Always (2/3)

12: depends on your definition of worse

12
Pacifica

    As Mabel and I moved from store to store, buying clothes, makeup and even hitting the food court for a quick snack, she continued to tell me all about Dipper during the years I was gone. Some of it made me laugh, but some of it made my heart hurt.

   I sure put that boy through a world of hurt.

   "Now, when we came back for the summer it was a different story." Mabel explained as we walked out of Victoria's Secret. "We were both 15 by that point and Dipper waited every single day for you to come back."

   "Why didn't he text me?" I asked as we continued to walk up and down the halls of the mall. "I could've told him."

   "You see, that brings us back to Sarah." She sighed. "The girl who called herself Dipper's girlfriend. She managed to get his phone off him and deleted your number. And while Dipper has an exceptional memory, finals were around the corner and he was stressing out."

   "Right." I nodded, looking down at the bags in my arms.

   "And while he waited for you, he became agitated, as well as tired." She continued. "It was weird. But when we were going back to boarding school, he seemed calmer. He tried finding you on Instagram, Snapchat, anything. He even found Gideon once and asked him for your number.

   "But Gideon couldn't find it, and he'd just gotten a new phone." Mabel explained before I could even interrupt and ask about it. "Things were too much for Dipper."

   "I know." I sighed. "My parents didn't let me go back."

   "Why?" She asked, looking at me.

   "I dunno, they sent me to a summer camp in southern California." I explained. "I did grow to like it and that's when I met Janessa."

   "No more Janessa talk." Mabel frowned. "She's dead to us right now. So, where was I?"

   "You two going to boarding school, sophomore year." I reminded her.

   "Oh," she sighed. "Nothing very interesting happened that year. Except," she stopped walking and looked at the floor.

   "What's wrong, Mabes?" I stopped and asked her. "What happened that year?"

   "Dipper started having flings." She sucked in a breath. "Pointless sex, one-night stands, or a few night stands."

   Hearing that about Dipper felt about as good as being sucker-punched in the stomach did. I tried to take a breath but I found that my lungs forbid me to. "Oh."

   "I doubt they meant anything, Pacifica." Mabel tried to assure me, but even I couldn't find that helpful. "I'm sure they weren't."

   "How many?" I asked.

   "Pacifica do you really want to hear that?" She said, her fists clenching.

   "Damnit, Mabel." I said, my tone almost turning harsh. I quickly calmed myself down and composed myself. "How many?" 

   "27." She stammered.

   While 27 was a lot, and it hurt to hear, it wasn't as bad as I expected. I was almost relieved.

   As if she sensed it, Mabel sucked in a breath and said quietly, "first semester."

   ". . . .wow." I whispered. "And then?"

   "I dunno." She told me truthfully.

   "Any girl more than once?" I asked, walking forward, Mabel following me.

   "I think so." She kept her voice quiet. "But let's move on from that subject. Sophomore year was rough on him, On both of us. But never mind all that."

   "Does it get easier on him? Or does this story of Dipper's past three years get worse?" I asked, stepping into another store.

   Mabel followed me and walked right over to the hair accesories. "Um, depends on your definition of worse."

   "Alright, Mabes, tell me." I sucked in a breath and prepared for whatever bombshell she was about to drop on me.

   "He got so stressed with everything that was going on that he turned to. . ." she bit her lip and picked up a set of scrunchies. "Huh, these look cute."

   "Mabel." I said.

   "He started smoking cigarettes."

   ". . .wait, really? Dipper?" I stammered.

   "Yeah," she sighed. "I didn't figure out until the summer before junior year."

   "How?"

   "I just assumed that he got them from someone on campus." She explained. "But I do know where he got them in the summer."

   "Yeah, because Dipper buying cigarettes would freak everyone out." I scoffed.

   "Yeah, it would." She said, her tone serious. "But Dipper was smart. He met up with someone who could get him what he'd want and no one would bat an eye."

   "Who?"

   "Don't get mad." She warned me. "I don't think you'll like the answer."

   "I've already heard so much, I don't think it'll be an issue." I sighed, looking at the scrunchies she was still holding. "And yes, they are cute. I'll get them."

   "It was Scarlett Valentino." Mabel said. "Wendy's little sister."

   "Scarlett Valentino?" I frowned, crossing my arms. "Her? Gideon's friend?"

   "Ex friend." Mabel pointed out. "They had a falling out when Scarlett turned to the life of drugs and other gross stuff." She wrinkled her nose. "I think for most of the summer those two started hooking up. Nothing romantic, a torrid love affair."

   "Great." I frowned.

   "They never dated though." She pointed out. "Just--"

   "Just pointless sex." I finished for her. "I know."

   "And then Dipper's life became secretive when we went back to boarding school." Mabel continued with the story. "I do know that on weekends, and some weekdays, Scarlett would drive up to stay with him for the night and they'd smoke."

   "Geez," I whistled. "Dark part of his life."

   "Yeah but I'll let you know that he doesn't smoke much anymore." Mabel reassured me. "He stopped after awhile, but I'll, on occasion, find him on the porch lighting one up."

   "And him and Scarlett?"

   "I dunno where she went." Mabel said. "I don't think she lives with her family anymore. If anything she ran off to live with her sister or something."

   "Anything else I should know about Dipper's life during those three years?" I asked as she paid for the rest of the items.

   "Nothing I can think of." She said after we left the store and headed out of the mall.

   As we walked in silence for a few minutes she suddenly said. "Janessa might be his first girlfriend since you." She said. "But I dunno if they're actually dating or not."

   "Well, now what?" I asked as I got into her car. It was a little after four and I had about a million texts from Janessa and Rachel saying that it would be a movie night. One particular text from Janessa made me angry. "Oh, Janessa thinks she's staying over at your house for the night with Dipper." I said as Mabel sped out of the parking lot.

   "Well, then," she said, flipping down her shades. "I'm just going to have to ask you to spend the night too."

   "You can't be serious." I stammered.

   "You can invite Rachel too, so it's not so suspicious." Mabel comforted me. "Besides, this'll be the perfect part of our plan."

   "You think so?" I asked.

   "Oh Pacifica," she laughed. "I know so."