Chapter 2: Familiarity

Morning found Lena blinking up at the rays of sun streaming through the curtains. I wonder… Did Castiel move here just this week? Can I make contact after all this time, let him know it's me? Her gut clenched with nerves at the notion. Would he remember her? Or had they grown so far apart that he wouldn't be willing to rebuild their friendship?

She sat up and looked at the picture on her desk of herself in the sixth grade. She'd had braces and bangs then, and a goofy smile. Her whole body had been sticklike and bony. She could see her very defined collarbones poking out from beneath a bush of dark hair. I looked so awkward then…

She reluctantly rolled out of her soft bed and down comforter and ran her fingers through her shortened locks before looking at herself in the mirror. Time and much exercise had treated her well. She was lean and muscled now, with not a bit of excess fat. Her tanned skin was nothing like the pasty tone of the little child in the picture. She had gotten rid of her braces a year previous, too.

Then she breathed deeply and examined her sides. They were gracefully curved, but her natural insecurity told her she looked too thick around the middle. She turned to the side and looked again. Hmm…that looks okay.

It took only a few minutes for her to don a pair of black jeans, a form-fitting black tank, and her black sneakers. Black was a good color for her personality now, as opposed to the bright floral of her eleven-year-old self.

The eyes that had once squinted against the sun and tears now opened to view the world with cameras scanning for opportunity. The foster system had let her stay at her school, but with her parents gone, she'd had to fend for herself.

Now she had her own purpose- to make something of herself even though everyone said she would never be anything. As a pianist and singer, she kept her head high even though it never reached many people's eye levels.

She brushed her hair out and checked the time: it was 7:15am, about time for her to leave if she wanted to be early.

She grabbed her bag and hurried down the stairs and out the door, chewing on a bran muffin she'd snagged from the kitchens on the way. Blech…tastes like cardboard, she sniffed to herself, tearing off a piece to throw at a passing pigeon. The bird pecked at it and waddled away. With a last snort of derision, she tossed the morsel over her shoulder. If even the birds didn't want it, it couldn't be good.

On the way, a black coat and old school (very old school) trousers caught her eye. She called out to the figure across the street. "Hey, poet boy!" She waved, but he simply sighed and looked away. Perhaps he wasn't a morning person.

She walked a few blocks more and at last entered the hallways, ignoring the strange looks some of the kids gave her. Most assumed she was simply depressed from the way she dressed and didn't bother with talking to her. She didn't mind- it gave her more time with her music.

A flash of red passed her- a red shirt and red hair. Him. Maybe I should go up to him…but he's talking with another girl. She tried to repress the flash of jealousy that choked her breathing. Anyway, after yesterday, he probably wouldn't want to talk to me… She hurried away before her muddled emotions were clear and she could regret anything.

She did not have martial arts lessons on Tuesdays, so she escaped to the park, leaving her bag on the grass. The sun was warm on her arms, and felt heavenly on her normally sun-deprived face. Going outside was not a regular thing during the school year. Her after school time now being free, she decided to practice what she had learned. Her belt test was coming up in a few weeks, and it would be good to get some practice in to impress the instructor.

She stretched up, brushing the sky with her fingertips- sort of. It would be possible if she weren't so short. Then she finished a round of other stretches, descending into a middle split that she had achieved after a whole year of agonizing training.

The things she started with were fairly simply- high kicks and blocks met the air with ferocity, and she was sweating before long.

A loud, excited bark reached her ears from across the field. She looked and- lo and behold- a gigantic black dog whose bite was likely much worse than its bark bounded towards her, tongue hanging out and ears flopping back.

"Demon! Come, boy!" a frustrated Castiel shouted. Crap, it's him…and I'm all sweaty now! Darn it… The dog leaped for Lena, and time slowed down. That's Demon? He was just a puppy last I checked!

Thinking quickly, she sidestepped, and the eager canine landed on the grass beside her. Demon wasn't shaken that easily, however, and jumped again. She grabbed his paws and flipped him over mid-leap, wrestling him to the ground. He's gotten so big! Does he remember the girl that fed him too many treats?

When Castiel caught up, flushed and winded, it was to a girl who couldn't have weighed more than half a Demon, and his beloved dog, play fighting in the sun-warmed grass. His jaw dropped as the girl's hands closed around Demon's muzzle. The shepherd struggled free and growled playfully. No one does that to him and escapes with less than a bite!

Lena, having the time of her life playing with her old buddy, growled back just as enthusiastically, tackled him, and closed her teeth on the tip of his ear. If Castiel's jaw had dropped any lower, he would've had to sew it back on. There is more to this girl than a hot temper and creepy piano music…

Flustered, he closed his mouth and assumed his uncaring attitude again. "May I have my dog back once you're finished molesting him?"

