Who Would've Thought

Turns Out Happiness Doesn't Exist

      "WAKE UP", Jo shouted as she jumped on top of me. I groaned into the pillow and tried, unsuccessfully, to shove her off.
      "Get the hell off", I mumbled. She laughed and shoved me a few times before I rolled onto my back and opened my eyes. I immediately regretted that decision because the sun was just starting to rise towards Jo's window and it was blinding. "Is getting up necessary?"
      "Unfortunately", Jo laughed. "I grabbed some of my dads old clothes for you to wear for the day. Lucifer dropped off your bag early this morning before he and Michael took off. I'll give you ten minutes to change but if you're ass isn't downstairs by then I'll send up mom." She winked, knowing an angry motherly Ellen threat would get me up and moving. I nodded and sighed, waiting for her to close the door before getting up and shedding my clothes.
      At the end of the bed there was a pair of ratty jeans and a AC/DC shirt, along with a pair of converse Jo had bought that were too big. I grumbled under my breath about the lack of suit attire for the day while shoving the shoes on before straightening to run my fingers through my hair. However, my hair is choosing not to cooperate so I just walked out the door and downstairs. Jo looked up at the sound of my feet and smirked at me.
      "What's your deal", I asked.
      "Oh nothing", she lied. "I'm just excited to see what Dean thinks of your unsuited look." I rolled my eyes at her teasing.
      "I highly doubt he cares. We aren't together ya know." She rolled her eyes before Ellen came in the room.
      "Alright kids lets go", she chirped. I cringed slightly as they were both way too happy about it being morning. Jo and I followed Ellen to her car and climbed in to head to school. "So hun what's today's plans? You gonna go home to your mom tonight?" I shrugged in response because I honestly don't have a clue. I don't want to risk dealing with the hatred of my father or with the awkwardness that will rise from my parents knowing I overheard what they thought was a private conversation.
      "Well you have all day to figure it out and you can always come to the roadhouse and stay with us if you want to", Jo reassured. I smiled at her in thanks and remained silent until we got to school. Once there, I thanked Ellen for everything before closing the door and letting Jo drag me to our bench. Charlie was there already but she was the only one. My and Jo sat beside her and I secretly praised that I wouldn't have to sit by Balthazar again.
      We conversed for awhile and then Anna and Balthazar showed up. We all joked around until 55 and headed our separate ways to our lockers before class. I unloaded some books from my locker and felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to find Balthazar grinning at me. "Wanna walk together", he asked and I nodded, returning his grin.
      We talked about the foods are group wanted to make and then more specifically the people in our group. "I don't know who has it worse", I said. "I mean yeah I have to deal with Gordon and Zachariah but you have Meg sooooo." He laughed and agreed.
      "Wish our group could've been you, me, and Garth. Would've been fucking awesome", Balthazar commented and I nodding. It really would've been. We walked into the classroom just as the bell rang and gave each other sympathetic look before joining their groups. Gordon and Uriah were talking shit about how Meg and her buddies wouldn't give it to them or something. I looked over to Garth and rolled my eyes, earning a ear to ear smile from him.
      For the most part the idiots stayed out of the way, talking about sex and other shit I only half listened to. Other groups hadn't actually planned and the day everyone was actually ready to cook, it was discovered the other classes had wasted too many resources. Due to that, we were just now allowed to cook. Garth set about to frying kale with some oil and boiling water for noodles while I set about preparing the meat. Our ingredients were ramen noodles, kale, chicken, and Cheeze-It's. There were other ingredients in the kitchen we could use of course but those were the main four that had to be used. I pulled out some of the crackers and put them in a baggie before crushing them to very fine pieces. From there I grabbed the chicken and dipped it in a garlic and oil substance that Uriah had actually made while taking to Gordon. My job was to soak the chicken and put it in the crunched cracker mess to give it a nice breaking before placing it in the oven to bake. The other day when I had to pick ideas I choose Garth's because I felt like he deserved to be listened to but also because I actually liked his idea. It may let us advance far forward.
