Fame Crazy (Sequel to Strings Attached)

Chapter 93

Hael's birthday cake might as well be a wedding cake, looking at the size of it. Amara carries it to the table, which is huge because it has to fit as many people as possible, even though there are still going to be people in seats nearby instead.

Castiel sits down, Hannah in the seat next to him. Castiel waves Dean over, but just before he reaches them, Hael sits in what would have been his seat. She glances at Dean, but obviously doesn't care, as long as she gets to sit with the celebrity that is her cousin.

Hannah looks at Dean, who stands around awkwardly, watching the table fill up. She turns back to Castiel and offers quietly, "I'll move so you and Dean can sit together."

Castiel hesitates. He really doesn't want to ask her to move, especially because she's kept him entertained for the last hour, but he doesn't want Dean to think he's avoiding him, either. Thankfully, Dean steps in to save the day.

"You're fine," he assures her. "I'll sit with Benny." He gives her a smile before he and his football friend drag two seats together near the table, but not close enough that they're really part of the group. A few other people do the same, thanks to the lack of space at the table.

"That doesn't look like the Castiel and Dean relationship I remember from all those years ago," Hannah says quietly.

"It's not," Castiel replies.

"Aren't you two still together?" she asks.

"Yeah, but it's not high school status. It's less clingy, more realistic."

"Ah, makes sense," she replies.

He can't help but wonder if it does make sense to her. He was certainly more naïve than he is now when he was her age. It wouldn't have meant anything to him back then, at least.

"So, Castiel," Hael says with a smile, not very subtly because she obviously wants people to watch the two of them being friendly. "Having fun?"

Yes, having to sit down and do nothing is very fun.

"Yeah, definitely," he lies, biting back his sarcastic response. "Loving every second of it."

"You should come back to Maryland more often," she adds.

"Yeah."

She kicks him under the table for not being enthusiastic enough.

"Or, better yet, maybe I'll bring you to LA with me next time I go. You'd fit right in." Obviously, that's not going to happen, but whatever.

"That'll be awesome," she agrees as if it's not big deal, when he knows that she's never been to LA in her life, and it would mean the world to her.

"Why would you want to go to LA?" Hannah asks curiously.

Hael scoffs. "Because it's LA. You wouldn't understand. Not all of us dream of going to Disney World."

Her derogatory tone earns some laughter among her friends, but it's obvious how the comment hurt Hannah, not because she's embarrassed about wanting to go to Disney, but because it was her own sister that said it so rudely.

Castiel hesitates. He wants to reassure Hannah that Hael's just being a teenager, but as bitchy as Hael is acting today, he doesn't want to risk ruining her social life. He definitely knows what it's like being unpopular at school, and he wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Mind made up, he pulls out his phone, holding it underneath the table as he types something out. He sneaks a few glances at the screen every few seconds to make sure that it's not complete gibberish, but subtly enough that people don't notice.