Mystery With a Hint of Romance {Fred Jones}

the castle attack

Stephanie, Shaggy and Scooby stumbled upon to a room that looked like a giant dining room.

"Look at this, huh Scoob. It's like a medieval sizzler. Pinch me, I'm in--- " Shaggy said. Scooby took it literally and pinched Shaggy. "It's an expression Scoob"

"Rorry" Scooby said.

"What do you think Steph?" Shaggy tried asking his cousin but noticed that she seemed distracted. "Steph?"

"Yeah Shaggy?" she asked.

"You okay? You seem off"

"Reah. Rou reem off" Scooby agreed. Stephanie smiled and gave Scooby a pat on the head. He licked her hand in return.

"I'm fine, you guys. I promise" Stephanie said.

"Really? Because since you saw Fred at the airport, you've been acting differently. You're, like, going out of your way to ignore him" Shaggy said.

"I rink she rill rikes him" Scooby added.

"I do not and I never did" That was a lie. "At least not in the way you guys are thinking" That was also a lie. "Can you two please drop it and let's get to looking for a clue" Stephanie said. Shaggy and Scooby respected her wishes and didn't discuss the Fred issue any further.

~

Daphne and Peter found their way into a room that had a cart for a ride in the middle of it.

"So, you and Stephanie, huh? How long has that been going on?" Daphne spoke.

"We've only been together about a year now" Peter answered.

"I see. Well you two make a cute couple"

"Thanks Daphne" Peter smiled at her. Daphne found him to be really cute when he smiled. Wait, no. This was her best friend's boyfriend. She cannot be thinking about Peter that way.

"So what's the deal with Fred and Stephanie? Were they ever together?"

"Well, no, not officially anyways. They were really into each other though. They flirted a lot and even kissed a couple times but they never were boyfriend and girlfriend. I don't know about Stephanie but it's obvious that Fred is still into her"

"Yeah, I could tell. He doesn't like me that much and that's probably why" Daphne gave Peter a sympathetic smile. The two off them approached a boarded off door. Daphne removed the first board, and then checked her hands for splinters. "You okay Daph?"

"Yeah. Just help me remove these boards"

~

Fred and Velma wandered down a hallway.

"Hey Velma. I never meant to, well you know, pick you last" Fred said.

"Don't worry about it, Fred. I know you. All you care about are swimsuit models" Velma said.

"No! I'm a man of substance. Dorky chicks like you turn me on too" He gave Velma a pat on the back, and she just had the most exhausted look on her face. She walked off. "It's a compliment" Fred managed to catch up to Velma.

"I also know you were just looking for an excuse to be alone with Stephanie. You still have feelings for her, don't you?" Of course he did, but he wasn't going to tell Velma that. After some hesitation, Fred answered her.

"I do not. Besides, even if I did, she's with--"

"Peter? Is that why you don't seem to like him?"

"That is not true. He seems okay and I don't care if Steph wants to spend all her time with him" Fred could barely say that without cringing. He did care, and Velma could see that.