Okay, okay, another short chapter, but on the plus side: You had all better be excited for the next chapter! I swear I researched everything in this chapter exhaustingly, so please tell me if I am wrong, so I can be sad that all my research was in vain. Please don't die from the suspense until you have read chapter 19, which is the big finale!

Aiden opened his bedroom door and allowed the girls in. Sophie saw the cleanest bedroom she had ever seen; the bed was made, his desk was tidy, all of his clothes were neatly put away, and the keyboard in his room had no stuff piled on it. There was a music stand with a few books and a tuner on it in one corner, and in another there was a chessboard with all the pieces neatly placed in their positions. Sophie noticed that there was nothing on the walls except for a full-length mirror. There were red curtains that matched the red bedspread on Aiden's double bed that hugged the wall. The room was dimly lit; only the desk lamp and another lamp on a bedside table were on.

"Wow… Your room is hella clean," Katie said, looking around. "I had pictured it to be messier."

Aiden cleared his throat, "Well, I'd probably pass out if everything was messy and I suddenly went autistic."

"I guess you're right," Katie replied. "I just always thought that really creative and musical people were messy."

Aiden set his violin down near his music stand and sat down on his bed, his red pajama bottoms clashing garishly against the bedspread.

Katie sat down next to him, arranging her flower-print skirt just right before saying, "I know it's stupid of me to generalize like that, but that's how I've always thought."

"Creativity is harbored in the right frontal lobe of the brain. Logic is the left frontal lobe. Autistic people, although known for accepting fantasy instead of reality, tend to be very logical. When I'm normal, it's reversed. I like music and art and all that," Aiden said uncomfortably.

He must really hate talking about himself, Sophie thought, taking a seat in the swivel chair at Aiden's desk. "So even when you're normal, you're not normal? Your brain never really balances?" she asked.

"Well, no, not really. They say I'm pretty normal; they get that from all the tests and interviews. But there's no way you can tell. I'm as normal as I'll ever be right now," Aiden answered.

"Do you know what causes you to become autistic, then?" Katie asked. She was unaware that Aiden was growing increasingly uncomfortable with all of these questions.

"I don't know for sure, but some psychologists and neurologists think it's related to stress or surprise. But it's not consistent with anything they've thought of so far."

The room was silent for a few minutes as the girls pondered Aiden's words. "So let's get down to business," Katie broke the silence. Sophie noticed Aiden's relief as the spotlight switched off of him. "You know that sooner or later, you're going to have to make a decision, Aiden," Katie continued.

Aiden sighed as he lay back on his bed, hands behind his head. So the spotlight hasn't moved, Sophie thought, feeling bad for him, but also impatience because she wanted him to make the choice. Aiden shut his eyes and answered calmly, "Yeah, I know. I knew we'd eventually get around to it. I can't say I've decided yet."

Sophie tapped her fingers on the arm rests nervously. She wished she could read his mind and become the perfect person for him.

"So how do you want to go about this?" Katie asked.

Aiden lifted his head and looked at Sophie, "Can you go so I can talk to Katie alone?"

Sophie nodded, unsure whether this was good for her or bad. She left the room and shut the door behind her. She heard muffled voices through the wall, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Restless, Sophie roamed the hallway. Peering over the railing, she saw a middle-aged woman making coffee in the kitchen. The lady sensed Sophie's gaze and looked up at her with a piercing look.

"You must be one of Aiden's friends," she sneered.

Oh no! It's Aiden's mom! What will she be like?

OMG, I want to somehow include this idea I have as a last laugh, and I just figured out how. So come back tomorrow!