Alone

Chapter 5

Mabel's POV

"Hello," I held the phone to my ear and kept walking down stairs.

"Mabel, hey, it me."

"Yeah dip dot, I know. What's up." I walked into the living room and sat on the couch.

"I just got to the college."

"How is it?" I saw Bill walk down the stairs and lean against the wall, glaring at me. I tried to keep my breathing steady, but it was threatening to have him watching me.

"It's beautiful. The campus is amazing and I've already met a couple new friends."

"Sounds amazing," I tried so hard to keep my voice from choking so he wouldn't worry.

"Yeah, it is. But enough about me, how are you?"

"I-I'm fine." I tried to convince him, but failed miserably. 

"Really?" I could almost hear him raising an eyebrow through the phone.

"Yeah." I calmed my voice down and took a deep breath. "Really." He sighed

"Okay. But Mabel, I want you to talk to me and tell me if something is wrong. I'll always be here for you." I glanced up and Bill who was glaring at me.

"You can't tell him anything about me," he practically growled. "Tell him your fine, and hang up the phone. Now." He snapped the last part and I silently nodded.

"Really Dipper, I'm fine." Bill made a motion with his hand across his throat to tell me to hang up.

"Okay, I just-"

"I have to go, I'll talk to you later." I cut him off and brought the phone away from my ear.

"Oh- okay, I love-" I pressed the red button before he could finish what he was about say. I didn't want to hear it and give me any false hope.. I clenched the phone in my hand until my knuckles where white. It wasn't until I dropped the phone, that I realized I was shaking, and I couldn't stop. I started hyperventilating.

"I- I- I-,"

"Hey," Bill yelled sternly noticing my panicked expression and walked over to me, kneeling down in front of me. He looked directly into my eyes, his yellow eyes and black slits staring int mine. "Calm down," his voice was anything but calming, but for some reason, I did calm down. Maybe it was out of fear, or something to do with the fact that we were connected or something, but he stopped my anxiety attack.

"O-okay," I breathed. "I- just, I-"

"Are you okay?" I didn't answer. I couldn't. I just hung my head low. I couldn't even bring my self to nod. No, I'm not okay. "Answer me!" I flinched

"Yes," I said shakily.

"Good." He stood up and disappeared, probably just back to my mind. So I pulled my knees to my chest, and sat alone on the couch.

I miss Dipper.

Dipper's POV

I sat in my dorm alone. Mabel had just hung up on me and I knew something was wrong. The cutting, the anxiety, maybe it was the memory gun side affects, and maybe she was developing depression. What ever it was, I needed to help her. But she wouldn't talk to me. So, I did the next best thing I could think of. I called Ford. Again.

I pressed his contact on my phone and held it to my ear. I wasn't expecting him to answer. He never did. But I really needed him to. Mabel needed him-

"Hello?" I heard on the phone, interrupting my thoughts.

"Ford?"

"Yes, Dipper, do you need something?" Always so 'matter of fact' with this guy.

"Um, yeah. It's Mabel."

"What's wrong?"

"I think its getting worse. Her anxiety."

"Do you still think its from the memory gun?"

"I'm not sure. But it's bad."

"How so?"

"Self harm, anxiety attacks. And I can just tell. She's not the same."

"What do you need from me?" he sounded more worried at this point.

"I don't know. Do you know how to help her?"

"Well, the best thing for you to do is to just be with her." I paused, not knowing what to say.

"I'm not with her right now."

"Why not?"

"I'm at an internship, for the whole summer." I could hear Ford sigh.

"Dipper," he groaned out. "That's not good."

"I know, I shouldn't have gone."

"No Dipper, I mean. Agh. Its good that you went, but Mabel just..." he trailed off.

"What."

"She'll be fine. I'll talk to her."

"Okay, but don't tell her I called you."

"I won't."

"Okay, thank you. Tell Stan I said hi."

"I will. Bye Dipper."

"Bye." I pulled the phone away and looked ahead. Maybe I should call Mabel again. No. I'll give her time. I just wish she'd talk to me. I know something's wrong, but she won't tell me.

Ford's POV

I hung up the phone and held it in my hand, contemplating my next move.

"Who was that?" My twin asked me.

"Dipper."

"Oh. What's up with him?"

"Mabel's not okay."

"Oh," his face fell. "The anxiety with he memory gun?"

"I hope its that simple." Although if my theory was correct, it could be far worse. 

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll call her just to talk to her. Then figure out a plan." I started to dial her number when Stan snatched the phone from me.

"Not so fast 'Mr. matter of fact.' Maybe I should call her." I sighed.

"Okay fine. Just, talk to her. Make sure she's okay."

"I will."

"And before you do, I'll write down some questions I need you to ask her."

"Yeah yeah poindexter." He was silent for a moment, staring at the phone. "Do you think-" he looked up at me. "Do you think we were wrong?"

"About what?"

"To not go home and see them this summer. We're the only ones who know what those kids went through. We're the only ones who could help her through this."

"I-" I only started at him. "I don't know. But its not like we could have known that it would get this bad." he sighed.

"How bad is it?" he asked quietly.

"I'm not sure. Dipper mentioned self harm and anxiety attacks, but it could be worse than what she's letting on."

"Then I should probably call her, shouldn't I?"

"Yeah."

"Alright." He then walked away, and started to dial her number.