Supernatural 1. Prologue

**Hard Candy**

Annaleise Marie

**Summary**: "It's such a fucking cliché, Clarence. Good boy meets bad girl. The whole nine yards of twisted love. Surely you know how it ends?" [Megatiel,, high school AU, smut, language]

**Prologue**

**AN**: I tried so hard to resist writing this, to focus on "Alpha and Omega" only. But then Meg was introduced in that story and I don't know dudes, I couldn't resist anymore.

This chapter is a bit sad. The whole story isn't sad though, I swear. Hang in there with me. :)

X

Every night, Gabe left the window unlocked for her. She'd climb the trellis (because of course the giant house had a fucking trellis) and creep across the balcony that spanned the second floor of the house, ducking past the hallway's French doors, lest one of the other Novaks be wandering the hall and spot her, to his window.

Every night, she had to pause there because, God, was it hard to open the window. Because one day...one day it may be locked. One day it may be locked for good.

She leaned her head on the cold frame, the metal frozen and biting against her smooth skin. Her breath fogged the glass. Finally, she straightened up, and with a single burst of resolve, jerked the window up. She swung one foot in, feeling gingerly for the firm floor beneath. It was a bit of a stretch. She was barely over five feet tall and most of the Novaks were built like characters from mythology or something, and though they hadn't built the house, it seemed to be made tall in reflection of that impression.

It was almost funny. The only one who really fit that larger-than-life role in her mind was actually almost the runt of the litter. Second youngest and second smallest, next only to Gabe in both respects.

She found her footing and climbed all the way in, pausing to listen for footsteps in the hall before she finally made her way to the bed, slowly.

She studied him for a moment. "Well Clarence, gotta say, your color is looking better." Her voice, a normally throaty sort of drawl, broke as her throat constricted. It was a poor joke anyway. The moonlight through the window had bathed everything in deep shadows and almost ghostly pale tones.

She took up her post beside his bed, on the rocking chair that she knew his mother occupied during the day, keeping diligent watch.

And Meg? Unbeknownst to all but Gabe, Meg kept watch on the night shift.

She reached into the pocket of her leather jacket and pulled out her lighter and trusty Marlboros. Red 100's; when he had asked her, she'd told him they tasted like cancer and freedom.

She lit up, her eyes fixed on Castiel in a stubborn dare. "If you don't like it, Clarence, you sit your ass up and tell me to put it out."

But he didn't. Of course he didn't. Meg sat there, the sharp sting of tears burning the edge of her eyelids, until the sun broke over the horizon, washing the room in a warm golden glow.

She stood up. She thought about touching him for a moment, of ruffling his perpetually untidy black hair, of tracing his lips with her fingertips, of gripping his shirt as she sobbed brokenly against his chest.

In the end, she turned, hitching one leg over the windowsill before turning back to Castiel.

"See ya tonight, Clarence."

X

**AN**: Yeeeeah, heavy for a prologue, I know. Still, hopefully I've captured your interest? Tell me what you think!


	2. Ginger

**Hard Candy  
**Annaleise Marie

**Chapter One**: Ginger

**AN**: Obnoxiously long gap between the prologue and first chapter. My deepest apologies to any of you out there.

Thanks so, so much to everyone who read the prologue and decided to give this story a shot. I'll try to live up to your expectations. Special thanks to **Lupinista**, **dangerouslycrazy**, and **Animalover205** for reviewing. To anyone who was confused by the prologue: don't worry, we'll be unraveling the story to that point from here on out.

Let's light this candle.

X

"_Cassie!_" Gabriel Novak bellowed to his brother from the bottom of the stairs at exactly seven on Monday morning, drawing out the long 'e' at the end in an obnoxiously whiny way.

Cas rolled out of bed with a groan. He would never share his younger brother's enthusiasm for mornings. The second-to-youngest and second-to-smallest of five children, he didn't enjoy the chaos and noise of mornings in the Novak house. Both of his parents left for work early and the children were left to their own devices in their morning routines.

Michael, the oldest, was usually sprawled on the couch in the living room, his hair an unholy mess as he ate cereal and watched the morning news with a serious expression on his face. He had graduated from college the year before, but with a double major in History and Philosophy, he was having trouble finding steady work. He had registered as a substitute for Douglas County schools while trying to find a permanent position, but the calls were still few and far between. On days that he would be called, however, he would be dressed, groomed, and out the door before any of them.

Anna was twenty-one and finishing up her junior year of undergrad at University of Kansas. Her first class wasn't until eleven, but she was usually up and beginning to make breakfast for her brothers just in time for them to run out of the door. She had gone through a rebellious phase following high school, but after nearly flunking out of school the year before had found her way back home, away from the distractions and partying of the dorm life.

