A/N: Hope you enjoy! This is the second series I have written, I'm trying to give something new a shot.

This was it, first day Junior year. Summer had blown by; between work and horse shows I hadn't had time for anything else. I parked my Ford Ranger in the back corner of the lot, turning down the morning show I had been listening to on the radio. Through the rearview I watched friends greet each other, running across the parking lot, embracing one another. Honestly, I didn't have time for this petty bullshit. Or maybe I was just a little jealous; other than my small group of friends I really didn't fit in. All I took were advanced classes except for the gen-eds that everyone had, so I had never been in class with people my own age. Oh well, I had a full ride somewhere with my name on it.

I grabbed my old leather shoulder bag from the passenger seat, stepping out into the muggy August air. As my brown combat boots hit the pavement I already didn't want to be here. I shut the door and caught my reflection in the dark window. My dark brown curls ran wild down my wide shoulders. I had opted for a black racerback and skinny jeans. I'm sure by the time homeroom was over, a teacher would make me put a cami over; even though it was hotter than hell in that school. Sighing, I took off across the parking lot at a brisk walk.

"Jen!" I turned and a lanky boy trotted my way.

"Howya doin Cas?"

"Great! What homeroom do you got?"

I rolled my eyes, "Wilson."

"Ha! Me too." And he fell into step with me as I joined the crowd rushing through the doors. Castiel Novak was a taller, skinny, dark haired boy the same age as me. We had been best friends since elementary school because we had always been in the advanced classes. He had black shaggy hair and baby blue eyes and had not quite grown into himself. Clumsy and awkward came to mind.

"How'd the summer go with your folks?" I asked, and he chuckled uncomfortably.

"They sent me to bible camp again."

"Dude, don't they understand you are sixteen and there are more important things you can do with you life?"

"No." Cas' parents were big time Bible thumpers, hence his first name. I mean yeah, Cas got into a little trouble, but that was mostly because of me. And it was never anything big; usually out past curfew or skipping a class every now and then. It wasn't like we were smoking pot under the bleachers.

"Alright man...I'll see you in homeroom." I waved and took off down the hallway. Preston High was filled wall to wall with people and there were new people everywhere. This was a rural school and we get new kids that had gotten expelled from the city all the time. I walked all the way up to the third floor, where my locker had been the last two years. Second from the end, but I had lost my locker buddy because she had ended up going to prison for dealing. Dumbass was doing it in school during hours, like they didn't have security cameras or snitches around.

The warning bell rung. Great, five more minutes of freedom. Then nine months of hell, eight hours a day. I had to push my way down to the basement shop classroom where Wilson taught, homeroom awaiting. I sat down on the back bench, throwing my shit on the table, looking to see who else was stuck in here. No one overly interesting, a couple of new kids. Bela Talbot the head cheerleader, also know as head biatch. Ash, my friend Jo's older brother who was lead pot head here, but the dude was a freaky genius, already been accepted to MIT for next fall. A few freshman and sophomores that I recognized but didn't know their names. Just before the final bell rang Cas slid into the seat across from me, "Gosh that was close."

I chuckled, "Don't look now but your girlfriend just walked in."

Cas blushed, not needing to turn to know who I was talking about, "Shut up Jen."

I smiled. Wilson spoke from his desk at the back of the room, "Ms. Masters...so nice of you to show up."

"Did my best Mr. Wilson, but my locker is on four." Meg Masters turned to him, raising an eyebrow and cocking a hip indignantly, staring him down with dark eyes. Meg wore skinny jeans and high heeled boots, and despite the heat, a black leather jacket. Biker chick or bar fly would be a good way to describe her. Meg was one of the biggest partiers at the school and also dealt quite a bit of pot to support her drinking habit. I personally thought she was a little bitchy.

"Just sit down Ms. Masters." Wilson waved her off and she flipped her auburn hair over her shoulder and sat down across the room. I caught Cas staring. The guy had had a crush on Meg since like second grade. And he had it bad. Being the great friend I was, I always teased him relentlessly.

Wilson started going through the attendance list, reading name after name. After a while he made it to the end, "Jennifer Wesson?"

"Yep." I replied.

"Okay guys. Upperclassmen you know the deal. Newbies...homeroom is twenty-five minutes every morning. Other teachers might care but I just take attendance and you guys can do homework or whatever. Just don't make a lot of noise and I really don't care…When the bell rings again you guys go...Okay then."

He went into his office off the shop and disappeared, leaving twenty students on their own. Ash came over and sat on the desk, "Now what kind of trouble were you getting my lil' sister in this weekend Wesson?"

I laughed. He was joking around with me. Jo and I had gone to the county fair last weekend. It had been the last thing to do before school had started, "I think that was the other way around Ash."

He chuckled, "So what classes you two losers stuck with?"

