A blonde strand 2
Tears were still coming out in buckets, as she didn't know exactly what to do… She was too scared of something so childish in her conception, it was as if lightning struck her leaving nothing but mental paralysis behind. How long was she here? A little over half an hour. More than enough time for someone to notice her absence and to come snooping around trying to find her. I should gloss over the fact that sobs are easily heard? Of course, not. It was as if she had a homing beacon on her head, this is pretty much how Mabel found her curled up in a corner standing in a puddle of sorrow…
-Pa…cifica…Northwest, Mabel said trying to do a secret agent impression. What's up? Is something wrong?
-No, no, I just got something in my eyes,said the blonde between countless hiccups.
-So, that "something" has magically managed to make you cry a gallon?
They were both pretty smart girls, despite the fact that one appeared to be sillier in both behavior and dress-code( who wears sweaters when there's 30 degrees outside-86 for you Americans out there)… This is why Mabel's bloodhound nose couldn't gloss over the sad stench of a broken heart…
-Come on… you can tell me what's wrong, we're friends after all…By the way I loved your sweater, she said in a gleeful tone trying to cheer up the sad bug…
-I am glad someone did…
-What do you mean?
-Nothing, nothing…
It felt to Mabel that every short sentence, every question, every attempt just closed the door harder and harder to the point it could withstand Wizard of Oz types of tornados.
"Hmmm, it has to be about boys, right? That's the problem of a generation, after all" thought Mabel.
-Soooo, it was an all aboard the break-up train? Asked her in the same childish manner as always.
-What? No… what would it even make you think about that?
-Oh, I don't know…just the fact that I've never seen you cry ever again and it's pretty much unusual for you, unless… she cut herself short, in order to prepare for a grand reveal. BOYS! She screamed as always…
-Cut it out! Someone will hear us…
-And what special someone do you want to not hear us? Mabel said continuing with an incisive tone and a slight smirk on her face.
At this point Pacifica knew that she couldn't get away…Might as well just come clean…she wouldn't freak out and go tell everyone,right? RIGHT? Wrong.
-OH MY GOD! YOU LIKE DIPPER! She cried her lungs out…
-Do you want me to lock myself in here so none of you see me for the rest of the summer?
-Ummm, no… she said with a slight drifty tone.
-Then, be quiet…and don't tell anyone,ok?
-But why…It's the cutest thing I've heard from you…Come on,tell me more she said, I promise I won't tell no one.(Don't dare to even correct me on this one)
It was a battle going on in Pacifica's head. On one side the fact that Mabel was Dipper's twin sister…and she had a knack for dropping obvious hints for secrets…On the other side it was nice to know someone was there to listen to her problems, someone who wasn't… No. Just that. Alas the sharing party won so, here went nothing:
-Fine, she said with a sigh, what do you want to know?
-Ok, two things, Mabel replied with constant giggles… why and when?
-When… at my party, you know the ghost one?
-I know about the party, but I was pretty much in another sky, that time…she sighed obviously remembering a one time crush.
-As to why, I don't know…He was the first one to finally listen to me, despite at first calling me a 'link in the world's worst chain', he managed to get past that…We formed a nice friendship and at some point I think I just fell for his dorkiness.
-That's so nice…but why don't you just spill it out? It can't be that bad, right?
-For the time being I am waiting for the best opportunity. But now, let's go, Pacifica said hopping up to her feet. I think it's about time we got down from here.
They climbed down from the attic only to bump into SooS. Of course that you don't ask any questions when two teens just come from a cold, dark, desolate place, filled with cob webs and dust.
Lunch was served…In two different parties. The Northwest mansion's dining room was eerie.
A big table were the parents stood on one end and Pacifica on the other. It was a painful silence, the only sound was the metallic clank of the spoons and forks digging in the pure porcelain plates, and the quiet whispers of the army of butlers around them…Her mother broke the silence:
-So, Pacifica what did you do, today?
"The truth: I cried an entire sea for reasons I won't ever tell you about, because you are so stuck up that you wouldn't allow me to date anyone but high-end realtors' dumb sons. This is why you get this answer"thought Pacifica.
-Nothing much, just took a walk in the garden…
-How sweet…
"Of course it's sweet, because you don't even care about what I do, unless it affects your public image… It is as if I wouldn't exist, until I did something bad or devious, which you consider good…"
-Listen, can I go to a concert tonight?
-Sure,sure… whatever…
"There is no concert here unless someone decides to sing for free in this forgotten town, but you wouldn't care would you…Don't even bother trying to say something else right now…I am done eating, I will just leave now…"
"If I could speak up the way I think and feel about I wouldn't have any problems I guess"… she said to herself as she was making her way back to the Shack."But oh well, I had a big mouth before, and that's the past me. Now I've got to just keep myself on the track, and that's it… Easy"
The second she opened the door, Wendy saw her and with a worried look approached her:
-You're ok?
-Sure,why, Pacifica said apparently unaware of what she did…
-You know why, but fine, I won't pry…Listen, I think you need some time away from here, so why don't you come with me to something mature and deep…
-That's something I wouldn't want to do in my current state…
-What if I told you that everyone will come?
-Who is everyone?
-Well, the old men won't come because they'll probably be asleep…
-I heard that, said Ford.
-Either way, it's Dipper, Mabel, Robbie, Soos, Melody, she counted in a single breath.
-That's it? I thought you said everyone, she responded laughing.
-Funny you, so you're in or not?
-Definitely.
