Love of Autism Ch. 03

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Scott was done with his homework and started playing the latest Civilization game on his computer. The game had only been out for a few months but he had a hard time understanding the way the economy worked. When he thought he had figured it out, he realized he actually didn't. This time however he felt like he had a grasp on everything as his civilization was producing gold at a high rate and his army was standing toe to toe with the other civilizations controlled by the computer.

His concentration was broken when he heard his phone ringing next to him on the computer desk. He didn't recognize the number at first, but remembered that Katie had sent him a text earlier in the day and that number looked the same as before. He picked it up and answered.

"Katie?"

"Who else would be calling you from this number?"

Scott got a post-it note and wrote a reminder for himself to create a contact in his phone for Katie with her number. "Sorry, I forgot to save your number into my phone when you texted me back."

"That's OK. So what are you up to?"

"Right now, playing Civilization and trying to not be mad at my parents."

"Why are you mad at your parents?"

"Hold on a second, I'm going to grab my blue tooth ear piece." Scott put down his phone and grabbed his blue tooth ear piece, turned it on and put it in his ear. He got it when he and Steve talked on the phone but he also wanted to play a video game at the same time. This helped free up his other hand as his phone wouldn't be holding it. "Can you hear me?"

"Yep, loud and clear."

"Good."

"So why are you mad at your parents?"

Scott took a deep breath to help calm himself before he answered. "They want me to chaperone my sister's date."

"Um, why do they want you to do that?"

"I don't know. I had everything set up so that Steve and Liz would go on the double date with her and Colin, the guy that wants to date her."

"I figured as much, but continue."

"Anyway, I had that set up but I guess my dad would prefer it was me because I would keep a closer eye on them and make sure they didn't do stuff they shouldn't."

"Does he think your sister would try to have sex or something with Colin?"

"No," Scott said immediately. "Sarah is very much into waiting for the perfect guy and knowing she is ready for that. I think he just worries a guy might try to take advantage of her or something."

"I know I've only been around your sister and Colin together for the brief time we were in the limo together, but I do not get the impression he would try to do anything with your sister without her permission first. He just seems really shy."

Scott smiled at Katie's observations of Colin. "He is shy, but you are also right in that he is respectful. He wouldn't have my blessing if I knew he would try to pull something if they were alone."

"That's because you're a good big brother."

"You can stop trying to butter me up now."

"I'm just trying to help cheer you up and distract you like you would do for me."

"I appreciate the thought, but sadly the distraction will be short lived as even playing my video game and talking with you isn't helping me from not being angry at my parents."

"Well if it helps, you're not the only one having trouble with the parents."

Scott frowned at that comment by Katie. "What's going on with you and your mom? I always thought you two were very close."

"Well I ended up having to tell her that you took me home and she was pissed."

"Why was she pissed that I took you home?" Scott asked not understanding the problem. "Did you tell her what else happened?"

"Yes, I told her that first and she was being really reassuring that everything would be OK. But then she asked how I got home and I had to tell her the truth because she saw through my half lie."

"OK, but that still doesn't answer why she was pissed that I took you home."

Katie took a deep breath before she answered. "Because she doesn't trust you because you have autism."

Scott was taken aback from what Katie just said. "She doesn't trust me because I have autism?"

"Yes, she thinks you set up the whole thing with Jack."

"What the hell?"

"I know. I defended you but...well I think she just hates you because you are the son of your dad." Scott didn't say anything because his anger was starting to boil over and he knew he needed to calm down. When he didn't saying for a few seconds Katie started to wonder if the call dropped or something else happened. "Scott, are you there?"

"Yeah," Scott said in a hushed voice, "I'm just over all the bullshit with your mom and her hatred towards my family."

"You're not the only one. I didn't tell her we danced because I knew she would flip."

Scott let out a loud laugh. "Oh hell yeah she would. She would have grounded you for life."

"Or until I left for college and I could hang out and dance with anyone I wanted."

"Parents can be such a pain."

"Yes, they can be," Katie agreed. "So your parents won't let your sister go on a date with the guy from Homecoming unless you chaperone?"

