Disclaimer: The author is in no way, shape, or form in any form of association with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), any of the wrestlers mentioned in this story, or anything else. I just wrote the thing. Please enjoy.
Warnings: Blood, depersonalization, cursing, mentions of mental instability of a character.
The blood was still drooling down Dean's chin from his lip and it was getting all on Roman's shirt and Dean's hoodie. It was a nuisance, the throbbing, but it kept the world from falling into a daze. Somehow, he and Roman ended up on the floor, Dean leaned heavily against him, mouth pressed into Roman's shirt, his eyes looking just over Roman's shoulder. Roman was muttering under his breath about how he would make Randy pay for this in practice. Dean didn't say anything to it, his mind spinning rapidly as it always does to try and drag him under the current. It had been a stress-filled day, that was for sure, and the punch had just been the cherry on top. His mind was going to need some time to mend itself. The days would once more begin to blur together very soon. It's something he's used to now that he didn't just explode or lose himself to his mind every time he needed to calm down. You had to make trades for your sanity, and that was his compromise with himself. I don't end up hurting anyone and I don't end up hurting myself if I can give you time out of my life where I don't even feel alive. It doesn't seem fair, but it is.
Over Roman's shoulder, Dean can see where John is yanking Randy to the side while the Authority is ushering people out of the school doors, trying to keep the scene under wraps. Seth is still looking at him, a slightly horrified look on his face like he wasn't exactly sure what to make of the broken teen that was in the arms of their former mutual brother. Dean can hardly stand to look at him, to see that look on his face and know that he had been the one to put it there. His eyes go back to where Randy and John are to spare himself the pain. Randy and John were supposed to be some form of friends, that much Dean knew. They were co-captains on the football team, after all, and the team played beautifully from what Dean saw. John had his hand on Randy's shoulder now, where he had it pressed against the wall. Randy is wound tight, but there's a look in his eyes that held no malice, just pain. They're talking softly, leaning in closer to whisper, Randy nodding in Dean's direction once before he's jutting out his chin and pushing John away slowly, no force behind it.
Dean averts his eyes again when he feels sees Stephanie sending Seth away to go get something, motioning to Dean. He assumes they're going to get something for his lip, which is still dripping bleed onto Roman's shirt. He feels bad about it, going as far as to attempt to pull away, but Roman is putting a hand on the back of his head and he just leans forward again. He realizes, belatedly, that he's trembling some. He must seem pathetic. He must seem like the broken kid that he really is, only 15 years old acting like he was strong enough to take on the world as it presented itself. He was, too, damn it. This rich boy lifestyle had never taken the knowledge that in the real world, you had to fight tooth and nail to get what you want. He knew he wasn't going anywhere, though. He knew he would never amount to what everyone else in this damn school would be. And for some reason, he was oddly okay with that. He had accepted that as far back as when he was five years old standing over the sink and washing dishes because no one else in the house would.
He was lulling off on Roman's shoulder to his own negative thoughts and he doesn't even realize when Seth is approaching with an ice bag wrapped in paper towels for his lip. Roman ends up being the one to take it, nudging Dean back to life and pulling back enough so they were face to face. Roman had a look of concern on his face, but Dean is waving it off and taking the ice bag, putting it to his lip. Roman was kind enough not to mention anything and just helps Dean to his feet, pressing a kiss to his head like Dean had done to him so many times in the past. It felt grounding in a way and they're being led to the principal's office now. He didn't speak, but with Roman on one side of him, Dean feels his other side being occupied by John. It doesn't take Dean much time before he's leaning heavily on John instead of Roman, just to give him a taste of the responsibilities that Roman had. John took it in stride, patting Dean on the back as he accepts the weight with ease.
