Mabel had been pestering me all morning. She was relentless, really, which wasn’t anything new, but today it seemed particularly intense.
“Dipper, you need to flirt with Pacifica more!” Mabel insisted, hands on her hips as she blocked my path to the kitchen.
I sighed, trying to sidestep her. “Mabel, I don’t want to flirt with Pacifica. We’re just friends.”
“But Dipper,” Mabel whined, trailing after me, “what if she goes back to Philipstein? Do you really want that?”
I paused, considering her words. At heart, I knew Pacifica was beautiful. She had grown into someone strong and interesting, and, okay, yeah, maybe I liked her. But I couldn’t acknowledge those feelings. Deep down, I was sure I wasn’t good enough for her.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, shaking my head. “She’s better off without someone like me. Plus, she deserves someone who’s, I don’t know, on her level.”
Mabel rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, please. You’re smart, you’re brave, and you’re my amazing bro-bro. What more could a girl want?”
I snorted. “Mabel, really. I’m not some knight in shining armor.”
She huffed. “Well, maybe not, but you could at least try to flirt a little, just to see how she reacts. It might be fun to tease her.”
I thought about it. Maybe teasing her wouldn’t be so bad. It might even make her mad, which could be amusing. “Alright, fine. I’ll give it a shot, just for the laughs.”
“Great!” Mabel exclaimed, beaming. “Let’s make you look irresistible!”
I let her dress me up, even though I felt a little ridiculous. She handed me a pair of light grey sweatpants and a black compression shirt, insisting they were perfect. With a roll of my eyes, I changed and headed downstairs, feeling only slightly ridiculous.
Pacifica was sitting on the couch, completely engrossed in an episode of *Ducktective*. It made me smirk. She’d always said the show was childish, yet here she was, totally invested in the plotline.
I decided to sneak up behind the sofa, tiptoeing carefully. When I got close enough, I jumped out and shouted, “Boo!”
Pacifica squealed, jumping in her seat and swatting at me. “Dipper! You jerk!” she laughed, hitting my arms playfully.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sorry, sorry! Couldn’t resist. You looked so into it.”
Pacifica rolled her eyes, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I was just, uh, checking out the animation quality.”
“Right,” I said, still grinning. “Well, I have to say, it’s kind of cute seeing you get all worked up over a cartoon.”
She glared at me, but there was a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “You’re such a dork.”
“Hey,” I said, leaning a little closer, “some people like dorks.”
Her eyes widened just a bit, and I could see her cheeks darken. She looked flustered, which was... unexpected. “Maybe,” she muttered, avoiding my gaze.
I straightened up, feeling strangely triumphant. “Well, I’m off to the gym. Gotta keep these muscles in shape.”
Pacifica’s eyes flicked to my shirt, and I could see her trying not to stare. “Yeah, sure. Have fun.”
I headed out, glancing back to see her still sitting there, looking adorably flustered. I couldn’t help but smile. Despite everything, I figured she only saw me as a friend. And I’d learned to accept that.
These little moments are enough for me.
