Chapter Ten
10.)Chapter Ten
That night, Dean waits until Liz is in the kitchen, learning how to cook with the aid of Sam and Caroline. Dean had already told her that he had plans for the night. She had pursed her lips in protest but she didn’t say anything. He doesn’t think much about it. She’s lucky he even told her he was going out. Usually, nobody is around to care until it’s too late.
It takes him ten minutes to find out that the party is a nook in the forest. It’s like a mini-park, clustered with beer cans, kids making out and stumbling teenagers. Chatter fills the air but it is muffled by the blasted music. Kids Dean doesn’t recognize glance at him curiously. Dean ignores them, eyes out for Jenna and - unfortunately - Logan. He figures if he finds Logan, he’ll find Jenna. That seems to be how it works.
Instead of Jenna and her body guard, though, Dean manages to find Salvatore. The so-called freak is lurking in the corner like… well like some kind of stalker-freak thing. Dean snorts at the picture the sulking, crowd-scanning image the kid makes. It’s a wonder how he survived this long.
Decision made, Dean makes his way to the clad-in-skinny-jeans kid. “So,” he says as he stops to stand beside Salvatore, “see anything interesting?”
There is no answer. Dean rolls his eyes. “Look, between you and me, this is the lamest party I’ve ever been too. Okay - so most high school parties are lame but the secret to making it not-boring? Usually involves a girl. Or two.” Dean smirks at Salvatore. He’s earned a raised eyebrow and a bottle touched to lips. Salvatore is pretending to ignore him but Dean figures now isn’t the time to start taking hints.
“Seriously, dude. We both know why you’re here.”
Salvatore fixes him with a look and pulls the hand holding his bottle just far enough away that it hovers in the air. “You’ve been here what, two days? And you think you know how things work here?”
“It’s been a week, actually.” Dean corrects, “I’ve only been in your school for a couple of days though. C’mon, it’s not that hard to see how it goes. I’ve been to enough towns to know that all schools are pretty much the same.”
Salvatore snorts. “Are you really a Sophomore?’
Dean shrugs. “Blame it on the genetics.”
“Uh-huh.” Salvatore turns his attention back to the crowd. “Look, kid, don’t get me wrong. You seem pretty cool for a Sophomore but I’m not a people-person.”
Dean glances at Salvatore. “I’m not people.” He tells Salvatore with a grin. He laughs at the way he sounds - like a chick trying to hit on a mysterious loner-boy. “Look, man,” he says in a mocking tone, “I’m not trying to play hero-boy, you’re just the closest thing to cool this stupid towns got.”
Salvatore looks at him with an inquiring eyebrow. “Right.” he says dryly, “And this has nothing to do with Jenna Somers.”
Dean shrugs. “Maybe a little.” He tells Savlatore, “but you know the saying about scratching backs. You do mine - I do yours?”
The older boy shakes his head. “Sorry,” he says, “not interested.”
Dean frowns. “It’s not like I’m asking you for a lot here.” He says, “just - information or something.”
Salvatore snorts. “Good luck getting it on your own.” He lifts himself from the table he was leaning on and takes a last drink from his bottle, and lets it drop to the floor. He takes off before Dean can say anything more.
Well, Dean thinks, there goes that plan.
Dean has never been so unsure of how to approach a girl before. This fact hits him as he finally spots Jenna in the middle of the crowd. It’s the same crowd as before - Logan and a bunch of his friends and some “I-wanna-be-popular” kids. Jenna slaps Logan, hard at something he says. He has a hand to his cheek and uses his free one to grab Jenna by the wrist.
“Come on, Jenna.” Logan says and his slurred words give away his drunken state. It’s only an hour into the party and Dean wonders how much he missed with the pre-party party.
“Let go.” Jenna jerks her arm away from Logan, stumbling back. She shoves him and then past the crowd as she stomps away.
“You okay?” Dean asks as she passes him. He catches her as she trips. A sniffle escapes her and Dean is worried that she is about to cry. Shit he thinks.
“He’s such a - a jerk!” She isn’t quite wailing. Dean doesn’t know how to handle the emotion behind the words. Actually, he isn’t quite sure how to handle Jenna.
“I thought that was already established, remember? We toasted to it.” The voice comes from behind them and Salvatore is pulling Jenna to him by the waist.
Jenna leans into Salvatore easily. “I know, I know.” She says, as if Dean isn’t there. “But things were going to be dfferent.”
“Uh-huh.” Salvatore says, already bored with the subject. Dean has the feeling that this sort of thing happened a lot. “Come on, Jenn. Lets get you sober so your mom doesn’t kill you. Again.”
Jenna snorts. “She’s busy.” She says with a sniff, “with Melinda’s latest crisis.”
“Well we should sober you up anyway.” Salvatore says, leading Jenna away from the party and towards the parking lot. “So you can go and kick Logans ass.”
Jenna reaches for Dean and he takes that as his cue to follow. Salvatore shoots him a look, but Dean ignores it. “Man, would I pay to see that.” Dean says appreciatively.
Jenna grins and follows it with a sigh. She stumbles again, even in Salvatore’s grip and Dean moves to catch her again. He keeps hold of her other side and follows Salvatore to his car.
The house they pull into is huge. It’s like something off a television set. Dean imagines something off of an x-men comic.
“Jeez,” He says, as they venture down the stairs. “This place is creepy as hell. No offence, dude.” Jenna is passed out in what Dean assumes is a guest room. There is a lot of them.
“None taken.” Salvatore says. Dean looks around, “so. Any parental ambush we gotta worry about?”
Salvatore shrugs, hands shoved in his pockets. “Dads out.” He says, “look. You don’t have to stay here. I’ve got a handle on things.”
“What and let you have all the glory of the hero?”
Salvatore snorts. “I forgot you didn’t have anything better to do. Does this happen a lot or is Jenna your first victim?”
“What are you talking about?” Dean demands.
“You don’t strike me as the puppy-love type.” Salvatore explains.
“It’s not like that.” Dean shrugs, “She’s just - Hot. You know, this town doesn‘t have a lot to offer in the way of ladies.”
“Uh-huh.” Salvatore weaves through the living room, stopping almost instantly. He turns the other way, ushering Dean out of the room before he can see what caused the stiffness. The smell of cologne is familiar. Dean plants himself in the doorway.
“Dude.” He says, “thought you said nobody was here.”
“I said dad was out, I don’t remember saying anything about nobody being here.”
Dean shrugs. “Kinda got the impression.” he says. He’s shoved towards the door they had come in through just a few minutes ago.
“Look,” Salvatore says, “thanks for helping me with the whole Jenna thing. She’ll see you at school, okay?”
Dean frowns. “Not really.” He says, “not until you tell me who the hell is in there.”
Salvatore glares at him. “Look,” he says again, “it’s none of your business.”
It wasn’t, and Dean is fully aware of this fact but frankly? He doesn’t care. Dean crosses his arms, glowering right back at the boy. “So?” He demands.
“There a problem here?” The voice comes from behind them and it seems to freeze Salvatore.
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