Before Dean could realize it, he found himself back in Calculus, listening to Chuck calm the class down.
"Alright, alright maggots, listen up!" Chuck called in a faux drill sergeant tone, which got a couple chuckles and faux salutes back. "I'd like you all to give a warm welcome to our newest student…" Chuck had to do a double take at the boys' name on the roster, "Castiel Novak".
Dean looked up to be greeted with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. Dean felt his heart leap into his throat, jerking his head to the outside. What the hell? What the hell? What the hell?
"Why don't you sit next to Mr. Winchester?" Chuck stated, poking to Dean, who waved his hand. Castiel nodded and headed towards Dean, whose heart was currently racing. Castiel sat next to him and held his hand out. Dean just stared at his hand.
"I-I'm Castiel Novak," The boy stated nervously after a minute.
"Right!" Dean said a little too loudly, "I'm Dean Winchester," he said quieter, taking the boys hand, which was actually quite soft, and shook it. Castiel turned away from him and they didn't speak to each other for the rest of the class.
"Hey, Chestnut," Jo said as Dean plopped down next to her. Pam had her eyes glued to her laptop as did Ash, Crowley was nowhere to be seen, and Jo was dozing off.
"What a lively bunch we are today!" Dean stated, super enthusiastic. Jo groaned.
"Too much enthusiasm…" She laid her head on his shoulder. Dean and Jo had a brother-sister relationship. They tried to spark something for about a week back during their freshman year, but it didn't work out (and it was very awkward). Dean rested his head on hers and people watched. From the corner of his eye, he saw Castiel, just standing like a statue in the corner of the cafeteria. Dean didn't really look at the boy before due to his mini heart attack, but now that he saw him in full view, he saw that the boy was way too overdressed for high school: trench coat, sweater, tie, and what appeared to be dress pants.
"What a weird boy…" Dean said. Pam looked up from her laptop.
"Who?" She asked, turning and looking around. Dean pointed to Castiel.
"The boy in the trench coat," Dean stated. Pam nodded when she caught sight of him, she turned back to Dean.
"Who is he?" She asked, grabbing Jo's coffee and taking a sip. Dean shrugged.
"Some new kid, he's in my calculus class. His name is Castiel Novak." Dean rattled his brain, trying to remember the pronunciation of the boy's name.
"What kind of name is Castiel?" Pam asked herself. Dean shrugged again and stood up. They all looked at Dean as he made his way off to the boy.
"Uh, Castiel?" Dean called. Castiel's gaze jerked in the direction of who asked for him, Dean was once again greeted with the most stunning eyes he'd ever seen.
"Y-yes?" Castiel replied, his voice more gravelly than Dean expected.
"I'm Dean. Dean Winchester. From Calculus?" Dean couldn't get a sentence out, something about talking to this boy made his tongue go numb. Castiel nodded.
"How-how can I help you?" Castiel asked Dean, shocked by the formality the boy oozed. Dean scratched the back of his neck.
"I couldn't help but notice you here all alone, so I figured you could come and hang with me and my friends," Dean gestured to his table whose members were all staring at them. Castiel just stared at them.
"So… Yes? No?" Dean asked after a couple moments of silence, slightly weirded out. Castiel returned his piercing gaze to Dean.
"Sure-yes-yes please," He said pathetically. Dean smiled at him and Castiel's face brightened red.
"Guys, Castiel," Dean gestured to Castiel, "Castiel, this is Ash, Pam, and Jo," They all waved and said their respective hellos. Castiel just stood there awkwardly, like he was unsure if he should sit down or remain standing. Dean frowned, poor kid. Dean returned to the seat next to Jo and gestured to the seat next to him for Castiel who nodded and sat next to Dean, stiff like a board.
"Dude relax, we don't bite," Pam piped up. Castiel nervously glanced at her and nodded slightly, wringing his hands.
"R-right," He said, settling a little, "sorry, I know I'm weird, I-I just, I-I've never had anyone invite me to sit with them, let alone talk to me freely".
They all frowned at Castiel, who was looking at his twiddling thumbs.
"Right, that sucks, man," Ash said, closing his laptop, something he rarely did. "So, then, if you're gonna sit with us, we're gonna need to know a little about you," Ash smiled. Castiel looked visibly calmer.
