"Aren't you supposed to be in the office?"
She chuckled. "Are you writin' a book? Focus, Clyde. Room 103."
"Uh, it's just down that hall," Castiel said as the bell rang.
"Thanks. Castiel," Deanna said with a smirk, turning around to walk away. Just as she did that, James and his cronies came up to Cas' locker.
"Mr. Novak?" Mr. Ridell said from his desk. "Will you take this up to the office for me? And since there's only 10 minutes of class left, you can take your things with you."
Castiel stood up, putting his messenger bag on his shoulder and walking up to the front of class to get the paperwork from the teacher. "Thank you, Mr. Ridell."
"Of course. Oh, and while you're there, please make sure Miss Winchester made her way to the office."
"Yes, sir."
"Thank you, Castiel," his teacher said with a wink as Castiel left the classroom.
He had to walk past his locker to get to the office, so he decided to switch out his books then to save time. He turned the dial around to put in his combination, but it seemed to be stuck. All three times he tried it it did the same thing. He made a frustrated noise and furrowed his brow.
"Need help, bundie? Trying to get a ballad in there?" Came a voice from his right. He looked over and there was Deanna, taking a long drag from her cigarette. She blew smoke up into the air and looked at Castiel. "Well? Need help, or were you just puttin' on a bit? Huh, hepper?"
Castiel ground his teeth, making sure no one could see him talking to this strange girl. "My name is Castiel. And no, I don't need your help, closet case."
Deanna took another drag from her cigarette. "Look who's talkin'. You weren't even at that party. Hell, even Hester was there!"
Castiel looked at her. "That party was at her pad."
She rolled her eyes. "I know that. But I also know Hester, and I'm awful surprised. Whatever. Can you direct me towards room 103? I think that's my next class..." She threw her cigarette on the ground and stomped it out, pulling a crumpled paper from her pocket. She nodded. "Mm-hm. 103. Says right there."
"Hey, nerd. Do ya got the answers to that, uh..chemicry test later for Caiouki's class?" James demanded. Castiel kept silent, finally getting his locker open and putting his history book inside.
"Huh? Do ya, germ?"
"I'm not going to help you cheat, James, just so you can keep your status as a bull."
James pushed Castiel up against his locker. "Where are your notes, Novak, huh?"
Castiel kept quiet again.
"That's it, punk!" James reared his hand back to take a swing, but then a hand came from his right and decked him right in the eye. He let go of Castiel, who looked over at the punch-thrower.
It was Deanna. "What the hell are you doin', ya hub cap?"
James stared at her with wide eyes. "You freakin' punched me!"
"Yeah. And I'll do it again, if you don't leave this kid alone. Scram, ya good for nothin' dumbass!"
James got close to Deanna's face and hissed, "You listen here, ya little homo-"
He didn't get to finish. Deanna punched him in the eye and jumped on him, bringing them to the ground. She punched him over and over and over again. "Don't- you- ever- call-me- that- again! You don't know me!"
That was when a teacher cane running out of her classroom. "Hey! Get off of him young man!"
Deanna looked at her, green eyes piercing with rage. "What did you just say, moldy?"
"Principal's office, now Missy!"
Deanna stood up and ran a hand through her hair. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, even with all the people. Even so, she looked straight at Cas and said, "Need my help now, Novak?"
She spit at James and then let the teacher lead her off to the office.
Castiel typed away at the typewriter next to the principal's office. He was typing up a notice for James' parents when he heard someone fling themselves onto a chair next to the trophy rack. He glances around the writer and surprise, surprise- it was Deanna.
She looked at him and grinned. "Hey, Castiel! I didn't know you were here."
He ignored her and went back to typing.
"I said hi, doofus."
He continued ignoring her.
She came over to him and got real close. "You know, Castiel, I have a job I need to be at. I have to support three people nearly alone. I had to ask my neighbor to pick up my kid brother because I couldn't do it. You want to know why? Because I'm here. Because of you. So the least you could do is say hi to me. And a thank you would also be appreciated," she whispered, sinking back into her seat.
He looked at her, wide-eyed. "I didn't know- I- I'm sorry."
She laughed, a cold, bitter laugh. "You say you didn't know. That's awful funny, Castiel. I thought you people knew everything about me?"
He gulped. "I didn't-"
"Say that? Yeah, I know. Whatever. Just don't expect me to do anything like that again."
He nodded and went back to typing.
"So, whatcha doin'?"
He sighed. "Writing a notice to James' parents."
She squinted. "And who exactly is James?"
"You..you pounded him today."
"Oh. Was that that nosebleed's name?"
Cas nodded.
"Hm. Good to know." She paused. "Is anyone else here?"
He shook his head.
"Awesome. I've been cravin' a smoke since third period."
She sat there, smoking for a good half-hour. She blew rings and swirled up the smoke and all kinds of tricks. Finally, she got bored and stomped it out with her boot. Deanna looked at the clock.
"Would you rat me out if I left?"
"...no."
"Good. Before I go, I have a few questions though. First off, why are you here?"
"I'm an assistant in the office after school. My brother is captain of the football team, so I wait for him here."
"Mm. Also, can you take off your peepers a minute? I want to see your eyes."
He raised an eyebrow but did it anyway. She put her face two inches away from his and looked in his eyes for a minute before pulling away.
"Alright. Finally, you're interesting. I want to know more about you. Meet me at High Mountain Park at 7 tonight." She put her hands in her pockets and started walking out the door. "See you tonight, Cassie boy."