As the night comes to an end, she quietly departs, leaving everyone to return to their slumber.
The following morning, on Friday, the boys groggily awaken, still trying to recover from the unexpected interruption that occurred during the night.
Expressing his concerns, James speaks up, "Do you genuinely believe that she will uphold her promise? I can't help but worry that she merely told us what we wanted to hear."
"I believe she will. Let's maintain a positive mindset," Logan says as he pours orange juice into a cup. "Kendall, I wanted to inform you that I was successful in persuading Louie to join us at the Harvest Moon Festival on Halloween. I simply asked him. Unfortunately, he still holds negative feelings towards you."
"That's alright. It just means that you were able to make a connection with him," Kendall says while eating cereal.
Katie strolls in, looking all anxious and stuff, and just plops herself down on the couch.
Carlos, being the charming guy that he is, greets her with a warm hug and a cheerful "Buenos días princesa!"
Curiosity gets the best of him, and he asks, "What's got you all worked up, my friend?"
"If Tyler's mom was lying to us, I'm going to be really sad," Katie answers, squeezing her knees up to her chest and hugging a pillow.
"Tyler is the first kid here at the Palm Woods to want to hang out with me. I don't want that to go away."
"We don't want that for you either, but no matter what happens, he'll always be your best friend," James says, trying to cheer her up.
"Let's fact-check that," Katie challenges.
They all head downstairs to the classroom after getting dressed for school. Lunch is outside again thanks to the awesome weather. Louie is sitting alone, engrossed in a book. Jett rudely chuckles and snatches it from his hands.
"Give it back now!" Louie demands.
"Why should I?" Jett retorts.
"Because it's not yours and I don't like you!" Louie asserts, not mincing his words.
"Well, that's not ideal. I mean, who doesn't like me?" Jett says, with a hint of self-importance.
Louie responds, "Based on my observations, it appears that the entirety of the youthful population residing in this locality..."
Jett interjects, his tone tinged with disdain, "In that case, it is regrettable that they fail to recognize the value of their missed opportunity." He punctuates his remark with an exaggerated eye roll.
Louie politely requests, "Please return my book."
Jett firmly responds, "I'm afraid that won't be possible."
Katie interjects, addressing Jett with courtesy, "Excuse me, Jett. It seems you have clearly heard Louie's request. I kindly ask that you return his book and refrain from bothering him any further. It is evident that no one in this vicinity holds a favorable opinion of you. Even Miss Collins, our esteemed educator, finds your presence rather vexing. She, however, maintains her professional obligation to accept all students."
"I'm sorry, but this matter does not concern you. I kindly request that you leave," Jett states with a firm yet polite tone.
Katie, determined to stand her ground, responds, "Actually, it does concern me, so I will not be leaving."
Miss Collins, with an air of authority, intervenes, having witnessed enough of Jett's unkind behavior towards Louie. She addresses Jett directly, stating, "Jett, I have both heard and observed an ample amount of your mistreatment towards Louie. I must insist that you return his book immediately. Furthermore, this afternoon, you will be assigned detention as a consequence for your actions."
In a display of defiance, Jett carelessly tosses the book onto the ground and walks away, rolling his eyes in a dismissive manner.
Louie, with a sigh, retrieves the book that was carelessly thrown at him. "You jerk," he remarks, "she specifically asked for it to be handed to me, not tossed like a toddler!"
Katie, concerned, inquires, "Are you alright, Louie?"
"Absolutely," Louie replies, exuding confidence. "I must also express my gratitude for your assistance, Miss Collins."
Logan spots Louie at Palm Woods Park and casually approaches his table.
"Hey, Louie! Is this the game you were talking about that Kendall missed out on?" he asks, intrigued.
"Yeah, I actually came up with it back in middle school as a way to make friends during recess. The kids at my old school thought it was a bit strange and didn't give it a chance, but if they had, they would've had a blast. I'm sure Kendall would've felt the same way. He took one look at my game and just decided it wasn't worth his time," Louie explains, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"I would absolutely love to play the game with you," Logan says with great enthusiasm.
Louie, taken aback by Logan's response, asks in surprise, "Really? You want to join me?"
Logan nods eagerly and replies, "Definitely! I thoroughly enjoy challenges, and this game seems incredibly stimulating. Is that your goal as well? To exercise our brains and have a great time?"
Louie opens up and shares his personal experiences, saying, "Yes, that's exactly it. I'm always on the lookout for ways to test my intelligence and have fun while doing it. It hasn't always been easy for me to make friends because of my passion for intellectual pursuits. Some people in middle school thought I was a bit different and nerdy. Even if I simply greeted other kids with a friendly 'Hi', they would avoid me as if I were some kind of monster. It felt like everyone was repelled by me. That's when my mom stepped in to lend a helping hand. Despite my initial resistance, she insisted that her support would be valuable to me."
The conversation continues, with both Logan and Louie sharing their thoughts, experiences, and excitement for the game.
"When I was younger, my mom worried about my social skills and lack of friends. I played alone a lot, and it made her sad. So, I tried different ways to make friends, but I just didn't have the skills," Logan says.
"We're pretty similar, huh?" Louie says.
"Yeah, it's nice to have things in common with friends," Logan says.
"You really consider me your friend? Seriously?" Louie says, surprised.
"Yeah, of course," Logan grins.
"You don't think I'm unappealing and weird?" Louie asks.
"Nah, not at all," Logan replies.
"You're special in your own way. Everyone can be quirky."
"Can I tell you something that I don't tell a lot of people?" Louie nervously asks.
"Sure, spill the beans!" Logan says.
"The reason behind all my terrible social skills and odd behavior is because I've been recently diagnosed with autism. I'm high functioning," Louie says.
"How recent was this diagnosis?" Logan asks, curious.
"Just last year," Louie answers.
"Makes me feel like a freak."
"You're not a freak. You're incredibly smart and super talented," Logan says.
"Kids with autism aren't the first kids to get picked for a team in gym class or be part of a class project. We're expected to stay quiet and act strange. That's the stereotype. Be seen and not heard. We're seen as weirdos. We're never heard because nobody talks to us," Louie says.
"I don't have personal experience with autism, but I am acquainted with someone who does," Logan states.
"Who is it? Are they nearby or here at the Palm Woods?" Louie inquires.
"They live in a nearby neighborhood. I'm not sure of the exact distance from the Palm Woods, but they visit frequently and it doesn't take them long to get here. The individual's name is Steven, and he is always accompanied by his younger brother, Andy," Logan explains.
"So Steven is autistic, and his brother Andy is supportive of him?" Louie asks.
"Yes, Andy advocates for him," Logan says.
"That's remarkable. Can you share more about it while we play my game?" Louie suggests.
"Sure, but first, could you explain how to play it?" Logan asks.
"Yes," Louie confirms.
He provides a thorough explanation of how to play and complete the tasks in each level. Logan quickly grasps the concept.
"You're a quick learner, Logan. Even my dad couldn't figure out my game, and he's one of the smartest people I know," Louie compliments.