I pulled off my bluelight glasses, rubbing my palms over my face. Every bone in my body was screaming at me to shut my laptop and go back to my room but the thought of my impending test kept me rooted to the library seat. I run a frustrated hand through my wild hair, slumping in my seat.
My eyes snapped up from the computer screen when I heard the feet of the chair across me drag over the chequered tile. I half expected to see Farren but instead was met with a boy instead. A familiar one at that.
It was one of Castiel's friends. The one with the blond hair and killer smile. I silently stared at him as he set his books down right across me. What was this? Some twisted trap Castiel had set up?
"Can I help you?" I asked, putting in extra effort to make my tone even.
"I just wanted to join you to study" He offered me a small smile "If you're uncomfortable with that I could always leave"
I studied him for a moment, reading his energy "Alright"
"Are you always this apprehensive?" He leered at me.
"Yes I am" I said simply, going back to my studying. Ignoring his presence was a chore that weighed down on my shoulders.
He had the same English accent that Castiel had. Polished and refined, with a clip to it. The kind of accent you wouldn't mind whispering sweet nothings to you. My face heated with that thought , along with other unmentionable parts of me.
"Do you always blush studying Biology?" The boy across me chuckled under his breath.
"Do you always sit at random girl's tables and stare instead of studying?" I shot back.
"If they're as breathtaking as you , why not" He answered smoothly. That line would have easily gotten any other girl into his clutches but it only made me snort. I studied him, twirling my pen between my fingers as I looked for any resemblance between him and Castiel. If Abby was related to Castiel, I had no doubt this boy was also connected to him in a way.
They didn't hold any resemblance , except their hypnotic beauty along with that indescribable magnetic trait about them that even Abby seemed to have, along with the two other boy's who surprisingly weren't around.
"Where's the rest of ya?" I blurted impulsively.
"Who?" He asked , his electric eyes twinkling in a way that made me suspect he knew exactly who I was speaking of.
"The boys you're usually with" I elaborated dryly
"Oh my brothers" He clarified "They have certain business to attend to"
"And why aren't you dealing in the business with them?" I sat back in my chair, long abandoning my notes.
"Azzy, Uriel and Castiel have a lot of hardworking characteristics which I do not. I'd rather sit in the library being interrogated by a nosy pretty little thing" He shrugged, his lips tilting in a smirk.
"I'm not nosy, you're the one who wanted to talk" I shrugged back, my mind drifting to this 'business' he spoke about. Was it normal business or it was dark like how Abby described Castiel to be. Were his brother all like him? Uriel didn't seem like a bad person , this one sitting in front of me didn't either. But he had a certain thing about him , as if under all the jokes and innuendoes he was also very much as dark. If anyone seemed similar to Castiel, it was Azzy. They were like two sides of the same coin.
"Well I least expected you ask about my entourage , I'm Raphael by the way, but you can call me Raph" He introduced.
"I'm aware" I deadpanned.
"Well that's a surprise. I'm sure Abby and Farren have been ratting me out to you. I wonder what else they speak about"
"Nothing you should worry your pretty head about" I brushed the topic off easily.
"Oh so you think I'm pretty" He smirked.
"You're insufferable" I groaned , beginning to warm up to this ball of sunshine and flirts.
Speak of the devil, and the devil surely appears. Farren pulled the third chair, collapsing into it.
"Raph , Ellie" She greeted, out of breath. "Sorry I'm late, I literally over slept. And what is this? some kind of study group" She laid her notes on the crowded table.
"Definitely not, Ellie here looked a tad bit lonely so I offered her company. But since you're here I'll be on my way" Raph begun to pack his things up.
"Wait where's Uriel?" Farren asked.
"Your little boyfriend went to deal with things with Azzy and Cas"
"I literally told him not to" A look of annoyance flitted across her face.
"Someone has to deal with your mess" For the first time since I had been speaking to Raph he looked annoyed which didn't suit him very much.
"It's not my mess if I didn't cause it " Farren countered.
"It doesn't matter whether you caused it or not if you're intentionally ignoring your damn responsibility. Uriel should know better than to let you act like petulant child. " Raph was downright scolding Farren at this point.
"Well I'm not going to sit here and let some self righteous prick gorge some responsibility down my throat"
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, watching how stray eyes begun to find our table and the on-going argument. The tension between Raph and Farren could be sliced open with a butter knife at this point.
"Do not speak of Castiel in that manner" Raph glared at Farren.
My ears practically perked up at the mention of his name.
"We both know that's exactly what he is" She scoffed.
"Don't forget he saved you Farren" Raph's tone was condensing. "We saved you"
"At what cost Raphael? To be at your beck and call just so I can have a family?"
I've never felt so out of place than I feel right now. I definitely didn't belong here, between a conversation of family matters and parables.
"That's what family is about. And quite clearly you missed the memo"
"Well maybe that's why I was never meant to have one" There wasn't even one time I had ever heard Farren sound so cold since I knew her. It seemed like they all had a dark side after all, even sweet Farren.
A few seconds passed with Raph just simply looking at Farren with visible disdain.
"I wonder what Uriel sees in a-" Raph stopped himself , his eyes darting to me in a split second and back to Farren, as though suddenly remembering that I was at the table with them and we were in a very much public library
"I wonder what Uriel sees in you" He finally spat and got up, picking up his books.
