grade aspey (jay)

As the week wore on, test day came nearer. Things were sort of running as usual, though the Commander was acting a bit weird. Kinda stressed like James, it was probably just because of the threat of the war becoming more and more real.

Miss Zaffin asked to see him after school once, Thia's dad. I don't know if that was to do with Thia or the war or what, but it must've been important, as she had a slightly grave look on her face.

Then things started getting a bit weird. On the night before the test, Thia was told she had to do an extra one.

She wasn't told why, or what it was for, just that it was important that she did it.

"Maybe it's just because you're really smart." Suggested Noaba.

"But then, why would it be so important?"

None of us had an answer to this, but we went into school the next day and took the test, and then waited for Thia to take her extra one.

When she came out, she looked very confused.

"What was it about?" I asked.

She shrugged. "No idea. It wasn't even a paper test.

They just told me to do stuff and wrote things down on a clip board."

"Sounds a bit random."

That was when I started to think something was up. People at school were focusing in on Thia for some reason. Why? Was it just because she was clever, like Noaba said? Or was it something more?

I had a feeling her dad would know, because that would have been what Zaffin had told him about. But if he didn't think he should tell her yet, then I guessed there must've been a good reason.

When we got our results on Sunday, things started looking pretty high, except for me. We were all grade three, but I was at the bottom class.

Sam and Noaba were in the same class in the Middle, and Thia was at the top.

"But what about your extra test?" Noaba asked.

Thia shrugged. "Maybe I don't get a result for that. Maybe it didn't mean anything."

"Let's hope so." I said with a smile.

Unfortunately it did. On the next day of school, Zaffin asked to see Thia's dad again, with Thia this time, and before school.

Seen as I was in a class on my own, I couldn't ask her why until break time.

When I finally found her, she was sitting on her own in a corner of the playground. Sam and Noaba were already with her, and she was looking slightly put off.

"Are you alright?" I asked when I got closer. "What's been going on, hey, what all these extra tests and meetings about?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't really matter."

"Well, obviously it does," said Noaba "'Cause it seems to have upset you."

She got up and walked over to the fence. Then she looked round and told us flat out.

"I have Autism."

None of us spoke.

"It's mild, but it's definitely there."

"Definitely Autism?" asked Sam.

"Definitely, or a form of it. They're calling it Asperger's." She told us.

There was a long silence.

"It doesn't make a difference, does it?" asked Thia.

"Of course not!" I said. "It's just a disability and they're only saying you got it now because this was when they decided to test you for it. You could've had it for years, but no one ever noticed. And so what if some people go round calling you Aspey, you're still the same old Thia."

She laughed. "Thanks Jay. You always make things better."

I blushed, hoping my slight tan would hide it. "Err, I'm glad it helps." I said rather lamely.

"So what now?" asked Sam

"We go on." Noaba told him. "That's all we can do. Just carry on going."