Need a drink? - [Male OC X Ford Pines] - Complete

13: Holly

I watched Jacob grab the mail and for the twelfth day in a row I asked, "Is there anything for me?"

And for the twelfth day in a row Jacob shook his head. "Sorry, man."

I sighed. "It's not like Sixer to fall out of contact like that. He's always been so adamant about writing once a week, even when there was nothing going on."

"It might be expensive but you could try to call him. Or maybe even take a trip over spring break? He's already been there a year or so right?"

"You're right," I said setting my hand on my chin. "I've tried to send enough letters. I'll go see him over spring break if he doesn't respond to me by Friday."

~~~

Come Friday morning, I was packing my bag for the long weekend. I'd take a plane to Oregon and a bus into Gravity Falls. I set my suitcase by my door and changed out of my pajamas, spotting Jacob retrieving the mail through my window. As expected, he shook his head to say that no letter had come for me. I tucked my shirt and pulled on my vest for work. My tie in my hand, I took my suitcase to the living room and set it beside the couch where Holly, Mac's newest subletter (his effort to not stay in the same house as me anymore), was sitting. Holly hadn't seen much of me because of our work and class schedules but she seemed like the one who might actually be able to stay since she could cook and didn't rely on others to do everything for her.

"Sorry, man," Jacob said, closing the door behind him. "Still nothing from Sixer."

Holly looked at me, marking her page in her book. "Who's Sixer?"

I pulled my tie around my neck. "A childhood friend who fell out of contact too sud-."

"Woah," Holly said, staring at me. "I'd seen you in passing but I didn't realize you were hot as fuck!"

I cleared my throat and tied my tie. "Please don't, Holly."

"Holy shit, you do have two different colored eyes! I thought I was going crazy."

"Holly, please," I said. "Stop."

"Sorry, I'm making you uncomfortable, aren't I?"

"Yes," I said. "I'll be home at 3 to grab my things. My flight is at five."

"I'll be here," Jacob said.

"Thanks, man," I buttoned my vest and opened the door.

~~~

I stretched as I got off the bus in Gravity Falls. It was cold here. Spots of snow still sat against buildings. Definitely not your normal spring break destination. "I'm starving..." I spotted a convenience store. "Fast food it is..." I sighed.

I went in and waved to the woman behind the counter with a tag that said "Ma." I walked to the back of the store and picked up a lemonade from the refrigerator and grabbed a bag of chips and a premade sandwich. I joined the line behind a roundly built lady in a blue dress and a man who was dirty and ragged and holding just a bag of bread.

"Just the bread, then, there, stranger?" Ma asked. "That'll be 99 cents."

The man looked into his pockets and pulled out a packet of sugar, a paper clip and a peso but no money. I felt sorry for him but before I could offer to pay for it, the woman interrupted me. "Hey, that's no stranger. That must be the mysterious science guy that lives in the woods!"

"Mysterious science guy?" I mumbled, excited that I might have found him so quickly, even if he did appear to be in a dreadful state.

"Uh, n-no, no," he said in a familiar voice that wasn't Ford's. "You've got the wrong guy." He pulled his hood tighter

The crowd all seemed to have a buzz about them. "I've heard strange stories about that old shack." "Yeah! Mysterious lights and spooky experiments."

Pa joined Ma behind the counter. "Gosh, I'd pay anything to see what kind of shenanigans you get up to in there."

"Oh, me too!" the woman said. "Do you ever give any tours?

"No. Really I-" the man looked at his hand, then sighed. "Yes, I do give tours! Ten... nah-no... fifteen bucks a person!" The crowd cheered and instantly offered up money.

"Sir!" the woman said. "What did you say your name was, you man of mystery?"

I recognized him when he turned. "Oh, uh, Stan..." Stanly said. "-ford. Stanford Pines."