"Ah, yes, well, my name is Castiel Novak, most call me Cas, though. I've just moved here from New York, I'm a junior, and I like reading books". Dean stared at him dumbfounded, he opened his mouth to ask Castiel a question, but Pam beat him to the punch.
"New York?" Pam looked at him excitedly, slapping her laptop shut. "You're from New York?!" Castiel jumped at her burst of excitement and looked nervously at the other members of the table.
"U-uh, ye-yeah," He smiled sheepishly.
"Uh, yeah?" Pam mocked him, "Tell me about it! What's it like living there!" She squealed, scooting her chair closer to his.
Dean found out that once Castiel was able to become comfortable, he was a pretty interesting person and a great storyteller. He was caught up in those blue eyes, wondering how someone could possess such beauties. He acknowledged that he thought Castiel's eyes were beautiful and that he nearly had a heart attack when he first saw Castiel, but he didn't know what to about it. He figured those feelings would disappear as soon as found other people to be friends with and left Dean's bunch of goonies. Dean felt saddened by that thought, seeing Castiel leave. He watched him happily answer everyone's questions about his life and how the hell he managed to go from the city to the middle of nowhere.
"Well, my father is-" Castiel was cut off by the bell. The group, even Ash, looked disappointed when Castiel quit talking. Castiel quickly gathered his things and rushed out of the cafeteria.
"What the hell?" Dean asked as he watched Castiel practically run out and looked back at his still-seated peers. They shrugged and begrudgingly put their belongings in their backpacks.
"Maybe he has the mentality that if you don't show up for class early, you've practically shown up late," Jo suggested. Dean threw on his agreement face and nodded slightly.
"Or maybe we scared him off and he wanted to get away from us as soon as possible?" Pam said, standing up and heading out. The rest of the group followed her.
"Hey, we still on for movie night at my place tomorrow?" Ash called to the parting group. They all replied with "you betcha" and went on their merry ways.
Dean showed up a little late for Religious Studies, but he saw the teacher was preoccupied with something else, so he slowly made his way to his seat at the back of the class. Dean glanced down at his phone and saw that Ash had asked in the group chat:
Ash: Horror or sci-fi?
Pam: Definitely horror, I can't stomach having to sit through another sci-fi film…
Ash: Come on, babe… Hitchhikers Guide wasn't that bad…
Jo: I'm going to have to agree with Pam this time. Sorry, Ash :(
Ash: Dean, buddy, please? Crowley?
"Ahem!" The teacher called out. The class silenced and looked up at the teacher. Dean couldn't believe his eyes. Castiel was awkwardly standing next to her. "Class, this is the new student, Castiel Novak".
Dean glanced around and saw the only open spot in the class was next to him, he felt his heart racing again.
"Castiel, why don't you sit next to Mr. Winchester, there in the back," The teacher pointed to Dean, who waved at Castiel, yet again. Castiel looked like all the blood in his body rushed to his face as he slowly shuffled to sit next to Dean. He didn't make eye contact with Dean, who had been staring at him the entire time.
"A 'goodbye' would've been nice," Dean teased under his breath. Dean saw Castiel tense.
"I-I'm sorry… I-I thought you guys wanted me gone…" Castiel muttered, slowly meeting Dean's gaze. Dean playfully shoved him.
"Are you kidding me? The group loved you!" He chuckled. Castiel smiled slightly and was about to say something, but immediately stopped as the teacher began today's lesson. Dean continued to glance at Castiel every-so-often, but he was in the same position from when the lesson started.
"A little invested in today's lesson, huh?" Dean joked after the bell had rung.
"What? Oh, yeah… I, um, I like learning new things. My family is very religious, so I'm trying to broaden my knowledge of other religions and such," Castiel smiled at Dean. Dean clamped a hand over his heart, which he thought had stopped for a moment.
"Are you okay?" Castiel asked cautiously, "I'm certified in CPR if it is needed".
Dean looked over at the boy, who was taking this situation a little too seriously.
"I'm fine," He chuckled, "you're just something else, Cas". Cas chuckled nervously and nodded.
"So, I've been told," They both made their way out of the classroom.