When they're all in the principal office, Dean being sat down in one chair and Randy in the other, Dean's head lulls back some to look at John and Roman, ice bag still on his lip, which was numb from the cold of the ice. He remembers, idly, making some comment about 'how this was going to fall back on him, right?' Because he didn't care about the Authority being right there and able to listen. He was going to call them out on their bullshit before they could ever start. John just shrugs, giving the Authority a look that held just the smallest amount of venom in it, telling Dean 'he didn't know.' Yes he does. This was going to be the thing that got Dean out of their hair, out of their school. They could go back to protecting their precious little baby boy with Dean out of the picture. He was… okay with that, actually. He was dangerous, remember? If he really wanted to keep Seth safe, he would stay as far away from him as possible, isn't that what the Authority wanted? Maybe they knew what was best after all.
The doubt he was putting in his own head has him trembling again, pulling back the ice bag and tugging and pushing at his lip to get it to start throbbing again to remind him of the physical pain. His lip that had been ceasing its bleeding was now fully bleeding again. Roman had to pry Dean's fingers away from his lip when the proclaimed lunatic didn't hear him telling him to stop and forcefully shoves the ice bag back his lip, bringing Dean back for the time being. John is running his fingers through Dean's hair to try and provide some comfort, but Dean is waving his bloody hand – that Roman had been trying to wipe off – at John to get him away. When Madre and Padre come barging into the room, Dean is actually happy about it more than anything. And thus, the meeting of the parents with the principal progresses. Dean is pulled out of his impending daze long enough to give the story – in which he tells it all and doesn't try to lie about anything, because he knew it would end up biting him in the ass if he tried. Randy tells the same story begrudgingly.
When it comes to conversation of punishment, there was talk about taking Randy off the football team for the next few games or flat out suspending him or even just detention for the next few weeks. Dean doesn't know where he finds it in himself, but he's telling them not to worry about it; that he deserved it (because he did. For something, he deserved it for something). Everyone looks at him in a bit of shock, including Seth, who looks like he might actually defend Dean for just a split second before his jaw sets again and he's just staring hard at him. Dean averts his gaze again. He feels like he's just going to keep going downhill from here. Madre and Padre are demanding to know more about the story and the more talking that goes on, the more Dean is beginning to get agitated as he tries to keep up with a sluggish mind. He's entirely too thankful to Roman, who is pushing earbuds into his ear and playing white noise to drown everything out. Roman always came prepared to deal with these moods that Dean found himself in. He was lucky to have such a good big brother. John was alright too, of course.
It was when he feels Roman beginning to tense behind him and Madre and Padre are shouting some over the sound of the white noise that Dean excuses himself without saying a word. He just walks out, with Roman's iPhone in hand and the earbuds still in. He ends up walking home with it, but Roman would end up coming over afterwards anyway, just like always. At home, in his room, nearly deafening himself with the white noise when his thoughts spin too loud, he's startled out of his daze by the sound of a text message that Roman was getting. Dean, out of pure curiosity, looked at it to find it was Seth, texting Roman and asking him if Dean was okay. Guess Princess didn't realize Dean had Roman's phone. It didn't process fully in Dean's mind at the time, though, the fact that Seth was texting Roman and asking about him. This meant two things: Seth cared and Roman and Seth had been in touch previously. Or had at least swapped numbers. Dean didn't try to reply to the message. His mind didn't care and his heart was aching. When Roman got there, Dean hands him his phone back without comment. When the Samoan-Italian sees the text, he side-eyes Dean for just a few moments before replying to it. Dean doesn't ask what he said because he didn't want to know what Roman told their little brother. He didn't want to know if he lied to him or told him the truth. He didn't want to know Roman's truth. All Dean knew was he sure as hell didn't feel okay.
The next month passes by in a true daze. Roman ended up staying the night at Dean's house the night he got punched in the face, and then took Dean back to his house about every day after. Madre and Padre allowed it in hopes that it would get Dean out of his funk sooner. Dean had always felt a lot more at home in the Reigns household. However, Dean didn't feel at home anywhere anymore. Not even when he was sat between Roman and Roman's twin cousins. Not even when Momma is giving him and Roman hot chocolate that she makes herself, something that Dean loves more than life itself half the time. Everything is duller. Sounds, tastes, sights, smells, even the feelings of touch. Everything seemed unreal. No matter how many times he goes through this, he could never get used to it. School doesn't pass any better than his home life. He learns and comprehends but he feels that's all he does. Regal instigates a lot of debates that Dean half-asses because he can't be bothered to actually try. Regal seems to notice or seems to understand that Dean is going through something more than is just teenage angst, because he never fucking relents. He calls on Dean to give answers and he forces him to interact and Dean for a while thinks Regal might actually care, but that's just outrageous because no teacher cares that much about a fuck-up like Dean.
