Day 3 – Pitstopped

Half an hour later, virtual assistant Rosie announced that a skinny girl with glasses and a tall girl wearing a baseball cap had invaded the Jetsons' house. Immediately, Judy left the bathroom door where Velma was locked and walked towards the main door, to find out who were the intruders. But at the moment she reached the end of the hallway, she saw the image of Alexandra Cabot purposely knocking Rosie off the shelf. Madelyn Dinkley got frightened by her friend's attitude, but she continued to follow her anyway.

Judy: What do you think you're doing? This virtual assistant costs a fortune!

Alexandra: Oh, I´m sorry! Don't worry, Josie will pay for it… ask her to use the fucking money she gets from THE MONETIZED VIDEOS ABOUT ME!

When Alexandra raised her voice, all the party guests fell silent and looked at her. Judy also fell silent and moved out of Alexandra's way, who continued to walk determinedly towards the bathroom where Velma was.

Josie: What are you doing here? Nobody invited you!

Instead of a reply, Alexandra glared at her, kicked the door hard and broke the lock. The attitude made Judy shudder and made Josie retreat, fearing she would be the next victim. Without delay, Alexandra grabbed Velma by the wrist and dragged her out of the bathroom – and no one dared to stop her. When they were in the garden of the house, Josie ran after them with a cell phone in her hands and threatened Alexandra.

Josie: You can´t escape, I´ve filmed what you´ve done! The whole school will know about it! I will send this video to Mr. and Mrs. Jetson, they will tell your mother and you will be grounded at MY HOUSE forever!

Alexandra just stopped, turned, snatched the cell phone from Josie's hands and threw it into the pool. Her attitude scared the girls even more and Josie got in shock.

Alexandra: SHUT UP, JOSEPHINE! IT'S MY HOUSE TOO!

Alexandra's scream made everyone shut up and look at them again. Madelyn took the opportunity to grab her sister and her friend by their wrists and pulled them both towards the front gate. The way back to McCoy mansion (which was also Alexandra's home) occurred in silence, with Alexandra walking quickly in front and the Dinkley sisters following her. When they arrived at the mansion´s main room, they passed by Alexandra's twin brother, who was playing video games.

Alexander: It's 4:30 am, mom is going to kill you...

Alexandra: You're awake too, jerk!

Alexander: But I'm home!

Alexandra: Of course you are, you have no social life outside the Playstation 5!

Alexander: Where's Josie? Mr. McCoy will be disappointed with you if you don't know where she is!

Alexandra: Josie is not my problem!

Alexandra ran up the stairs as silently as possible, and she was followed by both sisters. When she arrived in her room, she locked the door and threw herself into an armchair. Despite her heroic rescue and her energetic responses, she seemed fragile and unhappy. Velma noticed that she was avoiding her, as if she was hurt by something, so she tried to intervene.

Velma: Thanks so much for helping me, dear…

Alexandra: That was not for you, you don't deserve it! You're a bitch just like Josie! I´ve done that for Madelyn… and for me…

Before any further explanation, Alexandra removed the baseball cap she was wearing and revealed that all of her long black hair had turned white. Velma couldn't hide the astonishment she felt.

Alexandra: Yeah, I´m strange too, I woke up like this today… that damn white streak got worse! I've tried to dye my hair several times, but the dye didn´t change the color! So I had to use my brother's cap to disguise it and not be bullied... but you and your stupid friends thought my cap was funny too...

Velma: Aww, sweetie, that's great!

Alexandra: Great? It´s not great to look like a 92-year-old!

Velma: No, I'm not talking about your hair, honey, I'm talking about the bizarre event that changed your hair! Maddie and I woke up feeling very weird after sleeping in that house, and now you're the proof that something really unusual happened there and we were affected!

Madelyn: Yeah, I´ve already told her that and she agreed, but you were a total bitch to her few hours ago and now she thinks your behavior is caused by Josie's influence...

While speaking, Madelyn was going through Velma's cell phone and deleting all the photos, videos and posts she had made in the last few hours. Alexandra didn't confirm what was said, but when she looked away and sighed, Velma understood that she was upset.

Velma: Alexandra, honey, I've never treated you badly! I´ve never made fun of your white streak, nor have I done anything to hurt you! I´ve never been friends with these girls, I have never felt like dressing in this way and going to parties! Don't you realize the fact that I'm acting like stupid Penelope Pitstop is something completely unusual?

