Chapter Twelve
(Bill)
"Don't you have a limo and like, a personal driver to escort you places?" I grumbled, eyes on the road. Pacifica snorted from the back seat, and Mabel laughed with her. Wendy just grinned, and they all looked like they were hiding something. "Dipper said you'd be happy to do it," she responded, pointing at the brunette in the passenger seat. I let my eyes trail towards him, scowling. He had a smirk on his face as he took a drink of the soda in his hand. "I'll bet he did," I muttered, turning left up ahead. That explained how I got roped into driving him and three energetic teenage girls outside of town to go dress shopping.
"You were kinda asking for it, man. Payback sucks, huh?" Dipper said playfully, shrugging.
I narrowed my eyes. "This is not how I pictured spending a Friday afternoon. And I certainly hadn't seen myself doing this on my first day of fall break, either."
Dipper scoffed, leaning his head on the window. "You probably should've thought about that before you decided to give me dancing lessons for that stupid party" he said slyly, swirling the drink in his hand a bit.
"You know, I've been thinking about what I want to wear to that. Maybe something neon. Yellow, probably," I countered with a sneer. "And Shooting Star can even glitter it up. Make it look like a disco ball for all I care." Mabel squealed excitedly when I said that.
Dipper, on the other hand, had cringed at the thought. "Sounds like you intend to dance alone," he said with a disgusted face.
"Whatever gets you through the day, Pine Tree," I replied, reaching out a hand towards him. Dipper just looked at me, confused. I rolled my eyes. "The drink." I pointed towards the bottle of Pitt Cola. Dipper then realized what I was going for and shook his head, sitting the soda on his opposite side. "Quit whining about dancing already and let me have some," I huffed, keeping most of my attention directed at the road. He just crossed his arms, looking at me with a serious expression. "Then promise you won't get some ridiculous outfit for the party," he ordered firmly, brow raised.
I sniggered. "Ridiculous?! Oh, never! Just interesting is all. And it wouldn't embarrass me a single bit," I said truthfully, knowing fully well that I was pushing my luck with him. Dipper looked out the window on his other side, clearly pouting. "Tch. Yet your nerdy glasses do," he hissed under his breath angrily. I laughed, amused. "That was below the belt, Pine Tree. And I am ashamed of how proud it makes me that you came up with that," I teased, reaching out a hand to take the bottle. "Now come on and let me have a drink. I bought it." Dipper shook his head, sitting the drink down on the floorboard. He looked back at me expectantly, lips pulled into a frown. "Black and white. No yellow. No neon," he conditioned, eyes forming thin green lines on his face.
I relented, finding the joke and my patience had begun to wear thin. "Okay, okay! No fun with you around. I got it..." I mumbled in defeat, slumping my shoulders some. Dipper hummed triumphantly, handing me the bottle of Pitt Cola. I glanced over at him skeptically. "Not gonna open it for me?" I asked, genuine in my question. Dipper grimaced, peridot eyes taking on a predatorial glint.
"What are you? Two? Do it yourself!"
"Okay, fine! Let me just take my other hand off the wheel right quick and I'll be on that immediately! Or better yet, I'll grow another one!"
Dipper snatched the drink out of my hand. "God, you're such a baby." He unscrewed the lid and held out the bottle.
I took it, laughing sarcastically. "I'm a baby?! Pine Tree, this argument would be over had you just given me the goddamned pop!" I took a drink, keeping my eyes on the road as we bickered.
"Don't piss me off then!"
"Oh, but that's my favorite hobby."
"I'm seriously considering gluing those glasses to your face."
"And I'm seriously considering making you wear a vest instead of a tux. Really show off that tattoo of yours."
"You're pissing me off again!"
"It's not like it's all that hard to do, Pine Tree."
