Every class was almost the same for me. I entered the room awkwardly, my hair messy and coat loose, I bumped into everyone, tripped over everything, and sat in the back of the class. I didn't lift my head, I was so shy. I would fix my glasses on purpose, pretending that I didn't know I was the center of the whispering. It made me feel smaller than I already was.

The bell rang. It was the last period for the day. Thank God. I picked up my  schedule and looked at the list. I swallowed hard as my eyes came across the very word: S W I M M I N G.

Fear was my best friend. Although, underneath I saw the counselor's handwriting:

Castiel,

The swim team goes to the pool in a medium building on the west side of the school. Be careful, and stay safe.

Mrs. Laura

How convenient. I rushed through the hallways, trying my best to avoid getting thrown and pushed by the rapids of students in the school. I was like their rag doll.  But soon enough, I ended up slamming into somebody. Hard.

The person was so thick and muscular, they made me recoil back and fall to the floor. The pain was unbearable. I was so fragile, it hurt.

"Ow! Watch where you're going!" I said, although it was all my fault. I was staring at the floor, and I was running. I rubbed the back of my head and fixed my glasses. I looked up.

I found myself locking eyes with the most brightest, sharpest, green color I have ever seen.

Time seemed like it... stopped.

"Watch where you're running freshman!" He rebuked me. I felt stabbed. Stabbed by those glorious eyes. But, the  delicate person I am, I started to cry. Again.  I could hear the people around us starting to murmur about what a jerk he is and how poor I was.

Coming to my attention, I felt his hand.

I lifted my crying eyes to see him kneeling in front of me, holding my shoulder. 

The world stopped again.

He barely raised the corners of his mouth. Then he moved his arm to slip underneath mine, wrapped it around my back, to grab hold of my other side. As he stood, he gently picked me off the ground, bring me closer to his chest. My hand somehow drifted itself to his torso, as his still remained around me. I felt my heartbeat rise wildly, as I lost myself in his green eyes.

"Are you okay?" His voice completely changed. He sounded mellow, and soothing.  I break out of the trance and the motion and chatter of the people around us fall back in.  I turned and scanned the area. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked again. I looked up to him. I realized the position I was in. I quickly pulled from his grasp, feeling embarrassed and stupid. He stared at me, full of confusion. I ran away. All the way down the hall. I left him without an answer.

I'm so embarrassing!

So damn awkward!

I felt so bad, I began to weep again. I reached the end of the hall, and barged out of the double doors and into the outside area. I ran. And I continued to run, until I came upon a building. I ran around it, and fell to the grass. I backed up to the wall, and covered my face in my knees again. Just sobbing.

I'm so useless.
I'm a mistake.
I cry all the time, I'm so pathetic and insignificant.
I should have just... drowned that day.

"Why are you crying?" I hear. I lift up my head. I look upon a young girl, blonde hair that fell loosely to her shoulders. Her eyes were brown, like the color of Bourbon that Raph drinks occasionally. "Are you okay?" She added, her head tilting to the right a bit.

"Y-Yes..." I managed to speak.

"What's your name?" She asked another question, her voice soft and sweet.

"C-Castiel..."  I rubbed my nose with my coat sleeve. She smiled as soon as she heard my name. She was beautiful. She gleamed.

"Hi Castiel. My name's Jo." She  giggled. I don't know what it was, but her happiness was contagious. It caused me to smile.

"Hi Jo..." I said, a bit more confidently.

"So, what you doing back here cutie? You should be in class!" She scoffed, keeping her friendly smile. I looked to the ground sheepishly as I fixed my glasses.

She called me cutie.

"I d-don't want to be here anymore... it scares me..." I spoke softly, still a little shy.

"Awe, high school ain't so bad!" She commented, her voice sounding sympathetic. "My freshman year was rough, but I got through! Now I'm a happy sophomore!" Her smile was always bright. It made me feel better about myself. She made me feel special. Like if I was actually a person.

"Thank you..." I said, rubbing my eyes. She nodded. "Where are we? I wasn't exactly paying attention to where I was going when I got here...."

"Oh, you're behind the Aquatic Center. The swim team is in there practicing right now." She replied. Chills crawled down my spine, as slow as possible.

"C-Can you walk me in there...?" I asked nervously.

"Sure no problem!" She beamed. "I'm a swimmer too. I was about to go in there, but I heard you." She giggled. I smiled stupidly. "Why are you going in there?"

"Because," I responded, swallowing hard. "I'm the swim team's new manager."