Title: "What If" in High School Chapter: Chapter 6 Rating: PG Summary: Noah invites Luke on a trip with his father. Characters: Luke, Noah, Win 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 knew logically he should say hello back, but he froze.

“Hello,” Luke asked again.

“Uh, Luke, it’s me. Noah.”

“Oh, hey Noah,” Luke said. Noah could hear the change in his voice. It seemed more upbeat.

“So what are you doing?”

Luke was carrying the conversation.

“Um…well you said you wanted me to call you. Is this a bad time? I can call back later if you’re busy with your family and stuff--“

“No, I’m not busy! I, uh…I want to talk to you,” Luke said, and Noah could almost see the smile Luke had in his voice.

“Ok. So how’s your mom? Is she ok?”

“Yeah actually, she’s doing really good. I have a new baby brother.”

“That’s great. What’s his name?”

“Ethan. We don’t have a middle name yet. Anything’s better than mine, so the kid got lucky.”

“Wh-what’s your middle name,” Noah asked. He couldn’t help but smile when he did.

“Really? You want to know?”

“Yeah. All part of getting to know each other right?”

Noah could hear Luke sigh into the phone.

“Ok. Might as well tell you my whole name and just get it over with.”

“It can’t be that bad,” Noah said with a little laugh.

“Ok. But you still have to call me Luke! Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Ok. My whole name is…Luciano Eduardo Grimaldi Snyder,” Luke mumbled.

“Wow, that’s…that’s one heck of a name,” Noah said trying to cover his laugh by biting his lip.

“It’s ok, you can laugh. Just this once though!”

Noah covered the bottom of the phone with his hand and laughed quickly before getting back to Luke.

“No, I think it’s a nice name. Honest. It’s full of character. I really like it.”

“Oh. Well thank you. I wish I could see your face to see if you’re lying or not though,” Luke joked.

“I wouldn’t lie about something like that,” Noah said simply, and softly.

Luke was quiet for a minute. Noah was nervous and didn’t know what to say. What do you say to someone you made out with the previous night?

“So,” Luke began, “what goes on with you? What are you up to?”

“Not much. I got home, talked to my dad, then came here and called you.”

“Came here? Where are you?”

“I’m at the park. I was just reading. My dad told me to go out, but I didn’t really feel like hanging out with a crowd. I’m used to it that way anyhow.”

“Oh.”

Silence again.

Noah was afraid he was screwing this up already, even if he technically didn’t know what this was. Thankfully, Luke started up the conversation again, and Noah was glad Luke could be that person to just come up with something to talk about.

“So what did you and your dad talk about?”

“Um…”

”Sorry, that was really nosey. I was just trying to keep the conversation going.”

“No, it’s ok. We were talking about fall break and what we’re going to do.”

“Oh that’s cool. Where are you going?”

“Branson. My dad and his army buddies are having this gathering or something. It’s not really that much fun for me.”

“Oh. Well, at least you’ll be going somewhere. I never go anywhere.”

“Do you, um, I mean that is if you don’t…”

“Yeah…”

“Do you maybe want to go with us? My dad suggested it because when he wondered where I was I said my friend Luke and he thought, well I thought too, that maybe you—“

“Noah! It’s ok, breathe!”

Noah sighed heavily and heard Luke try not to laugh on the other end of the phone.

“Sorry.”

“It’s ok,” Luke said still trying to cover his laugh. “You were saying…”

“I was wondering if you wanted to…go with us. If it’s too soon or weird you don’t have to say yes, but I just wanted to ask.”

“Well, we have only known each other a week and a half…but I feel like I know you. So, my answer would have to be, yeah, I’d really like to hang out with you in Branson over fall break.”

A huge smile spread across Noah’s face. “Really? Good. I was worried that it would freak you out.”

“No. I mean, fall break’s a few weeks away and we can get to know each other more before then, and it’ll be cool.”

“Good.”

Noah talked to Luke for about half an hour longer about different things. What it’s like in Branson, their classes, and new movie that Luke wanted to see, and other random things they felt needed talked about. Luke had to leave to help one of his sisters with something, so Noah said goodbye and started to walk back to his truck. He climbed in and started the engine when he heard his phone make a noise. He looked down and saw a text from Luke.

Talking to you is fun. Hope to do it more often. See you Monday.

Noah smiled. He did that a lot lately. Maybe it was this town. Maybe it was his new life he now has that includes friends. Maybe it was Luke.

Noah got home and did his normal routine. Keys in change dish, tell dad where he was and yes, he did have a good time, and go into his room to get away.

Noah checked AIM like he does every time, but Gabe’s not on so he leaves him an offline message.

n_mayer: I met someone, and I really like them. I didn’t know things could happen so fast.

Noah then decided that even though he had a nap earlier, he should go to bed. He didn’t know why he did so early compared to regular nights. It’s not like he had anything to do the next day.

Noah woke up early Sunday. A very, very long Sunday. He was just happy when it was over and he could go to school the next day and see his friends and Luke.

Once Noah arrived at school, it then came to him this was the first time he’d see Luke since Saturday morning. Was it going to be awkward? He hoped not. Noah didn’t want to make things weird when he was just getting friends.

Noah walked into his homeroom, passing Casey giving Maddie another quick kiss goodbye. He was happy for them. From what he’s seen, they seem really happy with each other too.

He saw Luke sitting with Kevin and could hear Kevin talking about Liv.

“Oh, man, Snyder! She wasn’t holding back at all if you know what I mean,” Kevin bragged, nudging his elbow at Luke a few times. Luke just slightly smiled and rolled his eyes.

Then Luke saw Noah and Noah waited for Luke to do something, anything, to make sure it wouldn’t be awkward. Then, Luke did something Noah had only seen and heard about in the movies. At least, he was pretty sure.

When Noah walked in the room, and Luke looked from Kevin up to Noah, and Noah swore he saw Luke’s entire personality and body language change. Luke smiled at Noah, something changed in his eyes, and sat up a little straighter. Noah heard a girl once describe it as “his whole face lights up”.

“Noah, hey! How was the rest of your weekend?”

Noah knew Luke was trying to be casual.

“It was pretty good thanks. Caught up on some reading.”

“Pshh! You read on the weekends. And not for, like, a class or something,” Kevin said. His voice half shocked, half mocking.

“Uh, yeah.”

Casey ran into the room and sat in his seat within seconds, then the bell rang.

“I’ve still got it,” Casey said giving high five to the other boys around him.

“Busy gettin' busy with Maddie in the hall are we,” Kevin asked making a motion of him spanking someone.

“Shut up jerk. Not all of us have slutty girlfriends.”

“Hey you can—“

“Good morning class,” Mr. Wilson interrupted. “Ok, everyone’s here, now get your head in a book and study.”

Noah shook his head while he laughed looking down at the table.

The rest of class was ok. Nothing really funny or out of the ordinary happened. The four of them joked around, and everything seemed fine to Noah.

He just wondered what he and Luke were going to talk about walking to next block.