Blood Stains and Marigolds

》FOUR《

Dipper had managed to make it through the day. During lunch he had coughed up a couple petals in the bathroom, after a comment Bill had made about his hair, but thankfully, that was the only time he had coughed up any.

Dipper was grateful when his last class ended, only to remember he was supposed to hang out with Bill and Pyronica after school. He could always cancel but Bill rarely was able to hang out after school. His dad was strict, so Dipper was grateful for the few times they could hang out outside of  school.

Dipper went home, Mabel walking with him once they got off the bus.

"So you're hanging out with Bill after school?" Mabel asked.

"Yeah, him and Pyronica." Dipper said. Mabel gave him a look, though Dipper wasn't sure why.

"Y'know...if you just tell Bill how you feel..." Mabel began but Dipper cut her off.

"He's dating Pyronica. Even if he did like me back, which I doubt by the way, I couldn't do that to Pyronica. We've been friends for years now, I couldn't break them up." Dipper said. Mabel looked as though she wanted to say something, but seemingly changed her mind.

"I just think...you should just go for it." Mabel finally said after a moment of silence.

"Mabel..." Dipper began but sighed, "Listen, I appreciate your support on this, but you should just drop it. Bill and I will probably never happen."

As Dipper said that, he felt petals in his throat, and his lungs began to squeeze. He did his best not to cough.

Luckily, the two arrived at the Mystery Shack, Dipper managed to sneak away to the bathroom as Soos greeted Mabel and him.

>>>>>>

Several petals and lots of blood later, Dipper went back to his room to change, as blood had gotten on his shirt.

Once he was dressed he sent a quick text to Bill, letting him know he was heading to the mall now.

Dipper walked downstairs, Soos and Mabel looked over as he walked in.

"Hey dude, Mabel said you needed to borrow my truck?" Soos said.

"Yeah, if that's ok anyway." Dipper said.

"No problem dude." Soos said, he tossed Dipper his keys, which Dipper caught.

"Thanks man." Dipper said. Soos nodded.

"Have fun dude." Soos said, before getting back to whatever dance him and Mabel had been doing to some annoying song that they had discovered several summers ago.

Dipper left the Shack and got in Soos' truck, heading towards the Mall.

<<<<<<

Dipper found Bill sitting on the edge of a broken fountain in the center of the mall.

"Hey, you made it!" Bill said, smiling as he saw Dipper.

"Where's Pyronica?" Dipper asked.

"Oh...she had to stay home. She um...was worried she might get sick from you. Her mom is pretty old and if she were to get sick it wouldn't be good. So she figured she'd stay home today. She told me to apologize to you." Bill said, he looked away as he said it.

"Oh ok." Dipper said. Bill smiled.

"Come on, let's check out these crappy kiosks." Bill said. Dipper nodded and the two began walking.

<<<<<<

After several crappy kiosks, selling the weirdest products, from edible phone cases to someone who claimed they could write your name on a grain of rice, but couldn't prove that they were actually doing it, Bill and Dipper took a break to get smoothies. They sat down on the broken fountain and watched the other customers in the mall walk buy the shops.