Gift fic way overdue.
So, um, this fic was from like last year and I never had a chance to write it. I had a few minutes this morning so I thought I'd finally write the little plot bunny in my head.
Title: Scholarship
Summary: Sam gets invited to a scholarship award ceremony at his school.
Author's Note: For weesta! Enjoy! Not beta'd either.
The ceremony was long and boring. Sam expected it to be boring, the teachers had warned them at an earlier rehearsal, but he didn’t expect it to be so monotonous. Mrs. Gates, the student activities coordinator, was still in the middle of all the sport’s scholarships and the only people who looked alive were the people who were winning them. They always took the longest and were the hardest to get through. He had been anxious in the beginning to find out what he had won but now he was just tired. There was nothing like hearing other people win awards to make you want to sleep.
He scanned the crowd, not expecting to find anyone. He hadn’t even told Dean and Dad about this. They probably wouldn’t have come anyway. Dad bristled at the mention of a future other than hunting and Dean never wanted to talk about it. Any scholarship he won that had to be used at a college or university would be useless in Dad’s mind anyway.
“And now, we move on to our academic scholarships.” Mrs. Gates’ voice picked up and he saw some people on the stage with him sit up as well. Sam’s palms started to get sweat. Academic scholarships were really the only thing he could get since he wasn’t a big member in any of the clubs at school and he didn’t play sports. Academic scholarships also meant the ones you had to apply to with essays, SAT scores, and financial aid. Sam applied to every one he thought might have a chance at getting.
“Gotta be in it to win it,” Mrs. O’Reilly, the secretary and general keeper of all things scholarships had said to him every time he handed in an application.
He lost count of how many he applied to but he thought it might be around thirty. In the beginning of his time at the school, right when all the applications were coming out, they had said that the average number of applications was about thirty, so he figured he was on target.
“Our first scholarship is awarded to someone who is attending a state school and has maintained an average of ninety five or higher.”
Sam didn’t know where he was going yet. He had applied to a few schools, Stanford, NYU, Columbia, and Harvard, just to see. There was also University of North Carolina, University of Chicago other schools that were a little harder to get into but easier than any of those. Tier One schools, he thought they were called. Like the scholarships he wanted to apply to as many schools as possible. Decisions weren’t out for another week or so but Sam was already really nervous about that.
Trevor Kensington, who had signed with University of Albany for baseball, got up to shake hands with the principal and receive his award. He gave a large smile to the crowd before sitting down. Sam zoned out for a couple minutes as she went over another few scholarships he knew he didn’t apply for. He didn’t even recognize the kids who got up for them.
“A scholarship from the Gates family in memory of our mother Louise for five hundred dollars.” She paused and smiled. “Sam Winchester.”
Stacy Andrews had to nudge him before he could realize that it was his name. He smiled and walked over to shake the principal, Mr. Donovan’s hand, and then get the scholarship. Five hundred dollars was a good amount. It could buy him books, put money toward a laptop, or anything else he needed.
A few other scholarships were called and he realized that sports was not the biggest section, academics were. “For one thousand dollars from the Knights of Columbus, Sam Winchester.”
He got up again, smiled, feeling better now. He was grateful for the five hundred dollars scholarship, but one thousand was a generous amount.
“The North Rockland High School scholarship award, to Sam Winchester, for two thousand dollars.”
He hadn’t even had a chance to sit down and so he walked the few feet to the stage, nodded gratefully, took the scholarship and sat back down slowly. He felt lighter now. He felt like he wasn’t even here, he was watching it from somewhere else. This was a larger amount of money. It was more money than he had ever had at one time that was legally his. It felt awesome.
Mrs. Gates voice swelled and everyone held his or her breath. “For ten thousand dollars,” her voice boomed. “The Laura and Kennedy West memorial scholarship goes to Sam Winchester.”
There were a few gasps and then an eruption of clapping. The scholarship was coveted. You had to write an essay about who you are and what’s important to you. He’d struggled with the essay for the longest time. The others had been easier to write. All he had to do was write about his future goals, why he thought he deserved the scholarship, if there were any circumstances that made him more eligible for it than others. But the West Memorial scholarship was a serious and unpredictable award with a difficult essay. Teachers prepped their students on how to write it and the running gag was that a student last year wrote about cheese as the most important thing in his life and won.
As he got up to get his scholarship, feeling his face break out into a huge grin, he couldn’t remember what he wrote. It had taken him days and he had almost missed the deadline he remembered that. He knew he had marked it as one he would probably most likely not win but now that he did he was curious.
“Great job, congratulations, Sam.” Mr. Donovan said and more clapping followed him as he sat back down. Stacy smiled and Sam might have been mistaken but she could have batted her eyelashes. “Congratulations, Sam.”
He cleared his throat. “Thank you.”
The rest of his night he was in a daze. He got up five more times but he didn’t really remember it. He was so happy, so overwhelmed, he couldn’t really think straight.
