Chapter One

Dipper watched her at the counter, selling another sucker one of the Mystery Shack's lame "souveniers" that didn't reflect Gravity Falls at all. She looked so amazing doing it, though, that the customer probably couldn't help but buy it.

"HEY!" came a voice from out of nowhere. Dipper shrieked and dropped the spray bottle he was holding. It was his sister, Mabel, her sweater blinding as always. "What were you looking at?" she questioned.

Dipper looked at Wendy out of the corner of his eye. "Nothing," he muttered, resuming his task of cleaning the cracked mirror in the corner. No matter how many times Grunkle Stan made him clean it, a layer of dust would always settle over it in a matter of minutes. The Mystery Shack might look clean, but it never actually was.

Mabel tapped his shoulder. "Were you looking at Weeeeeendy again?"

Dipper blushed madly and turned so Wendy wouldn't see. "Mabel, shut up."

Of course, this only made Mabel scream more. "I KNEW it! You LOVE her! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!" Mabel sang loudly.

Wendy looked over and laughed, oblivious. Of course, this made Dipper blush even more, and he sprayed Mabel with the spray bottle.

"Hey! What is that?" she protested.

Dipper looked at it closely. "It's supposed to be cleaning fluid."

"It's water!" Wendy called out.

Dipper turned around and looked at her. Mud-stained boots on the counter, jeans that fit her perfectly, blue plaid flannel shirt, and a trapper hat that her gleaming red hair flowed out of. How did she not see how perfect she was?

"Th…thanks Wendy!" Dipper stammered. Thanks? How could I be so stupid? She only said that it was water, does thanks even constitute as an acceptable answer? He thought wildly.

The cuckoo clock in the corner chimed out its ugly bird call. Wendy hopped off her stool. "Closing time!" She sang. Dipper's heart fell. Closing time meant no hanging out with Wendy, no talking to her – or trying to talk to her, at least.

"Later dorks," Wendy called out, throwing her nametag behind her and walking out the door.

Dipper got up on Wendy's stool and pulled his book out of its hiding place behind a wall panel. "Hey Mabel, tomorrow I want to go into the woods and investigate where I found the book. See if there are any clues hidden near it. Want to come?"

"The woods?" Said a voice from the door. Dipper's stomach jerked. It was Wendy.

"I forgot my jacket," she explained. "But can I go with you? I love those woods. I was actually planning to go there tomorrow anyways."

Dipper wanted Wendy to come, but alone? In the woods? He'd screw everything up somehow, he always did when talking to her. He could barely make eye contact with her, for God's sake. "Y-yeah, I mean, I…"

"Great. See you at five-ish?" Wendy asked. Dipper just stared idiotically.

Mabel jumped in. "We will be here!"

Wendy smiled and walked out the door.

Dipper grabbed Mabel and shook her. "What the hell was that for?"

Mabel smiled. "Look Dipper, you know nothing about girls! Just spend some time with her, get to know her?"

Dipper groaned. "Like you know so much about relationships. Your first boyfriend was a bunch of gnomes!"

Mabel sighed. "Well, he was still a boyfriend!" She walked out of the room, muttering. "He couldn't have been a vampire…"

Dipper closed his book shakily. Maybe being in the woods with Wendy wouldn't be so bad.