Next in line was Luc, who they must always call Luc, because he was resentful of the fact that his parents had named him Lucifer. Though they were all named for angels, he considered it a cruel joke of his parents that he should be named for the first to fall. Although, he was living up to his name pretty well. He had point-blank refused to go to college and instead took a year to bum around the globe, returning home only when he got stuck in Amsterdam after drinking and whoring around for a month, and finally called their parents to bring him back. He had been home for a week and already the elder Novaks were ready to pull their hair out. He would be just stumbling in as the others were leaving for the day. Anna, who always had a soft spot for Luc, would make him a cup of tea and send him to bed.

Only Castiel and Gabriel were still in high school. Cas was a senior, less than three months from graduation, and despite being at the school for three and a half years was known only as _the quiet one_, or _Michael/Anna/Luc/Gabe's brother_, or _that small boy who's always with the Winchesters_. Gabe was only a freshman, but had already made a name for himself as a prankster and the bane of the administration's existence, in and out of their offices every other day. He was practically on first-name basis with Coach Singer, who oversaw detention from three to five every afternoon.

At a loud thump and a muffled swear that suggested Luc had arrived home and slammed into something in his room, next to Cas's, he hurriedly pulled on a pair of jeans and a simple white shirt, grabbed his tan jacket from the hook on the back of his door, and hurried down the stairs to meet Gabe. The sound of the Impala's horn outside suggested he was just on time, and he smiled a little as he imagined Dean laying on the horn with a scowl on his face.

"Cas, Gabe!"

The two of them turned around just as Anna tossed a Ziploc baggie at each of them. Inside each was a biscuit, eggs, and bacon. They muttered a quick thanks and rushed out the door just as another insistent blast issued from the Impala's horn.

They hurried to cram into the backseat on either side of Charlie, who was leaned forward, her head between Sam and Dean's, talking animatedly without regard for the repeated blasts of the horn. "—because barnacles have tendencies to grow on boats, you know?"

Cas didn't give her story much thought. Charlie's dad was prone to quick, intense fascination with things he had little or no experience with, which frustrated both him and Charlie to no end, because he'd quickly run into problems and eventually throw his hands up, only to move on to the next thing. He had recently decided he would become a mariner of sorts, and purchased a boat. Cas figured he had now run into such problems with the boat.

The short ride to the school was quick and uneventful. Cas stared out the window when they reached the student parking lot, his eyes passing over each car as they passed. It occurred to him that he couldn't match a single car with its owner. It was surprising, in a town the size of Lawrence, where they had all gone to school with each other since kindergarten, that he would be so out of touch with his classmates.

But he had the Winchesters, and Charlie, he supposed, although she was really more Dean's friend that his. Cas seemed to have a way of putting her on edge with his quiet, overly-serious disposition. He had his siblings, as well, technically. But Gabe was the only one he spent much time with, and as "the runt of the litter", they picked on him a lot, though he guessed it was out of affection.

Lost in his thoughts, Cas was thrown forward suddenly as Dean slammed on the brakes, the seatbelt biting into his shoulder and slinging him quickly back into the seat. He looked around in confusion as Dean lay on the horn again, screaming out the window about someone being a "crotch-rocket-riding little bitch."

He finally saw the motorcyclist that had cut Dean off and taken his spot as they dismounted, their hands fluttering up to remove a full-face helmet. They shook out the long, thick brown hair that had been twisted up and tucked into the helmet.

He didn't realize he was staring until she turned, a smirk twisting her rosy lips. The next second she was out of sight as Dean cut the wheel sharply to pull into a spot.

"Who was that?" Cas asked, twisting in his seat to try to catch a glimpse of the girl again.

Dean shook his head. "Never seen her before, man."

X

It was Sam that briefed them on the walk from the student parking lot to the school. The kid was some sort of super-nerd, and he had managed to find her on a social media site that Cas didn't fully understand, since he didn't use them.

"Okay, so, luckily she updated her town and school quickly since she just moved here last week." He swiped at his tablet, scrolling down on the page. "Her name's Meg Masters. She's from New York, originally, and it looks like her grandmother lives here, which is who she's staying with now, based on this angry post about the rules in her house." He paused, scrolling again. "It doesn't say why she moved here, but it looks like she was pretty rebellious back in the city, so she probably got in some sort of trouble. If you want to know more, you'll have to give me a minute to get into her account."

Dean snatched the tablet from his brother's hands and shook it at him sternly. "What did I tell you about hacking?"

"Only for changing your grades," Sam muttered, rolling his eyes. "But Charlie—"

"Yeah, well, Dad's not gonna blame me if Charlie gets caught." Dean handed the tablet back to Sam. "No hacking."

Sam huffed and walked away, Gabe trailing after him toward the freshman hall. Cas, Dean, and Charlie headed for their own homerooms on the other side of the school.

X

She was in his homeroom. Of course she was. They were arranged alphabetically and his contained students with last names beginning with M-O. She stood at the front of the room, arms crossed defensively as their teacher went over her registration paperwork. After a moment he stood up.

"Class, we have a new student today. This is Meg Masters." He turned to her, smiling expectantly. "Do you want to tell us a bit about yourself?"