Lena got back to her feet. Demon whined, upset at losing his playmate. "I wasn't molesting him, Castiel. He just wanted to play, that's all," she said, inwardly congratulating her for remaining calm.

"How do you know my name?" The girl looked down at the still-pining dog and ruffled his ears as if he was still the pup she had known.

"Ask him. He remembers me," she said, kneeling down again for a few sloppy kisses. "Don't you, boy?"

Embarrassment washed up and pinked the teen's ears. And to think his had nearly beat her up the day before, not recognizing her! "Lena? You're so…"

Her eyes flashed, showing a temper he well remembered, a temper more deadly now that when she hit him, it would hurt. "Different? Short, maybe? Immature?" she hissed at him.

"I… I-"

"Don't pull those excuses with me! I don't care if you have a crowd of new, popular friends! You should have recognized me the moment you saw me, and you didn't!" She grabbed his shirtfront and pulled him up close and personal. "Do you know how it hurts to be 'kid' and 'little girl' to your own best friend?"

He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back, more to keep his willpower intact than to prevent his shirt from being ripped. The sight of her smooth skin so close was a bit much. When did she turn hot? "Had I known, I would never have-"

But she was already walking away; bag in hand, with a very sad dog gazing after her.

"Alright, the dorms are first come, first serve, because the state did not grant enough money for two building to be built," Mr. Faraize announced, motioning at the floors of rooms above him. The class was taking a tour around the new dorms during lunch, and this only added to a particular girl's irritation. After going home pissed as she had after the park incident, was it any wonder that today she would be deprived of her lunch hour too? Fate has never been on my side…

It didn't help, either, that it was scorching hot and the staff didn't know where the thermostat for the dorms was yet. The guys seemed to be handling it just fine. A few feet ahead of her, Castiel still had his jacket on, and showed no sign of discomfort. Maybe I should get a boy's haircut- crop it short like they do in the military…

The resident poet, Lysander, nudged her with his elbow. She looked confused for a moment before he made eye contact and motioned for her to follow him. Curious, she walked after him. When they reached the edge of the group, she raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?" She glanced back at Castiel, who was examining the half-painted wall behind the teacher rather than listening.

"Castiel told me what's been happening between you two. I wished to do something about it."

"What's there to do?" she asked, skeptical. "Why would you want to do anything, anyway? You don't know me."

"Castiel is a friend of mine. Would you not do the same for Dajan?" Even more suspicion was the response he received.

"How do you know about Dajan and I?"

"I see things. But that isn't the point here."

"What is, then? Are you trying to patch things up? Because I would rather he come to me and apologize in person." She began to walk away, but he pulled her back.

"I am trying not to apologize for him, but to arrange a meeting for you two." She made a face.

"You're setting us up? I don't like him that way- even less than that, now."

"Yes, but not romantically." She gave it a moment of thought. Then she smiled a very intimidating, evil-plot-in-which-someone-dies smile.

"What do I have to do?"

"He walks Demon every day at the park, as you saw yesterday. If you could be there today and every day afterward, he might work up the courage to approach you before the dog does." Lysander stepped back. "I wish you luck."

"Well, thanks…and he doesn't walk his dog. He chases it," she laughed.

"Very true, Miss Lena. Good day."

And then she was alone with her thoughts and nervousness. It would take a few minutes before he arrived, so she sat down in the grass to wait.

Then she got bored and began to sketch- it wasn't good, but it was close enough. Cas' new features were etched into her brain- his new outfit, attitude, and jewelry made him look less unconventional and more distant.

A startled yell interrupted the path of her pencil. And here he comes… Demon raced towards her in a happy frenzy, yipping and slobbering.

"Hey! Get back here! Come on!" He barely noticed her, or if he did, hid it well.

"After three years, you still can't control him," she noted, a smile in her voice. "C'mere boy! Sit!" After several minutes of trying to get the hyper dog to sit, she looked at his master rather expectantly and grabbed for Demon's leash. "What are you waiting for, Cesar Millan? Come and get your dog!"

Castiel awkwardly stepped back on the leash, stopping the beast in his tracks. Then Lena remembered why she was here.

"We have some catching up to do, mister. And you owe me an apology."

"I- um…what?" She stared at him for a moment, deciding whether to be incredulous or repeat the request. Then she exploded- again.

"Idiot! Do you not understand?" she shouted, open hands waving so frantically that he had to step back to avoid getting slapped.

"Yes, I get it, I'm sorry!" he shouted back, trying to protect his face from her flailing hands. She abruptly calmed down again and smiled. His heart skipped a beat, and he almost wished she still had her braces so that he wouldn't be so drawn to look at her intently.

"Oh, good. Now, tell me what has happened in the past three years!"

Castiel's eye twitched at the sudden change of attitude. WTF?