Although they told me I needed to attend some actual classes, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Reno said he 'understood', and decided to skip his classes to sit outside with me. Pretty swell guy, but I have a feeling he really didn't want to go and I was just an excuse. However, with the free time we had, Reno decided to give me lessons on 'factual science' and 'realistic math'. Whatever that means. Hannah and Mary joined us two hours later. Both of them flopped down and proceeded to doing homework. I guess this was their study hall period, and each hour or so, Reno was back on his laptop and hacked into the system again.
This time, I was left with DareAnne. She preoccupied herself with music and napping. I dug through my bag and pulled out a book Sam bough for me, and began reading the first page. Reno, Hannah and Mary joined us after I was over two chapters in.
That's when three other guys joined us.
One guy was holding Hannah's hand. He wasn't carrying a bag, his denim jeans were torn and grass stained, he had armpit stains on his navy blue t-shirt and a leather jacket draped over his arm. The second guy was one of Ryan's boys. He smiled at Reno and wrapped his arm around Reno's waist until Reno shoved him away, playfully. The final guy was almost too familiar; one of the jock's that stared at me this morning. This time, the cigarette was lit and he was smoking casually. He had bag's underneath his light green eyes, and his...
Blue hair. The guy has blue hair. Why am I just noticing this now? Wait, did he have that before?
On a happier note, the second guy was clinging to Reno's arm. Reno smirked and rubbed the kid's sandy brown hair, and slipped his arm free. The other kid gasped and pouted, a pair of dark grey eyes looked at Reno pleadingly. With the same smirk, Reno leaned over and planted a kiss on the kid's forehead which cheered him up instantly. The third guy, holding Hannah's hand, was tall and lean, his hair was dark gold with bangs that stretched over his thin eye brows. His eyes reminded me of honey; hard yet warm and sweet. He sat between Hannah and DareAnne.
"And here we are again." Reno commented, sitting down. The second guy would've sat in Reno's lap if it wasn't already occupied by a laptop. "Don't tell me you skipped out all together, newb?"
Newb? Pretty sure I have a name.
"Been having a hell of a week, man." Is that what I tell Bobby? Well, if Reno rigged the system like he said, then Bobby won't ask any questions.
"Ah, I get ya." Reno looked down at his laptop and began typing rapidly. "Can't stomach something new?"
"Yeah." I looked over at Hannah and the guy, who was now laying back in the grass with his knees up and hands behind his head. Reno must've noticed my curiosity.
"Oh, don't freak. That's RJ, Hannah's older brother." Reno answered, then he pointed to the boy next to him. "Leech here's Kenny Paxton, before you ask, yes, he has a major crush on me."
"Don't say that like it's a bad thing." Kenny said, pretending to be offended.
Reno's eyes hardened as he pointed to the third and final kid. "And jackass over there's Travis Rox. Don't ask why he's here, he shows up from time to time during his free period." Travis inhaled sharply, and blew the smoke in Reno's direction. I waited to see if someone was gonna say or do something. But Reno just scoffed and rolled his eyes, the other's disregarded it. "Just a couple of friend's enjoying their free period." Reno glanced down at his laptop. "Let's see here, I see we've missed out on Choir. Gotta be there for that man, concert's are a huge part of your grade."
"I'll go tomorrow." I hope, anxiety spiking throughout my body.
"So, how good can you sing?" Reno asked, randomly.
How good am I? I haven't exactly compared myself to others, but if I feel comfortable singing in the shower, maybe I can be confident singing in front of them. Whether I'm good or not is something to take a gander at. And since I didn't cringe at the sound of my voice...
"I guess I'm decent." I shrugged, adjusting my seat. My ass sore and covered in broken grass and bits of dirt.
"Him? He can sing?" DareAnne asked with an excited smile. Quickly, she stuffed the headphones into her bag and leaned towards me. She leaned so far forward that it was easy to peer down her shirt. Before I knew it, I was staring straight down at two round pieces of flesh stuffed inside a white piece of clothing with my mouth wide open. " Hey, yo." DareAnne snapped her fingers, waking me from my daze. Reno and Kenny were snickering, even RJ was laughing softly. My face flushed with embarrassment. I guess I wasn't suppose to do that, thankfully, they don't need to know. "I plan on staying single for the rest of my life. But now that I have your attention on my eyes, hit me with a tune."
"Say what?" Hit her? Is she actually asking me to hit her, or is that a figure of speech?
"DareAnne's a bit of an odd ball." Hannah whispered to me. "She basically said 'sing for us'. I know I enjoy singing, maybe we can try a duet if you want."
