Missing Connections

Recess

After getting my snack pack of chips from my bag, I walked up to the tree where Adelaide and I typically sit when talking. I'm not sure why we have an assigned seating for talking. It just sort of happened.

"You texted her?" Adelaide exclaimed. "I mean, how did it go?"

"It went ok I think," I answered, pulling out my phone to show her. I opened up Messenger, tapped Angela's name and scrolled to the top. Adelaide took the phone, and began to scroll down. The further down she scrolled, the further down her face dropped. She wore look of concern I am very familiar with. She gave it back, trying to smile it seemed.

"You think it went ok?" she muttered.

"I'm not sure anymore." I answered. She shook her head and sighed. This is definitely not usually good.

"When you send like five messages in a row and they only respond with a single word, like 'haha', that is not ok." she explained. "Sorry, Alex, but..."

"She doesn't like me?"

"Probably."

"I should give up?"

"Probab- actually," she began. "I don't think you have to give up."

"It looks a lot like I have to give up." I replied flatly.

"See the thing is, this mainly all started yesterday, right?" she asked.

"Yes." I answered.

"Remember, Alex," she smiled. "These things take time."

I nodded, thinking and looking into the brush. With my conscience clear, I could hear some of the birds and cicadas in the trees above. I inadvertently repeated the words out loud a few times. These things take time. 

Adelaide was looking at me. I quickly turned to her, startled. She smiled, letting a laugh metaphorically slip.

"I think you may be cuter than you think you are." she giggled. I think she meant that unromantically, but that could be good for the Angela situation. "Don't get too hopeful though, I reckon" she added.

"Why? I asked.

"She's pretty popular, and you... well, you aren't." she continued. "I'm not saying it's impossible but, shit, it's like a bloody caste system here."

"Oh, yeah." I remembered.

"You were pretty ballsy coming in and sitting down in the circle like you did." she said. "I actually kind of admired it, even many people who aren't on the spectrum wouldn't attempt that."

"The way you're talking makes it sound like I pulled off a heist" I noted. She laughed, making a sad expression. It was one of the more confusing things I'd seen that week.

"You kind of did, in a messed up way." she said. She checked her watch, her probably dejected expression turning to an "Oh shit we're late!" and running to get to class expression. I followed her. That was one of the issues with our place. You couldn't hear the bell ring.