The town was completely still the next morning. Not a mouse stirred as dawn approached. However, there was a force disturbing this peaceful state in the Reynolds household. George Reynolds was getting dressed. Her attire of choice was a sports bra, tank top thrown over it and a pair of leggings, perfect for jogging. She snuck down the stairs, her feet barely touching the ground. She had always been good at sneaking, ever since she was a child. She was built for it. Her nimble body moved swiftly, cutting the air, making as little sound as possible. Her feet moved quickly and she was fast enough to make a run for it if she got caught by some stroke of bad luck. Her weight made it easy for her not to make a sound as she walked and you had to strain your ears to hear anything.
She pulled on a pair of sneakers that her eldest brother had got her last year. She knew her house like the back of her hand, she knew which stairs creaked when you applied a certain amount of pressure on them, she even knew which cupboards in the kitchen screeched when you opened them. She tip-toed through the elaborate archway in the kitchen that led to the dining room, it cast a dark shadow over her face and she looked over her shoulder, her eyes wide, the moonlight shining in from the window lighting up her face, her eyes glowed like emeralds placed against a black canvas, lights shining on them alone. Her features were cast over by shadows, the tip of her nose shining brightly against the rest of her face, the tips of her eyelashes were white and her freckles stood out clearly against her skin.
Another thing she had learned on her many days spent alone in the large house, was that the door made a slight creaking sound when you opened it, and the keys made a clanking sound. It was rather annoying. She also knew that the window in the dining room, facing the archway, was the quietest. She made her way to this window and eased it open. Her sharp ears detected the slight whooshing sound made by the wind as it replaced the area the window pane was. She pushed herself up and landed onto the soft grass that coated their backyard. She closed the window and grabbed a jacket out of her father's tool shed. She slung it over her shoulders and took off, her feet pounding hard on the ground, the wind blowing hard on her face, making her eyes water and her face sting. Her hair fanned out behind her and moved with the wind. She breathed in through her nose, the ice cold air entering her nose and she enjoyed the sharp jab of pain in her chest that came with each breath she took.
Dean stood behind his window as he watched George emerge from behind her house. Her fiery red hair whipped around her and her chest rose up and down as she breathed. As she got nearer to the corner Dean made the impulse decision to follow her. He pulled on jeans and a shirt and pounded down the stairs. Both his brother and his father were light sleepers, but they wouldn't be woken up by just that. He hurried out the door and ran in the direction he saw her go. When he rounded the corner he couldn't find anyone and a sense of panic hit him. What if something happened to her? Dean didn't know why he was worried, he had only met her yesterday, but his heart still knotted with worry and he began to search frantically for her. Eventually her husky voice drifted out from one of the alleys and he hurried to it.
"OK so what've you got?" a male voice he didn't recognize said.
"Video of the game last night. Sorry you missed it" she said, Dean could smell smoke.
"Yeah well, I picked the wrong day to get fucking arrested eh?" the guy sounded British. She laughed.
"Want one?" he asked her.
"No thanks. I'd rather die of old age than of lung cancer." Dean tried to picture her old but he couldn't do it.
"Could've fooled me"
"Shut the fuck up"
"So what do we make of the new kid?" Dean's heart fluttered. She was talking about him.
"Dunno. Haven't freaking met 'im have I?" she sighed.
"He doesn't seem like the jock type"
"Well that settles it doesn't it?" there was sarcasm in his voice.
"My point is that he's different. Not like that dick Russell from last year" Dean smiled to himself.
"But I can tell he's only got one thing on his mind, and I'm talking about the downstairs one" the Brit snorted.
"What he hit on you?" he sounded like it was something that wouldn't happen in a million years, Dean found that pretty hard to comprehend.
"What's that supposed to mean?" her tone sounded dangerous.
"Well, look at you. You aren't exactly Miss America" Dean's brow furrowed. Did this guy need glasses or something?
"Well obviously the rest of the male population in this fucking town disagrees. Besides you've got your eyes set on Kaitlin Malkis anyway. You wouldn't notice anyone else if you fucking tried" she sounded slightly offended and it made Dean angry as hell.
"I do not. OK look you're hot and all but you aren't my type" Dean shook his head. This guy was unbelievable.
"You aren't exactly on the top of my most eligible bachelors list either"
"Why not? The new kid catch your eye or something?" Dean strained his ears even more and his heart thudded loudly in anticipation.
"Of course not. I only just met him you fucking dick." There was something in her voice. Frustration, obviously, but there was also something else he couldn't put his finger on.
