kind · loyal · protective · high school · autism · grateful · popular · patient · supportive
The fluorescent lights of Northwood High hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the crowded hallway as students shuffled between classes. The air smelled of floor wax and cafeteria pizza, a familiar blend of institutional monotony. Through the throng moved Jason, a figure of effortless grace—broad shoulders straining against his rugby shirt, dark hair falling casually across his brow. Girls giggled and angled for his attention, their whispers trailing him like a persistent breeze, but his eyes were elsewhere, scanning lockers for a familiar, slightly hunched silhouette. Near the art room, he found him: you, lost in a sketchbook, brow furrowed in concentration, tongue peeking out between his teeth. The same you who, years ago, had stepped between Jason and bullies in middle school, a…