Smoking In the Boys Room // Destiel

Chapter 32

The two fell silent. 

Castiel spoke up first. "Look, I know I'm really lucky. Gabe and Anna are amazing and I'm not even choosing a good school like you, I'm going to a stupid, impractical arts college. I wish Bobby and Ellen gave you that support, but for what it's worth, you know Charlie and I have your back no matter what. Sam and Dean, too. You're amazing, and you're gonna kill it." 

"Thanks, Castiel, and I'm sorry I'm being a shitty friend right now." 

"Not even, if anyone's being a shitty friend, it's Charlie. I haven't heard from her in hours." 

They share a laugh at this. 

"Hey, have you checked your scholarship yet?" Cas asked softly. 

Jo was quiet for a moment. "No. I don't want to see a zero so I haven't even looked." 

Castiel flipped onto his stomach. "Ok, hold on. Go get your laptop." 

"Why?" She asked. 

"Just do it!" He pressed a button to transfer the call to FaceTime. "Accept it!" He practically yelled when she didn't immediately accept. 

The window opened to see her unamused face, but Castiel was busy putting his plan in motion. He quickly added Charlie to the call. She answered right away. 

"Yeah," She said, distracted. She looked away from the camera, her face being lit up by a screen off to the side, a large pair of pink, cat-ear headphones atop her head. The rapid and violent clacking of a keyboard was comically loud. 

"Are you playing Overwatch?" Castiel asked incredulously. 

Charlie simply grunted in response. 

"Get on the fucking wagon, you stupid hamster!" She growled. 

"Charlie, we're offering emotional support while Jo checks her financial aid. You can (and probably will) play Overwatch at 2 am." 

Charlie rolled her eyes, dramatically pressing one final key and took off her headset. "Ok, MOM. I'm done, MOM." She said, loudly emphasizing the word "mom". 

Castiel smiled sarcastically. "Thanks, hun! Now that everyone is ready, Jo? Would you like to check?" 

Jo looked nervous. "Well, if I'm ever going to it should probably be now." 

"Hey, remember that whatever the outcome, everything is gonna be fine." Charlie said, smiling earnestly. 

There was silence for a moment. Jo's face was unreadable. 

"Jo? Is everything ok? What does it say?" Cas said, worried. 

There was no answer, Jo just picked up her phone and flipped to the back camera. She brought it up to her laptop screen, waiting for it to focus and adjust. 

The energy was tense. That is, until Charlie piped up. 

"Look, guys, I hate to ruin the moment, but I cannot fucking read that." 

As if on cue, the camera focused just enough, the screen reading: 

Award: Henry Dover Memorial Full Tuition Scholarship

~~~~~

"You guys can go to bed, I know you both have to work tomorrow." Cas said as he looked between his siblings.

Gabe was hunched over a cup of what could barely be considered coffee anymore due to the amount of creamer diluting it, and though Anna was holding up far better, he still felt bad.

"I want to stay up and see! This is important." Anna said calmly, flipping through the newspaper.

"I second." Gabe said, yawning.

Cas smiled. "Well, thanks guys. It'll probably only be a couple more minutes."

A hush fell over them as Castiel propped his chin up on his hand, exhaling deeply. 

"Nervous?" Anna asked quietly. 

"Of course he's nervous." Gabe replied, rolling his eyes. 

Castiel chuckled to himself. 

You don't even know the half of it. 

He opened his mouth to respond when his phone vibrated ominously. He jumped. 

"Fuck." 

"Hey-" Anna quickly snapped. 

Castiel shook his head. "Sorry!" He said sarcastically as he clicked on the notification. 

Gabriel stood and hunched over his shoulder. "Why do they never say it in the email?" He grumbled. 

As Castiel logged in he felt his hands begin to tremble with anticipation. 

He felt the weight of the rest of his life heavy on his shoulders. He knew that this was not intrinsically ruining, he could still pursue whatever he wanted without THIS school at THIS time in his life, but by God, would it help. 

And then there was everything to consider with Dean. Would he wait? Would he find someone better, more interesting, his age? 

Castiel's mind raced with possibilities. 

It all hinged on this.