"Yeah, well..." Dipper seemed at a loss. That is, until he crossed his arms, a smug expression rivaling my own on his face. "I guess I just won't kiss you then. Maybe not for the rest of the day. Maybe not for a week," he threatened with a shrug. I felt my entire body go rigid. "You wouldn't," I said quietly, using up all the restraint I had not to throw the soda out the window in frustration. I was driving, after all. And you know, that's illegal. Dipper nodded, taking the drink out of my hand. "I dunno. Wanna find out?" he asked in a voice that was all too devious for it to belong to him. He took a swig of the Pitt Cola, ignoring my horrified expression. "That's evil! Too evil for it to really be you! Are you possessed? Pine Tree, has a demon taken over your body? Are you Satan?!" I questioned frantically, stopping the car once we finally reached our destination.
Everybody in the car but me erupted into fits of laughter. The girls had stayed silent for most of the ride, simply listening in interest as Dipper and I went back and forth. But of course they picked then to express their amusement. I scowled, knowing my face had to be bright red at that point. "You guys sound like an old married couple," Pacifica mused, opening the door and stepping out. Mabel nodded her head vigorously, standing up and waving her arms cheerfully. "I SHIP IT!" she cried to the heavens above, hitting the air with her fists. Wendy got out on her side, a friendly smile on her face. "Man, it's good to be back," she said, and the three of them all giggled amongst themselves as Dipper stepped out.
I just sat in the driver's seat, looking the other way. Dipper sighed, opening the door and leaning down. "You coming?" he asked with exasperation. I shook my head, opting to continue averting my gaze from his. I heard him mutter "stupid" under his breath before placing a hand on my chin and turning my head to face him. Dipper tilted his head to the side a bit. I cocked an eyebrow, but watched with bated breath as he came closer. He chuckled, letting his lips press against mine softly before pulling himself away. "Better?" he asked, running his fingers through my bangs.
"Better," I responded, grinning. His sister was practically going ballistic at that point, running around in circles and screaming just how much she shipped it and how great a match maker she was. Pacifica's hands were clasped over her mouth, but she remained calm, most likely out of habit. It was frowned upon in her home to express excitement, as I'd been told. Wendy just smiled at Dipper, clearly just happy he hadn't been hung up over her for long. At least, those were the vibes I was getting from her. Well, I guessed that meant I could rest easy knowing she wasn't a threat to me.
Pine Tree is mine, I thought, stepping out of my car and locking it. I then froze for a second, doing somewhat of a double take as that hit me. It wasn't noticeable, and I recovered almost immediately, but that single thought had still left me reeling. People who were in love thought things like that. And me? I had never even experienced such an emotion before. So how could one obnoxiously distrusting, nerdy, messy-haired brunette even change that? It was just a crush, it had to be. And I was just being possessive because of the bet and the money. Because that's all I was in it for.
I watched the group in silence as they laughed and talked about meaningless things. Pacifica locked her arm with Mabel's, a mock lovey dovey expression on her face. They made kissing faces at each other, cooing sickly sweet words to one another jokingly. Wendy chuckled. I knew they were teasing Dipper and I, but my attention wasn't on what they were saying. Or really even half of people in the group itself. I was focused on Dipper and Mabel, the familiar guilt coursing through my veins. Dipper didn't deserve the ridicule he'd get once I got him to say he was in love with me. I knew it would spread. I would ruin him, and I already knew he had so much more to deal with. I had seen the various bruises on his arms. There were so many things he wasn't telling me, but I hadn't been able to coax any information out of him no matter how hard I'd tried.
And then there was Mabel. I liked Mabel. She was sweet and energetic, and Dipper obviously cared about her more than any other person in the world. And I knew that as soon as Dipper's guard was down enough that Henry would be on her. She was smart enough to make her own decisions, but anyone could be tricked into those things. I knew that to be fact. I was doing it to her brother, after all. And speaking of which.. "You alright, man? You've been spacing out for a while," Dipper pointed out, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the side. I jumped, not expecting the sudden movement. I then noticed that I had been about to walk directly into a fountain in the middle of the mall Pacifica had suggested.
