Mabel had dragged the pair along to the mall, talking and talking about how it would be a fantastic bonding experience, and how was she ever going to pick out an outfit for that date she had without her amazing brother and fashionista friend? So, reluctantly, both Dipper and Pacifica had agreed to go to the mall with her.

What a mistake that was.

As soon as they entered, Mabel saw Candy and Grenda and ditched them, claiming that she would meet them in the foodcourt in an hour.

Two hours later, Dipper and Pacifica were sitting alone, both on their phones, looking like a couple who had gotten into a fight.

Which they were most definitely not.

Dipper finally sat back, glancing around at the food court. He had never really eaten anything from here before. Simply looked around before Stan would ask Mabel if she knew how to make something similar at the Shack. More often than not, she could. The boy cleared his throat.

"So, any idea what you want to eat?" Pacifica looked up, surprised gracing her features for a moment before disappearing.

"Of course not." She scoffed, looking incredulous. "Me, a Northwest, eat poor people food? I'd sooner die." Dipper rolled his eyes as he stood up.

"Well," he paused to stretch, his back giving a satisfying crack, "seeing as I don't plan on dying so young, I'm going to get something to eat." Pacifica waved him off, returning to her phone. She didn't look up again until a large bowl was placed in front of her.

She blinked at it, before looking at Dipper.

"Well you can't just not eat lunch. I don't know what type of soup you like best, so I just guessed. But beef soup is always a safe option." He looked at her, waiting for her response. The blond glared.

"Who's to say that I didn't have lunch before you and your sister came to pick me up?"

Dipper shrugged. "You told Mabel you were hungry when you got in the car, and you hadn't eaten since, so I just guessed."

Pacifica rolled her eyes, yet pulled the bowl to her all the same and took a sip. It wasn't very good.

"And, for the record, I like chicken noodle."

"My apologies, princess." Dipper mumbled. He then pointed to a chunk of french bread. "Want some?"

Pacifica grimaced and shook her head. "No thank you. Too fattening."

Dipper looked her up and down, a disbelieving look on his face. "Says the twig."

"A healthy, hot twig."

"I think whoever's giving you that information is lying to you, Pacifica." The girl glared, then took another sip of soup. "But don't people worry about you?" the brunette continued, giving her a quizzical look.

Pacifica rolled her eyes. "Who would worry about me?"

Dipper looked at her as if she was crazy. "Oh, I dunno, maybe your parents? Like, I get that they're not the best, but they can't just not care about you. And your gaggle of mindless friends? They care about you, I'm assuming."

The blond scoffed, barely holding in a laugh. "Oh yeah, my parents care about me. They care that I keep my image up and withhold the family name. I'm doing very good, actually. Well, minus the hanging out with you and your sort" she added as an afterthought.

Ignoring the slight at his family, Dipper pressed on. "So, they support your twigginess?"

The girl nodded. "In full."

"And your friends?"

This time, the girl did laugh. Loud and long, a full hysterical laugh that drew the attention of the shoppers, and made Dipper look at her like she had grown another head.

Which, she might have.

It was Gravity Falls, afterall.

"What friends? You mean Ariel and Joanne? Please, they just hang out with me because our parents make us. Plus it helps their image. But believe me, all three of us would unplug each other's life support to charge our phones."

"Fun." Dipper said, and Pacifica glared. "I think you're just being dramatic, Pacifica. Your parents are flawed but even they can't be that bad."

The blond scoffed again, starting to look agitated. "Look, Dipper, I think I know my family better than you. All my parents care about is that I follow their rules. My so called friends only care that I boost their image. No one cares about me, or how I feel. That's not how the rich girl life works."

Dipper was silent for a beat before starting to talk again.

Unfortunately.

"Mabel cares about you. She's always talking about how great you are, even if you two do fight all the time. And she always blames those fights on herself, you know."

Pacifica rolled her eyes.

"Great. One person out of the hundreds that live in this town. Good to know."

Dipper rolled his eyes. "I care about you, Pacifica. I may not get along with you that well, but I do

think that you and I could get along better in the future. If you stop being a snobby twig."

"Couldn't give me a somewhat compliment without an insult, eh, Pines?" Dipper laughed.

"At least I gave you a- what was it you called it? Somewhat compliment?"

Pacifica rolled her eyes and could feel heat in her cheeks. She looked at Dipper, then darted her eyes to her soup. How had she never noticed those freckles? Or the way his dark brown eyes had flecks of gold? Or just how adorable his smirk was? His head was cocked, and she found herself craving to know what was going on in his head.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Mabel came running up, a coffee in her hands, shopping bags weighing her down.

Perfect timing.

As if.

Mabel looked at the two of them before rolling her eyes and exclaiming in a rushed voice, "Sorry I'm so late, I got really distracted. But at least you got lunch! I've never had the soup here. How was it?"

It took a bit for the question to register, but Pacifica got to it before Dipper had the chance to.

"One of the best soups I've ever had." Pacific said, though she wasn't honestly if the word 'soup' belonged in that statement.

Dipper couldn't help but feel the same.

A/N: I've got one more thing to post for today. But I'm currently working on a Harry Potter story, and I'm almost done. I hope to get that out on Monday.