"I've...never done a duet before." I dare say, that maybe one of the more truthful things I've said in the last few days. Or at least, what I can remember.
"It's easy here, I'll start." She turned and sat up on her knees. RJ raised his head slightly, watching both of us. Mary smirked, pretending not to notice. "What song's do you know?"
Think.
Think.
Think.
"Um...I sang this song a couple of days ago." I cleared my throat and began. "She's got a smile that seems to me Reminds me of childhood memories Where everything was as fresh as bright blue sky." I stopped and waited.
Lord, please don't let me make a fool of myself, I prayed as I remembered the lyrics.
"Now and then when I see her face..."
Hannah began and continued to the main verse, that's where she encouraged me to join her. Reno and DareAnne jumped in during the middle of the song. It was pretty interesting with our different voices. Reno's voice was deep and soothing, DareAnne's voice was a bit sassy, light and energetic. Hannah's was light and soft, she could hold out the tune's in perfectly. Next thing I know, the song's hop over to more classic rock songs, to modern day alternate, and I had no idea what Reno was singing but he was struggling to pronounce the words. The struggle, somehow, made him say 'ah fuck it' and the rest of us just started laughing at him. He said it was from a video game I've never even heard of, nor even know how to pronounce.
Next thing I knew, it was the end of the day and car's were starting to leave the parking lot.
"Alright, I'm headin out." Reno stood up, swinging his bag over his shoulder. "Raise your hand if you need a lift."
DareAnne raised her hand and quickly shot up from her seat. Kenny quickly followed, RJ sat up, wrapped an arm around Hannah, the other around Mary and the three of them left. Hannah paused, and looked back at me.
"Come on, it's time to go home. Do you need a ride?"
Did I? Dean didn't tell me if Bobby was picking me up.
I shook my head. Why the hell did I do that? I took my time walking back up to the school, my stomach grumbling loudly, cars zoomed by me, some honked like I was in there way. I found a bench right before the parking lot, sat down, and waited.
3:30.
Cars lined up all the way down the parking lot, honking and shouting at one another like the first car could go any faster.
4:00
Maybe 20 or 30 cars left in the parking lot. The sun was getting low, and a breeze finally hit me.
4:15
Ten car's in the parking lot, and none are mine. If I wait any longer, it's gonna be dark. Even I know better than to walk home in the dark. And I live probably clear across town. Well, that's just great. Might as well walk.
The sun was now in my line of sight, beating down on my face. My bag was heavier than hell. The heat became so unbearable that I removed my sweatshirt and stuffed it into my bag. I stuffed the earbuds into my ears and just listened to music as my feet guided me home. Oddly, I remembered the way back. After about two miles of houses and traffic, I found a familiar restaurant I saw when Dean dropped me off. He told me he hated this place because it was too expensive for what you get. Then the shopping place where I got some of my supplies.
At this point and time, I wished I had some money on me. I could get something to drink, or something to eat. I hoped I would not pass out in the middle of the sidewalk here. God only knows when someone will help me.
I made it another mile to heavier traffic and the place where Dean and I got groceries and more school supplies. I became more cautious as I passed the giant K-Mart building, making sure Crowley wasn't around. When I passed by safely, I started to realize that everyone I saw walking was lost in their own world. Everyone passed by me on foot and in the car's like a kid walking in heavy traffic was considered normal.
It was after I passed the fair grounds that I started to feel hopeful. I was getting close to home. But that's when I, also, started to feel my legs screaming and my clothes drenched in sweat. I don't understand how Bobby couldn't realize I'm not home, that he wasn't picked me up yet, that Dean was gone.
Dean was gone.
Ok, now that's a bit dramatic. He's not gone gone, but he's left town to do his 'terminator' business. I get the guy doesn't like me, obviously, but that doesn't mean he has the rights to act like a dick. How the hell am I gonna make it? I sure as hell don't wanna walk home every day, and I don't want to go home and be ignored by some drunk hick.
What choice do I have?
Maybe that Belle person, or whoever she is, can help me. Maybe Dean knows where she is, or has her number. She must care about me, otherwise she wouldn't have given me this rosary. But where is she?