Alexandra: What? Penelope isn't such a bitch, you don't even know her! She's not those girls´ friend, they just put up with each other and go to the same places... everything I´ve done at the party is just what she has done last year, that's how she treated Josie and the girls when they bullied me at the ball, Josie is afraid of her... so, you're not acting like Penny, you're acting like the way you think Penny acts...

The hatred that gave tone to Alexandra's words started an uncomfortable silence. Velma felt even more uncomfortable, since the evidence she had found at Pitstop Manor confirmed exactly what Alexandra said. Madelyn put her sister's phone away for a moment and tried to break the tension between the girls.

Madelyn: ...I've also told Velma about it, but she thinks that her sudden behavior change is due to some factor inside that mansion... and being honest, Alex, that makes perfect sense... it doesn't matter if Velma is behaving like the real Penelope or like the Penelope she idealizes, the fact is that her behavior is unusual and it happened after she slept in that manor!

Velma: Yes, the mansion is the only explanation for all of this! It's the only common factor between us three, and all the effects we're experiencing have started right after we spent the night there!

Alexandra sighed and rolled her eyes, but she agreed with the Dinkley sisters.

Alexandra: But what could have caused these effects? Don't tell me it was Sylvester Sneekly's ghost, because it´s a little hard to believe...

Velma: No, I don't think it's something supernatural, darling! I mean... well, I confess that last night I witnessed strange things there and I thought it was a ghost, but now I'm sure that's not the reason behind our problems because...

Velma wanted to share the secret information she had found, but she hesitated. Then, she thought she should not spread the secrets she herself shouldn't know.

Velma: …because… because we have physical symptoms that something is happening! Look at your hair, dear... maybe we were exposed to radioactivity... or some kind of toxin coming from a fungus, or from the wood and the wallpaper in the walls...

Alexandra: Yeah, I think you're right... but what can we do about it?

Velma: Well, first we have to find out the cause, honey... we need to go there and investigate... I drove to Judy's house, so let´s go there and get Compact Pussycat, I'll take you to Pitstop Manor!

In a natural impulse, Velma got up and groped her own pockets for the Compact Pussycat´s keys, but she couldn't find it. In panic, she searched inside her purse and couldn't find it either. Then, she turned the bag over, spread all her belongings on Alexandra's bed and searched desperately, without success.

Velma: OH NO! I LOST COMPACT PUSSYCAT´S KEYS!

Velma had such an intense panic attack that even Alexandra sympathized with her.

Alexandra: Hey, calm down, it must be at Judy's house, we'll find it!

Velma was crying so much that Alexandra decided to dial Melody's number and ask for information about the missing key. At the same moment, Madelyn put her hands over her mouth and looked at her sister in shock. Velma wiped away her tears, but the despair she felt was so deep that she couldn't stop crying.

Velma: Daphne will hate me for this! Penny will hate me for this! I HATE MYSELF for this!

Instead of saying words of comfort, Madelyn continued looking at her sister with an expression of astonishment, until Velma asked why.

Madelyn: Uhhh... I don't think they're the only ones who hate you, Vel... Shaggy unfollowed you on all his social networks, and I think he has blocked you...

Velma snatched the cell phone from her sister's hands to check the veracity of that information, and when she realized that Madelyn was telling the truth, she cried more.

Alexandra: Hey, don't worry! They´ve already found the keys and Peter is coming here to bring the car...

Madelyn: She's not crying about it anymore... I mean, not only about it... Shaggy blocked her... I think he saw the pictures of her at the party with Jared Herring...

Alexandra hugged her friend tenderly, trying to calm her down.

Alexandra: Calm down, one problem at a time, okay? We will find out the reason for all these events, and as soon as we do it, we will be able to reverse it... then, we will explain to everyone what happened, and I´m sure Shaggy will understand you´ve never meant to do it... and Luan will understand that Maddie didn´t want to ruin the magic show... as you´ve said, I'm the proof that something really happened at the mansion yesterday, so they can´t doubt us...

Velma sighed and agreed with her friend. Alexandra offered her a tissue to dry her tears.

Alexandra: In fact, the more proof we get, the better! Marcie also slept there with us... let's call her to see if anything strange happened to her today...

Madelyn: Uhhh... I think Marcie is another problem that we'll have to solve...

Alexandra: Why?

Madelyn: She blocked Velma too.