Just Desserts

Chapter 60

Sam

"Dude, what happened?" Dean asked when Sam collapsed into the seat beside him.

"I-I knew he didn't—" Sam started, throat constricting painfully, caught on a sob. "But i wasn't expecting him to react that badly."

"Seriously dude, what happened?" Dean asked again, glancing at Cas who couldn't help staring at Sam imploringly.

"I- uh... I told Gabe that I liked him. Like... really liked him, wanted to go out with him," Sam replied. "Th-then he pushed me away, freaking out, and ran away."

Dean glanced at Charlie, eyeing her, clearly confused.

What was that all about? Do they know something don't?

"I don't know, Dean! I don't understand it either!" Charlie shouted, frustrated at having a silent conversation, startling me in the process.

"What's going on?" Cas asked.

Dean, once again, glanced at Charlie, having, yet another, silent conversation with her, which only ended in her nodding.

Dean dragged Cas off to the side, far enough that we couldn't hear them, and Cas stood silently, listening, eyes widening ever so slightly as Dean continued explain the situation, whatever that was.

When Dean was done, Cas merely shook his head, squinting, and calmly spoke, which clearly surprised Dean.

"What are they talking about?" I asked, still watching the two converse.

"Something Dean should have told him a long time ago," she replied. "You don't need to know, Sam," Charlie said, cutting him off before he could even ask.

When the two came back, Cas looked shocked, unable to speak for a moment.

"I'm gonna go home and check on Gabe. Goodnight," Cas said, kissing Dean on the cheek before hurrying off.

I frowned, glaring at Dean.

"What did you say to him?" I asked accusingly.

"Nothing," he muttered.

~~~

"I don't understand, Jess," I whined for the millionth time at breakfast one morning,

Dean wasn't feeling well and Gabe was avoiding me like the plague.

"He doesn't like you, I'm sorry."

"But there is something there. I know it. I didn't just imagine everything," Sam muttered, placing his head in his hands.

"I don't know, Sam."

"Will he ever talk to me again?"

I watched as she warred with herself about what to say. "I honestly have no idea, Sam, but hold on. I think he will get over it, someday," she decided, muttering the last part to herself.

I sighed, sinking further into my seat as Gabe and Cas approached the table.

"That's not what happened!" Gabe shouted.

"That's exactly what happened," Cas shot back,

"Hey guys-" I tried. "What are you talking about?"

"Gabe says that he didn't break his leg because he tripped over a branch, but that's exactly what happened," Cas explained, the last part directed at Gabe.

Gabe just shrugged, sitting down, no longer wanting to defend himself because I was here.

He didn't even look me in the eye.

~~~

"Why won't he even talk to me?" I asked, practically egging Jess to give me an answer.

"He's probably just upset," she muttered again, not looking directly at me, as if she knew something that I didn't.

I felt terrible because she was obviously annoyed with my constant moping and pestering, but I couldn't help it. I had no one else to talk to about it, everyone else being too closely tied with Gabe for me to trust that they won't tell him anything.

"Why don't you talk to him about it?" she asked.

"Because he doesn't want to talk to me!"

"How do you know that?" she challenged.

"Jess, he won't even look at me, much less acknowledge that I exist," Sam explained, exasperated.

"Then what about talking to Dean or Cas? They know him well enough to help you out," she suggested.

I felt my stomach when I drop when I remembered how close he and Dean were.

"I can't talk to Cas! He's Gabe's brother. That's just weird," I muttered.

"Then what about Dean?"

"Dean would either laugh at me for being dumb enough to say something in the first place, or murder Gabe for hurting me. It's best that I leave that untouched."

"Well, you can't just sit here and do nothing."

"Why not?"

"Because then you'll never get anything done," Jess sighed.

I sighed, figuring that she was probably right. "What should I do, then?" I asked.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Because you're smart and always know what to do."

"I've already told you what I think you should do," she said, raising a brow.

"But—"

"Then don't ask me for help," she growled, cutting me off.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything," I said quickly, hoping she'll take the apology.

"It's fine. I get it. You're hurt and scared to be hurt even worse."

~~~

"What should I say?" I moaned, staring at the ceiling of my room as I rested on the bed.

I groaned, running my hands down my face, letting them fall to my lap as I sat up.

"What could I possibly say? 'Oh no. I'm sorry, Gabe. It was a joke, I didn't mean any of it.' Yeah. That'll go over well. It's a lie anyway, and I don't wanna lie to him."

I ran a hand through my hair, hissing as I found a terrible knot, pulling my hair out as I struggled to remove my fingers.

I felt like I was tangled up in too many emotions to handle.

Why did Gabe freak out? I know he feels the same way that I do, at least a little bit.

People don't just cuddle under the blankets and find any excuse to touch each other. They don't stare at people for long periods of time and blush if they don't like each other, but apparently Gabe did.

"He did hate the idea of us dating, though," I mumbled, beginning to doubt myself.

I grunted, flinging myself back down onto the mattress.

"How do you do this to me, Gabe? How do you manage to make me know something for certain and doubt myself in the same instant? How do you manage to tie my stomach and heart in knots without being anywhere near me?

"How do you make me feel, simultaneously, like I'm floating and sinking at once? Like I'm seeing Heaven, but stuck on Earth? Like I'm the dumbest person alive, but the smartest, most interesting person in the room?

"It doesn't make any sense."

I curled myself around my pillow, sniffling quietly.

How do you make me cry and laugh in the same instant?

How did you do that? Any of that?

Most importantly, how did you make me fall in love with you?

Why did you make me fall in love with you?