"I don't know yet, but let me guess...You will be continuing your little greenhouse project for the Ag department?"

"Damn right...Hydroponics."

"Sure." Someone called him from across the room. He saluted us quickly, "Later compadres."

Cas tapped the table, "What classes do you have?"

"Uh…" I pulled a crinkled paper out of my bag, "Today...English, Advanced Calc, Government, Band. B days are Chemistry, Physics, Gym, and a study hall."

"Darn...I only have Calc, Physics and Band with you."

I shrugged, "Looks like I'm gonna have to find a new partner for projects."

The bell made me jump, "See you at lunch."

English was a joke. Calc looked like it could be fun but it was hard to tell on syllabus day. Lunch was a lot of fun, sitting and bullshitting with our normal group: Cas, Jo, Ash, and me. Government was going to be easy but the next week we were going to be assigned a project that was going to be worth thirty percent of the final grade, so I might actually have to put forth a little effort. In band we worked on pep band music for the football games. I was a little rusty because I hadn't touched my saxophone since last year. Whoops.

Tuesday, I did it all over again with the other classes. In chemistry there were an uneven number of people. I went without a lab partner...Mrs. Banner was an older teacher who I had before. She knew I knew what I was doing. In physics, Cas and I were going to be lab partners. Gym made me want to die; we were running a mile every other week and in between we were playing sports. Even though I was competitive, I hated to run. Study hall was study hall, but during it I took time to go to the music wing to practice piano and cello.

The entire week was a bore. I put in my time at school, went straight to the farm I worked on and then home every day. I was already sick of these damn people. The fake people with their fake spray tans. The nonstop gossip. The jocks beating nerds in the bathroom. It was the same old shit, just a new freaking day. To make it worse, I couldn't do anything on the weekend because it poured rain from Friday night until Monday when I was on my way back to school.

I drove through the downpour, already late because I had to drop my little sisters off at the middle school first. By the time I pulled in the only spots were on the far side, I was going to have to sprint through the rain.

"Fuck" I hissed, grabbing my bag and preparing to run. As soon as I cracked the door, the water soaked through my flannel shirt. I dodged between cars and trucks. I came from behind a rusty piece of shit when someone ran headlong into me, knocking me onto the wet pavement, into a puddle.

"Watch where the hell you are going!" I yelled, scrambling, trying to get to my feet. My arm was scraped from the pavement.

"Here sweetheart." A hand grabbed my shoulder, pulling me up.

"Don't call me that!" I snapped, pissed off. Now I was soaked the whole way through, pants and socks done for. The guy's hand was still on my arm and I pushed it away.

"Are you alright?" He yelled over the rain. I looked up but didn't recognize him, "I'm fine."

I stalked off, not giving him a second thought. Once inside I had to sprint to my locker, sliding around the corners in my wet shoes. All the papers in my bag were ruined. As the bell rung I decided to skip homeroom, it wasn't like Wilson took attendance anyways. I went down to the locker rooms, stripping and trying to dry my clothes under the the hand dryers in the next fifteen or so minutes.

Looking at my phone, it was almost time for chem. My green flannel shirt was still damp, my long hair was a mess, still dripping. But at least my pants and socks were dry. I entered the room, sitting at my lab desk alone. Thank the lord because I didn't want to deal with anyone right now. I placed my face in my hands as the bell for class rung. Mrs. Banner usually didn't get started right away, but we had a lab we needed to start today. Titration. It would be easy, but tedious as hell. Suddenly the door opened and boots pounded against the floor, Mrs. Banner cleared her throat, "I assume you the new student...Mr. Winchester?"

I pulled my hands down, glancing over my fingers. No fucking way...It was the asshole that knocked me over in the parking lot. At least that explained why I didn't recognize him.

"Just Dean ma'am." He replied. She handed him a textbook and stared him down over her bifocals.

"Well Dean...It was nice of you to finally show up. You can take a seat next to Ms. Wesson in the back."

I rolled my eyes and groaned. This day could not get any worse, now I had some dumbass as a lab partner putting my grades in jeopardy. I watched him look over the room quickly before seeing the open desk, glancing my way and then smirking. I glared at him as he walked, well more swaggered down the rows. He was well over six foot, dressed in jeans, and a button down that hung open over a t-shirt. He set his book down, sliding into the seat next to me, "Hey sweetheart...How's the arm?"

Before I could come up with a snarky remark, Mrs. Banner jumped back into the lecture. Trying to get everyone to understand that you could calculate molarity based on the amount of substance you put into another. This stuff was old hat, so I just sat there and stewed. Why did she have to do this to me? This class was supposed to go like clockwork. I tilted my head, glaring in his direction from under my hair. The asshole was watching me and when he caught my eyes his face pulled into a cocky ass grin.

