Chapter Two
Castiel was sitting by himself in the cafeteria, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He was reading the book his English teacher had given him. He knew he'd finish it in less than two days, putting him way ahead of the rest of the class.
That day, he had noticed that there was some kind of commotion going on in the middle tables. Usually, he didn't care, but that time, he was a little curious.
There were many people surrounding the table Anna Milton sat at. He guessed it was some kind of brand new, expensive thing her father had gotten her as a weekly present and she was showing it off, telling everyone how it 'limited edition, super expensive' it was.
They all laughed at something that Anna hadn't said. Who, besides one of the most popular girls in school, could possibly be making all those people laugh?
It was something that kept him from his reading and he didn't like that. He didn't like to think about pointless things that kept him from his duties.
Castiel finished his sandwich, grabbed all of his stuff, and stood up so that he could start heading to the library, the only place in school that he actually tolerated.
As he was passing the pretty big crowd of students, someone snatched his book from his hands. Castiel looked up to stare at the biggest jerk he had ever known, Raphael, the captain of the senior football team. "Going somewhere, Castiel?" He asked mockingly.
Castiel fist clenched. For the past four years, he taught himself how to bottle his anger. There was no need to lose it in school. School wasn't made for fighting. It was made for following rules and doing what you were told. There were places and times for situations like those. This wasn't it.
"Could you please return my book, Raphael?" He asked quietly. He could hear his breathing quickening in desperation.
"Oh, sure," Raphael smiled, "That is if you can catch it, shorty." He laughed and threw it at one of his stupid friends.
He turned around and faced the large jock that held his book. This couldn't be happening to him. He had never done anything to them so why would they do things like those to him? "Please," Castiel begged. They were the reasons of why he hated coming to school, of why he couldn't wait to go to college and get away from them as far as possible.
The jock threw it back at Raphael. They threw his book too high in the air for Castiel to catch it, especially with his height. He was short compared to Raphael and his friend.
"Dude." Someone got in between Castiel and Raphael. It was the reason of why all those people were laughing. "Just give him his book."
Raphael glanced at his friend. He wasn't planning on doing what they told him. "Why don't you take it from me?"
The boy laughed, "That'd be too easy."
Raphael never took down a challenge when it was presented to him. Why did he that time? Was it the way the guy that dropped him off looked at him warningly? Was it how the younger boy that came with him beat up that junior kid that was bothering a girl? He was sure that the new guy probably had the same fighting skills as the younger one. Possibly better.
"Fine." Raphael said, "He can have it…" He opened the grabbed the paper cover and ripped it in half then threw it to the floor.
Castiel was about to pick it up, but the new guy grabbed it before he did. He couldn't believe it when he saw him. It was that same handsome face from yesterday. "Here you go." He smiled uneasily.
Being closer to him made Castiel realize how amazing his green eyes were and the freckles that adorned his cheeks and nose. Why was he being so observant of him?
Castiel stayed quiet for a few seconds, then took the book from his hand, and walked out of the cafeteria.
He knew he should've stayed to allow that new guy to introduce himself but he didn't. Instead, he used the class bell as an excuse to get out from the situation. He shouldn't have, he knew it was rude, especially since that boy had stood up for him against a bully.
As much as he would've liked to return to thank the young man, he couldn't. The tardy bell would ring any second and he couldn't be late for his History class. Not with the teacher they had.
He entered class and took the second to last seat of the middle row. It was the only class in his schedule that wasn't advanced. He liked History, he really did, but his eighth grade teacher didn't recommend him in time for Advanced Placement.
The tardy bell rang and the teacher locked the door. "Alright class take out your notebooks, we're gonna take notes." For a little guy, he had a strong, loud voice that made a lot of students afraid of him.
There was a knock on the door that distracted the teacher from starting with attendance, "Ah, right, I forgot…" He moved to the door, unlocked it, and allowed at tall boy with short, light brown hair and stunning green eyes to walk in.
"Class," he called out and brought the boy to the front of the class so that everyone could have a good view of him, "Say hello to our new student, Dean Winchester." Everyone was quiet. "Is there anything you'd like to share about yourself, Dean?"