There was a reception at the end. He had meant to skip it because Dean was probably wondering where he was and he was no good at these things anyway. All the other students with their families, taking pictures with their awards, posing for various family members and siblings. All it took was one concerned parent to ask where his family was for him to get really uncomfortable and he tried to avoid that.
But as he walked through the crowd he was met with smiles, congratulations, and pats on the back. He didn’t want to leave. One of the guys from his AP Biology class Kent Burke, whom he had become close with, gave him a quick hug. “Dude, how’d you score that?”
Sam shrugged and wished he knew. “Dunno.”
He went back to grab a couple cookies and a cup of coffee when a familiar whistle stopped him. He had a sudden flashback to being at the park with Dean, wanted to explore what was in the woods surrounding the playground, when Dad’s whistle pulled them back. It meant time to go, come back, or hey there.
Sam froze and turned around. Anyone could whistle to his or her kid. He had probably heard some other father or maybe Uncle. Dad didn’t know about this, there was no way he could no about this.
But there he was, standing with Dean by a bench away from the crowd. They didn’t look bad or uncomfortable, actually the opposite. They looked happy.
He walked over slowly, wondering if they were possessed.
He stood there for a few seconds as he got close, only feet away from his father and brother. He didn’t know what to say. He wanted to ask what they were doing here, or apologize for not telling him but Dean stood up from where he was leaning against the wall and gave him a tight hug. “Congratulations, dude.”
Sam bit his lip as Dean pulled away. “Thank you.”
When he looked up at his father, he realizes he was grinning. “Good job, kiddo. I’m proud of you.” And then he pulled him in for a bear hug.
Sam smiled back. “Thanks. How-“
Dean rolled his eyes. “Got a letter in the mail. Said that some students forget to tell parents or guardians what day and time the ceremony is so they send a second invitation to the home.” He shook his head. “So, how much did you get?”
It was Sam’s turn to roll his eyes. “I’m not telling you.”
Dean made a grab for the envelopes. “Give ‘em to me!”
“Boys,” Dad said and they stopped. Dean straightened. “Can we get outta here Sammy or do you want to spend a few more minutes with your fellow scholars?”
“I’m good.” He said and they walked out.
On the car ride home it was quiet. There was no talk about how the money would be spent or what it was for. They could just act like a normal, happy family. Dean even let Sam sit up front and play with the music.
He felt happy, even as he put the money in the bottom of his duffel where he kept all the information about the schools he applied to. He couldn’t let them know about it yet, not until he was sure and knew exactly what he was going to do. And if this hadn’t been so bad, maybe there was a chance that college could be too.
As Sam got in bed, he grinned at the thought and shook his head. Maybe, but probably not. But for now, he was happy, he was okay and that was good enough for him.
Title: Scholarship
Summary: Sam gets invited to a scholarship award ceremony at his school.
Author's Note: For weesta! Enjoy! Not beta'd either.
The ceremony was long and boring. Sam expected it to be boring, the teachers had warned them at an earlier rehearsal, but he didn’t expect it to be so monotonous. Mrs. Gates, the student activities coordinator, was still in the middle of all the sport’s scholarships and the only people who looked alive were the people who were winning them. They always took the longest and were the hardest to get through. He had been anxious in the beginning to find out what he had won but now he was just tired. There was nothing like hearing other people win awards to make you want to sleep.
He scanned the crowd, not expecting to find anyone. He hadn’t even told Dean and Dad about this. They probably wouldn’t have come anyway. Dad bristled at the mention of a future other than hunting and Dean never wanted to talk about it. Any scholarship he won that had to be used at a college or university would be useless in Dad’s mind anyway.
“And now, we move on to our academic scholarships.” Mrs. Gates’ voice picked up and he saw some people on the stage with him sit up as well. Sam’s palms started to get sweat. Academic scholarships were really the only thing he could get since he wasn’t a big member in any of the clubs at school and he didn’t play sports. Academic scholarships also meant the ones you had to apply to with essays, SAT scores, and financial aid. Sam applied to every one he thought might have a chance at getting.
“Gotta be in it to win it,” Mrs. O’Reilly, the secretary and general keeper of all things scholarships had said to him every time he handed in an application.
He lost count of how many he applied to but he thought it might be around thirty. In the beginning of his time at the school, right when all the applications were coming out, they had said that the average number of applications was about thirty, so he figured he was on target.
“Our first scholarship is awarded to someone who is attending a state school and has maintained an average of ninety five or higher.”
Sam didn’t know where he was going yet. He had applied to a few schools, Stanford, NYU, Columbia, and Harvard, just to see. There was also University of North Carolina, University of Chicago other schools that were a little harder to get into but easier than any of those. Tier One schools, he thought they were called. Like the scholarships he wanted to apply to as many schools as possible. Decisions weren’t out for another week or so but Sam was already really nervous about that.
Trevor Kensington, who had signed with University of Albany for baseball, got up to shake hands with the principal and receive his award. He gave a large smile to the crowd before sitting down. Sam zoned out for a couple minutes as she went over another few scholarships he knew he didn’t apply for. He didn’t even recognize the kids who got up for them.