"That or I find someone that would agree to go with me and make it a double date."

Katie thought for a second before asking her question. "Is Angelica not an option?"

"No, she made it clear to me earlier today that while she had fun at Homecoming, she needs to enjoy being single and discovering herself again."

"First part kinda makes sense, but second part honestly is bullshit."

"Why is discovering herself bullshit?"

"Because she knows who she is and what she wants. In reality she just needs to heal. Being cheated on hurts a lot and catching the person in the act makes it even worse."

Scott realized that statement wasn't just about Angelica but also about Katie herself. "Katie, are you really doing OK?"

"No Scott," Katie answered quickly. "I'm not. Today just felt long and the only bright spot was being with you at lunch."

"There you go again trying to butter me up," Scott said playfully.

"What can I say? You are the only good thing going for me right now."

"Maybe I should take you as my date then so Sarah can be happy and have her date with Colin."

"Are you being serious or joking?" Katie asked, hoping he was being serious.

"Um, honestly joking because I don't want to cause any friction with you and your mom."

"Well she will actually be leaving Thursday for another business trip and won't be back until Saturday."

"What if she asks where you were Friday night?"

"I'll just say I decided to go out and not stay cooped inside this house."

"I guess that could work. So you would meet us at the place?"

"Yeah," Katie said excitedly, "just clear everything with Sarah first because I don't want to be a distraction."

"I will talk to her about it and let you know some time tomorrow what she thinks."

"Sounds good."

"OK." Scott looked at the computer monitor and saw the time. "I guess we got really into this conversation because it is already past ten and I should be in bed sleeping right now.

"I'm already lying in bed in my pajamas."

"Well good for you. Do you want a cookie?" Scott asked sarcastically.

"More like half a dozen cookies from the bakery downtown," Katie replied.

"Smartass."

"Yes I am," Katie said proudly. "Well I hope you have a good night sleep Scott. See you tomorrow at lunch."

"Night Katie." Scott ended the call, changed into his sleeping shorts and got into bed.

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"Are you sure she is going to show up?" Sarah asked Scott as they waited in the parking lot of the indoor glow golf course. "Yes, she said she would be here at seven and it is only six forty-five right now," Scott said, frustrated by his sister's nagging.

"Katie is going to stand us up. You know this is true."

As soon as Sarah finished her sentence Katie pulled up and got out of her car. "You told me seven, right?" Katie asked confused seeing Scott, Sarah, and Colin already there.

Scott nodded his head. "Yep, I told you seven but I like getting to places early and I thought you might try to get here early too."

"Better early than late," Katie said with a big smile on her face.

"OK, she's here now so let's go inside," Sarah said, not wanting to be around Katie much, dragging Colin with her by his hand.

Scott approached Katie and gave her a hug. "You'll have to forgive my sister. She still doesn't trust you and thinks you are going to try to hurt me."

"I don't blame her at all. I don't think anyone would have thought we would chose to hang out with each other outside of school."

Scott laughed and broke the hug from Katie. "Or that you would help me not be the third wheel on my sister's date."

"I'm just repaying the favor for the kindness you showed me at Homecoming."

Scott wanted to say there is no need for her to repay him, but didn't want to get into a pointless argument. Katie was here to help him and he just needed to accept the circumstances as is.

They all went in and got their putters and golf balls. Colin paid for Sarah and himself while Scott and Katie each paid for themselves. Scott and Sarah had a natural sibling rivalry going on between them as they each bragged every time one of them took less putts to get the ball in the hole. Colin and Katie just enjoyed watching the two go at it every hole. In the end however, it was Katie who had the lowest score.

"Maybe if you two paid more attention, you would have seen I was kicking your butts the whole time," she said playfully.

"Whatever," Sarah said annoyed by Katie.

"So what should we do now?" Scott asked.

Sarah looked around at a Mario Kart arcade racing game. "Well, I could beat everyone here in Mario Kart."

Scott looked at his little sister in amusement. "You can't beat me."

"Nor can you beat me," Katie said confidently.