"Alright class. You can get going on this lab… most of you won't finish today. But good luck and I'm here to answer questions."

Ha, I was finishing this lab today so that I had Wednesday free. No one, especially my new lab partner, was getting in my way. I started grabbing the chemicals, setting up the buret. I vaguely noticed him trailing me around the lab. I threw on my goggles and shoved a pair in his direction.

"There anything you want me to do sweetheart?"

My hands were steady as I twisted the buret, adjusting the drip, "I told you not to call me that."

"Well then, you gotta name?"

"Jennifer." I replied, watching for the solution to turn the light pink it was supposed to.

"Well I'm Dean." I turned and he held out his hand. I watched his face for a moment. His eyes were candy-apple green and he had a head of short hair that was between dirty blonde and light brown. The guy looked like your typical jock, I had him pegged in about two seconds. Dean was used to skating by on his looks, manipulating people to get their answers, get a grade good enough that he could move on to the next class. Well, that wasn't happening here. I sighed and then shook his hand. He smiled, "Well then Jen, what do you need help with?"

I scoffed, "How 'bout this...You stay outta my way and we will finish today. Then you can do whatever it is you do in your free time on Wednesday. You can turn in whatever the hell you need to get your passing grade, I'm not helping you cheat. Understand?"

He snorted, "Alright then."

"Okay." I turned back just in time to see the solution turn a faint pink. I measured the solution left and did the calculation quickly in my lab book. Dean sat on the stool next to the bench, talking to one of the girls across the bench. She was one of the cheerleaders, and giggled when he winked at her. I shook my head, finishing my last calculation as the bell released us. I trotted off towards the door, wanting to get to physics. A hand grabbed my shoulder and Dean fell into step with me, "What do I need to turn in...The teacher wasn't very specific."

"Listen...I'm heading to my next class. I don't have time."

"I'll walk with you...what do I need for class next time? I don't know how to do any of this stuff."

I paused sighing, "Listen, just bring your report sheet next time and I will try to help you through it...I don't have time right now."

I walked away, not waiting for a reaction. I slipped into physics, sitting beside Cas just as the bell rung, "You're late."

I nodded, pulling out my notebook that was ripping in half from the rain, "I know...got waylaid."

"Ho-" The teacher, Mr. Olson, cut him off mid-sentence; jumping into a lecture on velocity and its components. I didn't really pay attention, just read ahead in the book, still annoyed that I had to work with that guy in chem. Before I knew it the bell rung for lunch and Cas and me headed for the cafeteria. Our cafeteria was spacious, some large long tables in the middle are and smaller circle tables around the outside. Our group always sat at one of the circle ones in the far corner, by the window. You could look out and see the parking lot and beyond it, the football field and track. It was still dumping, but the sky was lighter. Maybe this would burn off by the end of the day. Jo was already sitting there, "They got anything good?"

"Chicken sandwiches." She replied. I sighed, sitting down, "I'm not eating then...not really in the mood for hips and lips."

"Fine then." She got up and went in line while I saved our table. Five minutes later, everyone was sitting down and the idle chatter began. About halfway through lunch Jo leaned over, talking so only I could hear her, "Did you hear there is a new guy?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah."

She furrowed her brow, confused by my reaction, "I heard he is really hot...Like hot hot."

"He might be, but he is definitely a shit for brains."

"Did you have class with him?"

"Got stuck with him as my lab partner in chem."

"Really? What does he look like?" She was excited, the perspective of someone new clearly making her happy.

"I don't know...Typical jock, probably a trouble maker. Tall, brown hair."

Jo sighed, "That's not very descriptive...I heard his family just moved here. And that he is older than us because he missed a year while in juvey."

I shrugged, "I really don't know Jo...He seemed your type though."

She got serious for a second, "But not yours?"

I sighed, I didn't want to have this conversation again. Jo was on Project Get Jen a Boyfriend. I didn't want one, I didn't have the time. I refused to let someone hold me back, hold me in this shitty little town. I was going places; straight through college and into a stable job. But Jo was a dog with a bone and she wasn't letting me get away on this one,

"C'mon Jen...you have exactly a month and a half until homecoming and you will have a date this year."

"How about I don't just go? That sounds like a plan."

She started at me, eyebrow raised until I shook my head and looked away. It just wasn't that important to me. Ash had asked me out once when he was drunk but other than that most guys didn't look twice at me. I was unfeminine, hardened from work and I didn't talk like a girl. I loved sports, hunting, fishing, and playing poker. Guys our age didn't look for personality; they wanted big boobs, a small waist and someone who treated them like a god. Got news for them, they weren't getting any of that from me.

"Hey…" Jo was talking again "...Earth to Jen!"

Apparently the conversation had gone on without me, "Hmm?"

"Bonfire? Friday?" Ash asked.

