“Ugh!” Pacifica proclaimed. “Where is it!?” Articles of clothing that weren’t ‘it’ were scattered around her walk-in closet. Fancy dresses and scarves piled on top of each other. A two hundred dollar hat here. A designer blazer there. The teen only had one thing in mind. The mess in her room was nowhere near as bad as the mess she’d be in if her outfit for tonight was not up to her parent’s standard.

“Darn it!” Pacifica emptied out an entire dresser drawer to dig through the pile. “I know it’s in here somewhere!”

“Whacha looking for birthday girl?” Mabel casually asked as if she didn’t just break in through the window and waltz in. Pacifica responded with a justified scream.

“Mabel! How’d you get in here!?” she asked. Pacifica’s neck veins were visible and her hair was dishelmed.

Mabel held her grappling gun, “Same way I always do. Seriously, why are you acting so cray-cray?”

“I need to find this super specific brooch! My parents are throwing this party and they’ll kill me if I’m not matching down to the minutest detail.”

“Your parents picked out your birthday outfit?” Mabel asked.

She scoffed, “How long have you known my parents?” Turning around, Northwest saw her enemy turned friend trying on her blazer.

The two were both 16; as of today. Pines towered over the five foot Northwest by six inches. Obviously, the blazer’s sleeves didn’t even reach her wrist. The tip of Mabel’s shooting star tattoo was visible from where the left sleeve ended. Her sweater vest had a cupcake in the center and her bedazzled jean shorts shinned against the lights. Mabel adjusted her rectangular glasses and smiled at her stressed out friend.

“Screw your parents!” Mabel cheered. “It’s ya birthday! Wear what you want! They need to respect that.”

“As nice as that sounds, they’re the ones who buy my clothes.” Pacifica moved to another pile. “They’re not as…controlling as they were before. But it’s progress.”

“Progress?” Mabel repeated. “Look, I get you don’t want to piss them off. But you’re freaking out over a single piece of jewelry when you own like, a dozen others.” One of those dozens, Mabel placed on the dress that she figured might be able to fit her.

“Three dozen.” Northwest corrected. Mabel talked while testing her theory.

“My point exactly. Just do what you always do. Tell them how they’re being helicopters and then do whatever it is you wanted to do without setting anything on fire.”

Pacifica turned to give Mabel the most confused look she could muster. When she did, however, the brunette was still changing which made her snap back to the clothes pile.

Hopefully, Mabel didn’t see her blushing.

“Why’re you stealing my clothes?” she asked. “They don’t even fit you!”

“I’m just trying it on,” Mabel replied smirking.

Facetiously, “You rip it, you buy it. I don’t need you to stretch out another top.” Mabel finished zipping up the dress.

“What if it fits?”

Pacifica rolled her eyes, “Then you can have it.”

“Thanks.” Mabel cheered.

“For what?”

“For the new dress.”

Pacifica spun around standing up to see Mabel wearing a glittering rose gold strapless dress with frills. The hem of the skirt landed below Mable’s knees. Pacifica visualized her friend with her hair done, a pair of high heel shoes, and some make-up. Perhaps even a flower to go with the outfit. A golden rose brooch to match the outfit. Kind of like the one she was looking for. Which Mabel just so happened to be wearing.

“That’s my brooch!” Pacifica alerted.

“No, this is my boob.” Mabel joked.

“…Are you twelve?”

“Don’t be mad cause you fell into my, pfft! ‘Booby-trap’!” Pacifica’s dead-eyed expression with crossed arms told Mabel exactly how affecting the pun was. The awkward silence ended when Mabel handed the ornament over. “Worth it.”

“Ugh!” Pacifica groaned pushing her big friend toward the open window. “Thank you, Mabel. But I need you to scram before anyone realizes you’re here. Mostly because you broke in.”

“What about the mess?

“I’ll…get someone to clean it up.” Pacifica admitted.

Mabel snapped a salute, “I volunteer!”

“You’re just looking to steal more of my clothes.” She deduced.

“Nah. I wanna help my girlfriend pick out an outfit!” Mabel finished the statement with a wink. Again, she wasn’t realizing what she was doing to the Northwest heir. Pacifica shifted away before Mabel could see. “Did…did you just start blushing?” Pacifica’s long golden hair fell just short of her hips. With her back to Mabel, that’s all the Pines girl could see. That, and her hand pointing toward the window.

“Mabel! Out! Please!” Pacifica demanded. There was silence following the shout. A stillness in the air letting the moment sink in. Pacifica knew her friend was still standing behind her. The question on her mind was if she had hurt her friend.

