I'd never admit it, but he changed my life more than I ever imagined possible. When I first met him I found him rude, annoying, and overbearing. It was like he was always on his guard, hiding behind an abrasive outer shell most found repulsive. But as I got to know him, that's not what I saw. I saw a teenager, terrified of the unknown future, honest to a fault, and most of all, a boy wanting to prove to the world and himself that he mattered. To protect himself and the little sentimentality he had left, he put up that shell. One of his other friends described it as a sudden change, one day- nothing there, the next, a large concrete wall blocking everyone out.

He was not a small boy - in both stature and intellect- he towered over me. Many times he could have used the top of my head as an armrest, yet he never did. Despite the advantage in height, he was slight, not skinny, nor fat. When he walked, he carried himself with such dignity and pride, without - it seemed- the weight of anything on his shoulders. It was something very few his age posessed. His intellect was a rare find in a school setting, where most kids suffered through a day filled with torturous learning, leaving it for a joyous reunion with their video games at home.  He was one of the very few people my age, boys especially, that I could have an intellectual conversation or argument with and not come out with a definite win. I had to work to win an argument, something I rarely had to do.  Light sandy blonde hair was kept neat, slightly short, and he remained constantly clean shaven. The most striking feature he posessed was his eyes. Beautiful orbs of the darkest blue I'd ever seen in my life, though they would filter into the clearest blue grey when he was sad or hurt. Looking him in the eye felt like he was digging deep into the recesses of your soul, searching for any hint of lies. It was almost uncomfortable to maintain eye contact for long.