by alexiskeller1

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After his family's accident, ever popular Noah Archer starts to build walls around himself, freezing out anyone unwanted and cutting off all and any meaningless ties.

That is, of course, until the curious Riley Dawson enters the picture and changes it all for him with just one glance and two innocent little words.

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"Hey, Noah?" Those were the first words I'd ever said to him.

There was the slightest bit of surprise on his face—which had to be because he had no idea who I was, yet I knew his name. But then again, everyone at Redwood knew him; he was Noah Archer—tall, cocky and handsome as all hell, the star quarterback of the football team and Ladies Man Extraordinaire. Of course everyone knew him. But at that moment, other than that bit of initial surprise, he simply regarded me with those piercing eyes of his. Even though my resolve shook the smallest bit just then, I still went on.

"Uh, I heard what happened. And, um, I can tell people are dodging it with you, and I guess most in your position wouldn't want to talk about it but... I don't know, if it was me, I wouldn't want that. I'm sorry for your loss, Noah."

Something flickered in those eyes of his. I couldn't clearly make it out, especially with the way he didn't let his guard down at all, but I was pretty sure that was also the most I was going to get.

That was okay, because I expected as much. And I couldn't stick around because first, I was done and second, I had a test to get to.

So I turned and started for Psych class before throwing a short, "Goodbye," over my shoulder. I didn't know how he responded. Or even if he responded. I also didn't know what he was doing here in first place. All I knew was, he was a guy going through what had to be a really hard time, and I only hoped it got better for him. I would've offered more, tried to strike up an actual conversation (I doubt he would've replied) and whatnot but if his expression was any indicator, now so wasn't the time.

That day I knew I had changed the way things had always been by actually breaking out of the regular old pattern and speaking to him for once. But I hadn't realized that that would end up changing things.

But then it did.

Tremendously.

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