The Day Will be Longer than You Think

2: The Human Experience

I should remind everyone, I'm not sorry. 

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The pair walked back in; Dipper looking particularly flustered and a smug smile cut on Bill's face. Mabel hopped up from her seat upon seeing them.

"I paid for the food, let's go. Oh, and Bill, you need a ride?" asked Mabel, skipping out the door of the restaurant.

"That depends, I usually carpool." Bill shot Dipper a suggestive look.

"He needs a ride home," said Dipper, the uncomfortably warm breeze doing nothing to keep his face from going red.

"Hm, I think that I might not," he answered.

"No, no, you definitely need a ride," said Dipper.

"But Mabel needs a ride first," added Bill.

Mabel cleared her throat, "Did I miss something?" she asked.

"Nope, nothing at all," answered Dipper, walking out toward the door.

Bill looked highly amused. "Okay then, Pine Tree," he said, and walked towards the car, Mabel in tow.

"Wait, what's going on now?" asked Mabel.

"Um," Dipper started.

"Um," Bill continued.

She looked at them both for a moment, and then sighed, "You know what, I don't want to know."

Bill and Dipper looked visibly relieved, although Dipper knew that she had caught on with the evil look that she flashed him. He hadn't heard the end of it from her, and . He was absolutely sure that he would get an earful once they were in private. It was high on his list of priorities to not get caught alone with her for awhile.

They got to the car, where Dipper forced his way past his sister to the driver's seat, getting in. He turned and took the keys from her as he started the car.

Mabel gave him a death glare in the rearview mirror in before he could talk, causing him to feel much less bold about himself.

"We are dropping you off at your house... Then I'm taking Bill home," Dipper muttered as quietly as he could.

"Actually, Dipper, you are going to drive me home, let Bill off, and then come back to my place, because it is too late to let you drive home in the dark."

"I can drive perfectly fine," retorted Dipper, turning a corner on the road before Bill nosed in, turning and looking over his shoulder to talk to Mabel.

"I think that it'll all work out perfectly fine when it comes to Dipper and driving late," he said.

"But just a little while ago, you two were... not talking or something?" asked Mabel.

"Well, we are adults, we can make adult decisions," said Bill, putting his feet up on the dashboard casually. "Eh... Say, Shooting Star? This is your car, can I have the key after we let you off?" Bill asked tentatively. "I mean you're right, it is getting late... I'm sure I can drive better than Pine Tree."

"How about when we get back you get Dipper's truck; I don't see you two being back by morning," said Mabel, waving her hands and rolling her eyes playfully at Dipper, who was positively burning red in the driver's seat. This is not what he thought he'd be doing this evening.

"I see no issue with that," cut Bill into the sibling squabble.

"Sounds just peachy," said Dipper, less confidently than he meant it to be.