“A scholarship from the Gates family in memory of our mother Louise for five hundred dollars.” She paused and smiled. “Sam Winchester.”
Stacy Andrews had to nudge him before he could realize that it was his name. He smiled and walked over to shake the principal, Mr. Donovan’s hand, and then get the scholarship. Five hundred dollars was a good amount. It could buy him books, put money toward a laptop, or anything else he needed.
A few other scholarships were called and he realized that sports was not the biggest section, academics were. “For one thousand dollars from the Knights of Columbus, Sam Winchester.”
He got up again, smiled, feeling better now. He was grateful for the five hundred dollars scholarship, but one thousand was a generous amount.
“The North Rockland High School scholarship award, to Sam Winchester, for two thousand dollars.”
He hadn’t even had a chance to sit down and so he walked the few feet to the stage, nodded gratefully, took the scholarship and sat back down slowly. He felt lighter now. He felt like he wasn’t even here, he was watching it from somewhere else. This was a larger amount of money. It was more money than he had ever had at one time that was legally his. It felt awesome.
Mrs. Gates voice swelled and everyone held his or her breath. “For ten thousand dollars,” her voice boomed. “The Laura and Kennedy West memorial scholarship goes to Sam Winchester.”
There were a few gasps and then an eruption of clapping. The scholarship was coveted. You had to write an essay about who you are and what’s important to you. He’d struggled with the essay for the longest time. The others had been easier to write. All he had to do was write about his future goals, why he thought he deserved the scholarship, if there were any circumstances that made him more eligible for it than others. But the West Memorial scholarship was a serious and unpredictable award with a difficult essay. Teachers prepped their students on how to write it and the running gag was that a student last year wrote about cheese as the most important thing in his life and won.
As he got up to get his scholarship, feeling his face break out into a huge grin, he couldn’t remember what he wrote. It had taken him days and he had almost missed the deadline he remembered that. He knew he had marked it as one he would probably most likely not win but now that he did he was curious.
“Great job, congratulations, Sam.” Mr. Donovan said and more clapping followed him as he sat back down. Stacy smiled and Sam might have been mistaken but she could have batted her eyelashes. “Congratulations, Sam.”
He cleared his throat. “Thank you.”
The rest of his night he was in a daze. He got up five more times but he didn’t really remember it. He was so happy, so overwhelmed, he couldn’t really think straight.
There was a reception at the end. He had meant to skip it because Dean was probably wondering where he was and he was no good at these things anyway. All the other students with their families, taking pictures with their awards, posing for various family members and siblings. All it took was one concerned parent to ask where his family was for him to get really uncomfortable and he tried to avoid that.
But as he walked through the crowd he was met with smiles, congratulations, and pats on the back. He didn’t want to leave. One of the guys from his AP Biology class Kent Burke, whom he had become close with, gave him a quick hug. “Dude, how’d you score that?”
Sam shrugged and wished he knew. “Dunno.”
He went back to grab a couple cookies and a cup of coffee when a familiar whistle stopped him. He had a sudden flashback to being at the park with Dean, wanted to explore what was in the woods surrounding the playground, when Dad’s whistle pulled them back. It meant time to go, come back, or hey there.
Sam froze and turned around. Anyone could whistle to his or her kid. He had probably heard some other father or maybe Uncle. Dad didn’t know about this, there was no way he could no about this.
But there he was, standing with Dean by a bench away from the crowd. They didn’t look bad or uncomfortable, actually the opposite. They looked happy.
He walked over slowly, wondering if they were possessed.
He stood there for a few seconds as he got close, only feet away from his father and brother. He didn’t know what to say. He wanted to ask what they were doing here, or apologize for not telling him but Dean stood up from where he was leaning against the wall and gave him a tight hug. “Congratulations, dude.”
Sam bit his lip as Dean pulled away. “Thank you.”
When he looked up at his father, he realizes he was grinning. “Good job, kiddo. I’m proud of you.” And then he pulled him in for a bear hug.
Sam smiled back. “Thanks. How-“
Dean rolled his eyes. “Got a letter in the mail. Said that some students forget to tell parents or guardians what day and time the ceremony is so they send a second invitation to the home.” He shook his head. “So, how much did you get?”
It was Sam’s turn to roll his eyes. “I’m not telling you.”
Dean made a grab for the envelopes. “Give ‘em to me!”
“Boys,” Dad said and they stopped. Dean straightened. “Can we get outta here Sammy or do you want to spend a few more minutes with your fellow scholars?”
“I’m good.” He said and they walked out.
On the car ride home it was quiet. There was no talk about how the money would be spent or what it was for. They could just act like a normal, happy family. Dean even let Sam sit up front and play with the music.
He felt happy, even as he put the money in the bottom of his duffel where he kept all the information about the schools he applied to. He couldn’t let them know about it yet, not until he was sure and knew exactly what he was going to do. And if this hadn’t been so bad, maybe there was a chance that college could be too.
As Sam got in bed, he grinned at the thought and shook his head. Maybe, but probably not. But for now, he was happy, he was okay and that was good enough for him.