"Aren't you worried though?"
Cas raised an eyebrow dipping his arm in and out of the cool water. Anna had suggested for the final day of summer they spend the whole day lying by the pool doing nothing. Just how they liked it.
He could feel the harsh rays of the sun prickling his back as he lay face down, but refused to touch the sun lotion he knew Anna had brought out. There was something about the greasy texture that he just hated rubbing into his skin.
"Worried about what?" He sighed swirling the water with his fingers. They had both rated this day a 8/10 on their laziness scale, dreading the first day of school that was looming ahead.
Cas could hear Anna raise her head to glance at him, her hair dripping onto the concrete floor. "Spending your whole life without kissing anybody?"
"Anna!" Cas moaned flicking water towards her direction, grinning as Anna screamed in protest.
"What?" Anna replied silently getting up to slide into the cool swimming pool. "I constantly update you on who I like and you've never even hinted that you're interested in anyone".
Cas turned over feeling his back itch against the hard ground "I just have more important things to do than pine over some girl in our class".
"Bella wants you". Anna whispered swimming towards Cas, her head closer to his. "She's constantly staring at you in class". She giggled, sliding under the water.
"Is that really a good thing?" Cas smirked ruffling his hair. "Besides how would I ever know if someone was interested in me? It's not like anyone has any reason to want me." Cas cleared his throat softly. "Who would kiss me?"
The water splashed slightly as Anna gasped for air laughing.
"You didn't hear a word I just said did you?" Cas smiled towards Anna's directions.
"Why? Did you say something good?" Anna laughed sarcastically "Is it too much to ask for a summer full of a whirlwind romance and drama?"
Cas sat up slowly feeling the heat in his face from the sun- maybe protesting the sun cream wasn't such a good idea "Be careful what you wish for Anna".
The class was silent as they worked on their first essay. Cas sighed as his finger tapped against the familiar bumps of the braille type writer. What kind of school forces students to write an essay on their first day back?
The type writer pinged as Cas finished a paragraph.
"Elevator going up!" Alastair shouted from across the room, as the class erupted with laughter.
Cas could feel himself blushing as the teacher attempted to quiet the class. Being blind Cas had learnt to ignore the snide comments and the sighs as he typed throughout the class. He didn't have a problem with being different.
He did have a problem with people like Alistair.
"Right, I can't take this duo for another year". Cas heard the teacher direct towards Alistair, and also he assumed Crowely, an equally unfriendly classmate. "Alistair pack your things and take the empty seat behind Castiel".
Castiel bit his lip as he could hear the groans from the other boy. A whole summer away from people like Alistair had made him susceptible to their jokes all over again. He'd gotten used to thinking he was normal.
"No please!" Alistair sneered raising his arms in mock disbelief. "It's impossible to sit behind Castiel, listening to that annoying machine all day!"
Cas could feel Anna seething in the seat to his right. "You are such a jerk!" she turned round frowning at Alistair. She was never one for bottling in her emotions
"Shut up human walking stick" Alistair whispered glaring at Anna.
The jokes this year had gotten creative. Castiel wished the ground would swallow him whole. If they were going to tease him he wished they would do it quickly so he could get on with his life.
"How could you go so low, Alistair?" Anna shouted raising her voice towards the two boys laughing at the back of the room, her first banging on her desk.
Alistair raised his eyebrow grinning at Anna. "I'll show you something lower later, guide dog" Alistair winked motioning towards his crouch.
Cas jumped as a loud bang brought the attention back to the front of the class. "Enough!" the teacher shouted, Cas presumed she threw down a book on the table to vent her frustration. "I don't know where you think you are but it certainly isn't a school". She shouted her chair screeching as she stood up. "Alistair detention for two weeks after school".
"What about Anna?" Crowely argued, receiving a glare from Anna in response. If they were unhappy they always wanted to make someone else equally unhappy.
"Would you like to join your buddy?" The teacher asked raising her eyebrows as she glanced from Crowely to Alistair. The room was silent as the boys rolled their eyes. "I didn't think so".
Cas released a breath he didn't know he was holding in. He'd been blind from the moment he was born, and didn't actually realize he was different from anyone else until he was four and could hear the questions about his cane from the other children.
As soon as he met Anna she had filled a hole in his life like no one else. He could be completely himself around her and didn't need to worry about anything.
But even so he couldn't shake her words from the day before. Anna had questioned his lack of romance as if he himself was the one stopping anything from happening. But that wasn't true.
Why would anyone want to date someone who was blind? Someone who couldn't tell them every day that they were beautiful. Besides he didn't even know what he himself looked like.
Who would ever want to kiss him?
A knock from the door interrupted his thoughts as he angled his head in its direction. The door squeaked slightly as it opened.
"Is this room 211?" a deep voice which Castiel didn't recognize came from the door way.
"Yes, what's your name?"
"Dean Winchester" the boy replied. Cas could hear as a few of the girls whispered in response to this newcomer. He was clearly going to be popular with Bella. As long as he wasn't anything like Alistair or Crowely it was fine with Castiel.
"Come on in"
Castiel could hear the boy pause as he entered the class, his eyes searching for a free seat. "Is that seat okay to take?" Dean asked motioning towards the seat behind Cas. Dean frowned as the class erupted in another set of giggles as he slowly walked towards his chair.