"Oh yeah...Who is all gonna be there?"

"Why does it matter?" Jo asked. I shrugged, "Cas? Your parents gonna let you out of the prayer circle for a few hours?"

"Umm..Maybe...Probably not." He glared down. I chuckled, "Why don't you just tell them you are going to someone's house."

"Because they will really believe that."

I smiled and winked, "Don't worry...We will sneak you out."

The bell rung and we pushed with the rest of the crowd out of the cafeteria. Jo and I headed down to the gym, I changed into basketball shorts and a Tarheels t-shirt. We were the first ones out, waiting, leaning against the bleachers. Jo was rambling about the latest gossip, "Holy shit Jen."

"What?" I looked up and Jo pointed across the gym. Walking in the door, not dressed in gym clothes, was Dean.

"Is that him?" I rolled my eyes at Jo's giddiness. Groaning, "Yes, that's him."

"Jen, I don't know what you are talking about. I'm pretty sure he is everybody's type...You sure you don't want first shot?"

I laughed, "I'm sure...go right ahead."

I sat there and watched him stride up to the teacher, Coach Morgan, who was a total hardass. He coached the football team and didn't really have patience for any of us. After he finished talking to Dean, the whistle blew, "Line up!"

We all lined up on the taped line of the basketball court, "Today we are playing dodgeball...You all know the rules. Let's try not to be pansies people! Divy up teams...Jones! Avery! You are captains."

Of course, the quarterback, Riley Jones, and his star running back, Jason Avery. That meant I was getting picked dead last. Jo got called for Avery's team about halfway through. They kept going until there were only two people left, Dean and me.

"Alright I'll take the nerd...You can have the new guy." Jones said. I walked over, Jo smiling apologetically as I went past. I didn't really care. The whistle blew again, "Alright! Go!"

There was a mad dash for the balls on the centerline. I didn't bother because I didn't care. Hiding near the back I watched the action, dodging the balls when they would get flung my way. Jo was on the other side trying to flirt with Dean until she got hit in the arm. Pretty soon it was down to me and a couple guys on this side. I grabbed a ball and flung it at Avery when he wasn't looking. It made contact with his head and he snarled my way. I smirked, the one nice thing about being the nerd was no one ever thought about you. Jones patted my shoulder, "Nice!"

He flung one at Dean who caught it easily, and shrugged as one teammate came back in and Jones trotted out. There were exchanges like this for the rest of the period, no team really ending up winning. Jo and I were walking out of the locker room when I heard a voice yell behind me, "Jo!"

Dean rushed up behind us and seeing me with her glanced down, "Hey Jen."

He turned back to Jo, a paper in hand, "Do you know where study hall is at?"

"Umm...It is in the library.I'm not going that way but…" Don't you do it Jo, she turned to me and smiled, "...Jen is going there next. I'm sure she would be happy to show you."

"Really? Thanks."

I glared at her, speaking dryly, "Sure...but I need to run up to my locker first. If you go to second floor, it's all the way on the end."

He thought for a moment, "Where is your locker at? I need to get some stuff too."

Damn, there was no ditching this guy, "Ah, third floor...It's probably out of your way."

"Well mine is on third floor too so I will tag along if you don't mind?"

I had to fight the urge to groan, "Yeah, not a problem...Let's go."

I stalked off with Dean matching my pace. I looked back at Jo and gave her a 'you owe me' look. She just responded with a thumbs up. Ass.

We hit the first flight of stairs, "You don't talk much do you?"

I shrugged "I don't know you."

"Well it's not like you're trying."

I chuckled as we hit the second flight, "What? You want small talk?"

"Why the hell not?"

"Because here's the floor." I pushed the door open on third and we walked through, I thought it was kinda weird that he followed me all the way to my row, but then it dawned on me. No. Dean was my new locker buddy. Fuck...because this guy wasn't in enough of my classes already.

"Hey...I was wondering who was next to me."

"Fantastic." I grabbed my stuff and walked to the library, Dean scurrying behind. After I checked in I went and sat back in the stacks, putting one of my earphones in and finishing my homework for tomorrow. I was in the middle of a calc problem when there was a hushed voice, "Shit! Where…?"

I got up, curious, walking around into the next aisle. A smaller skinny boy, probably a little shorter than me with shaggy dark hair was glancing between a piece of paper and the bookshelf.

"Hey kid?"

He jumped, startled, "Oh...hi!"

The kid had freckles and a shy smile. I smiled back, "Listen, they don't actually sort the books right here. The delinquents work in the library so they just kinda toss them back on the shelf wherever there is room...What are you looking for?"

"The Outsiders...We are reading it for english."

"Johnson?" I asked and he nodded.

"C'mon...I think they probably put it in the 'required reading'... I'm Jen by the way. You a freshman?"

"Yeah...My name is Sam."