I looked at her for a moment, shrugging as the answer became ellusive.

"That's what I'd like to know as well." She answered simply, standing up to come chest to chest with me.

I backed away from her, repulsed by her advances as she simultaniously threatened me. Something about my pain was just so thrilling to her.

"Don't get any closer." I slit my eyes, genuine fear forced back. I got into an offensive stance, making it apparent I would defend myself against her.

"I'll tell Stan if you hit me." She taunted, my stance weakening instantly. She continued.

"Not that I don't already have enough leverage to get you to do whatever I want." I hissed at her remark, an animal-like sound that came from deep within me. I hated her so much, she seemed to pull out a primal instinct in me whenever she came near. One to attack her.

She seemed taken back by this, looking at me up and down for a moment. A smile slowly crept over her, regaining her composure in an instance.

"Can you purr, too?"

"I'm about to fucking hurt you." I felt my eye twitch, not sure I cared about Grunkle Stan's anger enough to let this slide. All of this bullshit was becoming too much. I wanted to get back at her so badly.

I wanted to take every bit of humiliation she had given me, taunting me with the power she held, and give it back to her ten fold. I wanted to ruin her. I seriously couldn't stand sharing the same air with her any longer. One of us had to go.

"I'll hurt Pacifica if you do. Don't forget I own her as much as you do." She caught me off guard for a moment, though I was quick to regain my composure.

"She doesn't belong to anyone!" I growled, Candy shivering in mock-fear.

"Let me tell you something, sweet-ass." She started, not skipping a beat. It was like she had a list of names to call me, and each one was both sexual and pathetic. I grimaced as she spoke.

"My dad's a millionaire, right?" She paused, waiting for me to nod or agree or give something that signified my following along. For the hundredth time, I remained silent.

"And your Great Uncle Stan wouldn't do shit to help you out, would he? Especially if it was for your precious side hoe."

"Don't fucking call her-"

"But, she is, isn't she?" She cut in. "I'm your girlfriend."

"You're an ass. I don't even consider you a girl."

"Well, I am. You and I both know that." My brow furrowed at what she was alluding to. She just grinned, seeing my discomfort as a personal win.

"My point is this: I have the money. I have the power. I have those sweet little pictures of your naked bod cut to shreds. I have more Twitter followers than fucking Donald Trump. The entire town follows me online, Dipper. Did you know that? I could post all of your bullshit and everyone would know about it."

"I recall. You only remind me every fucking time we're together."

"And once it's released and Stan kills you for ruining his 'good name' forever, who's gonna protect little Pacifica?" I froze for a moment, registering her words. To her, 'kill' probably meant a heavy beating and several months of grounding. My heartbeat began to race, her words unknowingly accurate. Kill.

"You wouldn't." I began, but the confidence in her eyes said otherwise.

"Try me, buttercup."

I watched her, eyes dilated and piercingly vicious. She wasn't bluffing. I felt my hands shake, forcing myself not to grab her and do away with her quickly. Maybe I could make a run for it before Stan found out. I could convince Mabel to tag along.

We could raid his safe, taking every bit of cash we needed, just to sort things out. I could get a job as a grocery bagger. I never minded work. Mabel could do whatever she wanted as long as she stayed out of view from the public eye. She always did love the spotlight.

I had a black mustang out front, and I knew Stan never paid attention to anything associated with us. He didn't even know the license plate number. We could change our names. Mabel always wanted to try out blond hair dye, and I wasn't against it as long as it meant he couldn't find us.

I stopped my fantasizing the second Candy's eyes met mine. It would never work. Mabel would get too scared and sneak back to Grunkle Stan after a month. She was sheeple like that. I'd become anxious and fall back into drinking and drugs and sex, like when I was younger. Back when I couldn't handle the stress.

The only real outcome to that fantasy was suicide, whether or not it was any different from my current path. Sighing, I looked at her.

"So... The zoo?" She smirked at my submission, patting the side of my cheek.

"Oh, don't be sad, baby cakes." I almost reconsidered my fantasy just from hearing that shitty nickname.

"Pacifica's coming along, too." She finished with an evil grin. Fighting against my better judgement, I asked why. She looked at me, high on the power she received from my lowering.

"Because, you're gonna show her just how much you love me."