Cas could feel the air brush past his arm as Dean sat behind him. A comforting smell of pine and cotton coming from the other boy. Cas relaxed as the class resumed their essay his attention somewhat focused on Dean sitting behind him.
It always took Cas a while to get used to a strangers movements, sounds and smells, but something about Dean felt calming- almost familiar. Cas smiled as his fingers grazed over the braille. Maybe this year really would be different.
"I'm telling you this new guy is gorgeous" Anna giggled. The two of them always spent lunch like this sprawled out on the ground in the shade, Cas with his head in Anna's lap taking in all the sounds of the world around him. The warm air brushed against his arm as he sighed with content
Cas laughed as Anna continued to stare at Dean sitting on the steps eating his lunch alone. "You never know maybe this guy is going to be my prince charming" she laughed playing with Cas's hair.
Cas smiled enjoying the gentle touch of his friend. "And what does this prince charming look like?" he whispered fiddling with the hem of his top. "Describe him to me".
Anna cleared her throat as she hummed thoughtfully. "Well he's tall, with quite a muscular frame. Oh and Cas his eyes". Anna squealed giggling as Cas pushed his fingers in his ears drowning out the high pitched noise. "He's very handsome and has sandy blonde hair.." Anna drifted off going silent.
"What is it?" Cas lifted his head from Anna's lap frowning. He hated it when she didn't describe what she was seeing.
"Oh nothing to panic about". Anna whispered behind gritted teeth. "Just that my prince charming is walking towards us".
"Hi".
Cas raised an eyebrow as Dean's voice came from beside him. The hairs on his arms rose even though it was still warm under the shade.
"Hi you're Dean, right?" Anna grinned patting Cas's shoulder signalling for his to sit up. Cas groaned as he was forced to move.
Dean smiled as he watched the two of them. "Yeah um, I'm new here and I recognized both of you from class so wondered if I could join you?".
Cas held in laughter as he could feel the excitement come from Anna, she was practically shaking next to him. "Sure Dean". He said patting the ground next to him. "I'm Castiel, this is Anna".
"It's nice to see you". Dean shook Castiel's hand immediately regretting his choice of words. "I mean meet you- it's nice to meet you". Dean stammered letting go of Cas's hands.
Cas laughed reaching down to grab his water from his rucksack "It's okay you'll get used to it". Choice of words was always a tough thing for new people meeting him. Cas didn't mind though- mostly people don't mean to be insensitive.
"Are people always as stupid as me when they speak to you?" Dean whispered feeling his face get hot.
"The majority of people are stupid". Cas said sarcastically raising his eyebrow. "But don't worry you're not one of them." Cas chuckled deeply shaking his head.
Anna cleared her throat, attempting to grab Dean's attention. "So which way do you live Dean?".
Cas felt as Dean's arm brushed past his as he moved to point in the direction which he walked in. "It's down that way, not too far".
"Great!" Anna squeaked gently patting Castiel's hand. "That's the way we go, do you want to walk home with us?"
Dean watched as Cas walked down the path, his hand gently holding onto Anna's arm to guide him. Their pace was steady as they walked together.
"So why did you move here Dean?" Anna asked, gently tapping Cas when there was a step coming up ahead.
Dean cleared his throat forcing his eyes to stare ahead of him. "Well, my dad travels a lot for work and this was the next place for us to go?"
"Is it just you and him?" Cas asked angling his face towards Dean's voice.
Dean nodded, feeling stupid as soon as he did it. "Er yeah I guess, I have a younger brother Sam- but he is too intelligent for his own good". Dean smiled feeling a pang of sadness through his body. "He actually got a scholarship to this ridiculous school in the UK".
"That must be so hard for you!" Anna frowned rubbing Dean's arm.
Dean glanced at Cas before forcing a smile. "No, I'm so proud of him- I wouldn't want it any different".
Anna slowed her pace as she reached Cas's house. Dean watched as Cas's fingers brushed against the familiar pattern of the tall white gate blocking his entrance.
"Key's please" Anna turned to Cas holding open her hand. Cas reached into his pocket fishing out the keys for the house, holding them towards Anna's voice. He could feel Dean watching them from the side.
Usually he would be embarrassed.
But something about the way Dean felt standing next to him didn't make him embarrassed.
Anna quickly unlocked the gate guiding Cas's hand to the handle. Before entering Cas spun around to hold his hand out towards Dean.
"It was nice to meet you Dean" Cas smiled as Dean took his hand, shaking it firmly.
"You to Cas" Dean said letting go of his hand to stare at the other boy. He'd never seen anyone quite like Castiel. His dark hair stuck up in all different directions but still managed to look styled. His blue eyes- although unfocused held more emotion than anyone he'd ever met before.
"So we'll see you tomorrow?" Anna chimed in forcing Dean to look away.
"Do you not live this way?" Dean frowned confused as he gestured down the road.
Anna grinned shaking her head. "No, I live in the opposite direction, but I walk Cas home- its not too far".
Dean nodded turning away as Cas shut the gate behind himself, his fingers gracefully sliding up the concrete wall leading to the house.
"See you both tomorrow" Dean said over his shoulder waving at Anna.
"I won't" Cas grinned closing the front door behind him.