Teach Me

The Exception to Every Rule

"Here's the key to your dorm," the lady said in a bored tone. She looked like she just had a job to kill time.
"Thanks!" Castiel replied cheerfully, despite the woman's obvious disinterest. He was exited to finally be going to college; it was a new and fresh and Cas was full of hope.
"Have a nice day," she said in monotone, as he set off to find his room.
Castiel felt his heart flutter in his chest, he was so happy! There were countless new people to meet, and his classes were going to be wonderful, Cas was going to be living on his own for the very first time! He felt a bit childish, but it took all of his willpower not to scream out "I'm going on an adventure!!!" as he made his way down the hall and exited the main office.

The campus was beautiful. There was a fresh-looking sidewalk curving towards the dorms, the neatly trimmed lawn contrasted the pale grey with a striking green. All around were tall imposing trees and the occasional bench accented by blooming flowers. In the centre of it all was a square courtyard with a fountain in the middle, surrounded by picnic tables and hedges. Castiel breathed in deeply, taking in the outdoor scents and scenery before glancing down at his room-key.
"Dorm 221," he murmured to himself before continuing on his way, dragging his suitcases behind him.

It turned out that Castiel didn't require the key he'd been given, because when he finally found his dorm - the door was already ajar. Leaving his suitcases outside, Cas cautiously peered inside the room, worried that he'd gotten the wrong dorm.
He couldn't see much at first, because of the difference in lighting, but when his eyes finally focused they landed on a short, messy-haired kid about his own age. As Castiel was looking inside, he leaned on the doorknob, but suddenly his weight shifted just the right amount and it flew open, causing him to stumble into the room.
"Whoa! Hey -" the messy-haired kid shouted in surprise, dropping whatever he'd been holding as he spun around to  see who had just fell inside his personal space.
"Sorry!" Castiel apologized quickly and shrilly, feeling his face flush red. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Oh! Man, you must be my roomie!" The messy-haired kid, exclaimed happily as he bounded over to where Castiel stood awkwardly. Without even offering his hand first, he grabbed Cas's and shook it eagerly. "I'm Gabriel! Pleased to meet you, my blue eyed friend!"
"Oh, um," Cas said nervously, watching Gabriel shake his hand up and down vigorously.
"But you can call me Gabe," he smiled, abruptly letting go.
"Uh, I'm Castiel," he said warily as he wiped his suddenly sweaty palms on his jeans.
"Hm," said Gabe, looking him over, seemingly in thought. "Well!" He said, snapping out of it. "That's quite the handle!"
"Yeah, just call me Cas," he said, wondering if this strange guy could possibly who he had to spend the rest of the year with.
"Alright Cassie!" Gabe said, turning back to pick up what he'd dropped earlier.
Castiel watched him for a couple seconds. Gabriel seemed nice enough, but he had a way about him that looked impish - like he'd do anything for a laugh; it made Cas nervous. Shrugging off his revere, Castiel grabbed his bags from outside the room - checking the number as he went. He did indeed have the right room. Sighing, Cas decided to set about the same task as his roommate was doing - organizing and setting up.

Castiel didn't have very many belongings with him, so he made short work of decorating his side of the room. Afterwards, he fell back on his bed and watched Gabriel as he stood on his bed and struggle to put up a poster of a woman wearing nothing but a short jean skirt and a blue bikini top. Cas rolled his eyes, that sort of thing didn't do anything for him, in fact girls didn't really do it for him at all. He opened a magazine to block out Gabriel - they hadn't talked since he introduced himself and that was fine with Castiel; he didn't like filling the silence with meaningless words. Cas sighed and let the flimsy magazine fall on his face, it had been a long day and he was tired.
"So what's your major?" Gabriel suddenly piped up.
Castiel inwardly groaned, he just wanted to sleep. "Art," he replied from underneath the magazine.
"Oh-ho, have we got an aspiring Vincent Van Gogh in our midst?" Gabriel asked, his voice vaguely taunting.
"If by Vincent Van Gogh you mean cutting off my own ear and mailing it to my significant other, then no, but if you mean becoming a world famous artist then maybe yes," Castiel said sleepily, still not bothering to pick off the magazine. He heard Gabriel jump off of his bed.
"It's a well-known fact that most artists are only famous after they're dead." Gabriel said plainly as he opened a bag of chips.
Castiel sat up, pulling the mag off his face. "There's an exception to every rule," he replied. Gabriel was annoying him.
"Yeah whatever," Gave replied through a mouthful of salt N' vinegar. He was playing a game on his phone and clearly wasn't paying attention anymore.
Castiel groaned, Gabriel didn't really seem like someone who'd even bother to go to college but then what did Cas know? "What class do you have tomorrow?"
"Hith-ory," Gabriel said with his mouth full of chips.
"Me too."
Swallowing, Gabe looked up from his game before throwing it to one side. He proceeded to perch on the edge of his bed, and grin mischievously.
Castiel turned his head on his pillow, giving Gabe a quizzical look. "What?"
"I hear the history teacher is a real looker," he said.
Castiel immediately lost interest, he yawned and closed his eyes. "Oh yeah, what's her name?"
"Not she, he," Gabriel responded, still eyeing Cas.
Castiel's eyes flew open and he turned on his belly to get a better look at Gabe's facial expression.
"Did you just assume my sexuality, Cassie?" Gabriel grinned, showing his teeth.
Castiel wasn't expecting this new development but he just rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, the poster of the nearly-naked girl threw me off."
Gabriel payed an appreciative glance toward it before replying. "Nah mate, I bat for both teams."
Cas paused for a moment, deciding not to bring his own sexuality into the conversation. He didn't like telling acquaintances, it felt too personal. "Alright, so tell me more about this teacher you're so interested in."
"Well he's got a much hotter younger brother, but that's beside the point. Student/Teacher relations are just so much more steamier," he put emphasis onto the last word.
"I suppose," Castiel said as he rolled back onto his back.
"His name's Mr. Winchester," Gabe said, acting ironically dreamily. "All the girls love him, and the boys too. He's a real hard-ass type," he paused. "Such a lovely ass too... Anyways, I just wanted to warn you about him because with you're 'inclinations', you'll be -"
Castiel sat up abruptly, unable to keep the shock from his face. "My what??"
"Oh please Cassie, my gaydar is MORE than fully functional - it's fully accurate too." Gabriel smirked at Castiel's anxious expression. "Never once been wrong!" He winked and went back to his chips.
"There's an exception to every rule," Castiel grumbled in reply. This Gabriel was really starting to get on his nerves.

They didn't talk anymore that night, but Castiel couldn't get his mind off imagining what this "Mr. Winchester" would be like.