Title: "What If" in High School Chapter: Chapter 2 Rating: G Summary: Noah continues his first day of school. Characters: Luke, Noah, Kevin, Casey Genre: AU, Humor Warnings: None Disclaimer: This site is no way associated with "As the World Turns", CBS, P&G, or Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann. This is not for profit. No copyright infringement is intended. Authors submit and write their own work.

Noah and Casey sat at the same desk together behind Luke and Kevin. Noah was still trying to figure out why he felt that feeling when he shook Luke’s hand when the teacher walked in the room. The teacher was somewhat tall, but stocky. Noah heard catcalls made towards the teacher as he was walking back to his desk.

“All right. All right, settle down. Ah, I see a few familiar faces. What you missed me over the summer, or you just couldn’t pass summer school?”

“Good ol’ Mr. Wilson. Of course, we just could not get enough of you! I personally, missed you terribly,” said a boy in a blue hoodie.

“Yeah,” chimed in another boy sitting next to the boy in the blue hoodie. “Cried myself to sleep every night in the fetal position.”

“I’m sure you did. Ok, well, I’m going to start the actual class since the bell has rung.”

“No it—“started the blue hoodie boy, but was interrupted by the bell.

“Ok, attendance time. Oh, I see we have a new student. Is there a…Noah Mayer?”

Noah turned around to face the teacher’s desk and raised his hand. “Here.”

“I see you’ve already made a friend. Casey is a fine student…the boy in front of you however…,” the teacher said with a raised brow. Noah looked and realized he was talking about Kevin.

The teacher continued taking attendance while Noah sat there and wondered why the teacher didn’t like Kevin.

Once the teacher was finished, he did the normal first day routine which was telling the class all the rules and regulations. If this teacher was funny, Noah certainly could not tell that he was. He did give the students the last few minutes to talk at the end of the block though.

“Hey, we have the next class together,” said Luke. "I can show you where it is. It’s way back there and kind of hard to find if you don’t know where it is.”

Noah’s mouth became very dry, but he managed to say “That…that’d be great. Thanks.”

The foursome talked, passing time, and then Kevin asked Luke a question.

“Hey, you know that girl that’s always hangin' out with Liv?”

“Yeah,” Luke responded hesitantly. Noah could hear it in his voice.

“Well, she thinks you’re hot and I thought we could double.”

“I…I don’t think so,” Luke responded uncomfortably. Noah noticed this also. Why was he noticing these things?

”Aw, c’mon. She’s scorcher hot AND likes you. What more could you want?!”

”I have to help at my grandma’s farm and stuff. You know how it is.”

“Psht. Whatever, man. Casey, what are you and Maddie up to Friday?”

“Uh, nothing that I know of.”

“Good. Tell her you’re going out with us then.”

“Ok, I’ll ask.”

”Whoa whoa whoa! You’re going to ask her? Why?”

”Because,” Casey said leaning forward towards Kevin, ”that’s how a good relationship works. Communication, not bossing orders,” he said condescendingly as Kevin rolled his eyes.

The bell rang and Luke and Noah headed towards their class.

“So, did you like it in Branson?”

“Yeah. It...it was ok. I don’t really miss it much.”

“It must be hard. Moving to a new school when you only have a few years left.”

“It’s ok. You get used to it. So…your grandma has a farm. Like, animals?”

Luke smiled and let out a laugh that sounded more like a heavy breath.
“We don’t have as many animals now. Mainly just corn and stuff.”

“I’ve always wanted to see a real farm. I mean, I’ve seen one, just never really went to one,” Noah mumbled while he looked over at Luke who was slightly grinning. “Did…did that make sense?”

”Actually, it kind of did. Living with younger siblings helps you understand what people are saying, even if it comes out as gibberish to most people.”

“Is it fun having siblings?”

“It's ok. It has its advantages. You don’t have any siblings?”

“Nope, just me and my dad.”

“Oh. Well I will gladly let you borrow them whenever you want. Just come by the house and pick them up!” Luke joked before he added, ”Or, you know. Come by if you want to hang out or something.”

“Thanks, that would be really cool,” Noah said, his mouth was dry again.

Noah and Luke walked in silence for about half a minute when they arrived to the class. It wasn’t really and awkward silence, it was actually very comfortable.

Noah and Luke decided to sit near each other. Noah looked over at Luke and asked,”Hey, uh, Luke?”

“Yeah?”

“What class is this? I don’t remember what classes I signed up for,” he said with a smile trying to cover the embarrassment.

Luke smiled and shook his head while he said, “This is a creative writing class.”

“Right. Thanks.”

They sat at their assigned desk, done alphabetically by the teacher, which meant Noah wasn’t able to sit next to Luke. Instead, he got stuck next to a boy that wouldn’t stop asking him questions, and would talk out loud. Almost rhetorically, or seeing if he just talked in the general direction of people, someone would respond. Noah tried to be friendly to him, he introduced himself and shook the other boys’ hand, but after the twentieth question, Noah stopped listening. Instead, he found himself looking over at Luke, who was pretending to pay attention to the teacher give the class rules.

Noah wasn’t glaring at Luke, just occasionally glancing over. He kept thinking about that feeling, when he told himself to quit. If his dad knew that Noah was thinking about another boy…Noah did not even want to think what we would do. Nothing good, he knew that much.

After what felt like an eternity, the bell finally rang and Luke walked over to Noah.
“So, do you think it’s ironic the creative writing teacher is extremely boring?”

“Oh. I wasn’t really paying attention,” Noah said looking down.

“I wasn’t really paying attention to what he was saying; I couldn’t stop looking at the wrinkles on his forehead! It’s like they were a different life form or something!”

They laughed as the walked down the long hallway they came from.

“I’m so hungry. I could really use something from Al’s,” Luke said putting his hand on his stomach.

“What is Al’s? I’ve heard a few people talk about it.”

“It’s this restaurant. Nothing fancy, just good food and a place to hang out.”

“Oh.”

“Do…you wanna go sometime? I’m headed there after school with a few friends. Wanna come with?"

"Um, no thanks."

“Are you sure? Everyone’s gotta eat!”

“I know,” Noah said, trying to sound more convincing than nervous. “Maybe later this week. I think I just want to go home after school.”

“Alright. I’ll hold you to it though. Everyone’s got to try Al’s.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to it then.”