Honestly, what could be going on with Gabriel? Sam tries to think back to the exact moment a change happened, but he had not been there. He only remembers Gabriel and Dean leaving for the hardware store, Gabriel being still his normal annoying self and then when they returned Gabriel was acting weird. Well, weird that is for Gabriel. Sam cannot remember the last time he heard Gabriel use his given name but that is all he has called him since Monday. He cannot help but wonder if Dean had done something or said something but it did not make any sense. Gabriel did not act like he was mad at Dean if anything he almost seemed to be avoiding Sam himself. What had- "Sam?"
Sam shakes his head, zoning back into the present time, back to his present location. He is sitting at home, a textbook in hand, with a very pretty girl looking at him and concern gracing her features. How long had Sam zoned out for? "Sorry, I was just thinking," he says and Jess smiles sweetly at him.
"It's alright, you seemed to be thinking pretty hard. I'm assuming it's not about your math problem?" she asks, gesturing to the piece of paper that Sam had not acknowledged for a good five minutes.
"No, it's uh… one of my friends," Sam pauses to think, would someone even consider him and Gabriel friends? They only ever met up with Dean and Cas, they never spoke outside of those moments much. Were they really friends or just acquaintances because of their brothers? Sam tries to think, thinks of all the times that Gabriel has picked on him. Then he thinks back to all the times they just kind of talked about Sam's schooling and which teachers he and Cas could not stand. There has been almost as much normal conversation as there had been teasing. He can consider Gabriel a friend.
"Not just a friend then?" Jess asks, seeming both intrigued and a little bit offended. Why had Sam even asked her to prom if he was interested in someone else? The way he spoke, surely Sam could not just be speaking of a friend.
"No! I mean yes, he's just a friend. A family friend, well my brother's friend. He's just been acting really odd the past week and I just… I don't know what's wrong with him," Sam says, his face flushing slightly. Why was he blushing?
"I see," Jess says, not seeming to believe his story in its entirety. Sam cannot blame her, at this point he is not quite sure if he even believes the words coming out of his mouth. Jess looks at Sam for another moment before smiling at him. Something about that smile is comforting, almost reassuring Sam. About what, he was not quite sure, but he feels a bit more confident in himself. "I'm sure when the time comes around he'll tell you," she says, her voice soft and comforting. "For now you need to focus on not failing this test," she teases and Sam chuckles.
"Yeah, I know. It's been a weird week," he says and Jess nods her head. When he looks at her he feels like she knows more than what he had just told her. The way her demeanor has changed, how she suddenly seems much more comforting and less aloof at the idea of Gabriel. Perhaps it is the fact that Gabriel is male that made her realize that Sam does not see him the way she had implied. Something about that still does not sit right in Sam's mind.
"Come on, study time," she says, her voice more chipper than it should be when referring to math. Sam grins and readjusts his textbook, finally focusing back in on his studies.
"Alright kids, dinner's up," Dean calls, double tapping the wall nearest the door. He sets the plate of steaks on the counter along with a ball of aluminum foil. He opens the foil to reveal a smoked batch of diced potatoes and green beans.
"It smells great," Jess comments as they head toward the kitchen. Dean grins at the compliment.
"You need to keep this one," he says and Sam rolls his eyes.
"'This one' has a name, Dean," Sam says but Dean just grins, grabbing the plates down from the cupboard.
"He's always pissy like this," Dean says, addressing Jess directly. She laughs as Sam just looks annoyed at his older brother.
Sam takes a reasonable portion of food, more vegetables than anything else. Dean and Jess, however, are almost the exact opposite, both grabbing large pieces of steak with a small number of vegetables. "I like this one," Dean says as she stabs into her piece of steak cooked medium, once again ignoring the girl's name.
"I apologize for my brother's memory," Sam says sweetly to Jess before shooting Dean a well-mastered bitch face. Dean rolls his eyes.
._.
Later that night Sam walks Jess home, hoping to have a little bit of time to actually speak with her away from the prying eyes of his brother. Dean is a lot of things and nosy is most certainly on that list. As they are walking Jess looks at Sam as though she wants to say something but then looks away, thinking better of it. "What?" Sam asks, not missing the look of curiosity on her face.
"It's nothing," she says softly, her face tinging red.
"What is it?" Sam asks again and her face turns an even brighter red as she finally makes eye contact with him.
"I don't want to pry but where are your parents? I mean, why are you living with your brother? I mean- oh goodness I'm not making this any better," she rushes, her face bright red as she hides her head in her hands.
"It's alright, everyone gets curious eventually. Our birth mother died when I was very young. They claimed the fire was an accident but my father was hell-bent on the idea that it was caused by a gang, some guys called the Knights of Hell. He has been trying to track them ever since, abandoning Dean and me in motels for months at a time. Child services found us after one of the motel managers reported us, dad had only paid for two weeks and had been gone for nearly a month. We were almost thrown into the system when Bobby found us. He and Ellen adopted us without hesitation. They took us in until Dean was old enough and then Dean found us a place. He always felt bad, like we were a burden on them. They didn't care though, we were already like family. Now we're here," Sam gestures to the road beside them.
Jess seems awestruck by the story for a moment, just looking at Sam. How did the boy turn out so well with a background like that? "Wow," she says, her voice breathy as thoughts rush through her mind. "You've survived so much, it's really impressive," she says after a moment's pause. Sam chuckles, looking down to the ground.
"Thanks," he says, "I wouldn't have though, if it weren't for Dean. He was always our rock through everything. When dad wasn't there, he was. We pick on each other a lot but Dean really is the best brother I could ask for." Jess smiles at him, surprised with how much he had just opened up to her. After all, they barely know one another. They stop at the sidewalk leading to her house.
"Thank you for walking me home," she says quietly, looking up at Sam. Her mind is still trying to adjust to the new light suddenly shining down on him. Before he had just been another kid trying to make it through high school. He was a boy that was kind to her and frankly anyone else she had seen him interact with. Now he is a boy with a broken past and a bright future, a dandelion growing in the crack of a sidewalk. One thing is for sure, Jess knows that this boy's heart has already made up its mind on someone and it is not her, no matter how much Sam is denying it himself.
"Um, I'll see you tomorrow?" Sam asks and she nods, smiling at him as she walks off toward her house.
"Have a good night, Sam," she calls back, grinning at the boy once more before she retires to her home for the night.