Love of Autism

Welcome one and all to chapter 2 of Love of Autism. I'm sure those of you who have been following me since my previous story were more than happy to read that one character got what they deserved, it just happened afterwards so I couldn't write it into the story yet.

For those wondering how I can write about an autistic character, I myself have autism so I understand how an autistic person thinks. The character Scott is not meant to represent everyone with autism, but more so some of my life's experiences and how autism affected me. This story is complete fiction and just part of my imagination.

As always I have Tigersman to thank for editing my story and giving me feedback on what makes sense and what doesn't. I appreciate any and all constructive feedback through comments and feedback email.

*

Scott and his dad were waiting patiently in principal Lubs's office for Katie and her mom. After ten minutes of waiting, Katie and her mom walk in and sit down. However they moved the seats a foot away from Scott and his dad.

"Well, this is off to a great start," principal Lubs commented.

"Let's just get this over with," Katie's mom said. "Are you going to make this...boy apologize for the things he said about me and my daughter?"

"How about your daughter apologizes for saying my grandma regretted taking care of me and that she was crazy?" Scott asked in anger.

"Grow up little boy."

"ENOUGH!" principal Lubs yelled. "Whatever has been going on between your two family's needs to end now!"

"What do you suggest?" Scott's dad asked in a calm voice.

Principal Lubs relaxed in his chair. "Well first of all, both of you will be serving detention for the rest of this week."

"That seems fair," Scott's dad agreed.

"How does that seem fair?" Katie's mom said angrily.

"I'm not done," principal Lubs said sternly. "For the rest of the semester Scott and Katie will be having lunch together every day."

"What?" Both Scott and Katie asked at the same time.

"You heard me right. You two will be sat at a table separate from everyone else and no one is allowed to talk to you and vice versa."

"But we have senior privilege," Scott protested. "We can leave campus for lunch."

"The key word being privilege which has now been taken away for the semester and will only be given back if you two learn to get along and behave."

"This is outrageous," Katie's mom yelled.

"If you prefer, I can just have both of them suspended for the rest of the week instead. Which would you prefer for your daughter?" Katie's mom sat back in her seat, her face showing her anger but resigned to the situation. Principal Lubs turned his attention to Scott and Katie. "I get you two hate each other right now so I'm not going to make you sit together at lunch until next week. Both of you need to cool your heads. That being said, I want this to end. No more name calling. No more bullying. No more using each other's families to insult each other. No more. I don't care if you two become friends or still hate each other when you graduate. You will learn to respect each other or I will expel you both without giving it a second thought. Do you both understand me?"

"I understand," Scott answered.

"As do I," Katie responded.

"Good. Now get to class. I need to talk to your parents for a minute."

Scott and Katie left principal's Lubs's office quickly and went to their first period classes.

Jillian decided to speak up as soon as her daughter and Scott had closed the door. "I don't know why you-"

"Shut up," principal Lubs interrupted. "You don't think I know about the history between you and Keith?"

"My life and how I raise my daughter is none of your business," Jillian stated.

"Like hell it isn't. You've basically trained your daughter to be a bully to that boy since the beginning. I get you hate him, but don't take it out on his son." Principal Lubs turned his attention to Keith. "I'm sorry for your loss and know this just makes what has already been a rough period for you worse, but I need you to help your son understand what he did was wrong and that is actions have consequences, no matter what someone says about him or his family."

"I had a very lengthy talk with him yesterday," Keith said, "but as of right now, he sees that he has done nothing wrong and I don't think that will change anytime soon."

"Well it needs to change soon."

"I agree but Katie has been a bully to him his whole life. In his mind, what he did was finally stand up to her and give her a taste of her own medicine." Principal Lubs was about to say something but Keith put his hand up. "I agree completely what he said was uncalled for and he knows I'm disappointed in him."

"Disappointed my ass," Jillian mumbled.

