Castiel drove home with Gabe smiling at his free rein over the radio, and Anna grumbling in the backseat.

Cas thought about what Dean said.

"I guess I dodged a bullet eight years ago, huh?"

Without him realizing, tears began streaming down his face.

Gabriel took one look to the left and saw his big brother crying.

"Cassie, what's wrong?"

Cas blinked out of his trance, wiping his cheeks.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"Nothing" was code for assholes at school.

Gabe clenched his fists and made eyes contact with Anna through the rearview mirror. Her mouth was in a thin line and her eyes were narrowed.

As soon as they got home Cas went upstairs to do homework, which was code for locking himself in his room and working on his "pain wall."

A few years back the Novak kids cleared out Cas' closet and painted the back wall white. They drew the outline of angel wings and every time someone hurt him, he color in part of a wing.

He had colored the entire left wing black.

There were streaks of green, reserved for Dean.

After about 30 minutes Cas heard a soft knock on his door. His mother entered a few moments later.

"Castiel, your brother and sister told me what happened today."

Cas just shrugged, "It's not like it's anything special."

"Cassie?"

Castiel turned around to see Gabe and Anna peeking at him behind their mom.

"I've talked with your father," she started, "and we decided it would be best to move."

Cas dropped his brush, it landed with a clack on the ground.

"But... Charlie."

His mother nodded sadly, "Yes, we know. You could still visit her during school breaks.

"No, mom, you don't understand -"

"I understand that my son is being harassed by other children at school," he said, raising her voice.

"We are leaving for Illinois in four weeks, you should start packing." And with that, she and his siblings left the room.

~~~

"Hey Charles. Sorry about earlier."

"Damn straight, or should I say damn gay?" Even over the phone Cas could hear Charlie's smirk.

"So um, can I ask you a question..."

"Yesss," she said, drawing out the 's.'

"How far is Kansas from Illinois?"

"Like 600 miles, why?"

"Cause I'm kinda moving there next month."

"WHAT?!"

"Don't worry! I'll take the Pimpmobile every weekend to visit you. And maybe we'll move back after highschool," Cas said, knowing it wasn't true.

"Is... is this about Dean?"

"Well according to my parents it's because I'm bullied at school," said Cas with a shrug, before realizing she couldn't see him.

"So yes, basically."

"Basically."

"When do you leave?" she asked in a soft voice, like he was a wild animal she didn't want to scare.

"Exactly one month from today."

There was a sad silence until Cas added, "You're always gonna be my best friend, ya know?"

"I better be," Charlie huffed, Cas didn't miss the grin in her voice.

He cracked a small smile.

~~~

The next day at school, Charlie showed up at the highschool unannounced.

A bunch of jocks wolf whistled at her because, let's be honest, Charlie was beautiful.

"Chicks before dicks!" she shouted, "not that I would want your's even if I was straight!"

There was a lot of "ooooohhhs" from other students that Charlie ignored as she sauntered over to Cas.

"Dean's staring," she whispered to him when she sat down.

"Probably because a very pretty girl sat down next to me, it's unusual."

"Well we're both gay, so. Hey! Wanna make Deano jealous?"

Cas cocked his head to the side, then Charlie grabbed his face and laid one on him.

She pulled away and wiped her mouth, "Yup, still gay."

Cas made a grossed out face, "Me too."

There was a collective surprised shout from the cafeteria.

Cas looked over to the 'popular table' to see Dean staring at them with a sullen look.

"You gonna tell him?" asked Charlie.

"Later."

~~~

At the end of the school day Cas dropped off Anna and Gabe at home, Charlie rode her little yellow motor bike.

Cas drove to Dean's house.

He sat in the car for a while before he decided to get out. His open door almost swung right into the Impala.

"Watch it, Novak!"

"Sorry," Cas muttered.

"Why're you here? Your girlfriend get tired of you?" he said with a scowl.

"No, she's not my girlfriend."

Dean rolled his eyes, "You're kinda wasting my time here can you move it along."

"I - I have something to tell you."

"Yeah?" Dean spat.

"I'm moving next month."

Dean's world stopped spinning.