Always (2/3)

50: a stammering mess of inarticulate syllables

50
Pacifica

Guests flooded the ballroom of Gleeful Manor. I stood on the balcony, the elegant staircase laid dramatically in front of me. Mabel had suggested I make an entrance, so knowing she was right with everything that had happened this summer, I agreed.

Mabel stood at my side, watching Dipper mingle with the guests like a hawk. "He looks nervous."

I snorted. "What are you talking about? He looks fine."

Mabel rolled her eyes, which really stood out with her beautiful blue gown. "That's one of his nervous ticks. He appears fine, yes, but call it twin intuition, something's happened. Look at his body language; up close he appears relaxed, but from a distance, he's more stiff and rigid. His facial expression too; hardened, even his smile seems forced."

After hearing Mabel's explanation, I began to notice such things as well. "What do you mean something's happened?"

"That."

I followed Mabel's gaze to a man and Mrs. Gleeful. It took me a second to put two and two together (coming to a very unpleasant four) and I realized that that man must've been Dipper's father.

"Your father." I finished. "Did he just arrive?"

Mabel shook her head. "He isn't that set on making an entrance to arrive just as the ball itself begins. No, he must've been here for at least a hour, maybe more. He must've spoken to Dipper."

I felt the overwhelming urge to throw-up. Dipper's father. From the tone Mabel was using he just had to be worse than their mother. I didn't even consider he could be worse. With all the things Mrs. Gleeful had said in front of me and to me, I thought she was the worst.

Now I had to deal with Mr. Gleeful himself.

"If he says something to you, I swear." Mabel crossed her arms, brow furrowed. "He will not get away with it. Hell hath no fury like a Mabel Ariel Gleeful."

"Your middle name is Ariel?" I looked over at Mabel. "Cute."

"It means I'm a princess and I have an underwater army at my command."

"Uh, I think we watched different versions of The Little Mermaid as kids." In looking at Mabel, I realized that I had lost Dipper. Now, when I looked at the room laid out before me, he was nowhere in sight. "Um, Mabel? Where's--"

"Yeah, I noticed, too." Mabel murmured. "Well, dramatic entrance is paused, let's go find my brother."

The two of us walked down the stairs, knowing that eyes were on us regardless of intention or not, at a quickened pace. Once at the bottom, Mabel scanned the crowd. "I'm going to entertain my parents, you're going to have to find Dipper on your own. If my parents even assume that Dipper isn't here there is going to be a big issue."

"Okay, good luck." I gave her a quick hug then went back to the matter at hand.

Even as I walked through the sea of people I could feel eyes burning into me. It made me severely uncomfortable. I wanted to spend this night at Dipper's side the entire time, because I knew how stressed he was about this event.

But now that I couldn't find him, I felt uneasy. It wasn't that I suspected he was being secretive, but damnit, that boy was almost taken away from me twice, and I wasn't going to let that happen again.

"Paz?"

I'd hoped it was Dipper, I really did, but I was momentarily let-down when I found myself face-to-face with Gideon.