Meg smiled sweetly, but the expression didn't quite touch her eyes, which glittered coldly. "Oh, no, not especially. Thank you."

She sounded sarcastic, but Cas got the feeling that just about everything she said would. It was something in the way she held herself, the way she tilted her head and twisted her lips as she assessed the people around her.

"Well then…" Their teacher seemed at a loss for words. "Take a seat, I suppose."

Cas's throat closed and his stomach dropped. The only empty seat was directly beside him. He schooled his expression into an unaffected one. He knew why she was affecting him this way. He had two older brothers with rooms on either side of him, and they weren't shy. Of course he knew. But no one had ever affected him like that before, and he was determined to pretend it wasn't happening. It wasn't logical. He didn't even know her. He wasn't like his brothers, with their posters and glossy magazines of scantily-clad (or, in the case of those hidden in closets and under mattresses, nude) women. He always thought that he would need to know a girl before he felt…_that_.

He felt his face heating and his eyes narrowed as he focused on the board, counting backwards from one hundred, reciting the names of all fifty states and their capitals, singing the Star Spangled Banner loudly, all in his head. Her scent was invading his nostrils, sweet and floral, with an edge of something sharp… Ginger, he decided. He recognized it from one of Anna's fad diets, a juice fast that had left her short-tempered for days before she finally broke down and devoured a whole pizza in the space of ten minutes.

Thinking of his sister did it, and by the time the daily announcements concluded and the bell rang for first period, he was calm enough to stand and leave, rushing out of the room and away from the girl who affected him in ways that he understood, and yet couldn't understand at all.

X

The worst and best part of the day for Cas was lunch. The freshmen had their own lunch period – a compromise between the school board and concerned parents when the ninth graders were integrated into the high school rather than staying part of the junior high, as in previous years – and the rest of the school was split between the other two. Dean and Charlie were in the other one, so Cas was left alone. He was fine to eat by himself, choosing to sit against the wall of the courtyard and enjoy the fresh air as he balanced a book on his knee, but he was never more aware of his own isolation from the rest of his peers. He had never been good at sitting and joking with the others, over-thinking everything and often missing the references to pop culture that so many of his peers were constantly making.

Instead, in his nearly four years at the school, he had been making his way through the World Library, a list of the top one hundred books of all time. At the moment, it was Dante's_ Divine Comedy_.

Cas was so absorbed in his reading that he didn't notice anyone approach him until the smell hit him. He looked up, his eyes wide, to find Meg sitting beside him, one leg stretched out in front of her, the other bent at the knee, one hand resting on it with a lit cigarette dangling loosely from her fingers.

He wrinkled his nose. "You shouldn't smoke."

She looked at him, her expression bored as she exhaled a thin stream of smoke. The wind carried it away from them, across the courtyard.

He tried again. "It's bad for you. Besides, it's against the rules." His eyes cast around nervously. A teacher wasn't assigned to monitor the courtyard, but every now and then they were known to stick their head out of the door and check on the goings-on of the area. Cas had never been in trouble before, and he wasn't eager for his first time to be because of this girl.

Finally, she spoke, her voice low and sultry. "Clarence, is it?"

"Castiel," he corrected her, confused. "Why did you think my name was Clarence?"

"Figured it had to be something like that." She smiled wryly. "You seem like a good little angel, after all."

He still didn't know what Clarence had to do with it, but he decided to let it go. He considered scooting a few feet away from her. He couldn't be blamed for her smoking if he was clearly not with her, could he? But something kept him rooted to the spot, and as he stared at the words of his book, he couldn't seem to focus on them.

"So, Castiel," Meg began again after a few minutes. "What do people do around here for fun?"

"I wouldn't know, really." He wasn't embarrassed to admit it. "I guess the same sort of things they do anywhere else. My friend Dean works on cars. His brother is some sort of tech genius, and he builds computers. My older brother and sister go to parties on the university campus sometimes. But other than the campus, it's pretty quiet here."

"What do you do?"

He thought about it for a minute. "I read. I study."

"Better be careful. Too much excitement can kill you, you know."

He looked up, surprised, to find her smiling at him. Despite himself, he smiled back. She stamped out her cigarette on the ground beside her and stood up, brushing the dirt off of the back of her pants. She looked around as the bell rang and the other students began to file past them and back into the school.

"Hey," she began, almost as an afterthought. "You should show me around this weekend. Who knows, maybe you'll find something a little more exciting than reading."

He nodded, unable to think of anything to say, and she turned and walked away, not looking back as she disappeared into the school.

It was a few minutes before he himself stood up and headed back in. For the first time in his life, he was late for a class.

X

**AN**: So there we have it, the beginning of the story. I hope you'll stick around to find out how we get from here to the events of the prologue!

In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you! I'm still new to Supernatural fanfiction, and an AU is a little daunting. Let me know what you think! I welcome concrit!

See you next chapter!


End file.

Supernatural, Drama, Romance