Stronger Than Us Both

Festivals & Fears

○Cas○

I didn't want to get up. It was warm and comfortable where I was laying, and moving just felt wrong. The noise that pulled me from my sleep rang out again, but I was hoping that if I just ignored it long enough, it would go away.

Unfortunately, it didn't.

Instead, a voice was added to the sound of someone knocking on the door. "Wake up."

"Hm?" I groaned. That warmth that was wrapped around my body disappeared, causing me to curl up so the rest of the heat wouldn't go too. "Why is it so cold?" I practically whined.

"Cas, get up. We have to get to class in twenty minutes. If you would wake up at a reasonable time, you wouldn't have to rush. And it's cold because we're in South Dakota, idiot."

I tried to roll my eyes, but I was still squinting from the bright lights. The gesture probably looked ridiculous. Adam was just grouchy in the mornings; it's not like I took that long to get ready in the mornings.

"Also, Dean is at the door."

"Why didn't you let him in?"

"He's your boyfriend."

"And your friend," I countered. When my roommate sat back on his bed to put on a pair of shoes without another word, I got up and padded my way to the door.

Dean was smiling before he saw me, but his face lit up even more. I didn't understand how he could be so cheerful that early. "Hey, Cas. Are you ready?"

I looked down at my sweatpants and hoodie that I wore to bed before raising an eyebrow at Dean. "No. I'll be just a few minutes." Leaving the door open for him, I turned to get some jeans and a shirt from my closet to change into. It was strange to be wearing something other than my uniform on a school day, but the band was leaving for the Autumn Festival during first block, so there was no need to wear it. I tried to get dressed as quickly as possible, putting on my marching band shirt, jeans, and a pair of black Converse. I brushed my teeth and hair before slipping Dean's hoodie on as an afterthought and meeting with Dean and Adam in the hallway. I swung my drawstring bag over my shoulder as I pulled the door shut behind me.

Dean pecked me on the lips as a greeting, only to earn a half-hearted groan from Adam. "Get a room, you two."

Before I could respond, my boyfriend playfully flipped him off and gave me another kiss. Adam rolled his eyes but smiled at us. "Tell me how you guys do in the competition. Hope you don't suck this year." He started walking down the halls, and I moved so I was between my boyfriend and roommate.

"Hey," Dean defended, "we got fourth place. That's not bad considering there are, like, twenty bands competing."

"Excuses, excuses." My roommate glanced at me with a cautionary look. "Don't let him eat too many funnel cakes if you want to ride anything. He always eats, like, four and always throws up at some point."

"No, I don't."

"Dean, we've gone to the Festival together tons of times. We went to a debilis amusement park last year, and you did the same thing. Benny and Blake have never gone on this trip without you losing your lunch."

I took Dean's hand, giving him a soft smile. "You're not eating any funnel cakes. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." He pouted a little. "I won't eat too much."

"Why do you listen to him? I've been telling you to stop for years."

"I've never had a cute guy tell me to stop."