I'm giving this chapter to Winchesters-never-die because I don't want you to cry! If anyone wants me to continue please review! JJ X x

I walk down the stairs sluggishly, I was up late talking to Dean about our college applications, we're both talking about what questions they might ask and what it'll be like, I told him I'd live in a dorm depending on where I get in. after we finally hung up I decided to work some more on my latest project, that lasted three hours! So yeah… not the best idea on a school night!

When I get into the kitchen Mel smiles and places some pancakes in front of me, with a glass of OJ, the white powder from the caffeine pill she mixed in for me dissolving as I down half the glass in one gulp "you are a golden haired Angel my friend! … Did Daddy leave already?"

"You're welcome and yes he did, he had this big case meeting or something!" she smiles as I shovel my breakfast and then get up to leave, kissing Mel on the cheek and throwing my backpack over my shoulder

But just before I get out of the kitchen she yells "don't forget your homework! I put it on the side table!"

"Thanks Mel, Later!" I say as I pick up the pages filled with scribbled notes and sketches and paper clipped photographs

I walk happily thought the town, smiling and greeting my neighbors like you'd get scowled at back in New York, but not here! Just another reason why I love this town! When I see the uniformed brunette run from the diner and to her bus stop, just making it, I walk happily over to the diner and smile when I see Dean sitting at a table near the window "Morning handsome!"

"Hey Hattie" he smiles at me as I take a seat with him

He gives me a look and asks "did your applications come yet?"

"Nope, you?" I ask with a smile, playing with a string of my hair

He shakes his head "no, I wish they'd hurry so I can get it over with!"

"I just want to be able to do 'college prep' rather than Math! I suck at Math!" I state and lean over stealing his cup and taking a long sip, he just smiles and shakes his head at me

"so I take it your walking over with Jess?" his face falls as my best friend emerges from upstairs, grabbing some pastry's and drinks for lunch

I look back to my friend and smile weakly "yeah, but hey what are you doing after school, wait you have practice, so after basketball? We could hang then."

"Sounds good, so I'll meet you in the gym at four?" I nod as he stands and leans down to hug me, I watch as he leaves for school, literally over the rode and waves back at me

"Hat's you ready; I got you a cinnamon bun!" Jess smiles and I stand, taking the bun with a large bite as we walk linked across the street

Later that day I sit in Art finishing up a sketch of the fruit bowl we were told to draw as the bell rings and Mrs. Dolton calls "Hattie could you stay behind for a moment?"

After the rest of the class leaves I walk over to my teacher's desk with a smile "so what did I do?"

She laughs as she stands; flipping through the homework I gave her before class, looking at the Polaroid's "these pictures of your final project are good Hattie, if the painting is as good as these, as well as what I've seen of your ability's so far then what I'm about to say shouldn't be a problem… Hattie I'm putting your name forward for The Mary Beth Antin Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Southern Connecticut State!"

My jaw hits the floor as I look to my teacher in utter shock "oh my god! Seriously?"

She nods and I can't help but start to jump slightly and hug my teacher

For the rest of the day I have a huge grin on my face, during lunch I sit with Jess who asks "what are you so happy about?"

"Mrs. Dolton is putting me forward for a scholarship!" I squeal lightly

His face is shock for a split second and then grins, pulling me into a hug "that's great Hattie!" not noticing the twinge of sorrow in his voice

After school I go to collect my things from my locker then head to the Gym, I told Jess I was hanging with Dean, he had work anyway! As I walk in I see the tall boys stood in a circle talking and walk over, I don't think I've ever felt so short! "Hey Dean!"

They all turn to me, I don't really know these guys but my friend smiles happily "hey Hattie, I didn't think you'd come for the practice part!"

"Hot guys running around in shorts and I get to shout without people thinking I'm crazy… like I'd miss that!" we laugh as his couch comes out

"I got to…" he gestures behind him and I nod

"Go, I'll just be up there" I say as he walks off and I walk up the bleachers, taking a seat and pulling out my sketch book, my secret talent

I look up from my page as the game goes on and I cheer on my home team, Dean smiling and laughing at some of my shouts. After the game and the lean handsome boy returns from the showers I meet him on the gym floor but I fall on the last step, spilling my things out in front of me as I hear Dean call "Hattie!"

