Bill shoved me against the lockers. "Look at this!" He said, shoving his math homework in Dipper's face. "You know what this is? A failure on your part."

"I-I'm sorry," Dipper muttered. "I didn't know how to do it."

"But you're in the same class as me? Where you even listening to Miss. Denim?"

Like you were, Dipper thought bitterly. Bill shoved him harder against the locker. "I asked you a question, Pine Tree!"

Dipper winced. Bill was a year older then him and Dipper had skipped his freshman year of high school, so they were in the same grade. Dipper still hadn't gotten his growth spurt and Bill towered over him.

"I was listening," Dipper said. "But I just...forgot."

"Oh really?" Bill asked. "Then why did you ace your homework?"

Dipper cringed. His idea to get Bill off his back hadn't worked. "Well..."

Bill's grip tightened. "Shut up, Pines. You're one of the smartest kids in this school."

Wished I wasn't.

"So I'm gonna give it to you straight. You do my homework, and I keep the rest of those big bullies off you're back. Understand?"

Dipper nodded. Bill didn't look like much, but he was a threatening figure, with his eyepatch and all. He'd apparently lost it when he was a kid and no one knew why.

Bill let Dipper go. "I'm letting you off easy this time, kid. The next mess up on your part and our little deal's off."

Dipper sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. That exchange had made him late for the bus, and that meant walking home...again.

~

Dipper got home and the door was locked. He looked under the doormat for the key, but it was gone. He sighed. Mabel. Again?

Dipper knocked. "Mabel! Let me in!"

"What's the password?" Mabel called through the door.

"Mabel," Dipper called. "I don't have time for this."

The lock clicked and Mabel opened the door. She smiled at Dipper. "One of these days I won't be so nice."

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." He went in and Mabel punched him
Playfully in the shoulder. "You've gotta stop missing the bus, bro bro."

Dipper shrugged, but didn't say anything.

Mabel knew something was up with him. Ever since he was moved up a grade, he seemed to become more quiet and to himself each day.

"I've got a lot of homework to do," Dipper said. She could hear the tiredness in his voice. "Oh...okay."

Dipper's mouth twitched in a smile, but it was soon gone. He turned and walked up to his room.

He looked around at the place where he spent most of his time away from school in. He threw his bad on the floor next to his desk and curled up on his bed. When did everything go so wrong?

At the beginning of the year, Dipper had a great time with moving up a grade. Now...he almost wanted to go back to freshman year with his sister. Mabel had been really his only friend. Now, he was alone, save the study hall they shared during fifth period every other day. Dipper couldn't bring himself to tell anyone about the bullies that were on his tail every day, or that he was doing double the homework every night. He closed his tired eyes for just a second, then Mabel was shaking him away. "Yo, bro bro. It's time to get to school."

"What?" Dipper asked in surprise. He'd missed dinner last night and he hadn't done his homework! He jumped out of bed and scrambled around his room to get ready.

I'll do my homework on the bus, Dipper thought as he quickly ate breakfast.

Slinging his backpack over his shoulder and slipping into his shoes, he followed Mabel outside to wait for the bus.

"Well that was new," Mabel said.

"What?"

Mabel shrugged. "I actually woke you up today."

Dipper rolled his eyes. Just then, the bus pulled up. Mabel plopped down in a seat next to one of her friends and Dipper got one to himself . He quickly got his homework out and tried to finish it. Then he took out math, which he didn't understand at all. Must've been since we got our homework passed out and Bill was giving me a murderous look all hour.

He hadn't even finished half of the assignment when the bus pulled into school. Dipper stuffed all his things back in his bag and followed everyone else off the bus.

At his locker, someone elbowed him. "Hey, Pines. Got my homework right today?"

Dipper winced inwardly. He got out Bill's blank homework and handed it back to him. Bill raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry," Bill said. "But...what is this?"

It's called do your own work. Dipper shrugged. "I-I didn't have time."

"Oh," Bill said. Dipper could hear the sarcasm in that one syllable. "Of course! You didn't have time. How rude of me."

He shoved Dipper to the side and went in his backpack, producing Dipper's mostly completed work. "I'll take these," Bill said, shoving his own blank papers at Dipper.

"Hey!" Dipper protested.

Bill lifted an eyebrow at Dipper. "Oh? You actually talking back?"

Dipper bit his lip, but didn't say anything else. Bill smirked. "That's what I thought."

He was tempted to shove the kid in his locker, but he was pretty sure the kid would snitch if he did that, so he left him alone.

Dipper looked down at the blank pages with a sigh. He collected the rest of his things and headed to first period.

~

The bell rang and Miss. Denim stopped Dipper as he was walking out the door. "Dipper, I need to talk to you."

Dipper shrugged. "Um, okay."

Dipper followed her as she sat down at her desk. Next was lunch, so he wouldn't be late or need a pass. Miss. Denim pointed to the chair across from her and Dipper sat down.

"Dipper," she said. "You're usually very diligent in your work and I know that you're smart, but your work has been failing. Is something wrong?"

Dipper shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it.

Miss. Denim sighed. "I know this is something to do with Bill."

Dipper looked up, surprised. "What?"

"I see the way you avoid him," Miss. Denim said. "And the way you look over your shoulder during my class."

Dipper shrugged. "I-It's nothing."