      We worked silently in the kitchen and when there was a little over ten minutes left in class, the door opened. "Should've known you were coming Winchester", a teacher I've never seen before laughed.
      "You know me, I never deny a chance for food", he grinned and by god if it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I mean it lit his whole face and made crinkles right under his glowing green eyes. I shakes my head violently to stop my out of like thoughts and when back to helping Garth set up the plates. We had four plates made, one for Mrs. Mitchell and the other three were to be divided between five other teachers who had come to try out our cooking. Mrs. Mitchell had us set our plates on the counter in the front of the room, with one representative from each group by their plates to describe their meal. I helped Garth carry the plates to the table and felt Dean's eyes on my the whole time, even as he talked to the girl (I think he said her name was Lisa?). I stepped back towards the rest of the students who had crowded into the first two kitchen areas and stood by Balthazar.
      "Okay students", Mrs. Mitchell proclaimed to grab everyone's attention. "Now it's time for you to announce your dishes. We will eat some of each groups and decide who moves on and who doesn't. Those who don't will try out the next dish so we don't have to constantly steal away some teachers. While we eat, you may clean up your areas and converse among yourselves. Before class ends, you will have time to clean up these dishes. Meg why don't you start."
Meg smiled and nodded before launching into a description of the foods her group prepared and seemed far too pleased with herself as she spoke, although that surprised no one. I looked up and met Dean's eyes and he rolled his eyes slightly, making me chuckle lightly under my breath.       "What's so funny", Balthazar whispered.
      "We are not the only ones annoyed by Meg's flirtatious ways as it seems", I joked. He looked up to see Meg wink at Dean before becoming quiet and let the boy beside her talk.
      "Glad it's him and not us", Balthazar laughed and I nodded. Everyone took turns telling the audience about their foods but I couldn't even try to listen because all I could do was try to look anywhere but at Dean, even though I could feel him staring at me. I shifted on my feet and felt Balthazar tense beside me. "Not to alarm you or anything", he started in a cold and almost venomous voice," but you got someone staring at you." I looked over to follow his gaze, even though I knew he was probably talking about Dean. However when I finally saw what he was looking at, I stopped and tensed too. Alastair was glaring at me from across the room where he, Uriah, Gordon, and Uriel were all at. They kept glancing over there shoulder too but it was no where near as concerning as the death stare I was receiving from Alastair. I squirmed and Balthazar took a slight step forward so that Alastair couldn't see me without moving and make his stare obvious. I smiled in thanks and cowered closer to Balthazar, glad that for the moment I was safe from his eyesight.
      Once everyone described there food we all returned to our kitchens to clean what we could. We ended up with time to spare so Balthazar leaned over a counter to talk to Garth and I as we waited for the plates and forks to come back. We were laughing at some awkward joke Garth and told when I felt Garth shift and Balthazar's eyes went cold. Before I could turn around to see what was wrong I felt a breath next to my ear. "Cassie I heard about your brother. Sucks that other people in your family are disappointments too huh", Alastair said. I grit my teeth and tried to focus on the story Garth had launched into, hoping Alastair would just leave. "I bet you hated not having that title all to yourself, didn't you." He moved closer behind me and I could feel his body against my back and tried not to throw up when I could feel his lips right by my ear.                       "Although I guess Gabriel being bi takes that title often doesn't he", said and then lowered his voice even more to say," unless you yourself have a secret in that category." I was about to start shaking from my hatred for Alastair when Mrs. Mitchell called out, causing him to back away.
      "Alright class come get your plates. You'll find out your results tomorrow", she said as she made a note on a paper. I immediately left my kitchen, wanting to get out of the class as soon as possible. I grabbed our plates and saw Dean give me a worried look out of the corner of my eye before he was whisked out the food by other teachers. Garth and I quickly cleaned the dishes and when the bell finally rang, I all but ran out the door and across the school yard.