He helps me pick up my things as I laugh it off "trust me to fall flat on my face"

Its then that I notice he's stopped picking up my things and is now just staring at a few pieces of paper in his hand, pages from my sketchbook. My blood runs cold and I freeze in horror "Dean I…"

"These are really good Hattie!" he smiles, handing them back to me and I find them to be just some of Jess and I, one of Dean smiling and another of the town gazebo and I give a sigh of relief as we stand and thrust them back into my book, then quickly into my bag "thanks, seems you're not the only one who thinks so… Mrs. Dolton is putting me forward for an art scholarship!"

His eyes widen as a smile crosses his face "seriously?" he asks and I nod franticly

He suddenly raps his arms around my waist, picking me up and spinning me around, my arms locked around his neck as we stop but don't let go "that's amazing Hattie, I'm so happy for you!"

"I gathered!" I laugh, looking up at him and I find my fingers playing with the ends of his hair and my other hand gingerly stroking the skin of his neck, but I also realize his thumbs are making small circles on my hips.

I can't help but look into those bottle green eyes, down to his perfectly luscious lips, but I'm not the one moving in… he is! But just before anything can be done one of his friends from the team comes through the door and we both immediately pull apart "Hey Dean have you seen my chain? I can't find it anywhere."

He just shakes his head "sorry man."

As the other boy leaves Dean glances to me then the floor, rubbing at his neck, the silence awkward and unfamiliar, I don't like it so I just smile "so I was thinking we could hit the arcade, I'm only eighty-six tickets away from winning that batman keychain!"

"Sounds like a plan!" he smiles back, letting out a breath as the awkwardness fades, but my mind is still lingering on the moment we had… another almost kiss, perhaps there is hope for me and Dean… just maybe.

When I get home, swinging my new batman keychain on my finger I smile at seeing my dad on the couch, sleeping peacefully but as I go to walk out the room he stairs "Hattie…hey princess, how was your day?"

"Pretty great! My art teacher talked to me about a scholarship and Dean won me the keychain I've been after from the arcade!" he sits up and smirks

"Wow Hattie, I'm so proud of you!" he announces as I take a seat beside him

I dangle the keychain on my finger in the air "yeah, it's pretty cool isn't it!"

He just laughs and hugs me, we settle in to watch some TV and wait for Mel to get Home before heading to the town meeting. We head to the meeting and I can't help but laugh at Luke and Taylor arguing over a soda shop! Luke loses and after the meeting I see Jess sneaking Shane out of the dinner and walk over, smiling as I say "you're t-shirts on backwards!"

He looks down and sighs slightly, but then smiles up at me "so… want to come in?"

I shake my head "can't I'm with the parents; why don't you come by once they head to bed, we can watch movies, you can bring food then we could fool around!"

"Sounds good! Well I'm going to have a smoke and fix my shirt, later Hat's!" he says leaning in for a lingering kiss and then head back inside

When I turn around my smile falls, seeing Rory and Dean talking "hey Honey, are you ok?"

I look to see my stepmother giving me a concerned expression and muster my best smile "yeah, I'm great… can we go home?"

Her face never changes as she puts an arm around my shoulder and leans me over to my dad "of course sweetie!"

I lean into her as we walk; she detaches herself as she pulls Rick away from talking with Taylor and whispers to him. I just scan the crowd and see Dean kiss Rory goodbye as she leaves with her mom, he turns to me with that bright smile and waves happily, I give a weak, tight lipped smile and a effortless wave, my eyes moist. I see his face fall, he looks sad and worried now and I bite my lip to hold back the tears.

Before he can walk over my Dad puts his arm around me, Mel talking my hand as we walk home, Dean quizzical eyes following my mournful slumped frame.