The Changing Lights of the Rainbow

Chapter 8

Dean seemed to get into a fight at school at least once a week. He always gave the other kids a chance but never let them get the upper hand on him. There was one time an ambulance was called for the other kid. Dean sported black eyes and bruised face, but didn't ever allow himself to get serious injuries.

He seemed to always be in trouble for fighting, but he decided if the other kids wanted to fight, then he would use it for training. He would practice his fighting, working on the skills that needed strengthening.

John was okay with Dean's idea. He was tired of the other kids starting fights with him. Eventually it became too much and John made the boys pack up and move. He wanted them to stay in one school as long as possible, but that didn't seem like it was going to work out, not with Dean.

Dean was always on the defense and he wouldn't hesitate to protect himself or his brother. Sam wasn't too happy about leaving another school, but he didn't complain as much as he wanted, because he knew it was best for Dean. He was getting tired of seeing new injuries appear on his big brother.

The parents started having fits because their kids were coming home with injuries. John told Dean the mean kids had to learn their behavior from somewhere, and judging by the parents, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Dean agreed and they both agreed Dean didn't fall too far from his tree either. He took after his dad, maybe a little too much. It was like the boy was born to be a hunter, it was in his blood from the start.

They settled into another motel. Dean figured he'd try the same trick that had been done to him. He found a good hiding place and coaxed a girl back there, asking if she had ever kissed, and pressing his lips to hers. He figured, school was for learning, so he would learn all he could about the important stuff, and kissing girls was important. Or, at least, it would be one day. And, when the day came, he'd be ready. He even tried to slip his hands between a few legs, but was met with resistance. He figured these kids weren't as experimental as the last school he attended.

He didn't find himself in fights, not like the last school, but he did get a lot of complaints against him for kissing and touching, so, once again, they found themselves moving to a new motel and a new school.

Sam never seemed to have any trouble fitting in, but Dean wasn't sure exactly how he was supposed to act. Each school seemed to be different. The kids all had different style, and different attitudes. The newest school, the kids seemed to be wild. They were more experienced with kissing than Dean was. He didn't mind, it gave him more experience.

The teachers didn't seem to care about what the kids did at school. Sam complained every day about how much he wasn't learning, but Dean was learning a lot, in the girl department. He didn't care about what was in the books anyhow.

Their last day at that school, Dean was on the playground. He had one of the girls against the wall to the school building, learning how to French kiss. One of the boys came behind him, pulling him away from the girl and pressing his back to the wall.

"I can teach you better" the boy told Dean as he leaned his body against his and pressed his lips to Dean's. Before he had time to react the boy had his tongue inside Dean's mouth. He wasn't sure why, but he followed the boy's lead, moving his tongue into his mouth as well. The next thing he knew, the boy had his hand slipped between Dean's legs.

Dean pushed the boy away, not wanting any part of the touching, not with another boy.

"What's the matter?" the boy asked, pressing Dean's back against the building. "I thought you wanted to learn"

"Not like that" Dean replied.

The boys pressed his body against Dean's, again, and grasped Dean between his legs. "Just shut up and enjoy it" the boy ordered.

Dean's mind was swirling, he couldn't think straight. He had been taught to obey orders, but this one he didn't like. Sure, he wouldn't mind if a girl wanted to touch him like that, but not another boy. And now, the boy's lips were pressed against Dean's, his tongue back inside his mouth.

He was sure he was going to be sick, his stomach was turning flip flops, his body confused. There were kids standing around them, watching. No one was stopping him, no one was helping Dean. He couldn't fight him, he wasn't allowed to start a fight. The boy had to hit him first, that was the rule. But, his hands were too busy to hit him.

He had worked both of Dean's hands above his head, holding his wrists together with one hand. The other hand, was making its way down the front of Dean's pants. The boy was older, and bigger, Dean wasn't prepared for the strength the boy had against his wrists. He tried to tell him to stop, but before he could get the words out, the boy's tongue was back in his mouth. His hand was groping Dean, inside his pants.

