Text Me Don't Call
Shelby Dean could get anything she wanted. After all, her family was connected with a diverse group of people, including millionaires and billionaires. So when she said she wanted Jason Wright, she would get Jason Wright. No questions asked. Or at least, that's what she thought.
Only half invested in the conversation – or in an attempt to look cool and aloof – Shelby examined her nails as she declared, "You're coming with me to Homecoming."
Jason shot her a doubtful look, "Why would I do that?"
"You're the perfect arm candy." Shelby smirked, looking him in the eye, "Don't worry about anything but your suit. I'll pay for the tickets, and the limo, and the meal. Pretty good deal, huh?"
"At least you're honest," Jason mumbled. A little louder he said, "But, no deal."
A beat.
"What!?" Shelby screeched, outraged. She abandoned all pretenses of nonchalance and barged into his personal space, "Why not!?"
He grinned, but it was the kind of grin that made her shrink back – a not-nice grin.
"I have my eyes on someone else. "
Shelby scoffed, "Who would be better than me? You're going to find some other millionaire to take you to the dance?"
"Not quite," he answered coyly.
"Just tell me already." Shelby snapped.
"Mabel Pines."
There was a minute of silence. She couldn't believe her ears. Had he really said that?
"What?" was her only response. Again.
"Mabel Pines. I'm asking Mabel Pines to the dance."
"That hyperactive freak!?" she felt her voice rising in volume again.
"Yep."
"Why would you do that!?"
"Don't get me wrong," Jason waved his hands, as if to placate her, "It would be great to go with you. I'm sure it would be lots of fun." His gaze roamed down then up again, "But I have my sights set on Mabel."
"That doesn't answer why?" Shelby growled, her long, manicured nails biting into the palm of her hand as she tightened her fists.
Jason smirked, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I guess that's my little secret."
He winked and walked off, leaving her there seething. Mabel needed to pay. Granted, she wouldn't know what she was paying for. But she would pay.
So she started with simple rumors. Mabel is ugly. Mabel wears red skirts when she's on her period because she's too much of a wimp for tampons.
And they got more and more elaborate. Mabel never takes her ADHD meds. Mabel and her brother make out on a regular basis.
It was all going according to plan. By the time Shelby was done, Mabel would be too socially ruined for anyone to take her to the homecoming dance, much less Jason Wright. But that plan was derailed by one, innocent little phone call.
She swiped the answer command on her touch phone, waved her friends away, and chittered into the microphone, "Hey, Pacifica. It's been awhile. How are you?"
"I'm just fine. You, on the other hand, not so much." Pacifica's snooty voice was colder than usual.
Confused, Shelby asked, "What do you mean?"
"I've only got a few minutes before my hair appointment, so I'll make this quick and to the point. Lay off Mabel Pines."
Shelby shivered. Pacifica's voice was dead – completely without emotion – at that last statement. The chilling reality of what a powerful Nothwest was capable of. Best course of action: feign ignorance.
"What are you talking about?"
Pacifica sneered, "Don't play dumb; although it suits you. I know full well that you've been spreading rumors about Mabel at your school."
"How." Shelby whispered.
"A little bird told me." Pacifica said with sing-song innocent.
"Who."
"Dipper Pines."
All this fist clenching recently was really not good for Shelby's nails.
Pacifica followed up without waiting for a response, "And don't bother going after him either. I'm not forbidding you from doing it, but I wouldn't recommend it."
That seemed like an odd thing for her to say, "What do you mean?"
"That sweaty nerd is one of the thorniest, most vindictive persons I have ever met. You mess with him, and you will not get by unscathed."
Shelby's silence prompted Pacifica to expound a bit.
"You know the Northwest Party held earlier this year?"
Who didn't know about the famous gala the Northwests held every summer? Shelby didn't say it out loud, but Pacifica didn't wait for acknowledgement to continue.
"Dipper asked that my parents honor an… agreement they had previously made to invite the townsfolk of Gravity Falls to the party. Mom and Dad refused, so Dipper had a friend make a device that he snuck in and wired to the front gates. When the first toast was made, the clinking of the chandelier glasses activated the device and opened the gates. You know the rest."
Shelby remembered the mayhem that ensued, as the residents of Gravity Falls camping outside the wall surged through the breech. With all the commotion, she didn't remember much after that. Her parents had decided to leave within a few minutes.
However, with Pacifica bringing it up she was beginning to have a few niggling recollections. A strangely satisfied smirk on Pacifica's face. A girl with long, brown hair dumping sugar packets in the cider fountains. And a boy bumping fists with a green-spectacled old man.
"Anyway," Pacifica said, bringing Shelby back to the present, "Don't cross either of the Pines twins."
A beat.
"Pacifica," Shelby hoped her voice didn't sound quite so small on the other end of the line, "Maybe next time you need to tell me something vaguely threatening, text me. Don't call. You're scary when you want to be."
"Intimidation is the point." The smug satisfaction in Pacifica's voice was palpable, even hundreds of miles away, "Mabel is my friend. Don't pull and shit like that ever again. Got it?"
Shelby gulped, "Yes, ma'am."
Pacifica hung up without another word.
And belatedly, Shelby realized, she never asked Pacifica how she knew Mabel and Dipper. Which was even more mysterious than the not-so-veiled threats.
Lemme just say, this was a brilliant idea. Thank you Anon and grungekitty who suggested it in addition to Cartwheellou and Malica15 who asked for Shelby. All this dialogue really flowed off my fingertips and I had a blast writing Pacifica's part. Oh and you know she was the one who helped Dipper sabotage the party ;D
Inspiration for Mabel spiking the punch comes from this comic here (moringmark tumblr com/post/110435721038), all credit where credit is due.
Unfortunately, this one ran a little on the short side. But it leads into the next story. I'm not guaranteeing when I'm going to update. Like I've said before, my life has been super busy and I got sick last week, which didn't help. I've decided that this story will be 15 chapters long when it's complete and I already have ideas for all those chapters. Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing!