Just Desserts

Chapter 35

Sam

"That new kid is kind of weird huh?" Jess and I were walking towards JROTC, prepared to start off another, probably long, day.

"I suppose."

"He acted as though you guys knew each other," Jess prompted, but I just shook my head.

"Never seen him before in my life." It wasn't a lie, not entirely. I mean, I never actually had met him, but I did have a dream about him last night. I find it kind of odd that I dreamed about some random person last night and then he just... shows up the next day.

"You okay babe?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I was lost in thought," I mumbled, kissing her on the cheek slightly which earned me a startled, but pleased, giggle.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Jess." I glanced behind me to see the new kid standing there, watching Jess and I, a sad look on his face. I couldn't help but feel sympathetic for him, like I knew the pain of watching someone else happy. It didn't fit him, the sad look, he should be happy, smiling and laughing, not quiet with tears in his eyes.

I furrowed my brows in confusion, unsure as to why that thought had crossed my mind. I have never met him before, I don't know why I think that he should be smiling. True, everyone should be happy, but the fact that his sadness made me sad was odd.

"Are you sure your okay?"

"Yeah. Let's just, get into class," I muttered, still quite confused. She nodded quietly, deciding not to ask about it and I couldn't tell whether I was grateful for that fact or not.

I wasn't paying any attention to what the leaders were saying as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class. "Company, attention!"

We then started reciting the cadet creed, which I had memorized early last year, when the new kid came rushing into the pod. I tried to keep the smile off of my face as I continued to say the cadet creed, watching as he blushed and quickly skirted around the formation.

It was quite adorable.

I stumbled over my words, frowning as I did so, both from the fact that I know this creed, and the fact that I thought he was adorable.

I shook my head slightly, ignoring the fact that the kid had walked into my classroom. Ignoring the fact that the only open seat left was next to mine. Ignoring the fact that thinking about him in that classroom, blushing awkwardly, no doubt reading over the creed to memorize it, made my heart pound faster.

I could see it in my mind, the way he was probably shifting awkwardly, glancing between the paper, teacher and formation, trying to understand what exactly was going on at the beginning of class.

The commander called fall out and I slowly made my way towards my classroom, taking a big breath, suddenly very nervous, for reasons I didn't quite understand.

I sat down next to him, a large smile plastered on my face. "Hello again."

"Hi," he muttered awkwardly, shifting away from me slightly. I frowned, slightly, unsure why he was leaning away.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just, wasn't expecting to be here with you and J... your girlfriend. Heck, I wasn't expecting to be here with our brothers either."

I frowned further. He knew Jess' name too. "How did you-" I was cut off by Rufus, who walked up to the both of us.

"Seems like you two already know each other?" He waited. I glanced at the kid, who quickly averted his eyes, blushing all the way to his ears.

"Erm... not really sir. He and his brother just stopped by our table this morning. I don't even," I paused, glancing at him again, brows furrowing slightly, "I don't even know his name."

"Ahh, well, this is Gabriel. He is, as you know, a new student. He is going to be the 3rd squad leader in your platoon. I expect that you'll show him the ropes, help him get the basic feel for the program here," Rufus stated. It wasn't a question, more of a command.

"Yes sir."

"Good, then I'll leave you two to it. We are doing portfolio work today so you can just help him set it up and stuff." I nodded as he turned to leave, giving the new kid, Gabriel, a smile.

"Sorry about earlier," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Sorry, if I freaked you out by knowing your name and everything. It's just," he paused, searching for an explanation, on I knew would be a lie, but also knew would make more sense as to how he really knew my name, "I had a dream about you last night."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Sorry, that's a little weird too, I guess."

"No. It's not that. It's just... I think I had a dream about you last night too. I don't remember any of it, but that's weird."

"Yeah, I suppose it is. Anyway, care to show me where I can get this portfolio?"

"Oh, yeah. Do you have a computer yet?" He shook his head and I sighed, thinking a moment. "I'll be right back." He nodded and I felt he was watching me as I approached Rufus.

"What's up?"

"I was wondering if you would let me take Gabriel to the ER to get a computer."

"Of course." He signed a pass, handing it to me, telling me not to take too long.

"Alright, let's go down to the ER to get you a computer," I stated and he nodded, following me out of the classroom.

We walked in silence, but it wasn't awkward, despite him knowing who I was without me telling him. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. He walked a few feet away from me and I didn't know why that stung so much.

"Hey," I called, pausing and watching him jump slightly. I tried not to laugh at that. "I know that you were lying when you said you had a dream about me, that's why you knew my name. Maybe you read Cas' emails with my brother or you saw a yearbook from last year. I don't know. I'm not going to push it, but I don't want anything to be awkward between us because of it okay?"

He nodded silently, and something about that made my blood boil. He should at least answer with an okay or something. At least then I would know that it really wasn't going to be awkward or anything.

I sighed, continuing the walk forward. "It's not about me knowing your name without you telling me you know." I paused, waiting for him to continue. "I can't tell you how I knew, because I'm not entirely sure myself," he paused. I knew that was at least the truth. "but either way, there are some things I remember between us, or saw between us, that I'd rather not remember or go down the path of again."

"Like what?" The curiosity got the better of me, but he closed his mouth, pressing his lips tight, and I knew that I wasn't going to find out. Not now, maybe not ever.

"Nothing important. Come on let's go," he muttered walking again, with a purpose this time.

Though we chatted along the way this time, I couldn't help but think about what he saw or remembered that he didn't want me to know about. It was obviously of some importance if he didn't want to do it again, or see it actually happen or whatever.

I just needed to find out what it was.

~~~~~~

NOTE: I am so sorry that this was such a crappy chapter. I only have a small idea of what I'm gonna do for each section of this story, but nothing after that and so I come up with it as I go along. So, sorry. This was a filler chapter. Hopefully I can come up with something good for another chapter. Till then. See ya. -Captain.