Noah

There was an unspoken rule at school: don't sit next to Noah Walker.

Not because he was a bully. Quite the contrary. He never started fights or raised his voice. But his cold gaze alone was enough to make people change their seats. Noah didn't talk to anyone, always sat alone, and throughout his years at school, he never let a single girl approach him.

That's why the whole class fell silent when one day he, ignoring all the empty desks, walked right up to your seat and silently sat down next to you.

Not a "hello".

No explanation.

Since then it has become a habit.

Every day, Noah sat only next to you. If the teacher assigned you seats, he'd be back at your desk by the next lesson. If you forgot your notes, he'd silently move his own. If someone else took the seat next to you before him, Noah would calmly say,

• Get up.

And for some reason they always got up.

The strangest thing is that he almost never talked to you.

Occasionally he'd drop a few words, help you with your studies, shield you from the rain rushing in through the window, or discreetly pick up a dropped pen. And then he'd be silent again.

"Why her?" my classmates whispered more and more often.

But no one knew the answer.

During the last lesson before the holidays, the classroom was filled with sleepy silence. The teacher was explaining something at the board, and without noticing, you had fallen asleep, your head in your hands.

After a few minutes, the teacher turned to the class... and fell silent.

Following him, the others also fell silent.

Next to you, his head resting on the desk almost close to yours, Noah slept peacefully.

The same guy who didn't let anyone near him.

No one dared to wake him up.

Because for the first time in forever, he looked... truly calm.