A Wide Spectrum (A Community Fanfic)

Doubts

Dean Craig Pelton, Rose's uncle, walked her to the parking lot where they were waiting for his older sister Shayne to pick her up.

"How was your first day?"

She wrote on her board:"Great!"

"Good, I knew you'd enjoy, I always encourage a positive experience in my college. How'd it go with Winger and his posse? I heard you got put with them for Spanish?"

Rose wrote on the board: "They're alright, we'll get along great."

Pelton rolled his eyes.

"Do you have any idea what kind of shenanigans they cause and get into? They once broke into my office just to peek at a penis diagram! Rose, I don't think it's a good idea to associate with them other than studying Spanish."

Rose wrote on her board: "I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt."

"Seriously Rosie, I just said they're bad news! Listen, you're my niece, I love you very much, but you're way too innocent for your own good. It's because of your autism. I've known them for a whole semester, you've known them for a few hours. Trust my judgment, their influence on you will be negative."

She wrote on her board: "I'm too 'innocent for my own good' to go down a path of crime." She smiled as he read it.

"Ok, you got me there," he chuckled.

Shayne pulled in the parking lot and in front of them.

"Hi Rose, how was your day!?"

Rose smiled and swayed side to side.

"I'll take that as a positive answer. Hi Craig."

"Hi Shayne. How are you?"

"Picking our niece up from her first day of college."

"That's good to hear."

The relationship between the two siblings were tense. Pelton turned to Rose.

"Before you leave, promise me this: no kung fu on campus grounds, there's other ways to stand up for yourself, no fighting."

She just nodded and got in the car.

The next college day, Rose walked into the courtyard where the Luis Guzman statue was to Jeff and Pelton talking.

"You better treat my niece right, she's only with your gang for the study group, and only the study group. She is such a sweet young girl, and I won't let you ruin that."

"Isn't she a grown woman?"

"She may be in age but not in her development," he pointed to his bald head.

"Normally, people like her would end up in some kind of institution or home, she's made it this far in her education, give her the benefit of the doubt whether she's friends with me or not."

Rose smiled at Jeff defending her.

"I see, I get it, you guys have been treating her right...for now...we'll see. Mark my words Winger, you guys hurt her, I'll break your necks."

Jeff gave Pelton the safe sign and went their separate ways.

Spanish 101 had their first test today, just the basics on the first week. While Rose took her test, Chang snuck behind her desk and swiped her board from her open backpack. She was so concentrated on her test, she didn't notice. As soon as she was finished, she zipped her backpack, gave her test to Chang, and left the classroom. Chang snickered to himself.

After getting some lunch, she saw her study group at a table. She sped walked to the table.

"And look who's here!" Pierce said.

"Hi Rosie!" They said.

Rose just smiled and waved.

"Sit with us," Jeff said.

Rose sat down next to Jeff.

"How was your first test?" Britta asked.

She held up her thumb.

"Feel confident you passed?"

She nodded and held up her other thumb.

"I hope you got an A, unless Senor Chang finds a way to fail you," Jeff said.

Rose was going to get out her board but she realized it was missing. She went pale and started looking again.

"Rosie, what's wrong baby?" Shirley asked.

Rose started to breath heavily. She made a writing motion.

"Your board, you can't find your board?" Jeff asked concerned.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Jeff wanted to pat her on the back but she got tense and stood up.

"Rosie, it's ok, we'll look for your board," Annie said.

"Where was the last place you saw it?" Troy asked.

She got out one of her notebooks and a pencil, she wrote: "It was in my backpack when I walked into Spanish for the test."

"You just mentioned Spanish, I think I have a suspicion," Jeff said.

"She must've left it there by accident," Annie said.

"I think it was Chang, he hates all his students enough to sabatoge them," Britta said.

"Stay with them, I'll go talk to Chang."

Jeff emptied his tray and walked to Chang's office.

Chang was grading the tests when Jeff barged in.

"Alright Chang, where is it?"

"Where's what?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about! Where did you put it?"

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about Mr. Winger!"

"Rose is very upset right now because her board is gone, it's her only form of communication. She is nonverbally autistic! Don't you have a heart for her!?"

"It was a security measure Winger, calm down, por favor!"

"Security measure, more like sabotage."

"I was only keeping her from cheating."

"Cheating, you think she's the type to cheat?"

"Obviously, she got into college because of her Uncle Dean, she's retarded, and...that's pretty much it."

"She's done with the test, you can give it back to her now."

"I'm afraid I can't."

"Why!?"

"Because I lost it."

"You...you, Chang!"

"I'm sorry, I put it on my desk then it was gone. So, hasta luego Winger!"

"Fine, you better be helping us look. If you call her retarded again, I'll slug you like a slugger!"

Jeff walked away.