Samantha Winchester was a swimmer. A good swimmer. She used to be on her middle school swim team, but chose mathematics once she got to high school. Still, she swam in the school pool whenever she got the chance. Always in a black one piece, her brown hair spread out in the water.

Part of Gabriel wanted to give her a better swimsuit. The other part wanted it completely gone.

Gabriel Novak wasn't exactly the top candidate to date Samantha though. For one, she had a big brother. And Gabriel was on the bad side of Dean Winchester. Not to mention that Gabriel's little brother, Castiel, was Dean's best friend. So Dean got to hear all the horror stories that little siblings collect about their older brother.

In short, there is no way that Gabriel was going to get anywhere near Samantha. At least, not while Dean was watching.

Gabriel happened to be a master of plans and he had a dozen ideas to get Samantha, but he didn't really believe any of them would work. So he did the only natural thing, which was to wing it.

Samantha was in the library, studying for something or other (beauty and brains! What more could a man need?) and there was no Dean in sight.

"Hi there," Gabriel said, sitting down across from her, "What's up?"

"You're that trickster kid, aren't you?" she replied, not looking up from her papers.

"That's me!" Gabriel grinned, "Gabriel Novak. And you must be Samantha Winchester."

"You know who I am?" she glanced up, chocolate eyes under dark lashes.

"Um, yeah," Gabriel shrugged, "I went to a couple of swim-meets. You're pretty good."

"I was pretty good," Samantha laughed, "But I can't be swimming forever. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you didn't come here to talk about my middle school swim career?"

"Yes, point," Gabriel nodded, "I was wondering if you'd be willing to join me for some ice cream? My treat."

"Make it frozen yogurt," she countered.

"Deal," Gabriel grinned and stood up, "Shall we go then?"

Samantha smiled back and her dimples could stop the sun. She packed her bag and stood up.

He did not anticipate that. She's not that much taller, just… four or five inches? Not really so much that it was comical, but just enough that he had to look up to catch her eyes.

He must have been staring because Samantha starts to laugh, "Come on hot shot, you promised me frozen yogurt."

Gabriel shakes the height difference from his head. Maybe they'll be cute like that.

They were not cute at all. It was okay when they were sitting together at lunch or in the theater because they were on more equal ground and she could lean her head against his shoulder and she smelled like vanilla.

But whenever they walked somewhere hand in hand, he could feel the stares. Tiny Gabriel dating one of the tallest girls at school. Dean already made his threat, though it was lessened by having Castiel tugging on his arm.

Really, the only thing keeping Gabriel with Samantha is because she was beautiful and smart and funny and she was everything he really ever wanted. Because he loved seeing her dark brown hair flying in the wind. Because her eyes were like chocolate. Because she had a smile that could go from innocent to playful in half a second. Because her hand was always so soft as she slid it against his.

She was just so tall. He couldn't handle being the short one in the relationship. He didn't like it.

"Movie tonight," she announced, lacing their fingers together, "It's a shame you haven't seen all the Star Wars movies in one go and I really think-"

Gabriel pulled his hand out and took a few steps back, "Yeah, of course. I'll see you at your place then?"

"Um, yeah," Samantha rubbed her arms, "If that's okay?"

"Fine, I'll see you later."

Gabriel knew that he was embarrassing Samantha by pushing her away during school. He could see it in her eyes, the way they dulled over, the soft pout as he pulled away. Gabriel wasn't ashamed of her, not in the least, it was his pride that was the problem. He didn't like being short. It was… unmanly or something.

They were walking home late from a school play. Gabriel, once again, pulled his hand from her grasp, keeping a respectable distance between them.

"What's your problem?" she snapped, "One minute you want to take me to a movie and the next you're just pushing me away."

"You wouldn't understand," Gabriel hedged.

"Am I not pretty enough or something?" she pushed, "Do you not want to date a nerd? Is that it?"

"No!" Gabriel insisted, "You're beautiful and you're brilliant."

"Then why won't you hold my hand?" she cried, "Is there something wrong with me? Did Dean threaten you?"

"No," Gabriel shook his head, "It's… it's nothing."

"It's something, Gabe," Samantha folded her arms.

Gabriel sighed. He looked up at Samantha. He lifted his hand up to the top of his head and measured himself next to her. He came up to her shoulder. Samantha wilted, and it would have been humorous if it wasn't so sad.

"You don't like how tall I am?" she said.

"No, I love how tall you are," Gabriel rushed, "I don't like being shorter than you…"

"Well I hate to tell you, but this is how tall I'm going to be so you better get used to it," Samantha snapped.

"I can't!"

"Then I guess there's nothing," she said, stepping back from Gabriel.

Her face looked like someone had just killed her favorite puppy. God, Gabriel felt like a jerk. It didn't matter how much the height difference bothered him, nothing was more important than wanting to see Samantha smile again though. So he was going to completely shatter his dignity and be worthy of an 80s love story.

The Winchesters already knew what he was going to do and weren't surprised when he pulled up, stereo in hand. They pointed out Samantha's window and he pressed play, holding the stereo up over his head.

It only took to the chorus before she was opening her window. Her brown hair was tied back in a braid and her eyes widened at seeing Gabriel standing outside.

"What the hell are you doing?" she shouted.

"What's it look like?" he shouted back, grinning.

Her face fell into disbelief and she leaned against the windowsill, listening to the song and smiling. A full smile with dimples and crinkled eyes and it made Gabriel fell warm all over.

"Um, not to ruin the romance," he said, "But this hurts my arms. Wanna go for some ice cream?"

"Make it frozen yogurt," she smirked.

"Deal."