Supernatural High [Destiel and Sabriel High School AU]

Chapter 11

            The school year wore on. August became September. The temperatures began to drop. The leaves began to change color. And Castiel was beginning to fall in love with Dean Winchester.

            Each day, they sat at the same lunch table. Cas knew that his brothers and sisters were concerned that he was spending so much time with a human, but he honestly could have cared less. He was tired of trying to live up to their expectations. I’m going to spend time with humans for a change; they’re much kinder than angels, he would think whenever one of his brothers or sisters began to question him.

            Cas also noted a change in Gabriel. His older brother seemed to be paying a lot of attention to the younger Winchester. Every now and then, Dean would notices as well, and would question Castiel about it. “Does . . . your brother have the hots for my brother?” Castiel would always answer that he wasn’t certain, but it didn’t sound like Gabriel. The last part was a bit of a lie, but Cas believed that it was warranted. If Dean knew that Cas believed that Gabriel was in fact in love with Sam, what would ensue would be very . . . bloody.

            But what Gabriel did with Sam was not really any concern of Cas’s. Instead, the young angel found himself absolutely enthralled by Dean Winchester. Everything about him was just so . . . fantastic. His face, his hair, his evergreen eyes, his freckles, his broad chest, his muscular arms, this (Cas was a bit ashamed to admit he’d noticed this) perfectly sculpted buttocks, his beautiful smile, the way he’d throw his head back when he laughed, the way he was always willing to take a bullet for his friends, the way he looked at Castiel when the angel did something particularly grand, and of course his incredibly bright soul – all of these things drove Castiel to the brink.

            However, he kept all of this to himself. He knew that Dean was not interested in boys. He also knew that Dean was not very fond of angels. Dean is my friend, Cas would always tell himself. He may never love me as I love him . . . but as long as he is my friend, I will be content.

            As fall began to get a firm grip on the land, Castiel began to hear whispers of an upcoming dance. Some of the other creatures called it “homecoming”. Castiel knew little of human practices, but Gabriel had attempted to explain this concept to him, but it had gone over his head. “Look, most schools have a homecoming dance in honor of the homecoming of their football team. We don’t have a football team – that would be an absolute disaster – but we still have a dance because it’s kind of a tradition.”

            Castiel still didn’t quite understand, so he decided to ask Dean about it. Dean was a human, and he seemed to be very knowledgeable when it came to such things. So, when he sat down at lunch one afternoon in mid-September, he decided to ask him. “Dean, what is homecoming?”

            Dean looked up from the pizza he’d been eating. Sam and Adam – who were sitting across from them – looked up as well, as if just to watch Dean’s reaction.

            “It’s a dance, Cas,” Dean said simply.

            “Oh,” the angel replied, still not quite understanding. “That is what Gabriel said . . . So . . . homecoming is a dance? Is there certain moves that once must perform?”

            “No, Cas,” Dean grumbled tiredly. “It’s like a . . . like a party. People go there – usually with a date – and they dance to music and have fun with friends.”

            “A date?”

            “Someone you like.”

            “Oh . . . And this sort of thing is . . . customary?”

            “Yes, Cas.”

            Dean had just taken another bite of his pizza when Cas asked, “Would you like to go to homecoming with me, Dean?”

            The human nearly spit out his pizza. Sam and Adam were staring at Castiel with wide eyes. Sam even mouthed “run”. Castiel didn’t understand. Why should he be afraid? Then he noticed Dean’s face; it was as red as tomato, and he looked very uncomfortable.

            “Cas . . . no,” Dean said. “Look I don’t . . . I don’t swing that way, okay?”

            Castiel cocked his head to the side. “You don’t want to be my date?”

            “NO!” Dean shouted. Castiel flinched at the venom in Dean’s voice. His stomach twisted itself into a knot. He felt horrible. He made Dean mad, and he might have just ruined their friendship. A few people from nearby tables had heard Dean’s outburst and were now looking on like a bunch of vultures waiting for more drama to ensue. Castiel saw Michael, Lucifer, Gabriel, Balthazar, and the rest of his siblings looking at his table too. He began to feel hot.

            Dean saw Cas flinch, and his expression softened. “Cas . . . No, okay?”

            For some reason, Cas’s vision began to blur. He didn’t understand it. What was going on? What was his vessel doing? His cheeks then felt wet. Am I . . . ? Am I crying? Well . . . humans do it when they are sad . . . I guess that my vessel just kind of . . . reacted? The next thing Cas knew, his body was shaking, and he was making a small, pathetic whimpering noise. He felt a strong pain in his chest. Is this . . . Is this what rejection feels like? “Dean . . .” Cas tried to speak. His voice came out tortured and raw due to the tears. He didn’t sound like himself. “Don’t you . . . don’t you like me?”

            Dean’s face looked stricken. “Of course I like you, Cas! But I don’t . . . It’s my fault – it’s all my fault. I didn’t explain it properly. Cas, a date isn’t just anyone – it’s not someone you like, it’s someone that you’re attracted to – someone you want to be in a romantic relationship with.”

            Now Castiel understood Dean’s outburst. And now he was even more embarrassed.

            “That’s not what you meant, Cas,” Dean said simply, and then he faltered. “Was it?”

            It was, but how could Cas tell Dean that now? He knew what Dean would say. Suddenly, he couldn’t be there anymore. His instincts seemed to be telling him to flee. Half the cafeteria – if not all of it – was watching this scene unfold. He couldn’t take all the eyes on him. He couldn’t take the snickers that had begun when he started to cry. He couldn’t take his brother’s and sister’s hard stares. He couldn’t take the look in Dean’s eyes.

            He jumped up from his seat and bolted out of the cafeteria. He heard Dean shouting his name, but it only made him run faster. He ran through the hallways toward the nearest exit. He wanted to be away from this place. He wanted to be back in Heaven where he was safe from all this ridicule – where he was safe from Dean.

            Castiel ran out of the school, and hurried down the few steps outside. When he reached the bottom one, he lost all composure. He began to sob, his entire body shaking. Why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel like his body was breaking? Why did the thought of Dean rejecting him do this?

            Why do I feel like this? Why do I . . . WHY DID I HAVE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH DEAN WINCHESTER?!