that she raised her voice and waited fher friend to reply with the same anger. But, instead, Daphne hugged her silently, and held her until she calmed down.
Daphne: Look, I know it's hard to change, ok? It's a hard time for you... but try to normalize the process and not put the blame on external causes... the more you think the changes are a problem, the harder it will be to change...
Velma didn´t feel like going on with that discussion, so she sighed and shut up. It was useless to argue, or to try to explain what she was going through. Only Madelyn understood her, because she was feeling the same. Finally, Daphne ended the discussion, thinking that her words had had some positive effect on her friend. Then, they chatted for a few minutes until Fred announced that he had finished the mileage process. When Velma finally ̶g̶o̶t̶ ̶r̶i̶d̶ ̶o̶f̶ said goodbye to them, she felt a little relief. Alone in the mansion, she was free to be the awkward person she was – and she could also investigate why the hell she was being that awkward person.
Unfortunately, Velma's investigation wasn't very productive for her purpose. While searching at Penelope's room, at the crime scene and at the library, she only found more evidence that Penelope was a genius - and a very nerdy - girl hidden inside a popular-girl appearance, probably imposed by her parents. At each clue, Velma felt sadder, not only because of the way Penelope lived, but because she questioned if she herself wasn´t living in such way for years, pretending to be someone she wasn't. Finally, the search made her feel exhausted, and Velma decided to curl up on guest room´s bed to rest. However, instead of peace, the restless sleep full of vivid dreams made her feel more tired.
In the first dream, Velma left the mansion with the Compact Pussycat and met Judy and the other girls at the club. Then, they went to the mall to buy clothes, and after shopping, Josie took Velma to the beauty parlor to have her nails done and dye her hair blonde. In the second dream, Velma and the girls went to Josie's house to dress for the party, and while they were doing it, they kept making short bullying videos mocking poor Alexandra. In the third dream, Velma danced and drank a lot with the girls at Judy's party, while ignoring messages from Shaggy and Madelyn on her cell phone. In the fourth dream, she and the girls took a lot of pictures together, and after a dance with Jared Herring, Velma kissed him. In the fifth and final dream, Velma's cell phone rang and she finally woke up. When she looked at the cell phone screen, she saw Madelyn's face and immediately answered.
Madelyn: WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?
Velma couldn't answer the questions. She only knew she was blonde, using make up, wearing a short pink dress with high heels, she was in a huge modern house full of drunk people, and a complete stranger was holding her hand and pulling her close to kiss him. Also, it was 3:40 in the morning and her head was hurting a lot.
Velma: Madelyn! I… I… I have no idea! I… I was at the mansion… and now… I don't know where I am, or how I got here… oh no, it's happening again!
Velma lost control and started crying. Her attitude made Jared get worried, so he asked her what was going on – and she immediately released herself from his hand and ran to the nearest bathroom. Madelyn's silence on the line showed that she believed her sister and sympathized with her, even so, her nervous sighs showed that she was very angry.
Madelyn: What the hell, Velma, you're at Judy's! You took about three hundred pictures there and posted them on your social networks, ALL THE CITY KNOWS YOU'RE THERE, DAMMIT! GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE IMMEDIATELY AND DELETE THESE PHOTOS, YOU ARE LUCKY THAT MOM AND DAD ARE SLEEPING!
The first – and shameful – photo on her Instagram proved that Madelyn was right. Velma felt so sick that she couldn't even look at the other photos – nor see who had seen and liked them. To her dismay, Josie and Melody knocked on the bathroom door, asking if she was ok, and once again she broke down in tears.
Velma: Madelyn, take me out of here, please! I don't know how to go home!
Madelyn: Sure, do you want me to drive you home? Or I should bring you back in my bike basket? I'M 12 YEARS OLD, JERK, HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS? NOW, TAKE THIS MILLIONAIRE CAR AND GET YOUR ASS OUT IMMEDIATELY!
Madelyn's anger faded when she realized the state of deep confusion Velma was in: She couldn´t even find Compact Pussycat´s keys. Judy had joined the other girls in an attempt to get Velma out of that bathroom, and that made Velma's crying more desperate.
Madelyn: I'm at Alexandra and Josie´s house, it's in the same condominium as Judy´s, about six houses away. Stay where you are and we'll get you... try to control yourself and don't do anything stupid...
Velma agreed. And, at the same moment, she despaired. After all, controlling herself was the one thing she couldn´t do.
