Always (2/3)

51: like any reasonable teenager would

51
Pacifica

   From my perspective, a majority of the ball went without a hitch. The first dance I had with Dipper felt absolutely magical.

   Was I absolutely terrified that things could go wrong at any time? Especially with Dipper's parents glaring at me every time I was with their son?

   Dipper must've sensed my uneasiness. "Paz," he only seemed to pull me closer. "I do hope you know that my father isn't glaring at you."

   "Who the hell else would he be glaring at?" I shook my head and cradled myself.

   "Me." Dipper hummed nonchalantly. "I may or may not've said something to him that would warrant such intense glaring."

   "What on Earth are you talking about?" It struck me as odd, but I remembered that Mabel had mentioned something in parting. That she suspected that their father had spoken to Dipper alone. "He spoke to you after all?"

   "Ooh, top marks." Dipper grinned a cocky grin. "Like I said, you are perceptive. Yes, he did come to my room to speak to me when he first arrived."

   "What happened?" I demanded. "Come on, you promised there would be no more secrets between us."

   Dipper bit his lip, casting a wary glance over to his father who remained glaring at him with such an intense stare that I felt like I was under a spotlight.

   "He spoke harshly of you." Dipper cautiously admitted. "I had decided that I had enough of my parents's constant down-talk of you. So, like any reasonable teenager would do, I argued back with him. He, well, he didn't like it."

   "Did he threaten your inheritance?" I asked.

   Dipper raised a brow and laughed aloud. "What is it with you and inheritances? I am more than my money, sweetheart. However," he cast another look over to his parents. "Something occu-- actually, never mind." He looked down at the floor, "it's hardly important."

   That freaked me out. "What are you talking about?"

   Dipper didn't seem to hear me. "Ah, look, it's Mabel."

   Sure enough, Mabel had dramatically waltzed over to where we were dancing and smiled at us. "Well, whatever you did, Dipshit, the parents are far from pleased. However, they were entirely reluctant to admit that the ball itself is a success."

   "Of course it is." I smiled at Mabel. "The both of you planned it."

   "Aw, you're so sweet." Mabel grinned and pulled me away from Dipper. "Sorry, brother mine, I'm stealing your date for a minute. Better luck next time!"

   "Wait!" I exclaimed but Mabel had already pulled me away.

   Dipper looked slightly miffed but he immediately froze up, as thought death itself had passed through him.

   I couldn't see what made him react like that, because Mabel had pulled me farther away from Dipper.

   "So, how'd you find him?" Mabel asked as we danced.

   "Well it wasn't easy." I admitted. "He was secluding himself from everyone. Thinking. I think there's something going on with him."

   "When isn't there something going on with him?" Mabel snorted and spun me around.

   I nodded, grateful for the fact that she wasn't prying to hard into what Dipper and I had discussed, and that she was leading the dance because I basically had two left feet.