"Well then what's wrong with me?" the guy demanded.
"Dude, your hair is a different color every day and you've gotten arrested more times than I can count. Not to mention all your piercings. How do you think anyone's gonna manage kissing you with a ring getting in the way?" Dean grinned, but there was the whole arresting thing. He knew that he would get arrested in his career.
"You don't mean that" he said playfully.
"Maybe, maybe not"
"You're a bitch"
"You're an ass"
"Whore"
"Dick"
"Ok I'm outta words"
"I've got a couple more things I could say to you" she retorted. Dean could hear the smirk in her voice.
"I repeat. You are a bitch. Anyway I gotta get going. My dad's knickers are going to get in a twist if he doesn't find me in my room again"
"You tell him about your most recent stint in the fuckhouse?"
"You kidding me? I'd be skinned alive"
"Don't your parents need to get notified or whatever bullshit? You're still a minor"
"Well yeah, but I've got connections. You tell your dad about when you got suspended last year?"
"No, but getting suspended is different than getting arrested Erin"
"Yeah well, suspension is the first step to getting arrested. You have to take baby steps you know" she snorted.
"Got to hell"
"I am poppet" Hearing him call her that made Dean's stomach burn.
"No arguing there. Gotta go, my shift starts soon" Dean hurried into the nearest alley, pressing himself against the wall, concealing himself in the shadows.
She ran past him and he could smell her shampoo as her hair passed his nose. He leaned in, eyes closing in pleasure but came to his senses quickly and his eyes flew open. He waited until he was sure she was far enough that he would be able to easily follow her. It was very still and the only sound other than her feet slamming onto the pavement was the rustling of the trees and the quiet whooshing of the wind. He slipped out of the alley and jogged as quietly as he could. It was so quiet he felt like they were the only the two people left on Earth.
He could hear every sound she made. Her feet pounding on the ground, the wind whistling through her hair, her sharp intakes of breath. The sweat gleamed on her skin and she kept her head high, making her hair fan out behind her, and he would get a whiff of her shampoo every then and again. He sighed with pleasure. As their houses came into view, he hid in some bushes and waited for her to disappear behind her house. He went back to his room and undressed again, climbing back into his bed.
George took a shower, enjoying the feel of the hot water running down her body. She wondered if Dean was watching her now. If he even knew that his bathroom had a view into hers. She'd have to have some blinds put in or something. She wasn't that desperate. She wondered what he had overheard. Did he think she smoked? She certainly hoped not. She'd have to introduce him to Erin sometime, have a little fun. She had a feeling that if he had overheard the cracks Erin had made about her. Was he angry? Would he beat Erin up the second he saw him? She hoped so, the dick deserved it.
She tied her up into a loose ponytail, same as yesterday, and wore a pair of jeans with another tank top. An AC/DC one to be exact. She thundered down the stairs, purposefully making the most noise she could possibly make to inform everyone that she was awake.
"Get your asses out of bed you lazy bunch of dipshits" She hollered as she stepped into the kitchen to be met with her father who had an eyebrow raised at her. She smirked and cupped his face in his hands.
"Except for my daddy that is. Because you're no lazy dipshit are you?" her father waved her hands away and she laughed, dancing out of his reach.
"You're a terrible daughter George do you know that?" he said smiling slightly.
"I'm honored to be your terrible daughter dear father" she said, using a British accent, and bowing low.
"Erin teach you how to talk like that?" she shrugged.
"You pick up things. One of the only things you can learn from that British dickhead" he laughed.
"I can tell how fond you are of him" she grinned.
"You're working today right?" she nodded.
"Yep. You know I'm considering asking for a raise. My boss is a real ass who doesn't pay me zilch"
"Well, I hear that your boss is also your father who gives you an allowance every week"
"Yes but I deserve some form of payment dad. I mean seriously I work my ass off and I've got nothing to show for it"
"What if I raise your allowance?" she looked thoughtful.
"By how much?"
"Ten bucks"
"Twelve"
"Eleven"
"Fifteen"
"Done" They shook hands on it.
"Look I'm gonna get going" She took her father's toast out of the toaster and placed it on a plate and took out a jar of jam and balanced it on the plate pushing it towards him.
"You'll drop in later" It was more of a statement rather than a question.
"Yeah. I'm curious to meet our new neighbors" she smiled and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She had a couple of books, a notebook she drew in and her drawing supplies, but more importantly she had a Swiss knife she took with her wherever she went tucked in the front pocket. She slipped on her sneakers and exited the house.
