"I don't wanna go, Dean." Sam grumbled as he poked at his breakfast cereal. The flakes of corn had grown soggy and unappetising.
The older brother watched Sam carefully with assessing eyes. He'd been watching over Sam for too long not to know his ways. He was one of those kids that enthused about breakfast and claimed it to be the most important meal of the day so not eating indicated to Dean that something was wrong. The kid was merely poking at it.
"You're just nervous, Sammy." Dean pretended to be distant as he flicked through some automotive magazine. The 18 year old leant hunched over the kitchen table so he could read the printed words.
Deep down, Sam knew that his brother was right. He could feel the butterflies swarming in his stomach, maybe it was those bugs that were making him want to puke everywhere. He had been working on this science project for weeks and today was the pinnacle of all his hard work. To make it worse, the teachers would be picking ten winners that would have to present their project to a packed hall of both students and parents. To say he was apprehensive was an understatement.
I might not even be picked, he comforted himself silently. He was beginning to regret putting so much work into it. The time he'd put into his Animal Weapons presentation had translated into an informative but interesting display. Why couldn't he have chosen a less thrilling topic? Like... Bananas or something?
He chewed on his lip as his hazel eyes wandered over to where his backpack sat by the door, full to the brim with props and information cards to enhance his project.
"You're gunna do great, blow them away and come home to tell me all about it." Dean spoke while flipping to a new page of his magazine.
The younger teenager was slightly disheartened by Dean's lack of enthusiasm but he tried not to dwell on it. Dean wasn't even into science anyway.
Palms sweaty, he stood off to the side of the large stage, awaiting his cue. How did it come to this? He was praying that he wouldn't come in the top ten... Trust him to win first place when he was hoping for last.
He could hear the principal on the platform, welcoming the guests and visitors to the school. He felt sick. He was going to be sick. Trying to listen to the principal's words, he desperately tried to focus and settle himself. He couldn't go on stage to a large crowd in a mess like this.
"Now, in first place was Samuel Winchester! He will come to present his project to you now." Her voice echoed around the room.
Clapping started, an encouragement for him to leave the wings and pull his science project on stage with him. He swallowed, clammy hands dampening his notes. He didn't really need them but he knew what nerves could do to a person.
The audience's applause died down as Sam placed his large board on top the table and pulled his props into the table. He'd been lucky to get his hands on these not-to-size models of Fire Ants and Scorpions. He'd promised the Scientist in the animal museum that he'd bring them back straight after school without damage.
His hands were shaking but he tried to ignore it. He'd seen Dean plaster confidence across his face hundreds of times so merely tried to mimic his brother's action. Briefly, he wondered what Dean was doing; Whether he was still flicking through his magazine.
Turning to the crowd, he swallowed as fear over came him. Bright lights were blinding him, making it nearly impossible to see back past the fifth or sixth row of faces. They all peered up at him with curious but kind faces. They obviously didn't expect much from a young high school student.
One face in particular drew his attention. Somebody on the front row was grinning from ear to ear with pride oozing from their every pore. It took Sam a moment to realise that it was his brother. Dean's face stood out from the lines of unfamiliar masks.
Although it seemed impossible, Dean's grin widened upon noticing Sam's eyes on him. He didn't try to distract his little brother or take away a single ounce of his concentration, instead he simply gave a nod to the teenager on stage.
Sam's lips curled into a growing smile before he nodded back and pulled his note cards out from his pocket. The whole hall was going to be blown away by his knowledge of Animal Weapons and, maybe it was just Dean's contagious confidence but, he knew it.
The applause was loud and Sam couldn't believe that he'd managed to flow through his piece without too much of a slip up. He blinked into the crowd as he could see parents leaning to comment to each other and a few even standing up.
Having to take a deep breath, he took in what the audience gave him greedily so was mildly annoyed when the principal stepped out from behind the curtains to thank Sam and welcome the next student.
Begrudgingly, Sam exited stage but not without a glance over at his brother. Keen green eyes were glued to him as he looked over. It was almost as though the young hunter had been waiting for the boy to turn around. Dean threw a thumbs up at the younger before he began to stand.
Confusion passed through Sam as he watched his older brother stand and begin to shuffle between the front of the stage and the first row of people. Didn't Dean realise that there were other projects to show?
He could see Dean whispering 'Excuse me' as he pushed past the people's legs and towards the exit. That was when it dawned on Sam: Dean did realise that there were more. He simply didn't care. He'd seen Sammy's so everyone else's, to him, was boring and irrelevant.
The green eyed man seemed oblivious to the death glares and scowls parents threw in his direction. He'd taken up a good seat, which he must have queued for, on the first row to only leave after his own sibling's showing.
Watching from around the stage curtain, Sam saw Dean give him a sloppy mock salute by the door before strolling out of the hall.
Sam couldn't fight the grin that tried to break into his face. Despite having no interest of science, Dean had turned up early, gotten his seat and watched the whole of Sam's project. Not every brother would do that for their sibling.
He couldn't wait to get home tonight and wrap his arms around Dean in a tight hug.