Gravity Falls: Chaos Rising | Book #1 |

Chapter 6

Mabel and her friends follow us to the table, none of them notice how worried Will and I are. I can feel Will's fingernails digging into the palm of my hand.

"Will, your fingernails are very sharp," I point out.

"Sorry," Will says, letting go of my hand.

"Let's order cupcakes and go," I whisper to Will.

Will nods. We step forward as the line in front of us moves. This is a very slow moving line. We slowly move forward until we're at the front of the line, then we quickly order the cupcakes and walk back to the bikes.

"Wait!" Mabel says, running up behind us.

I turn around to face my sister. "What's up?"

"Why are you leaving so soon?"

"Will doesn't like big crowds," I say.

Will nods as he puts on a helmet and climbs onto his bike.

"Oh okay. See you back at the Shack?" Mabel says.

"Yup!" I answer, climbing onto my bike.

"See you later! Oh, Stan wanted me to tell you that the town is hosting a welcome back party to celebrate us coming back. Also people are curious about who you are, so the town wants you to come!" Mabel says.

"Got it, big party! When is that?" I say, clipping on my helmet.

"Tonight," Mabel answers.

"Big party, tonight, and an entire town wants to meet me. Got it! Remind me an hour, or two before that happens!" I say, slowly biking away. "Come on Will."

Will follows behind me nearly falling over twice.

(*?*)

We bike up to the Shack twenty minutes after that conversation.

"I need to leave," Will says.

"Okay. Take a cupcake," I say, handing Will a cupcake.

"Thanks, uh... bye," Will says, taking the cupcake and disappearing.

I walk into the Shack.

"Oh, so you didn't fall off a cliff then?" Stan says.

"Nope. I still live," I say, walking through the door that says "Employees Only". I walk over to Ford. "Book." I hold out the Journal.

"Where did you get this?!" Ford demands, taking the Journal out of my hands.

"I bought it at a confiscated items sale for ten dollars," I say.

"You what?!"

"I went to a bake sale and it was also a confiscated items sale, so I bought it because it looked like the Journal I found in the woods last year," I lie.

Ford sighs. "At least you got it before someone else did," he says.

"I'm going to wander around downtown," I say, walking out of the room.

"Did Mabel tell you about the party?" Stan asks.

"Yup, which is why I'm going to wander around downtown!" I say, walking out the front door. The door closes behind me and I sigh. This is going to be a long day. I walk up to my bike and start to bike in the general direction of downtown.

(*?*)

I lock up my bike in front of a clothing store and walk in. A bell rings as I walk in, there are about five other people in the store not counting me and counting the two employees. Everyone is staring directly at me, they appear to be a bit confused.

"Ah, hi?" I say. Everyone continues on with whatever they were doing.

I walk around the store looking at the clothes there. After a while I end up finding some clothes that I can afford that interest me, so I buy them and leave the store.

I look down at my bike, and think for a second. "I'll leave it here, hundred dollar bike locks are pretty secure. Plus, I highly doubt anybody would steal a cheap sparkly pink bike."

With that I set off to explore downtown Gravity Falls. Without the slightest clue where I'm going.