Chapter 3
"That was boring," I complain as we are driving home.
"It's helpful to go to therapy," is all Daddy says. I guess it is, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
When we get home, I immediately go to my room to read. I always read 3 books at once. One of those books is Keeper of the Lost Cities. The protagonist in the book is named Sophie. As I'm reading, I try not to think about my BFF from Kentucky. I go down to dinner, reading as I walk. Hawaiian pizza today, and don't you dare say it's gross. I can't read during dinner because a cartoon my brother is watching is distracting me. It has a brown animal building a bunch of stuff out of legos to try to eat a mermaid without the shark getting in the way. When I'm done, I go back to my room, wondering what obsession I should have next. Technically my obsessions are called 'Special Interests', but they've always been obsessions to me. Usually they are cartoons. Usually there is a particular moment or episode that triggers a spark that turns it from an interest to a fixation. A hint of romance or a cute pose is all that's required to fascinate me. To be honest, I'm ready for new obsessions. But what should they be?
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"Hi, can I sit here?" It's lunchtime. I'm reading Keeper of the Lost Cities when I see a red-haired girl standing by my table.
"Uh, yeah, sure," I reply, hoping it's not a trick." People used to do this at my old school. Pretending to befriend the weird kid to make fun of her. I thought it might be different here, but now I'm not so sure.
"I'm Kiara. Do you have a name?" the girl says as she sits down.
"Maia," I say.
"You're new here, right?"
I nod. Why is this girl talking to me?
"You don't talk a lot, do you?" Kiara asks.
"Uh, I guess not,"
"Sorry to interrupt you from your book. It's a good one," This catches my interest.
"You've read it?" I ask.
"I've read all of the 'em."
"There's more?!"
"Oh Maia, you have a lot to learn," she smirks. I glare at her. I have never met someone who reads more than me.
"Don't worry," Kiara says. "We'll go to the library and then you can check them all out."
"Ok."
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When we get to the library, Kiara shows me where the Keeper of the Lost Cities books are and leaves me to it while she goes to another section. When I've checked out my books, I go to find Kiara and see what books she's looking at. I gasp. She whips around.
"You know about autism?" I ask. She blushes.
"Uh yeah, I'm autistic," she says. "If that's a dealbreaker, too bad. This is who I am." I smile, happy to see her being so brave about her autism.
"Of course it's not a dealbreaker!" I reassure her. "I'm autistic too!"
"Seriously?"
"Yep!"
"We're totally gonna be besties!"
And that's how I make my first friend in Oregon.
