High School

Untitled Part 40

brother's face was a mask of worry and anger as he came running towards Castiel. "Cassie," he said relieved. "Why didn't you pick up your phone? I was worried sick. Sam nor Dean were answering their phones either." Gabriel looked at Castiel, then at the house and back at Castiel. "What is going on?" Castiel wanted to answer, explain the situation, but then Gabriel gasped and pulled Castiel in a hug. "We should go home. We can't help anyway. Let's give them time." Castiel nodded and followed Gabriel to the car. Once inside, he started shaking. He must've cooled down while sitting outside for hours. Gabriel turned up the temperature and drove back home. ~ The next morning Castiel dragged himself out of bed, immediately checking his phone when everything came crashing back. There was one text message. It was from Dean. 'I'm sorry' was all it said. Castiel was suddenly wide awake, staring at those two words. What was he sorry for? For not calling? For blocking Castiel out? Castiel needed answers and he needed them now. 'We should talk.' Sent. Dean answered a few seconds later. 'Yes we should. Today after school, I'll pick you up.' Castiel sent back a thumbs up emoji - he'd started using emoticons after Dean had lectured him about how easy it was for people to misinterpret your texts without emoji. ~ Sam didn't come to school, neither did Dean. Castiel had expected this and he was glad that Charlie and Jess kept him company during lunch break. It was nice. They took his mind off of what was about to happen in only a few hours - whatever that might be. When he left the school building and ran to the parking lot, he saw Dean leaning against the hood of the Impala, smiling softly when their eyes met.Castiel stopped a few feet away from Dean, shyly looking at his feet. "Hey," he stammered, unsure of what else to say or do. Two arms wrapped around him, pulling him in a warm hug. "Hey." Dean whispered in Castiel's hair. "I'm sorry," he repeated his message from last night. "I'll bring you home now." Dean pulled back, creating a distance between himself and Castiel. "Come on, Castiel." Castiel. Dean had never called him Castiel. This is it, Castiel thought, he's going to leave me. The tears he'd held back so nobly, threatened to burst. He swallowed hard and opened the passenger door. They didn't speak, there was no music coming from the radio, and Dean didn't look at Castiel once. Castiel scrutinised Dean's face, he hadn't seen him properly in a while now. His eyes were red rimmed, probably from crying, and the dark circles around them spoke of sleepless nights. Dean's knuckles were white from clutching the steering wheel tightly. The muscles in his jaw kept on clenching, relaxing, clenching. When they arrived in front of Castiel's house, Dean turn to him and just ... stared. "Do you," Castiel hooked his thumb over his shoulder. "wanna come up?" Dean nodded and turned off the engine. Castiel felt relief flooding his system. At least Dean wasn't going to end things in a car where he could push Castiel out so easily and just drive away. Castiel was glad that, when he opened the door, no one was home. "Want something?" Castiel asked. "Juice? Water? I think we have beer as well." Dean looked down, shaking his head. "Okay." Castiel scratched the back of his neck, completely at a loss. He didn't know what to say or how to act, what was acceptable and what wasn't. He watched Dean turning around and walking up the stairs. "Okay," he repeated and followed him. Once they were behind closed doors and in the safety of Castiel's room, Dean seemed to be less tense. He bit his bottom lip as he looked at Castiel. "How are you?" Dean shrugged his shoulder and