It wasn't long until she was waiting in front of the "unknown" and "secret" location…The only coffee shop in the entire town, and a place for apparent tormented artists to spew their knowledge and feelings over the population…
She wasn't dressed in her usual attire…she was wearing a short white dress with floral imprints on the bottom, but still her usual boots. It was funny looking from afar but cute from up close… It wasn't long until the guests of honor finally decided to arrive…
-Took you long enough, frowned Pacifica…
-What do you mean, we are on time. It's you who arrived early…
-Hey, Paci…Dipper tried to greet her.
-Can we head in already,then? Interrupted Pacifica, noticing what he tried and visibly nervous.
The atmosphere was heavy. It was because the smoke machine made it hard to breathe and because the first artist was about to take a stand…
He was pathetic…only the simple wording of a simpleton. The regular angst put with some generic emo flavor. So was the next one…and the next one…And so until the last one who spoke up. He was the owner, and his poetry was truly profound speaking more about the problems of the world, not of his own…about perfection being an illusion, about how following guidelines is a way of you destroying yourself, losing your individuality. Surely, it was about themes that were already largely discussed through communities, but so beautifully put it was, that it was ignored. A rain of applauses fell in, as the owner raised from his chair and spoke to the audience:
-Thank you, thank you. Now tonight I would like to test you and see how much you were really touched by our work… I would let you come up to try and say a few words, but this would mean that only the ones paying attention would stand up. Therefore I am going to pick a random person from the audience to astonish us…Hmmm, how about you little girl?
He pointed to Pacifica…
-Yes, you, the small blonde girl, over there… Come on you are the only one in this café.
She was frozen solid… It wasn't uncommon for her to speak up in public, but in front of everyone she knew with something she wasn't familiar with… A straight up 8 ton nightmare bomb ready to blow up…With shaky steps, she made her way to the stage, stumbling when she climbed up…
-Now what's your name? Oh wait I think we all know it, right? I couldn't say who you are from that distance…
-Thanks… I guess.
-Now are you ready to blow our minds and our hearts with your amazing poetry?
-No, actually I don't know how to do something like this…
-It's easy, just let your mind free and say what you truly feel…he silently coughed and said "for once"
Pacifica was stuttering…She couldn't escape all the glances from the seemingly judgmental people who were waiting to rip her to shreds. She couldn't say what was on her mind because this would mean totally exposing herself…
"How can I do this without making a fool out of myself…These guys literally said what was on their mind, but I can't do it right now…Unless my mind can somehow mask this…Someone talked about the power of a symbol…What can I use?" she asked herself, while nervously pulling her dress up and down…then it came to her…she had a rose on it…A couple of connections were made instantly…and this was the result(it was more of an open speech than it was poetry, but it's called blank rhyme):
-A lonely red rose stood alone in the forest. Surrounded by vile shrooms and putrid trees. Alone, looked down by all, the rose slowly withered. A petal fell, then a leaf…then the whole flower, corrupted by the ugliness…One little bud was left, unscathed, untouched. And it bloomed again… Until it was picked up by one sorrowful boy,in his anger. He looked at the rose and at the trees, then back at the rose. He realized his mistake but it has been done… It died…But unaware…it was given a new life…being handed to a beautiful girl. A rose is always found…surrounded by a thousand spikes.
Everyone's jaw dropped…It was complete silence, until a clap fell like a thunder in a quiet night. It was Dipper, who stood up impressed by such a meaningful piece of art...She blushed, and averted her eyes from the audience, staring blankly at her shoes.
-Wow, I've gotta say I am stunned. I haven't heard of a better metaphor for love… You taught us that something has to die in order to serve its purpose… then should it be accomplished said death will be forgotten and it will be given life again…A round of applause that doesn't come from a single person please?
Pacifica was in bliss. Not only she was appreciated for something, for once, but she also managed to overcome her fear and finally be deep and meaningful, after a life of smug and shallowness.
After she got out the stage, however the nervousness fell upon her with new strength as she approached her friends' table. She could imagine them all reaching up to congratulate her. They all did using words such as remarkable, astounding and marvelous, but one opinion crippled her. Dipper's
-Great job, Pacifica, you were amazing!
-Really, you liked it, she said blushing visibly.
-Yes, and I've gotta say I am impressed that you were able to pull out from the deepest bounds of your heart and speak up to the world the way you did…
-What is this supposed to mean, replied the blonde switching faces instantly from happiness to disdain…
-I mean…
-Oh, I know what you mean, Dipper, she said with tears in her eyes darting out the open door and falling on one of the chairs outside…
The small bell rang again, signaling that someone else left the café at the same time. It was the culprit Dipper…
-Pacifica... he said sorry for what he caused…
-Why are you even here…speaking to me, right now? To make me feel worse for myself?
-No…I wanted to apologize for my choice of words…
-And what do you actually mean Dipper…what hidden sense have you put into your opinion?
-Nothing…just that I liked your poem.
-Sure you did…Now tell me, why are you so surprised that I said those things…
-Because I only knew of one Pacifica… the daughter of the Northwest family who…
-Is just a link in the world's worst chain, she completed.
-It just surprises me that…
-That I changed isn't it? It is amazing that I could surpass my stage of ignorance, arrogance that was forcibly handed down to me. It is so good for me to hear that from you…
-I…I… Dipper stuttered, knowing that he caused irreparable damage.
-Don't try to say anything. I hoped that after all those presents and letters and stories and time spent getting to know each other I would get you to change your opinion of me… but it seemed I only dug a bigger hole. I blame myself for this… Goodbye! She said sharply afterwards she took her leave…
It wasn't until she reached her bed that she finally let her eyes drown in her pillow.