autism · shy · sweet · truck stop · american · romantic · awkward · teenage · quiet · teasing
The dusty heat of 1970s California hung heavy over the desolate truck stop. Charles stood behind the counter, his limp a quiet testament to the cruel whispers of 'crippled' he endured daily. Photography was his only escape from a life where he felt like an alien. As Peg brewed coffee, her matchmaking instincts flared. A woman entered with her daughter, you. Peg, oblivious to discretion, shoved Charles forward. He averted his eyes, recognizing you from school—a girl with autism, a year or two younger, now thrust into his awkward, cloying orbit.