Keith ignored Jillian and continued. "I will do my best to get him to see why he was wrong and to apologize to Katie, but I won't make any promises. Honestly, I would probably feel the exact same if I were in his shoes."

Principal Lubs nodded. "Well you would understand your son's mind better than I would. Nevertheless, I don't want to hear of a repeat performance by him or Katie. Do I make myself clear to both of you?"

"Yes you do," Keith answered. Jillian just nodded her head wanting to leave as soon as possible.

"OK. You can leave Mrs. Paulson. Mr. James, I'd like you to stay for a minute."

"Looks like you're also in trouble with the principal," said Jillian as she walked out. Once out the door Principal Lubs gave Keith his full attention.

"The information your son said about Katie's dad is not known to many people. Only a select few know that he left them for another woman."

"Yeah, I know."

"How did your son happen to come across that information?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Principal Lubs rested his elbows on his desk and folded his hands. "I've heard a lot of stuff in my lifetime and have been shocked by a great many things and stories. It will take a lot for me to not believe you."

*******************************************

"So you and Katie are going to have lunch together for the rest of the semester?" asked Steve before he took a bite from his burger.

"Yep," Scott answered staring at his food.

"I'm sorry, but you two are going to kill each other by the end of the semester," Liz stated.

"Oh, I'm sure he will have a teacher or someone posted nearby before too much blood will be spilled," said Scott.

"Is there no way to get out of this?"

"If there was a way Liz, I would explore it and probably pay whatever price I could to not have lunch with that bitch."

"Well we will be here for you every day to let you vent on us," Steve said trying to support his best friend. "I can only imagine the hell you will be going through."

"Don't remind me. I'm sure she will hate me forever for everything that I said about her and her dad."

"I know you already know this but that information was supposed to not be revealed for a reason. All our parents told us to never reveal that information to anyone, especially Katie herself," Steve pointed out. "There are implications as to how we found out that effect more than just us Scott."

"I know, I know," Scott said. "I just got so wrapped up in anger about her talking about my grandma that... I just lost all self-control and just laid it all out there. I don't know if she will ever forgive me."

"I think it is worse than you know," Liz said. "A few people have already started harassing her since they heard about what you said. I saw her go into the bathroom between classes and she looked like she was ready to break down crying."

Scott felt guilty when he heard that. "Shit. This is going to be one very long school year."

"At least we have Homecoming next weekend to look forward to," Steve said trying to change the subject.

"Speaking of which Sarah has a date now and he will be joining us."

"That's awesome," Liz happily said. "So I actually have a friend who could be your date Scott."

Scott turned to face Liz who sat in the backseat of the car. "Who?" he asked, not sure who she had in mind.

"Well I talked to Angelica Jones about you possibly being each other's dates for Homecoming."

"I thought she was going with her boyfriend."

"Well Craig is now her ex-boyfriend after she caught him kissing another girl at the football game last week."

Scott realized what he would be then. "So I'm basically the rebound date."

"Yes," Liz answered honestly, "but she is also someone who will not force the issue of making you want to dance. She has told me she would be willing to dance with you at your own pace."

"And yet I would still be the rebound," Scott said bluntly.

"And you wouldn't be the third wheel either now," Liz rebutted.

"Yeah, being the third wheel to you and Steve is so much worse than being the rebound date to a girl who just found out her boyfriend was cheating on her," Scott said sarcastically. "It's not like I understand you two would want some time with each other or anything."

"Look, I get you're mad about being forced to have lunch with Katie for the rest of the semester and losing senior privilege at the same time, but I am trying to help you. She actually came to me asking if I knew any good guys she would go to Homecoming with and she didn't say no when the first person I suggested was you."

"She didn't say no?" Scott asked curiously.

"She actually said she would like that because she knows you to be a good guy."