The diner wasn't too far and she liked walking, the scenery was pretty enjoyable actually. She raised her head to look at the beautiful house that faced her own. Sam waved at her from the living room window. And she grinned, waving back. She raised a hand, shielding her eyes from the blazing sunlight. She could faintly see Dean's outline through the window. She waved, not knowing if he could see it or not.
She entered the store, the little bell tinkling above her. The sign was turned to closed so she flipped it over. The store opened at 6:00 AM every day, she checked her watch and saw that she was only half an hour late. That was actually a record for her.
"You're late George!" Harry Mason was one of the guys who worked with her. He worked in the kitchen to be more specific.
"Sorry Harry. I was asking the boss for a raise."
"You need to get paid before you can ask for a raise"
"Yeah well. I got fifteen dollars added to my allowance"
"You must be the richest kid in town" she snorted and put on her apron, stuffing her bag underneath the counter,
"Please. That's Jean Emers you're talking about. You know her parents got her an effing car because she got a B in Science? She doesn't even fucking drive yet. If I get a godforsaken B all I get is an extra piece of pie, and my dad asking why I didn't get a fucking A" Harry chortled.
He was a round man, with a large potbelly and a red face. He had a double chin and his fat cheeks wobbled when he talked. He had small, beady black eyes that were bright and friendly. He had a thick beard that was a snowy white color even though he was only in his late thirties. He went into shock when he was younger which turned his hair snow white. No one knew exactly what caused it and frankly no one asked, but they knew it was something bad.
"Think the new people will be dropping by?" She sighed and cocked an eyebrow.
"A: They have names and B: I don't know. Just because I gave them some pie doesn't mean we've become Barney's big happy family"
"Alright then-wait-what are their names?"
"John, Dean and Sam Winchester"
"And which one have you got your eye on?" she frowned.
"You've been talking to Erin" her eyes narrowed.
"I don't talk to everyone who works here George. Just you and a couple of other people"
"Well, technically Erin doesn't work here. He's employed here." Harry laughed again.
She sat on the counter, facing the back of the store where there was a window in which she could see the kitchens.
"Anyway I don't have my eye on any of them"
"Fine. Let me rephrase. Which one of them is closest to your age?"
"Thank you. And Dean is exactly my age"
"Oh, so he'll be coming to school with you?" She hadn't thought of that before and the thought made her smile.
"Yeah he will"
"Mhm" Harry said, turning back to the stove.
"What mhm?" She demanded.
"Nothing mhm"
"No no that mhm meant something"
"The mhm did not mean anything"
"Yes it did!" Harry sighed.
"There's no point in arguing with you George. You know I know that"
"I know that you know that I know that, but I don't know that you know that I know that you know that I know that" Harry's eyes widened and his eyebrows furrowed together, his face twisted with confusion.
"Hey George try saying that ten times fast" Dean's voice said from behind her.
She jumped off the counter and spun around, a wide grin cutting across her face, her eyes lighting up with happiness.
"Dean!" he laughed.
"Hey George. What's up?"
"She's trying to give me a heart attack" Harry called from the kitchen.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head, batting her hands.
"Ignore him" Dean smiled.
"Well, I don't wanna be victim to your magic heart attack causing powers so I'll do what you say"
"Shut up" she said, smiling and punching his arm playfully.
Dean's eyes trailed down to her shirt and she was just about to tell him to raise his eyes when his eyes lit up and he smiled widely.
"You listen to AC/DC?"
"I've got all their albums"
"Me too!"
"Awesome" they smiled at each other and stayed that way for a few seconds before Harry broke the silence.
"Mhm" George yelled in frustration.
"I hate you Harry!" He laughed.
"Thanks for the memo. You're kinda late though dontchya think?" She turned around and growled at him, Dean laughed.
"Obviously the mhm thing is something I missed" she spun around to face Dean again.
"Tell me, did that mhm sound like an mhm that means something?"
"Uh…yeah?" she turned around to face Harry.
"Ha!" he rolled his eyes and turned away from them.
"So what can I get you?" she asked Dean, taking out a pen and pad.
"Coffee"
"To go?" he nodded.
"My dad get's kinda cranky, and Sammy's gonna end up just fucking like him" she laughed.
"So what, you're the special one in the family?" she turned and started to make him his coffee.
"If you want me to be" she rolled her eyes, and then shook her head remembering he couldn't see her eyes.