Regal wasn't the only one who seemed to be trying to get Dean out of the funk he found himself in teacher-wise. Mr. Colter is also right there in the front lines making Dean do everything he would have done if he was okay. Dean doesn't know whether he's okay with it or not, because it always leaves him with a throbbing headache when he leaves each of the classes, but at the same time, it makes him feel like he's not as bad as he thinks he is. The students are doing a lot to try and help him too. Damien from English talks to him idly in English when nothing is going on. Alicia talks to him idly about the other students and keeps him in the loop of some of the drama, and how some of them are interested in meeting him or something about how she was a part of the dance team or something just completely irrelevant to Chemistry that just made Dean want to grin. Nothing really happens in Geometry, but Mr. Cole looks at him like he doesn't trust him and Dean doesn't blame him. During lunch, the people that sit with Roman include him as much in the conversation as they can, but Dean thinks that's only thanks to Roman and he can't find it in himself to complain about his big brother trying to help him.
American History meant Mr. Colter, of course, and Seth Helmsley-McMahon. That's the only class that really does anything for Dean after lunch – though Zack Ryder in Home Ec is always helping make Dean smile by tormenting Mr. Striker and Dean found out that the tall, creepy guy in Spanish II can in fact speak English and was part of what Dean now refers to as the Wyatt cult. Seth always is one of the students who enter in between the first and the last, so a regular student, really. He always sits somewhere where the seat to the side is taken. Dean doesn't blame him in the least and actually thanks him for it during the month he could hardly get to any of his classes on time. It's better for the both of them, especially after Dean realized just how easy they had been interacting before Dean's little slip-up that he would never blame on Seth. There were just things that Dean did that were his fault because he didn't have control over himself. That's why his little family was split up in the first place, wasn't it? But just because they were sitting away from each other didn't mean there was no eye contact made. Every now and again, a glance was made and their eyes would meet and it was like Dean knew things were going to be okay.
Now, it's a week into October and Dean is listening to his iPod – it's a black 4th generation iPod Nano and you're damn right Dean is proud to still have this motherfucker – and bobbing his head along to the tunes filtering into his mind. He's back to his usual peppy self and had ended up going back home – to the Cena family – the previous night. He's dressed in a Deadpool hoodie and jeans that were severely ripped in several places and he was ready to take on any challenges that presented themselves. It seemed to please everyone who laid eyes on him that he wasn't lost to his own mind anymore. Hell, even as he enters English II, Regal is looking at him like he's the best surprise he's ever gotten. He doesn't remember the last time he's seen a teacher smile at him like he was the best thing that's walked into their classroom, but that's probably because it never happened. He takes his front row seat, still bobbing along to his iPod, giving Regal a devious grin to warn the man he was going to be getting his all today.
The class period went by and most of it was wasted with the students taking the notes from the board and Regal and Dean going at it in a full-on debate. It had Dean's blood boiling as he argues everything that Regal says and even argues common facts because he refused to be proven wrong. The old man has a spark in his eye that tells him he's pleased with the turnout. At the end of class, Dean is given a piece of paper with the name 'Paul Heyman' written on it. Paul Heyman was the director of the Student Council and was also the director of the debate club. Regal had mentioned Dean to him and he wants Dean to go talk to Heyman about joining both of the groups. Dean is smug more than anything and he feels that he has every right to be. Maybe it wasn't as hard as he thought it was going to be to have the teacher realize that he was better than he had originally been pegged to be. That he was worth something (not that Dean personally believed that, but would you believe it if you were someone like Dean?). He promises, idly, to go talk to this Paul Heyman guy whenever he got the chance.
