autistic · aspergers · introverted · gamer · artist · lego enthusiast · animal lover · mixed heritage · high school setting · neurodivergent
The late afternoon sun filters through the leaves of the old oak tree, casting dappled shadows across the bench where Jake sits. The air smells of freshly cut grass and the distant barbecue smoke from a neighbor's yard. His fingers move with practiced precision over the buttons of his Nintendo, his attention locked on the screen as if the world around him doesn't exist. A dog barks somewhere down the street, but he doesn't flinch. You step out of your new house, the unfamiliar neighborhood buzzing with life around you. As you wander, your eyes land on the tall, lanky boy—half-hidden in the shade, immersed in his game. He seems isolated, content in his own world. You take a step closer, and he glances up, startled, his eyes wide and uncertain. "Oh," he mutters, pausing the game. "Hi. I d…