Best Friends (BxB)

Distractions

Chapter 15: Age 17 Distractions

Noah followed Mr. Lester to his office. Strange how he felt so comfortable with his principal. It was hard not to, since they'd lived together for those two weeks here at school, sheltering from the fire. Even though the Red Cross nominally was in charge of the operation, Kevin Lester still felt it was his responsibility to lead and organize all his neighbors, since it was his school, his home turf. And he was damn good at it. The Red Cross volunteers recognized it and let him take the reins for the most part.

So Noah knew a lot about his principal that maybe the other kids didn't. That he liked two bowls of cereal for breakfast, drank tea instead of coffee, needed glasses for reading and could lead a mean sing a long. Also that he snored, favored old ratty sweats for pajamas and cried openly when he thought about his beloved dog, Cassie, lost in the woods during the fire.

And Kevin knew Noah. Knew he was a quiet, good kid. Knew he was a genuine helper. Knew he was more than a basketball jock.

They sat down in his office, the principal, behind his desk with his feet up, Noah in the rocking chair, an antique passed down in the Lester family. That Kevin had tied to the roof of his car when evacuating and hadn't managed to bring home yet.

"I need your help," the middle aged man said, looking at Noah forthrightly. "It's a lot to ask. You can say no, but I hope you'll say yes."

"What do you need?" Noah had helped a lot during their days at the shelter. Leading the art class with Danny, making dinner, keeping some of the older people company, babysitting the little kids, leading the physical activities. He found that he actually liked it. Was truly happy when helping other people. He might be quieter than Jamie, less boisterous, less impulsive, but he enjoyed being in a mix of people. It was like being on the basketball team. He enjoyed working with others for a purpose.

"Ok, so this is pretty confidential. Normally I'd never give you these kinds of details, because it's private information, but I trust you Noah. We have a girl and her brother in the conference room next door. They're new, as of today. From the Yreka school of course."

"Why are they only starting today? The other kids from Yreka started with us on the first day of school?" Noah sat back, confused.

"Well, that's part of the... it's pretty bad, Noah. She and her brother lived with just their dad. He was a firefighter."

Noah wasn't dumb. He heard the word was.

"Yeah, so, he got caught up in the fires at one point. He was horribly burned. Been in the hospital. He died a few days ago." Kevin sighed, his face drawn with fatigue. He was in a constant state of emotional whiplash, playing up a happy façade as he walked around campus, giving his students reassurances that things were back to normal, while being inundated with horror after horror of what was affecting these kids thanks to the devastation caused by the fires.

"The kids, Sara and Riley, went to a foster home. Sara's a senior, she'll basically be out of the state's care once she graduates. Not sure about Riley. It's a huge mess. So horrible."

Noah nodded, glad everyone he loved and their homes were saved. So grateful to not experience what these kids were living through. He'd felt the fear, those long nights holding Jamie close to him on the gym floor, but came through safely on the other side.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

Kevin winced. "Can you, ok this sounds kind of stupid, can you just be there for them? They need someone right now, someone that's responsible and stable and mature."

Noah raised his eyebrows. "And you think I'm those things?"

"Yes, Noah. I do." Mr. Lester smiled, glad he'd gotten to know this truly good kid. "Sara is an artist. Amazing. According to her transcripts. Her brother tried out for the basketball team and didn't make it. Seems like they have a lot in common with you."