Everyone was looking at me curiously. "Oh. Uh, yeah," I said, eyes directed at the ground. "Just thinking." Dipper seemed disbelieving, but he feigned a smile anyway. "Dude. Are you still pouting about that drink? You can have the rest. It's fine," he said with an expression only I could read, clearly trying to cover up for me. I laughed awkwardly, going along with it. "Yeah. Thanks," I responded softly. Mabel seemed to take that as the end of the conversation, grabbing Pacifica and Wendy's hands. "Let's not waste daylight, love birds! It's dress time!" she shouted, walking off towards some fancy store with her arms swinging back and forth. Wendy and Pacifica simply laughed, letting her drag them along.
Once they were out of earshot, Dipper turned towards me. "Is there something you're not telling me?" he asked, a worried look on his face. "Is there an issue, or do you not feel well, or...?" He rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze low. I shook my head, reaching out a hand to intertwine our fingers. Dipper just watched me quietly, sea foam eyes full of skepticism. I ignored that, though, and let my forehead press against his. He blushed, veridian irises darting all around to see if anyone was watching us. "Bill, we're in a very public place," he mumbled, flexing the fingers on his free hand.
"I'm well aware," I responded, stepping back a bit. I lifted up our hands, glancing between Dipper's face and his arm. He narrowed his eyes warily. He seemed guarded, which I understood. But that didn't mean I had to like it. I let my fingers slide beneath the sleeve of his jacket, pulling it down only about an inch. That was enough to set him off, however, and he yanked his arm back. Holding his wrist in his other hand, he glared at me almost contemptuously. I sighed. "Things are only getting worse. I think it's time you say something," I pleaded, eyes low. Dipper shook his head, anger still burning in his eyes. "No, Bill. I'm not a kid. I can handle myself," he hissed, pocketing his hands. "We're going to just let it pass, like I said. Got it?"
I said nothing, but he seemed to understand. He reached out a hand, grinning like nothing had happened. He grabbed my wrist, tugging me towards the store Mabel and the others had gone into. "Now come on. They probably think we ditched them or something," he said, and I followed after him without a word of complaint. I still couldn't help but think about the bruises on his arms, and likely other places, too. As far as I knew, the person that kept doing these things hadn't been revealed, but their actions had only escalated. Dipper had told me of a few occasions he had received a threatening letter or didn't sleep much anymore. So this guy was really starting to look more like a stalker than just some annoying bully. I couldn't stomach the thought, which was confusing in itself. Because I was no better, and that I knew.
"There you guys are! Come on, tell me what you think of this one!" Mabel called as soon as we entered the shop. She was looking at herself in a mirror, but twirled around to face us. She wore a flowing fushia gown with ruffles on the slightly too low collar and hanging from the sleeves. And in usual Mabel style, there were glittering rhinestones all over the chest piece. I personally thought she looked like a unicorn had vomited all over her, but hey; what do I know? "Eh... I'm not really into the whole dress thing, so..." I tried, rubbing the back of my neck. But Dipper smirked at me, a knowing look on his face. He pointed towards the very, very pink ensemble Mabel was sporting. "That looks like something you would wear to sleep. Too much going on up there" He gestured towards the top of the dress. "and not enough going on down there. And anyway Mabs, it's Halloween, not Valentine's Day. That's way too bright," he said, looking her over once again.
I glanced at him, holding back my laughter. "Of course you would know that. Dipper Pines: mystery lover, twin brother, and dress enthusiast. I can see it now, written in bright rainbow letters." I said teasingly and Mabel snickered, turning around to look for other dresses. Dipper scowled at me, hands on his hips. He cocked an eyebrow. "I don't think I need to take that from you of all people," he hissed in response. "And if it's any of your business, Mabel and I shared a room for most of our lives. Trust me, you learn quickly what's supposed to look good and what isn't." I chuckled, opting to make just one more joke before he probably ended up punching me right in the middle of the store.