The rest of the morning passes by quickly. Dean doesn't see Seth when he's stopped at his locker before lunch, where usually the sight of two-toned hair graces his vision as he passes through with his group, and Dean's kind of… put down by the fact, like maybe Seth was starting to finally avoid him now that he knew Dean was better. But that was okay. Seth had every right to try and avoid Dean. As Dean is still watching for the group and the Authority's little boy, Roman comes like the savior to the story to stop Dean from pining. They end up walking to lunch where Dean talks to Roman and his friends, still waiting for the sight of Seth Helmsley-McMahon. Seth doesn't show up in the lunch room at all. When Dean finally asks about it, Roman says it's because they've started to have family meetings twice a week during lunch to make sure everything was going alright. That it's been going on for a few weeks now. Dean's not surprised he didn't notice. Roman also mentions something about John saying Randy's in anger management classes. Dean asks Roman if he thinks that Dean needs those. Roman just shakes his head and pats his cheek, telling Dean he was too stubborn to listen to anything the professionals would say. As much as it kills Dean to admit it, it's true, and he's so glad that Roman was blunt about it.
After lunch, he heads to American History with a bounce to his step that Mr. Colter notices as soon as he bursts into the classroom with an, "I am still demanding I get some kind of advice on how to grow an astonishing mustache!" Mr. Colter isn't amused, from the first look. He's just raising an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest, and apparently waiting for Dean to say something else that was perhaps worth his time. "Wow, still nothing? Look, man, I just went through a month of recuperation from whatever my head does. All I want is a little mustache magic. And not one of those cheesy teenage boy mustaches. I want something that will make people weep in its presence. I want some amazing villain mustache that has magical powers that defeat the heroes of the story."
"Sit down, Mr. Cena," Mr. Colter is saying, sounding absolutely exasperated, but his lips are quirking up and Dean knows things are okay because for some reason, Regal and Mr. Colter are on his side. They see something in him that Dean has never seen in himself. They see something past his rebellious outside and see something about him on the inside that was apparently worth something.
Dean looks around the classroom at the seats that were still available and he sees Seth with his head ducked into a book, obviously trying to make himself not look appealing at all. He's wearing glasses today, which kind of makes his attempt at looking unappealing at least a thousand times more difficult. He looks nerdy and adorable and Dean just wants to have him back to where they were talking to Dean could take his glasses just to see what he would do. So, even though he feels Mr. Colter's gaze on his back like a warning not to have a repeat of the previous month, he moves to sit to Seth's left, pausing before he actually takes his seat. "Mind if I sit here or are you just going to move?"
"There's open seats elsewhere," is Seth's immediate response, his leg jiggling a bit, but otherwise, he seems entirely too composed. Dean wants to break that composure. He wants to see what's behind the façade Seth shows the rest of the world; he wants to know if it's truly a façade or if this is who Seth was now. "But I'm not in charge of where you decide to sit."
"There's other open seats, sure, but I want to sit in this one and I want to know if I do happen to sit here if you'd just move to get away from me," Dean states. It's a test. That text message to Roman from Seth was alive in his mind now that his brain wasn't fogged and he felt to be 100% back to normal. He wanted to see why he cared so much. He wanted to see if Seth actually did care still. Maybe he was just caring that day because he felt guilty, and if that was the case, Dean would leave him alone without any trouble.
Seth is just staring down at his book now, not even reading, just staring. Dean think he's going to tell him to go away and Dean wouldn't blame him. Then, brown eyes are training up to his face and with a slightly pissed off expression, Seth is speaking once more. "I'm not going to move just because you're going to sit next to me, Cena. You're a lunatic, you're not an infectious disease carrier or something. Christ."