Well, she didn’t have to wait long for an answer.

Mabel’s arms gently wrapped around Pacifica. The girl’s chin rested on Pacifica’s head for a brief second as she gave comfort.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay my little ‘frienemy’.”

She snickered, “Haven’t heard that in a while.” Mabel let her cheek come down to meet Pacifica’s. Her grip tightened. Nowhere near close to raising any alarm. Instead, increasing a sense of security between the two.

“You sure you don’t want me to give you fashion advice?”

“There’s a reason why I do your make-up. Remember?”

“Pfft! I’m stylish!”

“Sure you are. Which is why you’re wearing my dress.” Pacifica spun around to get another look at Mabel. “How’d you get it on so quick?”

“Cause I’m that damn good.” Mabel howled.

“Whatever dork.” She teased. “Just give it back after the party.”

Mabel offered, “Do something you’ve always wanted to do today but never have, and I will. Promise?”

“Sure. Now like, get out of my house you freak.”

On her way out the window, “Super Freak! Super freak! Super freak!”

Pacifica made sure Mabel was safely on the ground before closing her window.

“Geez.” Pacifica rolled her eyes when the girl dove through the bushes creating another hole next to her previous ones. When her eyes were done rolling, they landed on a clean floor. Which lead to a clean closet where the golden rose brooch lay on top of a waiting present.

‘Dear Pacifica,

I hope you enjoy today as much as I enjoy hanging out with you. You’ve changed my life for the better and I love for you for that. Keep the choo-choo-changing-train going!

-Love Mabel’

Pacifica opened the box. She wasn’t sure whether or not to roll her eyes or smile.

“Oh my God.”

!

The gates to the Northwest mansion were open and the guest were pilling in. A range between the family’s rich and famous associates were rubbing elbows with the residents of Gravity Falls. Realistically, this meant stockbrokers trying to avoid contact with woodsmen and shifty shop owners. More specifically, Stan Pines.

“This what rich people consider food?” Stan asked holding a cheese cube. At least he thought it was a cheese cube.

“It’s something only the sophisticated could understand, Mr. Pines.” Mr. Northwest said appearing behind Stanly.

“It’s a stick inside a piece of processed milk.” Stan rebutted, “Hardly anything to act high and mighty over. I can stab an old block of milk too if you keep that tone up.”

Pacifica rushed to intervene.

“Stabbing my father won’t be necessary Stan.” She looked to said block of cheese. “Dad, I think there’s some guest that would like to speak with you?”

“Are they like us or,” looking at Stan, “them?”

“They’re business owners,” Pacifica answered.

“Very well. I’ll mingle with them for a while. Couldn’t hurt to get some time with away from the locals.” With that, he adjusted his suit and started to walk away. Unfortunately, he remembered something.

“Oh. Pacifica darling. I hope you’ve chosen a song for the party now. That was the deal.”

“Don’t worry dad. I’ve got my violin and everything ready.”

“Good.” One final comment, “That wasn’t the dress we picked out for you.”

“Still better than what you’re wearing jerk-face.” Stan defended.

With her dad out of sight, Pacifica let out a long groan.

Already on his third cheese cube, “What’s the deal? You sing and get a party?”

“Please.” Pacifica rolled her eyes. “This party is just a way for my folks to get attention amongst other millionaires. The deal was to let the commoners in if I played a song.”

“You wanted to have Soos swimming in chocolate at your birthday party?” Stan asked. He was leaning against the table watching the man of discussion do backstrokes with old man McGucket racing him.

“Small price to pay for you, Dipper and Mabel to be here.”

Stan gave her a thankful finger gun point.

“Thanks, kid. But Lil’ Dipper ain’t here yet. Something about dealing with an ‘elemental spirit’ and ‘we’re all gonna die’. Sorry kid.”

“Is he okay?”

“Ford’s with him I think.” Stan shrugged. “The kid can handle a couple of dead tree huggers without my brother. So I think they'll be fine. Mabel’s here though.”

Pacifica almost cracked her neck turning to survey the room.

“Where?”

Bear hugging the birthday girl from behind was, who else, a dressed up Mabel Pines.

“Here!”

The height difference made it easy for Mabel to lift the girl off the ground.

“Happy birthday Paz!”

“Thanks.” Pacifica, once back on the ground, got a good look at the brunette. Not surprisingly, Mabel was wearing the outfit from earlier. Again, Pacifica started to blush seeing how cute her friend looked. Just like she thought, Mabel was wearing some light make up, had her hair permed, and was sporting red heels. “You look good.”