Miss. Denim sighed inwardly. "You can go now, Dipper."

Dipper nodded and muttered a thank you. Then he rushed out of the class...

...and knocked right into Bill.

Bill raised an eyebrow at him. "So, you tattle on me?"

Dipper swallowed and shook his head.

He grabbed Dipper by the front of the sweatshirt and pulled him down the hallway. The hall was abandon and even if they weren't, no one would've cared unless they were a teacher. Even then, it depended on which teacher it was.

Bill pulled Dipper into the bathroom, just in case someone would be watching the security cameras.

"We had a deal," Bill said, shoving Dipper. He shoved him a little harder than he meant to and Dipper's shoulder hit the wall and he let out an involuntary yelp of pain.

"You did my homework and no one got hurt," Bill said. "Then, you had to go and tell."

Dipper shook his head again. "I didn't," he said quietly.

Bill raised an eyebrow. "Don't lie to me, Pines."

"I'm not," Dipper mumbled.

"Shut up," Bill said. Dipper flinched involuntarily. Bill smiled inwardly. He felt power when this boy felt threatened. It just showed that brains wasn't everything.

"Now," Bill said, getting closer to the boy, who tried to back up, but couldn't. "How about a pop quiz. What is the probability that I could break your ribs with one good punch?"

He went to punch Dipper, but stopped right before it made contact with his body. Dipper tried to block it and Bill's face broke out into a smile. Then he cackled with laughter.

He's insane, Dipper thought.

"Dipper?" Came a voice from outside in the hallway.

Dipper and Bill both froze. Mabel! Dipper thought. A smile spread across his face.

Bill gritted his teeth. The kid's sister. Of course. She had to spoil everything.

"Dipper, are you in there?" Mabel called.

Dipper took a deep breath. "Y-yeah," Mabel."

Bill shot him a shut-up look.

"Are you okay?"

Dipper hesitated. That told Mabel that his feeble call of "Y-yeah," was a lie.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the bathroom. She was surprised to find her brother cornered by a bigger boy with blond hair. He crossed his arms. "You're not suppose to be in here, kid," he said. "Get out."

"That's my brother," Mabel said, crossing her arms.

Bill snarled at her. "Get out, or I'll pound him," he said, jabbing a finger in Dipper's chest.

"Mabel-" Dipper started, but she interrupted him.

"I'll get out, but I'm bringing him with me," Mabel said, grabbing Dipper's arm. Bill didn't stop her. He'd get the kid later, when his twin wasn't around to save him.

Dipper shook off Mabel's arm. "Mabel," he said. "What are you doing?"

"Saving your butt," Mabel said. "Come on, Bro. What was all that about?"

Dipper looked down. "It was nothing."

Mabel sighed and rolled her eyes. "No. You can't tell me that. We're going to the principle and telling on him!"

She tried to grab at her brother's arm again, but he pulled away. "I don't need you getting involved."

"I really wish it didn't have to come to this," Mabel said. "But if you don't come, I will take over announcements and tell everyone about the lamby lamby dance."

Dipper sighed. "Mabel. Please just stay out of this."

Mabel, for the first time, noticed how tired Dipper looked and how little self esteem he had. Mabel swallowed. "Look, Dipper," she said softly. "I don't know what that jerk did to you, but I want to help you."

Dipper sighed. "If I tell on him, his attacks will just get worse."

"Attacks?" Mabel asked. "Oh, Dipper. Why didn't you tell me he was doing this to you? I could have helped!"

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you!" He said.

Mabel blinked. The words hurt. "You don't mean that."

Tears brimmed Dipper's eyes. "Yes. I do."

"Remember how close we were in Gravity Falls," Mabel said. "You're turning out to be just like Great Uncle Ford. You promised me you wouldn't get stupid."

Dipper winced. "Mabel-"

"No," Mabel said. "Don't Mabel me! All I want is for you to be honest with me. And you know that just admitting what's going on could stop it, you're just too stubborn to admit it!"

Dipper sighed. "Mabel, you don't understan-"

"I understand perfectly," Mabel snapped back. "This jerk was about to beat you up and you're too proud to admit that you were being bullied by him for who knows how long. I'm your twin, Dipper. You've gotta learn that you can tell me anything, no matter how dark or secret it it."

Dipper swallowed. Tears still threatened to fall. "I just..." Dipper's voice cracked. "I didn't know.what to tell you."

Mabel noticed how close to tears her brother was and some of her anger subsided. "Oh, Dipper," Mabel said. "I'm really sorry all this happened. And, to be honest with you, school's been a little boring ever since you moved up."

A single tear escaped Dipper's eye. Mabel wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry for being so pushy," Mabel said.

Dipper gave a choked, short laugh. "What?" Mabel asked, holding her brother at arm length.

"All I can think of is when you locked Wendy and me in that bunker with the shapeshifter."

Mable couldn't help smiling. "Come on, bro bro. Let's go get something to eat. Then we'll see if your up to talking to the principle."

Dipper nodded and followed Mabel down the hall to the cafeteria. He felt warmth inside him. A smile lit his face. "Thanks, Mabel," he said.

"What did I do?" She asked.

Dipper playfully punched her in the arm. "For not being stupid."

Mabel returned the smile. "You're welcome, Dip."