When we got back to the Mystery Shack, Mabel was buzzing with ideas. “Dipper, we need to do something drastic. Pacifica deserves better than that jerk Philipstein.”
I nodded, still angry about the whole situation. “I agree, but what do we do? We already showed her the evidence, and she still seems stuck with him.”
Wendy, who had joined us, leaned against the counter, a mischievous grin forming on her face. “What if we give Dipper a makeover?”
I froze. “What? Why me?”
Mabel clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yes! It’s perfect! We’ll make you look so good that Pacifica can’t help but fall for you. It’ll show her that she has better options right here.”
I felt a wave of panic. “I don’t know about this, guys. I’m not exactly makeover material.”
Wendy shrugged. “You’d be surprised, Dipper. You’ve got some muscle under those layers, and you’re not bad-looking. We just need to highlight your best features.”
Mabel nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! Philipstein is skinny and pale, always wearing pastel colors. We need to go for a completely different look. Something casual, but that shows off your masculinity. Not that you have much anyway.”
I groaned. “This is ridiculous. I’m not doing it.”
But Mabel wasn’t hearing any of it. She grabbed my arm and started dragging me towards the stairs. “Oh, yes, you are! Come on, Dipper. It’s for Pacifica.”
Wendy followed, smirking. “Trust us, this will work.”
Reluctantly, I let them pull me into my room. Mabel started rifling through my clothes, tossing aside anything she deemed “too dorky” or “too covered up.” Wendy leaned against the doorframe, offering suggestions.
“He needs to wear something that shows off his arms,” Wendy said. “A tank top would be perfect. And maybe some jeans.”
Mabel nodded, holding up a black tank top she’d found in the back of my drawer. “This is perfect! And we need to do something about that hat.”
I grabbed my hat defensively. “Hey, the hat stays. It’s part of who I am.”
Mabel sighed dramatically. “Just trust me, Dipper.”
With a resigned sigh, I let them dress me in the tank top and baggy jeans. Wendy stepped back to appraise me, then nodded approvingly. “Not bad. Now, we need you to do something to show off those muscles. How about chopping wood in the front yard?”
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? This is so cheesy.”
Mabel grinned. “Cheesy works! Now, get out there and start chopping. I’ll invite Pacifica over for dinner.”
Before I could protest, Mabel had taken my hat and pushed me towards the door. Wendy gave me an encouraging pat on the back. “You got this, Dipper. Just be yourself, but more... flexy.”
I trudged to the front yard, feeling ridiculous. I grabbed the axe and started chopping wood, trying to look as natural as possible. It wasn’t long before I heard Mabel’s excited voice.
“Pacifica! So glad you could come!”
I looked up to see Pacifica walking towards the Shack, looking curious. She spotted me and her eyes widened slightly. “Dipper?”
I tried to act casual, wiping sweat from my brow. “Oh, hey, Pacifica. Just, uh, chopping some wood for the Shack.”
She walked closer, her expression unreadable. “You look... different.”
Mabel bounced over, beaming. “Doesn’t he look great? We thought he could use a little change.”
Pacifica glanced at Mabel, then back at me. “Yeah, he does. You’ve been working out or something, dork?”
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. “A bit. You know, keeping in shape for all the adventures.”
Pacifica smiled faintly, but her phone buzzed. She glanced at it, sighed, and put it on silent. “Sorry about that. Let’s head inside.”
During dinner, Mabel couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer. “So, Pacifica, what’s the deal with Philipstein?”
Pacifica hesitated, then sighed. “He’s courting me. I know that sounds like something from the 1800s, but we aren’t dating yet. When I turn 18, he’s supposed to propose. For my family, it’s financial reasons, but for his family, it’s about him having a trophy wife. He just picked me out.”
Wendy frowned. “That’s terrible. You deserve better than to be treated like some kind of prize.”
Pacifica looked down at her plate. “I know. But it’s complicated. My parents expect me to go through with it. They don’t care about how I feel.”
Mabel reached over and squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to go through with it, Pacifica. You have friends who care about you. We’ll help you.”
I nodded in agreement. “Mabel’s right. We’re here for you, no matter what.”
Pacifica smiled, her eyes softening. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
As we continued with dinner, I felt a renewed determination. This summer was proving to be more challenging than I’d anticipated, but with friends like Mabel, Wendy, and now Pacifica by my side, I knew we could face anything together.
And maybe, just maybe, we could help Pacifica find the strength to stand up for herself and choose her own path.
Whoever she ends up with.