He could feel the boy's fingers grasping him and rubbing against his tender skin. Dean tried to squirm, to get away. He had never had this type of experience.

"You enjoying it?" the boy whispered to Dean, sticking his tongue back in his mouth before he could answer.

The other kids were giggling, and enjoying the show. The boy had worked Dean's pants down and his penis out of the top of his pants. The girls were whispering, Dean hoped they were whispering good things about him, he knew he was bigger than the average kid his age, not that any of that mattered to him, not yet.

He was never so relieved to hear the school bell. He wanted to cry, and vomit at the same time, but forced himself to do neither. He sat through his next class, wishing time would go by faster. As soon as the last bell rang, he rushed to Sammy's class. He was beyond ready to leave the school. He didn't exactly enjoy being stuck in a motel room all evening, but it was better than being at school.

"What's wrong Deanie?" Sam questioned on their walk back.

"Nothing, just shut up"

"Why you so angry?"

"None of your damn business, just leave me alone."

"I don't like this school, Dean"

"Me either"

"When's Dad coming back?"

"Don't know, either today or tomorrow. I hope"

"Maybe we'll be moving again when he gets home?"

"I hope so"

"Me too"

They made their way into the motel room. Dean instantly went to the shower. He didn't even explain to Sam, or tell him what he was doing. He stood under the hot water, allowing it to wash his soul away.

"Dean! How long you gonna be? I'm hungry" Sam shouted through the door while his little fists banged on it.

Dean was snapped out of his thoughts, and turned the water off. "I'll be just a minute, hold on"

"Hurry up!"

Dean hurried and dried himself off, putting on his night clothes and making his way back into the room.

"It's about time! What took you so long?"

"None of your business!" Dean's response was more hateful than he expected, but refused to apologize for his behavior. He fixed Sammy's supper and laid his bowl in front of him.

"Aren't you going to eat too?"

"Not hungry"

"Whatever, suit yourself" Sam replied

"You got homework?"

"You know I don't! This school sucks. You don't learn anything there. The teacher is stupid and they don't care about any of the kids."

"Yeah, can't disagree with you there, little brother."

Dean sat on the bed, deep in thought. It was Thursday, he was hoping Dad would be home tonight, but it didn't look like that was going to happen.

"Hey, Sam, tomorrow's Friday, what do you say we just skip school tomorrow? Make an extra long weekend? And, when Dad gets home, maybe he'll let us go to a different school next week?"

"Really? Sounds good to me"

Dean was shocked, his brother would never dream of skipping school, he must truly hate the school as much as he did. He went to bed early that night, even though they didn't have plans on waking up in the morning. Sam, of course, complained, but Dean just wanted the day to be over.

"Hey, Dean! Wake up, boy, shouldn't you boys be getting ready for school?"

"Dddad?" Dean's words slurred as he cracked his eyes open and pulled himself from his sleep. "When'd you get back?"

"A few hours ago, and I'm exhausted, so you need to get Sammy up before you boys are late, and I'm hitting the hay."

Dean rubbed his eyes, pushing himself to a seated position with his legs hanging off the edge of the bed. He debated just waking his brother and doing as he was told, but the thought of going back to that school made his stomach unsettled.

"Dad?" Dean's voice was low, his head hung, eyes focused on the floor at his feet.

"Yeah?"

"Can…. Uh… we don't like the school. We don't want to go back."

"Well, we aren't moving today so you gotta go."

"We… we were going to skip today."

"And your brother's okay with it?"

"Yes sir, he doesn't like it either."

"Why? What's so bad about it?"

Dean just shrugged his shoulders, took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking. "Sammy hates it, he says they don't teach anything and the teachers don't care about the kids. He's right, you know, they really don't care. He even called his teacher stupid and said he hoped we could move when you got back."

"Hmm… and what about you?"

"Huh?" Dean had hoped that saying his brother didn't like it would have been good enough.

"Why don't you like it?"

"The same" he said with a shrug

"Since when did you care about if you learned anything or not?"

"Since now" Dean said with anger in his voice.

"Whoa there, boy. I'd suggest you calm that attitude and tell me what that anger is all about."