"Does she want to just be my date because-"

"My god Scott," Steve interrupted frustrated with Scott, "not everyone outside of us and our families wants to do something nice just because of your damn autism. I get you don't like people being fake nice to you because of that but get over it. People will be people and it is just best to show them autism doesn't define you."

Scott looked back at his feeling horrible for thinking Angelica only wanted to be his date for that reason. "You're right. It is just hard for me to get out of that mindset when people have always treated me differently because of it."

"We know," Steve said, "and we will never know what it is like for you but sometimes you just need to take a chance and let people prove you wrong. I'm sure being proved wrong in this case would make you happy."

Scott laughed at the thought. "Nothing would make me feel better if Angelica proved me wrong and we have a great time together. Maybe I'll even loosen up and dance to more than just slow songs and ChaCha Slide."

Steve looked over at the clock on his stereo system. "Shit we're going to be late getting back."

Everyone quickly ate their food and Steve drove as fast as he could back to school. Scott hadn't eaten much of his food so he had to basically scarf down what he could. Once back at school, they quickly got out of Steve's car and went their separate ways to get to their next classes as fast as they could. Scott had to stop by his locker to get his tablet. He meant to take it with him when he left for lunch but thought it would be smarter just to leave it in his locker.

He had trouble getting his locker to unlock for a few minutes until he finally got it unlocked and opened. He grabbed his tablet, closed his locker and walked as fast as he could to his math only to get into the room right as the bell rang for class to start.

Math class went by fast for Scott but that wasn't the class he was worried about. He was worried about what Katie might say to him, but when he got to English class she said nothing to him. In fact she didn't say anything to him. The whole class she didn't even acknowledge him. That was the case the following day and the rest of the week. While he liked the fact she wasn't picking on him anymore, he did feel guilty about why she was giving him the silent treatment.

The following Monday came too fast for him as the weekend seemed to just be a blur. As he pulled up to the school's campus reality set in. This was going to be the first time he and Katie would be having lunch together separated from everyone else. He had gotten an email from principal Lubs saying that there would be a table against a wall in the cafeteria that would only sit two people. They could get in line to purchase food and their drink if they didn't bring a lunch from home, but they had to sit at the table unless one of them wasn't at school that day.

All Scott could think about was how much he didn't want lunches with Katie to be just more silence between them. He thought about trying to start a conversation with her, ask her how her weekend was but came to the conclusion that she would just keep giving him the silent treatment. Any other topics or subjects he thought of, including ones making fun of himself he just concluded would only offer the same result.

During his last class before lunch he continued to rack his mind ways to try to make peace with Katie. What was the one thing she would want from him more than anything else? What could she want from someone who said absolutely horrible things about her and why her dad left her and her mom? Eventually he came to the one and only thing that would start to undo the damage he done and maybe make it so he wouldn't have to sit with her the whole school year.

When the bell rang for class to end, he went to get in line to buy his lunch. Once his lunch was bought he went to the designated table for him and Katie to sit at. A minute after he sat down Katie sat down as well with a look of disdain on her face, continuing in her silent treatment. A few minutes later of just silently eating their food Keith spoke up.

"I'm sorry Katie for everything I said about you, your mom and your dad."

Katie looked up from her plate of food, shocked by Scott's apology. After a minute her eyes returned to her food and Scott didn't push for her to accept his apology. He did what he thought would start the healing process between the two of them. Now time would be the only thing to determine if things would get any better or just stay the same.

Lunch ended without any more words being spoken to each other during the rest of the time. Scott went to his math class still somewhat bothered that Katie didn't respond to his apology at lunch, but figured there was just still too much anger at him for her to accept the apology. Thankfully his math teacher always found a way to make sure the class was engaged and understanding in the lesson for the day. It was a welcome distraction that Scott wanted. He hated it though that the bell rang and it meant he now had to head to English and sit next to Katie.

When Scott got to his English class he saw that a substitute teacher was there instead of Miss Bird. After the bell rang, the substitute informed everyone that Miss Bird was sick and that the class could be treated as a study hall. This was the last thing Scott wanted to hear and it meant this day was just going to drag on even longer.