It could have fooled Dean, the way some of the people looked at him and avoided him when he's coming through the hallway. But he doesn't want to push his luck, so he just sits down and pulls out the supplies that he would need for this class. Then, they're settled in silence. Dean didn't want to be the first to speak about anything other than seating and that conversation was long over. He wanted to see if Seth would be the one to try and start another conversation. He wanted Seth to know that he wasn't just there to talk to him. Dean was just there because there was something about just being near Seth that made him feel that much better. He's expecting the period to pass in silence between them. The honest surprise that strikes Dean when Seth begins to speak is pleasant.
"Your lip looks like it's doing a lot better," is what Seth is muttering, a touch of guilt to his voice. Dean's lip had been better for a good two weeks now, of course, but he holds his tongue and doesn't say anything on the matter. Seth was trying. That's what had to be important now, right? "Looked pretty bad after…" he trails off, Dean seeing him bite his lip out of the corner of his eye. He turns his head just enough to catch Seth's lip sliding from the confines of his teeth, watching the younger chuckle to himself on an exhale. It had been barely audible, but his lips quirk up with it. There's still that touch of guilt there. Dean really wishes he wouldn't feel guilty. This wasn't his fault. "Randy really didn't mean to do that." Now that is complete bullshit. Of course Randy fucking meant to do it. Dean wouldn't believe otherwise. If he hadn't meant to do it, he wouldn't have done it (but that just makes Dean a hypocrite, doesn't it?). "His emotions just got the better of him. I don't know what you said to him, but it really messed with his head. But I'm glad you're okay. All of us are. Even Mom and Dad."
"Is that right?" Dean asks suddenly, amused, his eyes lifting from where he had busied himself with flipping to the page written on the board in his textbook. The weight of the pages were what kept him weighted from his negative emotions. He rubs his thumb over the corners, shaking his head with a soft chuckle. "Even your ma and pops are glad I'm okay? Still trying to get me out of their school, though, right? Anything to get a ticking time bomb out." His words come out bitter by mistake, despite the fact he still has the ghost a smile on his face, and he feels Seth tense at his side, albeit briefly.
"They care about their students," Seth mutters, seemingly going back to his reading and Dean feels momentarily agitated because this isn't going very well at all. All he wants is to see if it could work. All he wants is to know whether or not them being friends is something that was feasible. He's seen Seth being a complete and utter asshole, but something about it doesn't seem right. It's like an act to keep him where he was and to keep his family happy and himself safe. He wanted to break past all of that and pull him back into the family he belongs in. He wanted to see who his little brother really was now.
As Dean goes to speak though, the final bell is ringing and Mr. Colter is starting without preamble, his eyes trained on Dean for just a moment before he's turning to the board. The American History class is spent listening to Mr. Colter ramble on and there's no room for trying to continue or finish his conversation with Seth. Maybe that was for the best, or maybe it wasn't. Dean would never know and he hates that he feels bitter about it.
When the end of class comes, Dean doesn't try to talk to Seth because the Helmsley-McMahon son doesn't even look back at him when he leaves the room. It stings Dean, felt almost like a blade in his chest, but he knew sometimes you had to go through pain to get to the prize. No pain, no gain, right? So, Dean decides to himself as he waves a farewell to Mr. Colter that it might just be the best time to go try and talk to this Heyman guy. If he wanted to talk to Dean like Regal mentioned, he could easily give Dean a slip that excuses him from one or both of his last classes, right? And if not, Dean would have them counted against him for all he cared.
Thus, he goes. The guy is located in an office of his own near the principal's office. He waves mockingly to one of the security guards who had followed him around for the majority of his time spent in his funk as he passes, but gets to this Paul Heyman's office without trouble. Paul Heyman is a balding man who was dressed in a suit and had something about him that screamed, 'I'm the one you talk to if you need something done.' He could have been the leader of a mob with the aura he was projecting, but something about him told Dean he was pretty wimpy all the same. He was probably all bark and no bite. Nonetheless, Dean ends up talking and debating with this guy for what feels like only a short time, but ends up being nearly two hours. They debate about everything, including the way schools were ran and the way the school lunches tasted. He debated about which of his teachers were the worst and which students deserved a swift punch in the face – much like the one he received, Heyman helpfully reminded. Dean respects him for it. Anyone else would have tiptoed around that. It was natural, though. Dean just talked and debated with such ease, he even ended up talking some about himself and his childhood, begrudgingly. At one point he went into a large speech about something that wasn't even that important to him; just something he wanted to be right about it and he wanted to see the look on this balding fucker's face. Heyman's facial expression was kept incredibly blank. Dean was both surprised and impressed. The speech he gave only had Heyman sitting back in his chair and writing out a note, then tearing it out and writing another. Dean wasn't sure whether he felt ignored or if he felt accomplished.