"Ooh, someone's got an attitude," I said playfully. I snapped my fingers in the shape of a Z, pushing my luck and pissing him off even more. "Sassmaster Pine Tree." I pointed a finger at him, speaking in as flamboyant a fashion as I could possibly muster. Wendy and Mabel were cracking up by then. Mabel was hunched over dying of laughter, while Red in the corner held her stomach in her hands. Pacifica seemed too busy zipping up the back of her dress to really pay much attention. I wrinkled my nose. I really didn't need to know that she was wearing a strapless pink bra. I probably could've lived my entire life without that knowledge, but I supposed I couldn't change that anymore.
I scoffed, ruffling Dipper's hat and stepping towards the section with the tuxes and suits. "Oh, lighten up. I'm just messing with you, Pine Tree," I remarked, casting my eyes towards him. But Dipper didn't seem happy with me right then, so I guessed he was just ignoring me. He was actually helping Pacifica zip up her dress. I tried not to let that bother me, though. But it was pretty short and tight and lacy and black and made her hips and chest jut out, which was attractive to most guys. And Dipper was very adamant about his sexuality. And they were really close. And... I realized then that I had been clenching my fists, and the suit that I'd had in my hand had a big wrinkled spot at the corner where I'd been holding it.
I huffed, releasing the fabric and attempting to smooth it back down. I heard a laugh from beside me and looked over, still upset over Dipper and Pacifica's closeness. "Jealousy is an ugly thing, you know," Wendy said, eyes on the faded red and dusty gray dress in her hands, which was totally up her alley by the way. I shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. "I know, but..." I had no argument. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. I was being ridiculous, I was certain. I had gotten in too deep. This was more than just some crush. I was on my way to falling head over heels for someone I was conning.
Wendy rested a hand on my shoulder, smiling reassuringly at me. "Dude, it's cool. I've been around these guys long enough to know that if they wanted to date, they would've already. Pacifica is like family to him," she said, gesturing between the two teens. I nodded, paying attention as I looked through the things hung up and on display. And of course, there were a few that were bright and boisterous and everything Dipper had told me not to get. I smirked as soon as my eyes met a lemon yellow tuxedo with a black tie. He didn't say I couldn't try it on. Aaaand most likely make a spectacle of myself just to annoy him, I thought jokingly.
Wendy shoved me, knowing exactly what was on my mind as soon as she saw the color. The both of us laughed, already knowing that at some point that day, I was going to embarrass Dipper more than I probably ever had. "Look, man. I'm just gonna tell you this because I like you, and I can tell Dipper really cares about you, too. This-" she pointed between me and the oblivious brunette. "has a lot of potential to be a forever thing. But not if you screw things up and take advantage of his trust. Believe me, Dipper is not a second chances kind of guy, so don't make that mistake," she warned, lovely brown eyes sparking with something I couldn't quite read. I nodded in understanding, tugging at the collar of my shirt nervously.
Wendy beamed, raising up a hand to pat the top of my head in the most demeaning way imaginable. "Good, because if you hurt him or any of my friends then I'll snap your fucking neck, okay?" Eyes wide and heart practically pounding in my ears, I nodded once again, this time more vigorously. Why were all the girls Dipper hung around with so... extreme? Wendy chuckled, placing both of her hands on my shoulders and shoving me away some. I spun around and strode towards Dipper and his sister, who was doing a little twirl in the dress she had picked out. She stopped as soon as her eyes landed on me. "Oh! Perfect timing! I saw this tux that you need to try on. And you have to because I'm your boyfriend's sister and you have to earn my approval, so therefore my word is law!" she shouted, grabbing my arm and dragging me off to some far corner of the store to look at a tuxedo. I looked back at Dipper, who just shrugged, an amused smile on his face.
I swallowed the rising lump in my throat.
Red is going to kill me when she finds out.
