11
Pacifica

"So, what happened?" Mabel asked, taking a slow sip of her soda. "I mean, tell me everything."

I looked down at the coffee in front of me. "I dunno if I want to relive this."

"I'm sorry, Pacifica." Mabel sighed, "but I need to know."

"Okay," I took a deep breath and told her everything that had happened. As I told my story, I watched Mabel's expressions which were very vivid. That girl could be an actress.

"So, your friend Janessa stole your man?" Mabel frowned. "After it took you both so, freaking, long to get with each other? I'm sorry, but what the hell?"

"I know." I whispered.

"There's a code among girls and that is never date your best friend's man, exman, or even crush." Mabel pointed a finger at her, "she just broke Girl Code rule number 1."

"Well," I looked at Mabel, "she doesn't know."

"WHAT?!"

Everyone in the food court stopped what they were doing and stared at us. But when they saw it was Mabel Gleeful they all went back to doing what they were doing.

She frowned and looked at me once more, "what do you mean she doesn't know?"

"I didn't tell her about me and Dipper." I looked down at the table. "And looking back on it, it wasn't the smartest decision I've made. But at the show, when his eyes glazed over me, he didn't know it was me." I gestured to myself. "And it's not like I've changed. It's not like my eyes are different, it's not like my hair's brown or black now."

"Yeah, you haven't changed." Mabel slurped her soda. "Is that what you were talking about last night?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You texted me saying that you were happy some things stayed the same." Mabel explained. "Were you subtly mentioning Dipper?"

"I don't even know anymore." I took a sip of coffee. "God, I'm just so confused."

"You shouldn't be." Mabel reassured me. "Don't you worry, Mabes is gonna fix this."

"Why are you helping me?" I finally had to ask.

"Excuse me?" She gave me a look.

"Well, we weren't exactly 'best friends' when we met." I explained using air quotations. "Even when I left we weren't really friends."

She let out a small laugh and tossed her purse over her shoulder. "You ready to go shopping?"

I nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

As we left the mall's food court, I tried one more time. "So, why are you helping me?"

She stopped walking and turned to face me, "because you're the best thing that has ever happened to my brother and I'll be damned if I see him throw the best of him away on some girl that isn't you."

Getting validation from Mabel made me feel good. She was a difficult person to impress or be liked by, and it was nice. "Thanks, so, what's the plan?"

"Well, Paz," Mabel grinned. "We are going to make you look like you are happy with where you are. You'll become irresistible to him, like a dog who gets a new chew toy."

When she saw my expression she coughed. "Not that you're a toy to him, but you get what I mean." She explained quickly. "And this plan has a few steps, mmkay?"

"What's step one?" I asked.

"Making you irresistible to him." She said as we walked into a store chalk-full of summer clothes. "And this process will ensure one thing and we move onto step two."

"What's the signal?" I asked. "That lets us move onto step two?"

Mabel started grinning wildly. "It's when he looks at you and can't keep his eyes off you. The first glance, as long as it's more than two seconds."

"Okay." I nodded along. "Should be easy. Nothing too wild, Mabes."

"Trust me," she said, "it won't be."

* * *

Hours passed faster than I anticipated. Mabel had been throwing clothes at me to try on faster than anything ever. While I appreciated what she was helping me with, I was stuck in a mode that had me thinking 'is this worth it?'.

Apparently Mabel noticed my lack of enthusiasm in the shirt she handed me. "What's wrong? I thought green was your color?"

"It is." I said, "but it's not the shirt."

"Is it the makeup? The jeans? The shorts, the skirts?" She pestered. "Don't be so down."

"I'm wondering if this is a good idea." I explained as she pushed me into a dressing room, handing me the green shirt as well as other shirts she picked out for me before shutting the door on me.

From the outside I could hear her laughing. "Oh, Paz, all ideas are good if you have the right mind-set to execute them."

"Is that how you live your life?" I asked, slipping into the green shirt. "Nice quote by the way, is it yours?"

Silence.

"Mabel?"

"Who the quote belongs to is irrelevant." She suddenly said, shocking me.

