DIPPER BECOMES COOL AND POPULAR

A Gravity Falls Fan Fiction by @SmashmasterJack

Author's Note: Hi there, fellow Gravity Falls fans! Like so many other people your age, I wanted so much for there to be more after the series ended that I wrote this fanfic, about Dipper's first days in college. If you enjoy it, please share it with other GF fans between 11 and 17 years old! Thanks!

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It may not have been Gravity Falls, but Dipper felt isolated in a strange and alien place all the same. His first days as a college freshman were strangely off-putting, as if everyone knew he didn't quite belong there. He was leery of his new classmates, all of whom seemed to automatically know where to go, who to talk to, which parties to attend, and what friends to make. He wished he had the confidence to join their ranks.

Dipper sighed as he slunk deep into his chair at one of the campus' many cafes, mirthlessly sipping on his cappuccino. It was his decision not to accompany Mabel to New England for her first choice of college — as far as he was concerned, his promise to finish growing up with her was now fulfilled — but he now sorely missed her ability to find where she belonged wherever she traveled. Their eighteenth birthday party seemed so long ago, even though it had only been a matter of days.

He was still pondering what advice she would have given him when his concentration was broken by a somehow familiar voice. "Dipper?"

He stood up and looked around to see someone who required a few seconds for him to recognize. Her figure was no longer that of an unusually tall fifteen-year-old girl, but the flowing red hair was unmistakable. "Wendy? Is-is that y—"

His answer took the form of a highly enthusiastic hug with little forewarning. It seemed she had outgrown fist bumps... as well as her old clothes. She was indeed a full-fledged woman now, with the body to prove it.

Dipper had indeed taken her up on her invitation to visit Gravity Falls the year after that most memorable of summers, but she along with the rest of the town gradually fell out of contact with the twins over the years that followed. As his two great uncles had mysteriously disappeared during their expedition to the arctic, there was no family there with whom to keep in touch.

But as they excitedly caught up on everything that had transpired in the last several years, Dipper soon found himself falling in love with her all over again. And now that they were older, the age difference between them was much less significant...

His realization of this was dampened, however, by the sudden arrival of Wendy's companion, who was revealed (it took Dipper some moments to remember) to be Thompson, the put-upon member of Wendy's old posse from Gravity Falls, who had transferred to this college for the upcoming year. It was coincidence enough, Dipper thought to himself, that he and Wendy should end up in this smallish San Francisco university, but Thompson as well?

Dipper's suspicions were confirmed by observing Thompson's unspoken language around Wendy. He wanted to be more than just friends with her. Perhaps he had always wanted to, even when she was with Robbie, and that was why he was willing to put up with so much abuse from her circle of friends. It was all rather pathetic — but would Wendy herself see how pathetic it was?

But what really ruined Dipper's mood was the manner in which they excused themselves from the conversation: Having to prepare for the big party that evening. Dipper had to subtly prod them for an invitation. Why had Wendy not thought to invite him before?

But when he was alone again, he realized why. In the eyes of Wendy, he was still the kid from that fateful summer, not a true college-aged adult like herself and her friends. And this was in addition to his not being with an in crowd. What could he do to appear cool, yet mature and sophisticated as well?

He figured he might as well try to select something fitting from his closet to wear for the party. As he walked back to his dorm, he found himself wishing he still had the journals. Surely they would have some information on how to appear more slick and suave. But all he could think of was to dress nicely. Could he accessorize? Or was that just for women? He couldn't really think of what those accessories would be, anyway.

Dipper arrived in his dorm room to find his roommate gone. That was fine with him — they didn't necessarily get along, especially after Dipper caught him eating the candy from the care package Mabel had given him before they parted ways. His roommate, who wasn't about to antagonize the person with whom he had to spend the next semester, had promised Dipper he could use his stuff as well.

He didn't have any food around, though. The only stuff he had that could be consumed was a pack of cigarettes on his nightstand.

Not that Dipper ever smoked, obviously. His mother always told him and Mabel about why they should never smoke. Of course, Dipper found himself thinking, she always made him do the Lamby Lamby Dance as well. Whoever said his parents had all the answers?

After musing on all the things he'd been told about them, Dipper finally decided to take a few of his roommate's cigarettes as well as his lighter, and made his way to the campus' smoking area. He felt oddly empowered when he did so, knowing how his parents would disapprove, and this was therefore a decision he was making as a real adult. For the first time he could remember, he felt like he was truly his own man.

He put one of the cigarettes between his lips and flicked the lighter, as he'd seen so many of his more popular classmates do, and lit it. Shortly after the first time he inhaled, he could feel his insides burning and he erupted into a coughing fit. He was almost about to quit when he had a thought. He didn't like the taste of coffee at first, either. Wasn't learning to acquire new tastes part of being a real adult? And he certainly was no longer a child.

So he tried again, and again, and when he was finished with his first cigarette he had nary a problem with smoking anymore. As he was pondering his new habit, a coed came up to him and asked for a light.

He happily obliged, and was rewarded with a warm smile, followed by an offer. "Want me to teach you something cool?"

Dipper was glad she did, and he soon found himself off to a gas station for a new pack of cigarettes and his own lighter. He then got back to choosing his ensemble for the party, which he first decided would contain a black leather jacket that belonged to his Grunkle Stan and which Soos figured he'd have wanted Dipper to have.

When he arrived at the party in one of the frat houses, Dipper couldn't help but feel more jitters about carousing with all the college kids. But the cigarettes in his jacket pocket reminded him that he was an adult just like everyone else there.

He soon found Wendy and Thompson, who was hitting on her more blatantly than Dipper had ever seen him before. He sauntered up to them.

"Hey, Wendy! Hi, Thompson."

"Hey, Dipper!" Wendy greeted. "Why don't you join us? Thompson was just telling me about the time he outsmarted a group of gnomes back home."

Dipper kept his cool. "Actually, I was just about to head to the balcony for a smoke. Could you meet me there?"

"Oh, sure!" Wendy replied. She and Dipper were about to leave when they noticed Thompson hadn't budged. "Thompson? Aren't you coming?"

"Uh... My mom says I shouldn't be around too much cigarette smoke. I have, um, a sensitive respiratory system."

Wendy gave a look that seemed like a smirk tempered by pity, and accompanied Dipper to the balcony. He quickly got out his pack of cigarettes and withdrew two, offering one to Wendy, who thanked him.

He gingerly stuck his own into his mouth and got out his lighter. It opened with a satisfying clink. He flicked at the wheel and soon the flame had finished sparking to life. As he drew the lighter closer to his cigarette, it cast a warm glow against his face and jacket that contrasted with the starless sky, illuminating his features and manly stubble. He then brought the lighter to Wendy's cigarette, the tip of which grew bright as she took her first satisfying puff.

It was time for Dipper to make use of the trick the girl had taught him, he thought. After inhaling deeply from his cigarette, savoring the rich flavor, he blew out eccentric rings of smoke. As intended, this caught the eye of Wendy, but the others on the balcony were mesmerized as well. They all asked him to share with them his trick, and stood at rapt attention when he did so.

Dipper still had a long journey ahead of him in this new part of his life on which he had just started embarking. But he somehow knew that with all that he'd learned — and a pack of smooth, flavorful cigarettes — he would be just fine.