The Secrets of Playing Matchmaker:

Chapter 1 – Mon Douleur

Summary: Noah let the biggest secret of his life slip. To Geoff. Ah, what havoc is sure to ensure! No pun intended. [Cody x Noah, other canons]

A/N: I apologize in advance for any OOC-ness of Noah. I tried my best, but sometimes I may have slipped. ^_^'

Disclaimer: I do not own TDI, despite my offer of twenty cents and a bottlecap. Bottlecaps just don't have the same value anymore. T.T

---------------------------------

Noah rested his head in his hands, gazing off into the distance. Like always, his feet dangled in the water below him as a book lay open in his lap, but today, something was different. Rather than his usual aloof demeanor, Noah was lying under a dark, ominous cloud that no one else could see. His shoulders were hunched, his chin drooped, and dark bags had formed under his eyes, as if he had spent the entire night worrying. The entirety of his aura seemed to have wilted.

The other campers sensed this, and left him alone. Even Katie and Sadie had scented the gist of his mood, and were nowhere to be found. Of his own doing, Noah had formed a bubble of seclusion around himself, but he seemed to be oblivious to it.

But now, Geoff couldn't take anymore. As the party man, it was his duty to spread the love, and Noah was in sore need of a good pick-me-up and kick-me-sense. Thankfully, that was Geoff's specialty, so like it or not, Noah was about to be paid a visit by Dr. Geoff, Psychiatrist in Fun.

Finally, Noah stood and began to wander listlessly away from the pool. Geoff discreetly followed him, although his stealth skills were severely lacking. But while the other losers watched him in bewildered amusement, Noah seemed too down to notice his party-boy stalker. That is, until Geoff cornered him.

As Noah punched the button to call the elevator, the hairs prickled on the back of his neck. He spun on the spot, to be faced with the sight of Geoff lounging against the wall, scrutinizing him with a raised eyebrow. Geoff smirked, amused it had taken the other boy so long to notice he was there.

"What's up, man?" Geoff greeted, pulling a hand out of his pocket to give Noah a lazy wave.

Noah's eyes narrowed suspiciously. If he was smart enough to figure out how to hack into his school's servers and cancel their surf control, he could tell when someone was acting. And Geoff certainly smelled fishy just about then. "What do you want?"

"Whoa, whoa!" Geoff laughed, holding up his hands in mock defense. "Not so prickly, dude. I just want to know what's up."

"What do you mean?" Noah replied curtly, watching the floor levels above the doors flash. What was taking that elevator so long?

"I mean, man, you seem so down," Geoff answered. "I wanted to see if I could help."

"Really?" Noah said dryly, but his usual tone was too tired to make it seem convincing. "Well, you can't."

Geoff raised an eyebrow and smiled his signature grin. "Nuh-uh, man. I'm gonna make that decision myself. So, tell me your problem, dude, and I'll decide if it really is just your problem. Then you won't hear another word from me. Deal?"

"Yeah, right." Noah snorted half-heartedly.

"No, seriously," Geoff insisted. "I'll leave you alone and won't tell a soul if it really isn't any of my business. But it kills to see someone so down. So, dude, just tell me."

Noah sighed. "You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"

"No, man."

Noah rolled his eyes, but just then, the elevator dinged, sounding its arrival, and the doors slid open. "Fine, I'll tell you," Noah said finally, stepping in. "But just so you get off my case." Holding the doors open, he gestured for Geoff to follow him.

Geoff blinked, taken aback. That hadn't taken quite so much effort as he had expected; Geoff had thought he would have to follow and harass Noah all day, but apparently Noah was not nearly as staunch as he came off to be. But maybe he was just tired and on the verge of caving anyways.

"Well, you coming?" Noah prompted, impatiently raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, sorry dude!" Geoff replied hastily as he jumped in. Noah gave a theatrical sigh and released the doors, letting them slide shut behind him.

But rather than punching a button for a floor level, Noah dug in his pocket and withdrew from it a small object that looked more or less like just a black circle. But as Geoff opened his mouth to inquire as to what it was, Noah turned the circle over in his palm and flipped a switch. A small LED light flickered on at the top, and Noah pushed the circle back into his pocket.

"It jams the cameras," he explained. "Chris has them everywhere."

"Oh, I see," Geoff replied, although he really didn't. He had thought that, once off the island, they were off the show for good. It hadn't once crossed his mind that there might be hidden cameras at the Playa des Losers. But, you learn something new every day.