“Aw. Thanks. So do you.” Mabel’s comment was true. But she did wonder why Pacifica decided on this particular outfit. Her shin length dress was a sparkling lavender. Her hair was done up in a rolled bun with a blue-violet inserted in holding it together. The flower matched the princess’s gloves and high heel shoes to boot. The final color was pink. More specifically, valentine pink triangle earrings and a necklace.

“You look really…pretty,” Mabel said.

“Of course I do,” Pacifica scoffed. “You look really cute too.”

“Ya' done ogling my niece?” Stan joked.

“Whatever. I gotta go get ready for my song.” Pacifica said. “I’ll see you afterword.”

Mabel asked, “You gonna do something crazy right? Like, sing a polka song? Or drive away on a Moped!”

“A Moped?”

“You’ll see.” Mabel winked. Pacifica waved it off as Mabel being, well, Mabel.

“I have a plan.” Pacifica got on her tiptoes to whisper, “And I’m gonna need you to be front row to see it.”

Mabel smiled and whispered back, “Looking forward to it.”

!

The lights got dim and the party goers all turned to the staircase. At the top, with spotlights on him was the proud Mr. Northwest. He cleared his voice before speaking into the microphone.

“Ladies & Gentlemen, please welcome our lovely birthday girl. Pacifica Northwest!” Applause came with her entrance into the light. She had a violin in hand and an annoyed expression.

“She has a very special song she’d like to play for you all. I know you’ll enjoy this classical rendition of a song you may recognize.”

“Disco girl?” Someone heckled. Pacifica recognized the voice and joyfully yelled back to him.

“Shut it troll boy!”

Mr. Northwest decided to give Pacifica a little nudge to the microphone.

“Don’t disappoint me.” He whispered to her in a threatening tone. Before she could give a sly remark, he left her alone.

Pacifica got into position. Her instrument and bow were in place. The bow wasn’t the one that had come with the violin upon purchase, however. Mr. Northwest didn’t recognize it. Mabel on the other hand did. Mainly because it was one she made for her. One deep breath with closed eyes and she was ready.

“This is for my golfing buddy.”

Mabel elbowed her brother, “Ha. That’s me.”

She drew her bow back beginning the song and sang. It wasn’t the song she said she’d sing. It wasn’t the song anyone expected.

“Slow dance with you.

I just want to slow dance with you.

I know all the other boys are tough and smooth,

And I got the blues.

I want to slow dance with you.”

Mabel’s smile was starting to fade. As it did, the entire room did as well. The only thing existing in Mabel’s reality was the beautiful woman serenading her a top stair case. Infatuation was the best word to describe her current set of emotions. The blush on her face knowing these words for her. The unbreakable stare didn’t go unnoticed by Pacifica though. Like a magician, the wink she delivered made Mabel’s heart skip a beat. Her glasses even started to fog a little.

“I want to slow dance with you.

I just want to slow dance with you.

Why don't you take the chance?

I've got the moves.

I'd like to prove.

I want to slow dance with you.”

The final note was played and soon, Pacifica gave a bow to her guest as the applause erupted. Mabel, more than anyone, was close to tears.

Mr. Northwest came from behind Pacifica with her present. Instead of surprise, Pacifica smiled thinking back to Mabel’s joke.

For her sweet-16-party, she got her own vehicle. A hot pink Moped with ‘NW’ on the side.

“Oh, my god!” she let out clearly ecstatic over the gift. "Seriously?"

Her father looked behind him. In the shadows stood Ford Pines. Glaring at the richest man in the room, Ford cracked his knuckles. His face was the definition of menacing.

"Yes!" he said. "Even though you broke our agreement and don't deserve-" Ford could be heard clearing his throat. "What I mean is, happy birthd—”

Pacifica put her instrument back inside the case placed nearby before jumping on the bike. She revved up the bike and took off down the flight of stairs. She even pulled off a wheelie. It was unintentional, but she did it.

The only reason she stopped was to ask Mabel a question. That, and she didn’t want to run anyone over.

“Wanna get out of here?” Pacifica asked extending her hand. Mabel didn’t even hesitate to hop on and lamprey to Pacifica’s back.

“Thought you’d never ask!”

With that, Mabel & Pacifica rode off out the door and past the gate leaving multiple people in their dust. It was so quiet that the bike was heard roaring down the driveway into the street. It was a long while after the lights were no longer visible before anyone said anything. That, someone, was Stan Pines.

“Hey Northwest! Since we’re gonna be in-laws a few years from now, I demand half of your stuff in advance!”

END