"Sorry, sir" Dean replied, he sounded so sheepish, so young.

"So, what's that all about?"

"The kids. They are… different. I guess. I don't know. Maybe I'm just the one that's different? I mean, I don't mind kissing the girls on the playground. The teachers don't care. There's even a few that lets me put my hand between their legs. But, I've never kissed a boy before, or had anyone touch me… like that…" Dean's voice trailed off

"Dean… it's important you answer me truthfully, got it?" Dean nodded, "Who touched you? And what do you mean 'like that'?"

"One of the boys, he's a grade or two above me. He pushed me against the wall outside and kissed me. I didn't like it, but he kept on, wouldn't stop. He put his hand down my pants, and touch me, down there. I know you said not to start a fight, not to throw a punch unless someone else threw one first. So, I didn't. He didn't hit me. He held my hands, above my head, and his other hand in my pants. The other kids, they just watched. I wanted him to stop. I did, but no one made him stop, not even the teachers. And, I wanted to punch him, but remembered what you said, so I didn't." Dean was rambling, once he started talking he couldn't seem to stop.

"Okay, slow down there, boy." John tried to calm his trembling son.

When had he started trembling? When did the tears threaten to fall from his eyes? When had his stomach started doing jumping jacks? Dean jumped from the bed, rushed to the bathroom, throwing himself on the floor in front of the toilet, and emptied what little contents were in his stomach.

John followed. He was in shock over what his son had just told him. Dean didn't understand all of it, but John sure as hell did. His son had been sexually assaulted. And, the other kids and teachers witnessed it, doing nothing to protect him. He had never had this type of talk with his boy, didn't think it was necessary, not yet anyhow. But, now, he was going to have to explain to him that if anything like that were to happen again, its okay to throw the first punch. Any time he felt threatened, it would be okay to defend himself, even if the threat hadn't presented in the form of a punch.

But, for now, he knelt beside his son, rubbing his hand across his back, easing the anxiety that raised in him. Once Dean was finished, he reached out and wrapped his arms, tightly, around his dad. He couldn't have stopped the tears, even if he tried. And, he did try. The last thing he wanted to do was cry in his dad's chest, but that's exactly what he found himself doing. And, the worst thing was, he didn't understand why.

John didn't seem to mind. Once Dean had started to calm down, he lifted his son in his arms and carried him into the other room. He laid his weeping son beside him.

"It's okay, I won't make you go back there, okay? We'll let Sammy finish sleeping, just calm down, you're with me now, you're safe."

Dean cuddled into his dad and allowed the safety of his arms surround him.

They moved again after that. Nothing was said to Sammy about what had happened to Dean, and it wasn't something that was ever discussed again. John understood Dean's hesitance when starting the new school, but told him he needed to go anyhow. So, Dean did exactly as his dad ordered.

That school wasn't so bad, the kids there were actually nice. So were the teachers. They lived close to the school so it was only a 5 minute walk back and forth. They stayed in that school until the end of the year.

Summer came and went way too fast. They spent a lot of time at Bobby's while their dad was gone. They were supposed to be training, but Bobby insisted they behaved like kids and visited the park. He taught Dean how to throw a ball. Once school started back, the boys moved again, and again. By Christmas break, they had attended three different schools that year. It wasn't much different the second semester, or even the following year. They had gotten used to moving and starting new schools. No matter how much Sam complained about it, it didn't change.

Dean started going hunting with his dad on weekends and school holidays. Summer time was his favorite because he got to spend a lot of time with his dad, just the two of them, doing what they loved the most.

Sammy hated being left alone while they hunted during the school year, but the summer was better because he would stay with Bobby or Pastor Jim. He got the chance to soak up all the knowledge he could. Now that he knew the truth, and was old enough to read, he learned everything he could about the hunting lifestyle and the monsters they hunted. Bobby and Jim were both more than happy to allow him to soak up the knowledge. That boy's love for books was greater than any of them had ever seen before. He was a natural sponge, smarter than most adults they knew. He was going places in life, that was for sure.