"Well, this was definitely eye-opening," Heyman says under his breath and Dean gets this feeling of dread in his stomach, like maybe he wasn't as accomplished as he thought. Maybe this guy didn't see him being as good as Regal probably told him he was. Dean stares hard at him, managing to get Heyman's attention without meaning to. "Next Monday, I expect to see you in room 306 for Debate Club. We meet on Mondays and Wednesdays. Next Tuesday, I expect to see you in room 306 for Student Council. We meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Basically, every afternoon, Monday to Thursday, you will be coming to room 306 and staying after school until around 4PM. I understand this probably won't be a problem, since your brother has practice until 4:30 every day, save Fridays," he is rambling and Dean is bouncing in his chairs some, about to speak, but is cut off as Heyman continiues. "The thing you need to know about this school's student council is I'm in charge of who is on the committee and we don't have tryouts for places. I assign them to you. Would you like to know which role I am assigning to you or would you just like to be surprised?" His voice is still near monotone, his expression blank, but something in Dean explodes with excitement, because he's being accepted into things. He's being given roles. He's actually making a mark on this school. And yet, once more, before he can even reply, Heyman is continuing to talk, "Actually, I'm not going to give you a choice in the matter. I'm telling you. You are now Vice President of the Vince McMahon's School of Excellence Student Council. The only reason you're not getting the President spot is because there is already another student who has taken it. His name is Phil Brooks, but he doesn't go by his actual name because there is a good chance you won't be able to call him by it as soon as you actually get to talk to him. You won't want to. He's blunt, he's careless, he's in all ways and matters better than you, or at least that's what he wants you to believe and that's what you will believe in the end. If you somehow manage to be better than him, then your spots will be switched, but don't get your hopes up. Now, as good as it was to converse with you, Mr. Cena, I have to ask that you leave my office. I have another client coming in soon."
He says all of it so fast, but Dean feels all of that excitement dull immediately at the mention of someone else being in the President spot – even if he hadn't expected to even come close to being President. This Brooks guy likes to make people think he's better than them? He's going to get another thing coming whenever he meets Dean Cena (he still hates that name. Ambrose. Ambrose fits so much better). "Yes sir," is all Dean is saying before he's standing. He wanted to keep his impression under the 'good' category and not make a scene over the information he was given. He's handed a note that excuses him from the classes he missed and he leaves, just like that. He had apparently missed hearing the last bell, because there are students everywhere at their lockers and talking loudly to one another like teenagers do. Dean is ducking around all of them and headed to his own locker.
Roman is leaning against the locker beside Dean's, looking in the direction of Spanish II and where Dean should be coming from, but is the exact opposite of where Dean is actually walking. So, of course, he just has to take the opportunity to put his books down a way's away from where Roman is standing and without preamble, launch himself forward, onto Roman's back. Roman stumbles forward, just about completely toppling over, but is scoffing as soon as he gets his footing.
"What the hell, bro?" Roman is asking with a laugh. "Did you take the long way around just to scare the shit out of me or something? I was worried you were getting in trouble with Mrs. Guerrero or something."
"Nah, I got excused from the last two classes of my day 'cause I went to talk to some Heyman guy after Mr. Regal told me to," Dean is saying, hopping off Roman's back and going to get his books again, returning to open his locker. He misses the look on Roman's face, but he can feel some kind of protective vibes coming off of the older male now.