"Same thing Eliza saw in you"
Raphael froze, his jaw hardening. A chill swept across the table, making goosebumps erupt all over my skin. My stomach filled with an inexplainable dread as I watched Raph's stoic form. Whoever Eliza was, she wasn't to be played with. Even Farren had realized that she had crossed a line she wasn't supposed to, fear flitting over her features for a second.
He slowly turned to her. "Say her name again , and Castiel will be the least of your problems" He spoke steadily, as if to make sure every single syllable of his threat sank into her consciousness.
With that, he exited. Not even sparring a look back at me. Well someone's in a sour mood.
"What was that about?" I breathed out as people looked away.
"Nothing , forget about it" She brushed it off, opening up her computer.
*********
For the second time, I found my way to the theatre, prepared to meet my new partner. I didn't know whether to be glad or not when I found an empty bench at the piano with no sight of another person. Maybe the dean couldn't get a replacement , I mean, not a lot of people were randomly gifted with playing.
I laid my music notes on the music rack , taking a seat. I brushed my fingers across the keys, trying to figure out what I should play for the performance. I snapped out of my thoughts when footsteps echoed across the floor. I turned, more than surprised when I saw Castiel walking towards me looking every bit of the self righteous prick Farren said he was. My eyes followed him till he finally sat next to me, his scent immediately assaulting my senses. Right. It was a duet. Of course he was supposed to sit right next to me.
"I thought you weren't interested in being my partner" I said dryly, looking away from him to my fingers that had paused on the keys.
"The old lady didn't have much of a choice for a replacement, so here I am"
I cleared my throat, trying to ignore the effect his proximity had on me "So what are we playing, I was thinking-"
"I don't play anyone's creation" He scoffed. "I create, so if you want to play with me I suggest you keep up"
"You created what you were playing when I met you here?" I turned to him, eyeing him incredulously.
"Yes I did. Any problem?" He met my gaze steadily, daring me to criticize him.
"I liked it" I admitted , tearing my gaze away from him.
"Expected reaction"
"Whatever well I don't know how to 'create' so if you want to perform with me you'd have to teach me then" I bit, a twinge of jealousy lighting my gut.
"Try playing something" He instructed in a surprisingly gentle tone in contrast to mine. I sucked in a breath, my fingers dancing over the keys in an attempt to conjure something that I hoped sounded good.
After what seemed like an eternity I finally played something short that sounded nothing like what he could do.
"First of all, that sounded horrible" He chuckled softly, making me throw him a death glare ignoring the way his soft laughter warmed me up from the insides. It took me by surprise, the smoothness of it being a stark contrast to his usual expressionless stoic self.
"Second of all, don't force it. Relax into it , let it flow through you .It's music duckling, not an essay, don't think too much about it. Go again" He instructed.
I tried again, following his advice, this time making something that sounded a little bit more tolerable.
"Again" He repeated.
Hours flew by and at this point I had forgotten the number of times he had said the word 'again'. My back hurt, my fingers were going numb and I felt like I was going to implode, my face perpetually warm from his scrutinizing amber gaze on my face every single fucking second. Like he was studying every feature, every stray freckle , every sigh that left my lips when I heard that God forsaken word , 'again'. My senses were ready to short wire from all the attention he was drowning me in.
My stomach gurgled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten anything substantial within the last 24 hours. I was either studying or napping , I barely had enough time to get food or groceries. I didn't spot Abby eating much either meaning we were both bound to starve in that room.
"You're hungry" He stated instead of 'again'.
He couldn't have possibly heard that.
"Not really" I shrugged.
"What was the last thing you ate and when?" He pressed.
"Coffee, in the morning. I'm fine really."
There were a few beats of silence. "We're done with today's practice"
I sighed in relief, standing up to stretch my sore muscles. He rose too, towering over me like a damn light pole. A very well built sexy light pole at that.
I gathered my notes as he took the lead without another word. He has probably slipped back into his usual mute mood, I thought as I followed him, eyes glued on his broad back. I wondered if he would be so generous to give me a ride once more. Or maybe that was probably too nice for infamous Castiel.
"Could you at least attempt to walk a little faster?" He said over his shoulder, making me notice he was intentionally going slower for me but I still couldn't keep up with his long strides. I huffed, forcing myself to keep up with his pace as we wove through the halls.
Maybe it wasn't too nice for infamous Castiel after all, I thought when we emerged in an underground parking lot. I hadn't gotten the chance to observe the exterior of the car the last time he gave me a ride but I totally realized this was a different car. I didn't know much about cars like my brother but I knew it was a Benz and it looked like it cost a shit ton of money for a four wheeler.
The sleek headlights of the car blinked twice before we slid in.
"Your seatbelt" He reminded me before staring the car, cutting short my ogling at all the sleek features of the car.
My cheeks burned in embarrassment as I pulled the seatbelt over me. I'm guessing watching a girl faceplant on your glove department wasn't as fluttering as you would think.
"Thanks" I mumbled under my breath.
"Wait, where are we going?" I perked up in my seat when I noticed we had taken a different turn.
"I'm going to get you fed" He answered simply.
Oh.