Watch your back

Chapter 1

(Dipper pov)

My leg anxiously bounces under the table, my fingers continuously clicking my pen over and over again. From the corner of my eye I can see several of my classmates glaring at me in annoyance but all of them are the least of my concerns right now. The professor's voice is like a dull mumble to my ears as I glance at the clock, the hands feeling like they were taking a million years to finally reach 3:30.

After 15 long torturing seconds the bell finally rings. I'm the first one out of my seat, hastily shoving everything into my bag before I run out of the classroom. I constantly look over my shoulder as I leave campus for the first time in months.

I choose to walk instead of taking a cab, making the long walk to the police station. I take a deep breath in and out as I push the doors open and head inside going to the officer at the front desk. He glances up from his computer to look at me. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I-I need to speak with Detective Oliva Benson."

"Can I ask what this is about?"

"No, just.....I really really need to speak with her."

"Have a seat and she'll be right with you."

I take a seat in one of the uncomfortable chairs in that cold waiting room, having to clench my knee to keep my leg from bouncing again. It takes all my will and effort to not constantly be looking around me or flinching at every person who passes my chair.

Relax, Dipper, just relax. He isn't here, he wouldn't have followed you into a police station. That would be crazy on his part. Even he isn't crazy enough to do that.

"Excuse me?" I jump slightly, looking up seeing a brunette woman, her hair cut in a pixie cut, standing in front of me. "You asked to see me?"

"Y-Yeah....I.....I have a crime to report that's.....sort of sexual in nature, I think....."

"Come with me."

I stand up and follow her to a different room. She closes the door behind me before I sit at the table, setting my backpack by my feet and she sits in the seat across from me.

"First things first, what is your name?"

"Legally, it's Mason Pines. But everyone calls me Dipper."

"Now, what exactly is the crime you would like to report?"

"I....I think someone is stalking me.....sending me disturbing letters and pictures...."

"Do you know who this person could be?"

"No. I don't really know anyone here. I'm not from New York."

"Where are you from?"

"I was born in California, lived in Oregon for a few years then came here to study at NYU."

"Why go to a school that's all the way across the country?"

"It's the school I have wanted to go since I was 12."

"These letters and pictures, can you tell me what was shown or what the letters said?"

"I brought them actually." I reach into my backpack and pull out the dozens of envelopes handing them to her. She looks through the pictures and letters, glancing at me every so often.

"These are.....explicit.....does anyone adress you as Pinetree?"

"No. Whoever is stalking me is the only person I have ever heard of to use that nickname with me."

"Do you know why anyone would call you that?"

"Best reason I can think of is a hat back in my dorm. It has a pine tree symbol on it and I used to wear it everywhere. I stopped wearing it when the letters started."

"How long had you been living in New York when these started?"

"Only a few weeks. These come almost daily now. I've only been here for about 4 months, I don't know what to do."

"Why did you bring these to the SVU specically and why ask for me?"

"I read about you online, about what you did to capture that pedophile ring. You handle sex crimes, I thought that this counted. He is sending me literal dick pics that are unwanted. That is sexual harassment, along with the letters of what he wants to do to me."

"I agree but all of these letters are typed and you haven't seen who puts them in your mailbox."

"I think they just slide them under my door."

"There is nothing about these that we can trace, he hasn't said he plans to find you to do any of this stuff-"

"He implies it in every letter! Please, you have to help me. I can't sleep, I can barely focus on anything in class, I feel like I'm going crazy. I couldn't even take a cab here, scared he would somehow track me down from the cab company."

"I understand your frustration, but he hasn't physically done anything that can out right be considered against the law."

"So I need to wind up raped or dead before anyone will do anything for someone like me, great. That is just terrific to know."

"That isn't what I said."

"But it's what you meant. You do anything for female rape victims but a male who wants to keep that situation from happening is just too strange to believe isn't it. Because in our society, only women can be victims. Not men."

"Dipper, listen to me. I will do everything in my power to help you." She hands me a card with her name and number on it. "Go home, get yourself some rest. If you need anything at all, just call me. Day or night, it doesn't matter when."

I say nothing as I shove her card in my pocket, standing up and leaving the police station. I pull my hood over my head as I make my way back to campus.

I finally get back to my dorm, being tired from running all over the city all day. I climb up the stairs to my floor, grabbing my keys out of my pocket. I go to unlock my door but freeze, seeing that my door is slightly opened already. I don't share the dorm with anyone, I should be the only one with a key.

Gulping nervously, I slowly push the door open but gasp in horror, the keys falling from my hand. On the wall right next to my bed is what I can only describe as a shrine. There are dozens of pictures of me appearing to be taken from a distance, a heart painted around all of them and candles lit everywhere in the room.