*From The Winner of the October 2019 Nancy Drew Contest*
Allen Thorn has ASD, and though he's highly functioning he still has a hard time navigating in the world around him. This is especially true concerning his feelings for a friend of his brother...
Alisha and I didn't talk much at first period. What she had said the day before was going on and on in my mind. We have all made, or make, mistakes... the more friends the better. I have very little doubt that Hannah not only used my card for the cookies and Fast Track, but also pocketed some for herself. The big questions were: what did she do with the money and, the biggest one, WHY?!
Possible scenarios ran through my mind. In my short time of knowing Hannah she seemed especially frivolous with money. What ate at me however was how seemingly protective she was of Sarah when we first met. Do the sentiments behind both quirks correlate or conflict? For a moment we were extremely distant but over the course of a day she seemed like a friend but now?
Why?
I brooded my way into third period, Mr. Kruel's math class, and sat in my seat. Waiting on Hannah to come in. She didn't. Was she absent?
Worse... did the culprit behind the letter get her? Despite my current predicament, and that I've only known my friends for a short time, I would jump in front of a car for them. I would precipitate their kindness tenfold. I would never willingly betray their trust.
Does that make me naive? An easy target? Someone befriends me one day and then I trust them the next? I'd crucify myself for them? I need to harden myself but is that just part of who I am? Naive? Innocent?
"Allen~"
I was walking towards lunch when Makayla's voice shook me from my thoughts.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing."
"C'mon, it's Sarah isn't it?"
"Actually no, not today."
She raised a brow and teased, "Yesterday?"
I smiled at her teasing as we walked through the throngs of students to the cafeteria. What surprised me again was seeing Hannah sitting with the squad. Anger broiled up my throat and I tried to swallow it. I didn't smile as I sat next to Sarah, across from Alisha who sat next to Hannah. Makayla was on my left and caught the dirty look I sent Hannah but she didn't say anything.
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Makayla Marthajon
Hoah boi, what did Hannah do this time? Alisha piped up, spouting off gamer nonsense I didn't quite understand.
"I caught a dub yesterday, and dropped a twenty-bomb in the same game."
"Don't know. Don't care." I said.
"Did you buy any more skins Allen?"
Allen pried his glower away from Hannah, who either pretended not to notice or sincerely didn't notice. A bashful smile broke through his moody... well... mood.
"Not after the FaceTime last night."
Sarahlinn blinked at Alisha a few times, her expression unreadable to most. I was close enough of a friend of Sarah to know and see her body slowly tense up. What the hell is Alisha doing?
"Alishaaa~" I cooed dangerously, "eh-hem."
"Kayla," Sarah said, "it's okay. Allen~" she put an arm on Allen's shoulder and said sweetly, "can you sit with the guys today?"
It took an almost comical second for him to speak.
"Why?"
"Kayla's on her period." She lied. "You might wanna clear out."
He gave me a horrified look before almost bolting to his brother's table.
"Great now he's going to avoid me like the plague Sarah!"
She ignored me and instead replied, her voice conflicted, "Kayla, the bloody ship ain't sailin'. You need to chill."
I was taken aback. "Sarah- I-"
"Allen can make his own choices."
The tension was thick in the air as Megan attempted to hide in her book and Hannah got up. Drawing out her beginning saying,
"Iiiiii'm going to take a dump."
Alisha gulped as Hannah disappeared behind me. Alisha stammered,
"S-Sarah, didn't you want to date Allen?"
"What I want rarely ever matters. Doesn't it girls? If the guy doesn't want me then what I want doesn't matter."
"You didn't answer the question-" I was interrupted when Sarah said,
"What I want is you all to chill the hell out! What I want is not to stay up at night wondering about some stupid letter!"
After that she held her stomach as if in pain, "Crap, periods suck."
Oh so she's on her period and lies about me being on mine? Now I didn't know what to do. I did the only sensible thing to do.