"Mario Kart is my game," Colin said in confidence, something the three of them hadn't seen him be.

All four of them looked at each other, nodded, and ran towards the game, paying once they sat down. The each selected their characters and waited for the race to start, each of them gripping the steering wheels tightly.

Once the race began, it was no holds barred. Sarah threw a shell at Colin, but was then taken out by Scott with a shell of his own. Katie waited patiently before letting go of a banana that caused Scott to spin out. Just when she thought she had an easy path to keep the lead, she was hit by a spiked shell thrown by Colin. They battled back and forth as they were completing the last lap. As they neared the finish line, Scott managed to take the lead and hold onto as he crossed the finish line with Katie right behind him, followed by Colin and Sarah bringing up the rear.

"I want a rematch," Sarah demanded not happy coming in last place.

"Are you ever not going to be a sore loser?" Scott asked, knowing this is how Sarah gets every time she loses, no matter what the game is.

"I'm not a sore loser," Sarah defended, "I just hate losing and want another chance to win."

"I think you've had enough," Scott said.

"I'll race you again," Katie said.

"No thanks," Sarah said rejecting Katie offer.

"Not even if I offer to pay for ice cream if I lose?"

Sarah turned and looked Katie dead in the eye. "And what do I owe you if I lose?"

"I want you to actually give me a chance and try to be nicer to me."

"I think that outweighs you buying me ice cream by a lot."

"Guess you don't think you can beat me," Katie teased, knowing that would push Sarah into taking on the bet.

"You're on!" Sarah said, having put the money in the machine. Katie happily put in the money required herself and mentally prepared herself.

Sarah got off to an early lead but Katie was following tightly behind her. Many shells were thrown and bananas dropped between them. The only times Katie got ahead of Sarah was when Sarah let her get ahead on purpose to possibly get a better item from the item box. A few seconds later she could pull ahead and keep that lead.

They came to the final stretch and Sarah was confident she was going to win. As she was about to make the final turn she was hit by a shell and spun out of control. By the time she regained control and headed towards the finish line Katie not only had passed her but beat her.

Sarah hated that fact that she lost to Katie again, but a bet was a bet. She got up from the game, walked over to Katie and extended to her hand. "I guess you won this time."

Katie extended her own hand and shook Sarah's. "Thank you. How about we all go get some ice cream then to cap off this evening."

"I know the perfect place," Scott said. Sarah looked at him and nodded with a smile.

"Where at?" Katie asked.

"Just follow me. It is not that far away."

Katie agreed. The got in their cars and drove to the place Scott had in mind. Once parked, they all got out of the cars and Katie approached Scott. "How long has this place been here?"

"I don't know how long this has been here, but my parents took Sarah and I here once in a while when we were kids."

"So that is how you knew about this place," Katie said as she looked around. There was a central structure covered by a metal umbrella with metal horses on poles around the perimeter of the umbrella. She thought it looked like a merry-go-round and could see why parents would take their kids there. It was a perfect chance to get the kids some ice cream and sit them on one of the horses so they could have a little fun, even if they didn't move.

They approached the counter and looked at the menu deciding on what to order. Scott let Sarah and Colin order first so they could find a quiet spot for themselves away from him and Katie. He knew Sarah wanted some alone time with Colin and not have a watchful eye over them. After they got their ice cream Scott and Katie ordered theirs and Scott paid for both of them.

"You don't have to pay for mine," Katie said. "I could have paid for my own."

"I know," Scott said, "but you've had to put up with my sister and that is torture enough."

Katie laughed. "Again, I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to this. It will take some time for her to tolerate me."

"Still I feel bad."

"You're too kind Scott, especially to me."

"Maybe, but I like being kind to you. It's better than us being at each other's throats."

Katie smiled, nodding her head agreeing with Scott. The girl behind the counter gave them their ice cream and they found a table to sit at as they ate. "This is pretty good!" Katie said, not excepting her ice cream to be so good. Scott just smiled and continued to eat his ice cream. They continued to eat until they finished. "I might need to come here more often."

"This is actually the last weekend they will be open. They usually are closed up this time of year, but with the warmer than normal weather this fall they've remained open."