My sore legs and aching feet walked past the sports store and to a gravel road. Somehow, my legs found the strength to run. Just my luck, I would be about half way there and my feet gave out from underneath me. My feet veered left and the rest of me collapsed to the rocky, sandy ground beneath. Thankfully, my hands and knee's saved my face. But it wasn't without the sharp agony. Sharp edges dug into my hands, my knees weren't as badly injured, but they still grew pretty hot and hurt from the landing. I sat up on my knees and checked out my hands. A few minor paper cuts and very dusty, other than that, nothing broken. I sighed in frustration, I still forced myself onto my feet, brushed the dust off my knees and walked the rest of the way home.
As I walked down the drive way, I noticed Bobby's truck was outside the garage and a bunch of car's outside the barns. Car's that weren't there this morning. So I'm guessing Bobby did a little bit of shopping or something.
Please don't be home, I prayed as I grabbed the doorknob and entered the home.
"Where the hell were you?!"
I jumped, startled that Bobby raised his voice to me. He was in the right sitting room, his face beet red and covered in so much sweat his beard twinkled. To make things worse, he was sober.
"I thought you were picking me up." I said, kicking off my shoes.
"Put those where they belong." Bobby demanded, pointing to a mat where other shoes laid. So to not poke the bear anymore, I gently placed the shoes on the one tiny space. I looked up at him again, trying to restrain my own anger. Where the hell does he come off? It's not like he's so innocent?
"I waited until four, but you didn't-"
"Well excuse me, princess, unlike you, I was actually bringing in money." He shot, he reached into his pocket and slammed a phone down on the side table. "Another thing, boy, never heard of a phone? Sam bought you one at the mall."
The fuckin' phone. You gotta be kiddin.
I dug through my pocket and pulled out the flip phone. It didn't lit up when I flipped the top, damn thing must've died while I was at school.
"It died." Showing it to Bobby so he wouldn't call me a liar. "Also, I didn't have your number."
"Couldn't ja have waited at the school?!"
Is this guy for real?!
"I did!" I shouted back, feeling my anger rising in my gut. "I just told you I waited for an hour after school! I had a friend at school offer my a ride-"
"What friend?" He asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.
"A guy I met at school." Reno wasn't exactly a friend, but he did ask if anyone needed a ride home. "I declined because I thought you were coming to get me. I had to walk all the way here in this God forsaken heat! Where the hell where you?!"
"Do not talk to me like that, boy! The blame ain't all on me!" He shouted, pointing a fat finger at me. I pinched my lips together and looked down the stairs at a random frame the previous owner left behind. It was of two young boys, possibly brothers, laughing underneath the sunshine, dressed in nice clothes. Pure happiness in a fake picture. It made me miss Dean and Sam even more. I felt a pair of strong fingers grasp my chin and turned my head. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" He shouted in my face, his hot breath reeked of beer. Still sober enough to yell at me. "I had no idea when you got off from school, and you should've charged your phone the night before! You got a brain in that skull of yours, use it!"
All of a sudden, we both heard glass break. Bobby stopped and looked around, his hand in his pocket. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, my anger still hot and fresh in my heart. I watched Bobby walk down the stairs to the porch where the frame laid broken and shattered.
Bobby bent over and began picking up the glass pieces. I took the opportunity to disappear down stairs into my room and slammed the door behind me. Dropping my bag onto the ground, I threw myself onto the bed. Screams soared from my mouth, my face was already sweating from the walk and tears slipped down my cheek.
This was all too much for me to bear.
Waking up practically gutted in the middle of nowhere. No idea who I am, or what I am, and the three people who saved me are treating me like a crook. If I was such a hassle, why even bother with me? If I had done something that hurt them so much, then why still help me? Sure as hell would've saved them the trouble if they just left me to die.
I turned over onto my side, grabbed the remote and turned on the tv. I had no idea what I was watching, but the very first thing I see is food, hot and fresh. My mouth started watering and my stomach grumbled loudly. But I wasn't ready to exactly go upstairs to get food. That is, until I heard the back door close. Carefully, I opened the door, waiting for any sound upstairs. I braved the stairs and around the corner.
Silence.
Bobby was outside.
I walked into the kitchen, and yanked open the fridge door. I remembered how Dean made breakfast yesterday, and began to copy his technique. How did that yellow stuff come out? Oh fuck it. I grabbed a soda from the bottom. Then I grabbed a box from the counter and walked to the stairs.
My feet came to a halt at the top of the stairs. The bottom of the stairs was dark despite the faint light from the TV, and already I could feel the cold air rising. I just stood there, my eyes staring down at the darkness, my mind boggled with everything that has happened these last few days.
Castiel Winchester.
What does that mean? Who, exactly, am I now? What does it matter anyway?
If this is how my life is gonna be from now on, I don't think I want it.