"Do your cheesy lines every actually work?" she turned and pushed the coffee towards him.
"You know it." He winked
"Thanks." He added, picking up the coffee.
"You're welcome Deanykins." She said in a high pitched baby voice, batting her eyelashes at him. His eyes narrowed and he raised an eyebrow.
"Does that ever work?" he asked with an eyebrow cocked. She smirked.
"It wasn't supposed to" she leaned across and tapped his nose lightly with her finger. His mouth twisted into a smirk she rolled her eyes and jumped up onto the counter next to him, dangling her legs over the side.
"So how was that book?" his brow furrowed.
"What?"
"The book you were reading last night?"
"Oh that one. Uh…it was okay. I haven't finished it yet" she smiled and nodded.
"Really? And do you always read upside down? Or were you just trying something new?"
"Wha-Oh uh I was just trying to see if I could read a whole page upside down"
"Uh-huh and did you?" He shook his head and gave her a sheepish laugh.
"No." She nodded again.
"Why were you looking into my room anyway?" he cocked an eyebrow and she shrugged, trying to not give herself away.
"I was changing and I noticed I could see into your room, and you just happened to be reading. If you don't like it get some blinds."
"No no I'm fine with it" she raised an eyebrow.
"So…you want me to look into your room?"
"What? No I didn't say that." She smirked and pinched his cheek.
"Awe I'm just messing with you" He brought his hand up to wave her away but she jumped out of his reach sticking her tongue out and he laughed as she leaned against the wall.
"Why don't you guys drop by for lunch? My dad wants to meet y'all" Dean got out of the stool and she realized with a pang of sadness that he was going to leave.
"Sure I'll let my dad know" she smiled and waved as he walked out the door. He winked back at her and before she could come up with a smart answer she walked out the door.
"Young love is so innocent" Harry said, a smile on his face. She yelled in frustration and threw a towel at him.
"Shut up!" He ducked out of the way of the towel, laughing heartily.
"Jackass" she muttered under her breath.
"Hey dad, wuddya say we have dinner at that diner?" Dean said as he walked into the kitchen where his dad was spilled over a bunch of books and his journal. John looked up.
"Why? So you can harass that girl again?" Dean frowned.
"I'm not harassing anyone. She asked me if we could because apparently her dad's pretty curious about us. Wants to see who'd actually live in this house." John narrowed his eyes, studying Dean's face then he shrugged.
"Fine" He turned back to his books. Dean put his coffee on the table and went to find something to do.
Sammy was in the living room, reading a book. Dean stood behind and plucked the book out of his hands and examined the cover.
"What the fuck is this?" Dean asked. Sam pouted and yanked it out of his brother's hands.
"It's a book Dean. Not that you would know what that is."
"And why the shit are you reading a book?" Sam sighed.
"I need to catch up with the curriculum here Dean. You should be doing the same too." Dean snorted.
"Don't waste your breath Sam." Sam sighed and went back to reading his book.
Dean groaned with boredom and went outside. He walked around, kicking stones aside and looking down at his feet. He was bored as hell. He wanted to go back to the diner, have some fun with George, he really did enjoy her company and he got the feeling she enjoyed his, but he didn't want to look like some stalker pervert either. He sighed and turned back around, deciding to go take a nap.
He was shook awake roughly by his father.
"Dean. C'mon we're going to eat" Dean rubs his eyes, looking groggy. He yawned.
"Whazgoinon?" he asked.
"We. Are. Going. To. Eat." Sam said loudly in his ear.
Dean's eyes flew open and he jumped off of the couch he had been napping on.
"Jesus Sammy you didn't have to do that!"
"You weren't waking up" he said, shrugging, as if it justified it.
"Alright, alright come on you two" John said, steering them out to the car.
The car ride was silent compared to others they've had. Just a little argument about the radio between Dean and John but that was something expected.
The three of them stepped into the diner. The bell above them tinkled merrily and they were met with the sounds of many people chatting with each other.
Dean spotted her almost immediately, she looked frustrated and she was talking to an old couple. She had a pen and a pad and she seemed to be taking their orders, she was chewing on the end of the pen and had her other hand on her hip, jutted out to one side.
"Look Mr. Mackey, it comes in one size and one freaking size only. Six inches. We don't have any bigger bread. Unless you want me to spread the mayo on an invisible slice of bread in the air."
"No don't you get snappy with me young lady. No foul language." She groaned.
