Take back the falls (3 years later)

2: Why talk to girls?

The whispers about the end of year dance have been going round all day, following the twins like the mystery did back in Gravity Falls. Mabel, predictably, was extremely excited about the prospect of a school dance, especially now she had someone to dance with, but Dipper, equally foreseeably, was dreading it. He couldn't even walk down the halls, let alone try and even attempt a waltz. However he had taken some amusement in seeing Mabel obsessing over dresses. (She had thankfully developed her taste from pink fluffy atrocities that had been hot-glued together.)

Dipper, after not particularly much thought, had decided to go in jeans and a T-shirt. He didn't need to impress anyone, or have anyone to impress anyway. So after his last class has been put to and end, and after the celebrations of his fellow students had died down enough so that he could move without being clapped on the back, he heads towards his dorm. Waving to Mabel within the crowds he slips inside the dorm, closes the door, and leans against it with a sigh.
"Is it really that bad out there" Dipper jumps at Bennett's voice, as he didn't realise there was anyone else in the room.
"Oh, ha, yeah. Same as every year I suppose"
Bennett pulls the the jacket he was holding on. "You know you can leave the class 5 minutes early. Just say you need to go to the loo or something."
"I'll remember that for next year." Replies Dipper, smiling, and he pauses fully taking Bennett's appearance for the first time since he entered the room.

He was in a full suit: shirt, jacket, trousers, and little rainbow cuff-links. The whole deal.
"Any particular reason you're all dressed up?" Asks Dipper, genuinely curious.
"It's a dance Dipper! Is that not a reason in itself to get on my Sunday best? And besides, there may be some cute boys that will present themselves tonight. Besides you of course." Dipper blushes at these words, as he always does when Bennett makes a remark like this.
"I am not." mumbles Dipper, turning away towards his bed to try and find some jeans that aren't stained from some chemical experiment or another. Bennett shrugs and looks down, fiddling with his cuff-links.

*****

Mabel spins around on the dance floor a permanent grin on her face and her sparkly blue dress swirling around her knees. Dipper watches her dancing with her boyfriend, both of them king and queen of the dance. He smiles as he sees him kiss her on the cheek as the song finishes and they go and get some punch together. He notices the other girls watching Mabel too, obviously a little jealous of her. Reminiscing of her many, MANY, failed past romances, he grins as he thinks that at least time, he isn't made of gnomes, or part fish.

Dipper is leaning against one of the walls at the least crowded side of the large hall, watching the dancers and thinking to himself, -and secretly promising himself- that next year, next year he'll be with them. Dancing with someone. Purple and blue lights swim about the place, covering the many people in cool, dusky colours, giving the illusion that it was late at night, when really it was only 9pm. Dipper feels the thud of the wall behind him as someone leans next to him, and he turns to see Bennett, looking tired and holding a red plastic cup.

"Hey sad stuff. What's got you down?" Says the newcomer.
"Hm? Nothing. I'm fine."
Bennett raises an eyebrow, "Yeah. You're not. You look like your remembering something you'd rather forget, if not very much mistaken."
Dipper grins, the presence of another human being has cheered him up. Something that hasn't happened in quite a while.
"Wrong I'm afraid." He replies, "In fact I'm remembering my sisters old boyfriends." He chuckles, "None of them very successful may I add. But she looks like she's got a keeper now... For a while at least."
"Yeah," says Bennett looking at Mabel as well. "Yeah she looks happy" he turns to look at the shorter man.

"So, why haven't you got your dancing shoes on Dipper?"
Dipper snorts, laughing. "Me? You think I would dance?" You were just thinking that though, says the small voice in Dippers head, helpfully chiming in.
"Well. Yeah." Replies Bennett. "Out on the dance floor dancing with some beautiful girl or something." He chooses his words carefully.
Dipper laughs harder. "Ok now your joking. Any 'beautiful girl' is far far FAR out of my league."
He pauses.
"Actually, I've never been any good at flirting with girls. Apart from a couple of days summers ago, but that all ended in utter disaster." He chuckles, and Bennett smiles in disbelief.
"Noooo I'd have thought the ladies would've been queueing up for you." The sarcasm was there, but Dipper still blushed at the words.
"Nope. As I said. I could never talk to girls." Replies Dipper. "Still can't, matter of fact."

He looks over to Mabel again and watches as she dances with one of her friends, getting closer and closer to where Dipper and Bennett were standing. Then he hears Bennett speak again.

"Why talk to girls when you can talk to me?"

Dipper spins and stares at Bennett for a second but then he feels a sharp tug on his arm and the yell of his sister.
"C'MON BRO BRO STOP MOPING AND DANCE!!"
Dipper stumbles as he is dragged onto the dance floor by Mabel and he stares back at the wall to see Bennett waving with his fingers at him and laughing.