Still leaving the button panel neglected, Noah slid to the floor and crossed his legs. Taking the hint, Geoff followed suit.

"All right," Noah began. "If I tell you this, there is one person you must promise not to tell. I don't care who knows, as long as that one person does not. And it will be obvious who the person is by the end, so I don't have to say it now."

"Is it Chris?" Geoff put in.

Noah winced. "Yeah, well, don't tell him, either. But there's one other person."

"Oh, okay," Geoff replied, bewildered as to who this mystery person could possibly be. "I promise, man. So, why're you so down?"

"Could you please be patient?" Noah retorted.

"Oh, sorry."

"Whatever." He coughed. "Anyways, the thing is . . . I like someone, someone who doesn't return my feelings." Noah glanced away, but not before Geoff noted a pinkish tinge creeping up his face.

Geoff couldn't resist a grin. Now, that was something he understood. Frankly, he was surprised Noah hadn't come to him beforehand for advice, but he supposed it was just his aloof nature. "Really?" he asked. "Who?"

Now Noah smirked, a glimmer of amusement sparkling in his sad eyes. "Believe me, you don't want to know."

"I do, man!" Geoff insisted, leaning forwards eagerly.

"Fine," Noah replied, and crossed his arms. "But you have absolutely no idea what you're saying."

"Whatev's, dude. Seriously, who is it?" Geoff was practically glowing with impatience now.

"Cody."

Silence met this revelation. Blinking, Geoff gaped in stunned astonishment and rocked backwards, and, seeing this, Noah raised an eyebrow.

"I told you that you didn't want to know," he muttered accusingly.

But at this, Geoff raised his hands defensively, warding off the unspoken assumption radiating from the other boy. "Woah, woah!" he said. "I never said anything of the sort. Really, man, I'm just surprised. I had no idea you were gay."

Noah didn't meet his eyes, and Geoff saw him playing with his hands in a nervous habit that seemed very uncharacteristic. Geoff's eyes softened. "Hey, man," he said quietly. "Seriously, it's okay. You like guys – so what?"

"You seriously don't care?" Noah responded, his frown dubious.

"Not at all, man. You're still you, right?"

"I guess so," Noah replied. His dark skin was still distinctly flushed, but his expression had calmed and begun to take on its usual imperturbable quality again. Then he sighed. "So, that's the story without the minutiae. Thanks for caring, but you obviously can't do anything." His tone was quickly becoming curt as he returned to his typical self.

"Yeah, sorry, man," Geoff agreed sagely. "I feel bad for you, and you, you know, you can talk to me whenever."

Noah nodded briskly as he wordlessly turned to the button panel. Geoff waved as the doors slid open again, and Noah returned it with a small half-smile that Geoff knew he was very lucky to receive.

But suddenly, Geoff spun on the spot as a thought occurred to him. "Hey, if it's not too raw . . ." he began quickly, then swallowed as he realized what he was about to say.

Noah raised an eyebrow expectantly. "Yes?"

"How did Cody reject you?" Geoff blathered off. "I mean, I find it hard to imagine . . ."

"He didn't," Noah replied brusquely.

"Then how –,"

Noah rolled his eyes, cutting him off. "Cody's straight, obviously, and would never feel the same. What's the point in even trying?" He shrugged, then the doors slid shut again, and Geoff was left staring at a cold, steel wall.

Geoff blinked, incredulous. Noah was quite literally depressed, and he hadn't even tried asking Cody out? In the party boy's eyes, that was next to blasphemy. Emotions were one of the most sacred aspects of life; they were beautiful, deadly, and most importantly, unpredictable, but Noah was completely disregarding all of that. It was as if he didn't care at all for his own happiness. That made Geoff almost angry.

Geoff sighed. Had Cody actually rejected Noah, the story would over, sad but complete, but Cody had done nothing of the sort. Clearly, that meant that no matter how much Noah denied it, there was still more to be told, still more chapters in progress.

And Geoff was going to help write them.

A great grin spread across his face, and then he whooped in excitement, looking quite insane to the average onlooker. He loved a challenge like this, and since Duncan and Courtney had gotten together, he'd had practically no complex romances to play any role in.

"Bring it on, dudes!"

------------------------

Watcha think? Tell me by clicking on that pretty little button below and REVIEW! I just posted a ton of fanfictions, and whichever gets the most reviews shall be completed. So review people, review!