⇦ FOLLOW? ⇨

This post isn't going to be about me today (sorry, so much for the confusing title). Maybe some time in the future, but for now, this post is about my 13 year old autistic cousin, Javier.

Javier enrolled into Pathlight this year, a school that offered him a 5 year program that would enable him to take O levels at the end the program. The slower speed of the program is fantastic for him and he's also free from the bullying and isolation he experienced in primary school. He made loads of friends who love him for who he is. One friend in particular, is Aria.

We (my grandmother, uncle, Javier and his sister Chrstine) were all hanging out last monday at Crystal Jade to celebrate my birthday when he told me about Aria. His whole face lit up and he looked at me in the eye while he was describing her. First of all, getting Javier to talk, in the past, has been really challenging. You had to probe him multiple times before he gave you monosyllabic answers or if you're lucky, a phrase or sentence. Direct eye contact with you was a bonus. This time, he was rambling all about her and he turned to me and said.

"She's so...pretty"

He had that dreamy look in his eyes and he asked if I wanted to meet her. I told him I would love to, and I asked him to call me whenever Aria would come over.

He talked about how Aria calls him every weekend at around 4pm. "Aria calls every weekend. I always wait for her call...I get so excited!" He started smiling and his mind took him somewhere else.

I laughed and teased him, "Are you getting Aria anything for christmas?"

"No."

I laughed again and shook my head. Boys. I asked him "Would you like to give her something this year? A flower, maybe?"

He pondered for a bit before he looked up and grinned, saying, "How about a whole bunch of flowers?"

"That's good! You will make her very happy! But only if you want to."

"How about a ring too?" He asked.

At this point my uncle and grandmother were in shock and quickly rebutted  "WHAT NONONONO-"

Javier just giggled and bounced up and down in his chair.

Then I asked him, "Do you like Aria?"
With a smile, he said, "Yes. It's young love."

I think my heart shattered into a million pieces at how adorable he is.

After much eating and talking, my grandmother asked him, "Javier, can you remember what you can only do with Aria? You can only high-five her" and she held up her hand with her palm closed to demonstrate.

"Only high-five her" He repeated monotonously without looking and continued eating. (FYI: That's how Javier learns new things, he repeats whatever you tell him)

Before we left, Javier came up to me and whispered, "I hold hands with Aria in school"

That cheeky bastard.