He pulled his tablet out of his backpack and opened up an assignment from one of his other classes he felt like he should work on. Half way through the class a notification popped up and he opened it. A message appeared that was written by Katie.

Can we talk after class?

Scott turned his head to look at Katie and she met his eyes already looking at him once she sent the message. The look on her face didn't tell him much. He was always bad at picking up on social cues but sometimes he felt like he could read facial expressions when he actually paid attention. Katie's face told him nothing though which just confused him.

He broke eye contact and typed a message to her on his table.

Meet me by my locker ten minutes after class is over.

He sent the message and looked over at her to see if she would read it. A few seconds later she opened the message from him and looked at him back. She nodded her head not wanting to risk sending another message. The school had no problem with the students using the school issued tablets to message each other. However during anytime when a teacher couldn't make it to class and the class became a study hall messages between students was highly discouraged. The time was meant for homework and studying, not chatting with friends according to the school.

The rest of the study hall went at a slow pace and Scott was happy when the bell rang for it to be over. He sent a message to his sister that he would be a while before he got to his car before he got up and left the class room. He went to his locker to put away some of his notebooks and waited for Katie to stop by. Ten minutes had passed and he started to feel like she was just toying with him again. He waited another two minutes and was about to leave but Katie appeared around the corner and approached him.

"Sorry, Jack caught me at my locker and wanted to know what time he should pick me up on Saturday for the Homecoming dance."

"A message would have been nice telling me you're on your way," Scott chastised. "I was about to leave thinking you were toying with me again."

Katie let out a sigh. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Scott took a deep breath to help calm himself down. "So...what did you want to talk about?"

Katie closed her eyes, also taking a deep breath before opening them and looking Scott straight in the eyes. "I'm also sorry for everything I said about your grandma and slapping you last week."

Scott was absolutely stunned by her apology. He was thinking maybe she would have forgiven him and accepted his apology, but this was something he truly did not expect. "Umm," was all he could manage to say. Katie giggled at him for being speechless. "Yeah, I know. You didn't expect that from me much like I didn't expect you to apologize at lunch."

Scott slowly nodded his head. "You could say that."

"Just don't think this means that I like you or anything."

Scott laughed thinking of how that sounded like a line from a movie he liked and couldn't help but say what he wanted to next. "Whatever you say Yul Brenner."

Katie's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You've watched Cool Runnings?"

Scott smiled at her question and knew the perfect way to answer. "Nuff people say they know they can't believe, Jamaica we have a bobsled team."

Katie bent over laughing. After a few seconds she regained her composure. "I guess you do have at least some decent taste in movies then at least. Guess I'll see you tomorrow at lunch." With that she walked away and Scott packed up his bag and went to his car where his sister was impatiently waiting for him.

"Where the hell were you?" Sarah asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me," she challenged.

"Katie apologized to me at my locker after I apologized to her at lunch." Sarah's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "See, I told you that you wouldn't believe me."

Sarah shook her head trying to comprehend what her older brother just said. "I mean I can understand you saying you're sorry to her, but there is no way she actually apologized to you."

Scott shrugged his shoulders. "I can't explain it either, but she did actually apologize for what she said about our grandma and slapping me."

"Ok, there is only one explanation for that. She is sick and is not thinking straight. Well what would be considered thinking straight for her that is."

"All I know is I'll take the apology from her for that. I doubt I'll get any other apology for anything else she's done over the years."

****************************************************************

Katie sat at the kitchen table doing her homework when her mom came home from work.

"Hi sweetie," Katie's mom greeted, "how was school today?"

"It was good," Katie responded while keeping her attention on her homework.

"I hope lunch today wasn't too bad considering who you had to eat with."

Katie sat back and looked at her mom not knowing how she will take the news. "Well it didn't go all that bad."