Dean shook his head, "Not really."
"Take a seat, please." He pointed at one of the empty seats. The one in front of Castiel.
Castiel noticed that he was empty handed. How was he supposed to write the notes they were about to take? He wasn't planning on just sitting the entire class, not doing anything. That was not the purpose of school.
It bothered him. Dean bothered him to a point that he wasn't comfortable in his seat. Maybe it was because he didn't thank him for defending him from Raphael.
After the teacher finished with attendance, he noticed that Dean didn't have anything on his desk, "Dean," His voice was harsher than when he introduced him to the class, "Where are your materials?"
"Don't worry," he told the teacher coolly, causing a few giggles, "I'll work something out."
"Well, you better do it soon."
"Whatever." Castiel was the only one who heard Dean whisper. How could he be like that? It was logical to bring something to write with to school.
Dean turned around to ask for something to write with, "Hey…" His green eyes widened when he noticed that it was the boy he had saved from Raphael's bullying. "Hey!"
Castiel was playing with his pencil, "Hi…"
"Are you okay?"
His concern surprised Castiel, "Oh…um, yeah, I am. By the way, thank you for earlier." Thanking him really took off a big weight from his shoulders.
"No problem, man." He smiled, "This is the third time I see you."
He didn't think he'd remember him from the other day, "Your dad has a nice car." Castiel mumbled. He wasn't the brightest when it came to a conversation with someone other than his friend Balthazar.
"Yeah, it's a '67 Chevy Impala."
"Dean, Castiel." The teacher called for their attention, "Stop talking. We're about to start."
Castiel was embarrassed. He had never gotten in trouble for talking.
"Right," Dean said, "Do you have a pencil I can borrow?" He nodded, pulled one out of his jacket's pocket, and gave it to Dean. "Thanks."
"Do you need paper?"
"Uh," Dean didn't want to bother him anymore so he didn't ask for it, "Please."
He ripped one out of his notebook and handed to him.
"What's your name?" The teacher had just said it but Dean wasn't listening.
The question seemed odd to Castiel. Could it be because the last time someone asked him that was a year ago? "Castiel."
"Castiel, huh?" Dean had never heard that name before, "That's a cool name."
He had never looked at his name that way until Dean had pointed it out. It was a cool name. Unique.
-.-.-.-.-.-
"So, this new guy, Dean Winchester, defended you in school?" Balthazar sat on the couch of Castiel's apartment, holding a cup of tea he had made for him. "That's pretty awesome of him."
Castiel was standing in front of Balthazar with his arms crossed, "He's handsome too." The words escaped his mouth. It was true; there was no need for denial on that.
"You don't…" Balthazar stared at him in a manner that explained what he meant to say.
"What? No…" He didn't see Dean that way. He couldn't just fall for the first person that protected him from bad people. If that were the case, he'd be in love with Balthazar.
"Okay." Balthazar believed him, yes, but at the same time, doubt raced through his head.
Balthazar and Castiel had been friends ever since Cas had moved in to the only available apartment in the building. At first, he was just the guy that helped him with moving his stuff, but as soon as Castiel fed Balthazar as a show of gratitude, their friendship escalated another level. "Did you at least thank him?"
"Not when I was supposed to, but then I had him for my History class and I thanked him there."
He nodded understandably. That was how Castiel's mind worked. He didn't thank you until the weight of not doing so really got to him. "Is History the only class you have him for?"
"No, I also have him for English." But in that class, he was mostly with Anna. That kind of upset Castiel; he didn't want for Anna to tell him some vicious stuff about him.
"Did he talk to you there?"
"Only for a few minutes before he moved with Anna."
"That red-head bitch?" Castiel had told him about Anna, "Don't tell me he's into her."
"That's really not for me to decide." But he wished it was. He had just met someone who defended him and he didn't want to lose him because of a few words the red-head bitch had put in his mind.
But that didn't bother him, what bothered him was that he was thinking of Dean Winchester too much. Castiel didn't like him, he was sure of it, but his head was sure as hell making it seem that way.