"Just tell me." I groaned. "I really like it. It makes sense."

". . . . .Dipper."

I groaned again. "Makes sense he'd say something like that."

"Yeah, he's that type." Mabel sighed. "Hey, do you mind if I talk to you about him? I know it won't help you much, but I just need to rant to someone."

Her question caught me off guard. Mabel confiding in me? "Yeah," I said. "It's only fair."

"Alright," she said, and I could tell she was smiling. "Well, for starters, after you left he was a wreck."

I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Is this supposed to make me feel better?"

"Is it working?"

"Hmm," I pondered the thought as I took off the green shirt, aiming to try on the white tank top. "Keep going."

"Well, where was I? Oh right! He was an absolute wreck. I think the terms we're looking for are, hot mess." She continued, bringing a smile to my lips. "Oh! He was also over-the-top dramatic!"

"Tell me all about it!" I said slipping into the tank top, admiring myself in the mirror.

"Well, for starters he would lock himself in his room." Mabel started. "He would play sorrowful notes on the piano. He would listen to nothing but mushy breakup songs."

"Like. . ?" I prodded.

"Hmm, let's see." Mabel hummed to herself. "I can remember them very well. There was I Won't Give Up, Dear Darlin', Secrets, Is There Somewhere, Sad Song, Heartbreak In the Making, Why Don't You Love Me, Animal, Like Lovers Do, Fool Like Me. To name a few." She listed.

"Oh, wow." I thought back to when I left. He seemed so calm. "What happened after?"

"He would occasionally walk by the Mystery Shack to see if you were back." She explained. "Honestly, he was kind of like a lost puppy."

"Oh."

"When the school year started up again, our parents shipped us off to a boarding school in Seattle." She continued. "He would text you, cons-tant-ly."

"Yeah, when we texted." I smiled at the memory, deciding to try on another shirt Mabel had handed me.

I don't think she meant it, but the color of the crop top was an icy blue color. Matched Dipper's eyes.

"Did he tell you he was at boarding school?" She suddenly asked.

"No, I don't think he did." I replied, aimlessly. "Or maybe he did and I just don't remember."

"What else did he do that was dramatic?" She mused, "oh! He would write letters to you. But never send them."

"Really?" I asked, astounded. Also a little mad that the blue crop-top looked so nice on me.

"Yeah," she replied. "Are you almost done in there?"

"Yeah almost." I called to her. "What else?"

"Oh, he refused to date anyone."

That caught me off guard. "Wait, seriously?"

"Yeah." Mabel's reply was muffled. "It was weird. I mean, so many girls threw themselves at him, and he batted them away with ease."

"Oh, wow."

"Flash forward to the winter break we came home from boarding school to have with family." She said, "are you done yet?"

"Coming out now." I replied, opening the door. "I like them all."

Mabel raised a brow at the blue crop-top in my hands. "His signature color."

"You're not helping." I swatted her. "Also, I figured it would get his attention."

Mabel threw her head back and laughed. "Ah Paz, you are truly devious."

"Tell me more." I said, "it's making me feel better."

"Well," she said as she handed the clothes we were going to buy to the person behind the counter. "When we came back for the winter, he assumed you'd be there. And when you weren't, he sulked the entire break."

"I know." I muttered as Mabel paid for the clothes. "He told me."

"Oh yeah, when you two would talk on the phone." She nodded handing her credit card to the man. "It would be for hours. Literal hours."

"Alright, moving on," I said as the man handed us our bags. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Mabel smiled. "Revenge is what I live for. And," she looked to me and I noticed she seemed actually happy. "I like hanging out with you, you're so much realer than my other friends."

"How so?" I asked.

"They just try to mirror me." She sighed. "But they're terrible at it. They won't give me the right advice because they just want to please me."

"So we're friends now?" I raised a brow.

"Yes, Pacifica." She rolled her eyes. "We're friends."

"Great." I said as we left the store. "Now, please tell me more about Dipper."

_________
Y'all are really gonna love the friendship dynamic between Mabel and Pacifica, I guarantee it! Keep smiling my lovelies

-Kaori Miyazono <3