"That stinks. I'll have to remember to come back here in the Spring."

"I know Sarah and I will be coming back here again when it opens. Somewhat of a family tradition."

"So you and your family always come up here opening weekend?"

"Yeah," Scott nodded, somewhat solemnly, "my aunts and uncles with their kids would come down and we'd all have ice cream together."

"Would your grandparents come down as well?" Scott didn't answer and Katie waited patiently for one. "Scott, did they come down?"

"Yes, they would," Scott said as tears started to form in his eyes. "Last time my grandma came down, she was excited to have ice cream with me, but I chose to hang out with Steve and Liz instead."

"Were you able to spend time with her again?"

"Yeah, I spent times with her a couple more times in the summer with the family," Scott tried really hard to fight the tears back, "but I really wish I could have had ice cream with her one more time."

"Scott...I'm so sorry."

Scott couldn't hold back the tears any further as they started streaming down his face. Katie moved next to him and held his hand. He looked up at her, face full of tears. She couldn't bear seeing his face like that, full of sadness so she put his face into her shoulder, letting him cry into her shirt.

Sarah came to find them so she would let Scott know they could leave, but instead saw Scott crying into Katie's shoulder. She felt sorry for her brother as being here might have brought up memories of him not coming here with their grandma the last time, but was happy to see that Katie was there to support him. 'Maybe Katie is the person Scott needs most right now out of everyone,' she thought to herself. She went back to Colin and told him that they should wait for Scott by his car. Colin inquired as to why and Sarah just told him that Scott had to say his goodbye to Katie first.

Scott had finally shed his last tear, but still felt sadness over missing his grandma. He removed his head from Katie's shoulder, but just looked down, still consumed over his thoughts about his grandma. Katie put her hand on his back and started to rub his back. He looked up at her and saw her smiling at him.

"You don't have to worry mourning her loss in front of me Scott. Do what you need to do."

Scott returned the smile. "Careful Katie. Some would say you are being too kind to me."

"You are worth being kind to Scott," Katie said as she grabbed his hand closest to her and kissed it. "I just wish I hadn't said all those things I said about her when I did."

"I told you, I forgive you for that."

"I know," Katie said, her smiling fading from her face, "still doesn't change how guilty I feel."

Scott pulled her into him and hugged her tightly. "And I still feel guilty about bringing your dad up. We will continue to make mistakes because we are human. We can only learn from them."

Katie tightened her embrace of Scott. "But Scott, I'm not the person you should be friends with. At least not yet."

Scott pulled away and looked Katie in the eyes. "Before Homecoming I would agree. But you aren't the same person from that time Katie. The person you are now is someone I want to be friends with and help grow if you let me."

Katie wanted nothing more than to kiss Scott then and there, but she didn't think he would appreciate that. "I would like nothing more than that."

"Are you two going to kiss or can we get going soon?" Sarah asked annoyed. "The mosquitoes are starting to attack Colin and me."

Scott and Katie separated themselves from each other, somewhat embarrassed that Sarah caught them in the position they were in. They said goodbye to each and left. Scott dropped Colin off at his house with Sarah walking him to the door, only this time it was Colin who kissed her before he went inside. Sarah walked back to the car with a big grin on her face.

"Don't you dare make a smartass remark," Sarah said when she got back into the car.

"I'm not that type of big brother," Scott defended.

"So what is up with you and Katie?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you two going to start dating soon or what?"

Scott was taken aback by the question. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"She is starting to like you as more than a friend."

"No she isn't," he insisted. "She likes me as a friend and I like her only as a friend."

"Who else have you cried in front of since grandma passed away?"

"What does that..."

"Who else?" Sarah asked wanting an answer. When Scott didn't answer she knew her assumption was right. "You haven't let anyone see you cry since grandma passed away until tonight and in front of Katie of all people."

"Just being there brought back memories Sarah. You know I wished nothing more than to have one more time having ice cream with her."

"I know Scott, but you've always try to hide your tears from everyone else. Why did you let Katie see you cry?"