THE AUTISTIC

Back to school -I

Days passed by in the blink of an eye, being engrossed in a bliss of togetherness and happiness let the mind slip all thoughts related to the future as well as the past. Everything was just about the present for all. Beautiful memories which seemed as light as a feather to carry forward along in their minds and hearts.
But unfortunately it was just a vacation which was never meant to last forever and finally it was the time to get back to  school,  and all sorts of commitments remaining. The most sorrowful period for majority of the students.
It was also time for Anna and her mum to depart from Kalasin towards Bangkok.
Anna cried hard in Mile's embrace. Her heart belonged more to  Kalasin than to Bangkok.

While she hugged Mile tightly, Apo stood right behind Mile with a slight frown. Anna glanced over , she was unable to interpret the reason. As soon as she broke the hug, Apo clenched the tip of Mile's hoodie.

This wasn't the first time it was happening. Just as the days passed, innocent Apo seemed to switch into a possessive and protective one, when the subject was Mile. He seemed to prefer just him instead of others.                       

On New Year's eve,
Mile, Apo, Bible, Jeff, Anna, Emily, Dana and Alan gathered after dinner on Mile's terrace to burst crackers. Everyone's faces were painted with smiles, except one and the one who kept sulking was the most unexpected one, Apo. The boy who was seen with a smile even during most rough times seemed to be annoyed at the time meant to celebrate.
When Emily held his hand, the boy just freed his hand followed by a grumble. Everyone were puzzled by Apo's act. When Mile walked to him, Apo just distanced himself from Mile as well. It was completely unusual and something seemed to be bothering him. Finally everyone decided to leave him in some solitude and began to set things ready and  awaited for it to be 12. Mile kept glancing at Apo, whose countenance was dull and gloomy. Did the crackers give him a fright? was he missing his mum and dad? Such questions were yet to be answered.

Apo's low spirited frame of mind, affected the whole environment. Unable to take it  Mile finally seated himself next to his sulking friend,                                                                                                       

"What's going on in your brain mate?" Mile genuinely questioned. No responses;  "It's time for celebration, we still have time, its not 12 yet. Come on let's begin a new year on a good note."  Bible called out while everyone looked towards Apo with slight hope. But  unfortunately they just received shaking of head  in denial and a grief filled countenance in return.
When the longer hand struck at 12, sounds of sparkles of fire crackers were heard in the near vicinity and the night sky was illuminated by lights of fire flowers.
"Just leave him, it's already 12 and I think his mood will change if he sees colourful lights in the sky.", Emily suggested.
Everyone agreed upon it and began to light different rockets.

It was Anna's dream to see fireworks with Mile beside her. She had imagined different kinds of reactions which she could receive from him, if his humerus was caught tightly in her grip, when  sound of a bomb or any other illumination gave her a fright. She wished him to look at her with a romantic interest or at least a gaze filled with love and passion. While she was busy imagining the situation, a loud deafening sound of atom bomb  startled her. Unconsciously her hand reached out to Mile's arm, when her gaze fell upon Mile's face, his attention was towards the night sky with a glum smile.

Behind both of them were two figures, irked by their closeness.
One was Apo the other was Jeff. Emotionally taken aback a lone tear rolled down Apo's left eye, which he wiped with his t-shirt and scurried from the terrace at the speed of a lightning.
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He couldn't take it anymore, a sacred shrine which he believed was just meant for him and Mile was disclosed to others and his attention seemed to be just not him since a few days.
Apo climbed down the stairs, passed across Nathanee and Chan, "What are you upto my boy? ", asked Chan, instead of answering he fastened his pace of walk, trying to escape any sort of conversations. He walked and walked until he found a tree which seemed to be lonely at the moment just like him and was not in near vicinity of noisy-crowded city.

Although the lad was deaf and dumb, his senses of perception of his surroundings and emotions of attachment were way beyond a normal one.
Just as he seated himself under the tree, a shadow which kept following him from the mansion settled right beside him. Apo was not afraid from the time he realised he was being followed, since he was sure of who it would be, his 'MAI'.

"You seem different,.. people would declare you are sad if they saw you, but I don't think so,...you seem to be mad at someone instead.", Mile spoke as he seated himself beside Apo. Apo on the other hand, had an expression of anger and dismay.
Although the spoken words were unheard physically by Apo, he could gauge what the other person spoke about.
"Mai....mine", Apo stuttered in a high pitched tone while he held Mile's arm and leaned his head towards his shoulder.

Mile chuckled as soon as he heard Apo's words, " Ok, Mai is yours, I promise to stay by your side forever or atleast until you find your special one."
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In the evening, after the departure of Anna and her mum, "Do you think he will be able to cope with the syllabus and other students? Is it safe? ", Nathanee spoke in an afraid tone, looking towards Apo who was up to something creative in his sketch book.
" Don't worry, he is going to have Mile by his side, I have spoken to the principal and he has agreed to place Apo in the same class as Mile.", Chan ensured.

"But what if he gets bullied in the absence of Mile, I think he should be studying in a home school or a school for specially abled kids and we don't even know if he was going to any school. ", she spoke hesitantly.

Chan had persuaded Mile's school to admit Apo as their student to the same grade as Mile, he was an important and respected personality in Mile's school as he was one of it's trustee and a great source for charity. Hence, Apo was accepted although it was in the mid of the term and the school authorities were obliged to provide after class tutoring sessions to help him catch up with the syllabus. The allowance included a condition, which asked for Apo to be one among  top 75 ranks in the finals lest he would be asked to repeat the same year or asked to leave the school. Although the challenge was pretty hard looking at the way Apo was, Chan was yet convinced and confident over him.

Apo was spotted going through several books related to science in their library by everyone. He spent several nights reading a book inside Mile's room while Mile dozed off. Most of the books he found interesting were related to quantum physics. It was a pretty convincing sign, that's what the oldest Romsaithong thought and believed this autistic boy saw the world in an entirely special way which a so called normal man couldn't even dream of.
He was just like a gem in a mine awaiting for it to be discovered.

Chan replied, "He is going to be fine, I believe in him.", in a stern voice.
As their serious conversation continued, Apo ran towards the two with his sketchbook and squeaked " Mai.", which implied he was asking for him.
"He is inside his room, I guess sweetheart. ", Nathanee answered.

Both Nathnee and Chan gazed in Apo's direction as his figure disappeared upstairs.
" But he doesn't utter a single word except 'Mai', I just hope things go well for this innocent soul and people would be kind to him.", Nathanee whispered.
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"Mai,.... Mai..", he entered his undeclared room on an excited note. Mile was looking out for celestial objects with his telescope and his attention shifted swiftly to Apo as he heard his voice.

A sketch of two boys looking towards the night sky with huge smiles, holding hands in the midst of a forest was what Apo showed Mile. It was themselves to be more appropriate.
It was a pleasant surprise for Mile and this affectionate gesture made him emotional. All he could do at this moment was to caress Apo's cheeks and say "thank you.", in a calm and satisfied tone. A lone tear escaped Mile's eye,
" I always wonder why am I so important to you? ", he spoke to which the other guy scrambled his hair with a grin.

"It's late, tomorrow is going to be a long day and fresh start for you let's sleep." ;Both the teens laid down on the bed with their pinky fingers interweined.

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