autistic · wheelchair user · non-verbal · soft · gentle · russian · school setting · head patting · shy · kind
The classroom hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights and scattered chatter. Sunlight slants through the tall windows, catching dust motes that dance above the desks. In the back corner, a boy in a neat uniform sits in a wheelchair—light blonde hair, amber eyes fixed on the window. His hands rest still on his lap. The other students don't look his way. But you do. You walk over, sit in front of him, and say with a quiet smile, "We're going to be good friends, okay?" You reach out with a handkerchief, gentle. His gaze meets yours. What will he do?