"You were talking with Heyman? Paul Heyman?" Roman asks, his voice taking on a suspicious tone, squaring his shoulders as if he was going to fight off this Heyman guy himself. Poor balding Heyman; seemingly enemies with one of the scariest fuckers on the football team. "What the hell were you talking to him about?" Protective Roman was coming out now, matching the vibes he was giving off. Dean could partially understand why. While his hairline was ridiculous and his suits were expensive, Heyman seemed a bit slimy; but he's helping Dean out a shit ton, so even if it was a big deal, Dean didn't want to know anything about it.
"I was talking to Paul Heyman about joining the debate club and something about student council. Regal mentioned me to him and he wanted to get a piece of me for himself, I guess. I am a great choice of a student to have on your side, after all." He sounds smug even to his own ears and he's not surprised when he hears Roman scoff. "In fact, you're now looking at the newest member of both the debate club and the student council. And not just any member of the student council, but the vice president. So suck on that."
The news seems to fall on deaf ears at first, making all of Dean's gloating fade momentarily. What good was it to gloat to your big brother if he wasn't going to listen? Dean actually has to look over at Roman to see if he even heard him, discovering that Roman is staring right at him, almost like he's trying to figure out if Dean was lying or not. When he seems to determine that Dean is, in fact, telling the truth and not just lying, he's grinning at Dean with this smile that is brighter than the fucking sun in his pride. He's patting Dean's cheek immediately, cupping it and bringing their foreheads together. "That's great to hear, Dean. It's good to know you're putting your big mouth to good use."
Dean can't help but grin back at him with a bright smile of his own, his tongue poking out from between his teeth when he tries to force it away. He doesn't remember the last time Roman actually looked at him like that. Like he was proud of something that Dean had done and was happy that Dean was doing something that the younger found fucking amazing. It made him feel fuzzy on the inside. Like he hadn't fucked up so bad this time. He decided that feeling just a little bit fuzzy wasn't necessary a bad thing.
Before Dean can really get to gloating though, Roman is getting called away by someone from the football team. It's just some Freshman who looks actually terrified out of their mind to be coming anywhere close to Dean. He finds it amusing, but Roman is giving a nod and an easy smile to the kid, who is off once more when Roman says to give him a minute. Roman makes Dean promise not to get punched in the face today. Dean makes a big scene about it, but ends up promising it anyway with a big grin on his face. Roman gives him another pat on the cheek to make sure Dean remembers he's proud of him, and then Dean was being left alone.
Not too big of a deal though, he'd get to go watch football practice and talk with some of the girls about butts – which he had apparently done at some point during his funk, if his memories served any truth whatsoever. He puts in his iPod earbuds again to give himself something to bob his head away to. The music was always Dean's go-to when he needs to release some of the energy that he was feeling. He honestly felt like he was on top of the world now from the pride in Roman's face and the pride he felt in his own mind. It was a great thing to come back to after that month that he could hardly remember. He's closing his locker now, still bobbing along to the music, and about to head out to the football field to watch practice. As he turns, he catches where Seth is watching him, murmuring away to one of the security guards.
Dean doesn't try to get attention drawn to him by having the audacity to wave, but he does offer a smirk and a wink at the princess. He likes to think it wasn't just his imagination when he sees a flicker of a smile on those lips and a flush on those pretty cheeks, but he doesn't get much time to look before he's heading towards the backdoors of the school.
But of course, the thing about Dean's day is it seems that everything was happening at once now that he was back in good spirits. He doesn't even make it to the football field to watch practice because along the way, he is plucked up by Alicia Fox and a few of the other females students. They're talking to him and saying they had something they needed his help with. Dean could never say no to a group of pretty faces who looked like they would all give him a swift kick to the nuts if they had to. He was both terrified and excited for what was to come. All he hopes for was that this would be exciting.
Since I want more of a slow build up, I am trying to figure out things to be our fillers within the chapters. If you guys have any suggestions let me know in the reviews! Hope you enjoyed!
~Ash