"Back in Philly they used to have it in eight different sizes you know" The old lady said from next to him.
"Well, this isn't Philly now is it? Do you want the goddamn sandwich or not?"
"Now missy" she hung her head back in frustration and groaned.
"Food is not damned by God. It's a blessing that God gave us and we should be thankful for it."
"I don't really give a shit" both of the old people's faces became shocked and she sucked in a deep breath before storming off into a door.
Seconds later a big man with a potbelly and a red face appeared and talked to the couple in a quiet voice with her standing behind him, her arms crossed, hip jutted out to one side, chin sticking out.
"Someone's angry" Sam said in a sing song voice before skipping over to a table. Dean smiled to himself and followed him.
"Please tell me you guys aren't from Philly" she said when she got to their table.
"I've had it with the Mackeys and their goddamn Philly sandwiches" Dean laughed at her angry face and then regretted it immediately when she sent him a murderous glare.
"We're from Lawrence" Sam said smiling.
"Cool. Excellent. So what can I get you guys?" she jotted down their orders and then stuck the pen behind her ear.
"Coming right up" she winked and turned around walking off, skipping ever so slightly.
Dean watched her leave, a glazed look on his face, and Sam snickered from beside him.
"Dean and George sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love then comes marriage then comes baby sitting in a carriage. Hey Dean, if you and George have a kid will you name him Sam?"
"Sam. Do me a favor and grow up" Dean snarled at him.
"Even if you get a girl you can call her Samantha and then she'll be Sam. Like George. George isn't George's real name is it?" Dean shrugged.
"It could be. You never know." Sam frowned. He didn't like not knowing something. That's why he was such a nerd.
"Look, I'll ask her when she comes back okay?" Sam nodded.
"Fine"
"Don't pout. I'll buy you a cookie" Sam muttered to himself and John laughed, ruffling his head.
George came back, laden with their plates and set them down in front of each person.
"That was fast" She shrugged.
"I told him it was top priority" she winked.
"Anything to get the Mackeys sandwiches to them as late as possible."
"Hey George, is George your real name?" Sam asked her, his mouth full spraying chewed bits of food everywhere.
"Don't talk with your mouth full Sam" John said warningly and Sam swallowed. She smiled.
"George is short for Georgina, but it isn't my first name."
"What is it then?"
"My middle name"
"What's your first name?" Dean asked.
"Irene" (she pronounced it E-R-ENNE rolling her tongue on the R)
"My dad's part French" she said in response to their weird looks.
"Anyway just go on calling me George I don't like Irene. Too…French" John and Dean laughed.
"I don't get it" Sam said, a confused look on his face.
"Don't fret about it Sam." She said.
"Move over" she said, shooing Dean to one side. She plopped down next to him and plucked a French fry off his plate.
"I'm gonna report you to your boss" Dean said, eyeing her.
"Go ahead. It's not like he can fire me"
"Wuddya mean?"
"I volunteer to work here. Soon as things settle down I'm gonna get an actual job. One that pays."
"What do you mean settle down?"
"My mom died last month" she said in a quiet voice, looking at her shoes.
"My dad's pretty beat up about it you know? I wanted to help him as best as I could. Figured I could take some of his work load off him or something" she smiled and shook her hair out of her eyes.
"M'sorry" Dean said. She shrugged.
"S'okay. You didn't know. Thing is I like working here. It's fun. Plus my dad just upped my allowance so I guess it's okay. For now anyway" Dean nodded.
They heard the tinkling off the door and she looked up suddenly. Her father stood there, torn jeans and plaid shirt, looking like he did all the time. He spotted them and walked over.
"Harassing the customers are you George?" he asked with a teasing smile. She shrugged.
"I do what I can"
George's father was a large man, muscles bulging out from beneath the shirt and the muscles in his neck tense. He had the same eyes, the same hair, even the same freckles. They would be identical if it wasn't for the age difference and the fact that she was a girl and he was a guy. He ran his hand through his hair, messing it up.
"I'm George's father. You must be our new neighbors. George been good to ya I presume? Girl needs to get out more. Spends all her time with that Brit." He shook his head. Dean's stomach burned with anger at the mention of that guy, but he did what he could do cover it up. He shook Dean's hand first.
"I'm Dean" he said.
"Hello Dean" her father said, merriment twinkling in his eyes, but there was something else. Something, odd. Dean cursed the Reynolds and their eyes.
He shook Sam's hand and then John stood up and they shook hands.
"John Winchester"
"Castiel Reynolds"
