Undercover

Pleasant Surprise

Bina was sitting in the empty bus and texted Danny.

"Hey"

Danny: "Back from your date?"

"It wasn't a date."

Danny: "If it looks like a date, feels like a date and walks like a date..."

"Then I wish it would actually be a date."

"Want me to stop by you?"

Danny: "I'm not working right now, want me to come over?"

"Sure."

Danny and Bina arrived around the same time to her house.

She served themselves some tea and cookies in the living room, and threw herself on the sofa.

"Danny."

Danny waited to hear our the rest of the sentence.

"I am desperate." She said.

"Did he tell you again that you are pretty and flew butterflies in your gut?" Danny rolled his eyes.

"He played with my hair."

Danny spitted his tea back in his mouth from laughter. "Wow, that's brave."

"Danny..."

"Yes?"

"There isn't a chance that... This girl is me, right?" Bina immediately shook her head in dismissal. "Just stupid thoughts, forget it."

Danny looked away from her in frustration. "You like him that much?" He asked.

Bina did not reply at first, but her silence implied on her answer.

"It's bad, I know."

"Bina... You spin dozens of men's heads around, yet you got stuck on him?"

"Danny, please, who even looks at me? What are you even saying."

Danny looked serious. "I know a guy." He said looking in her eyes. Then he turned away and muttered, "even two."

Bina stared back at him in confusion. Does he refer to himself or...?

"I don't like him," he continued, "but I support you if that would make you happy."

"There is nothing to support yet or at all..."

"Don't underestimate yourself, okay?"

Danny picked his things and headed to the door.

"Are you going?" Bina asked him carefully.

"Yes, It's a bit late and I am starting to give you sick advices. Ciao!"

Danny left the place just as Roy got back.

"Had a date?" He asked.

"No. Why are you asking so much recently?"

"I rarely see you like this, so I am interested."

"Even if it was a date, it's none of your concern. You barely see me and we only happen to live in the same house since we were eleven."

Roy seemed to be unmoved by the statement. "I am trying to get along with you recently, you could cooperate." He said plainly.

Following his advice, Bina decided to give it a chance. "It wasn't a date. I was just meeting a friend in a fancy place. We were celebrating the end of the semester."

"A guy? Only the two of you?"

"Yes... And yes."

"Sounds like a date."

"And you sound like Danny."

Roy's face creased to the comparison.

Was it Nate?

"A friend of mine, Nate, throws a party next Friday to celebrate the end of the semester." Roy checked Bina's reaction.

She opened her eyes widely in surprise.

"Nate? Jonatan? Miller?" She verified.

"Yes, I have seen you around studying together so I assumed you know. Just wanted to make sure you don't do anything weird there."

"I wasn't invited." Bina replied firmly.

He spent time yesterday with me to avoid having me in the party?

Roy felt uncomfortable with the situation as he did not expect to hear the information.

"I can talk to him and ask -"

"No need, I won't be coming anyway." Bina left to her room without additional comments.

***

Bina and Nate kept on meeting during the winter vacation as well to slowly work on their next project and ease the load of the end of the next semester. And maybe they also just wanted reasons to meet.

They mostly met at Nate's house in the weekdays mornings and kept the weekends for themselves and their families.

Nate's parents had their weekend free at home too, so the family decided to have a nice breakfast together before both of them leave for a while again.

"I have a question." Nate heated the atmosphere and drew his parents' and his sister's eyes to him. "How can you tell if someone is on the autistic spectrum?"

Adah, who followed their mother's steps and majors psychology, immediately answered. "There are some criteria and sometimes it's not as vivid as a flu."

"Like what?" Nate inquired more.

"Social skills, emotions, general conceptions... Lots of stuff. It also comes in different forms and levels."

"And can't you... Like... see it?" Nate motioned with his hands on different places on his body.

Adah and his mother let a soft giggle at his question.

"See what? Most of them are normal people. Some of them can live a full life without ever being diagnosed." Adah commented.

His mother also added, "some are also very brilliant people. They just have some difficulties blending in."

"Really?" Nate was lost in thoughts.

"Why do you ask?" Adah became interested.

"The girl I am studying with..." Nate just started talking, as his sister immediately cut him, "Bina?"

"Do you know her?"

"Peter told me."

Peter was their cousin, around the same age as Nate. He was studying electrical engineering and was about to graduate by the end of the academic year.

I guess I can't say a thing now.

"How does Peter know her?"

"I don't know, he just said he saw you two studying together and thought I would know something." Adah informed.

She also remembered the beginning of the conversation. "So what about her?"

"Nothing." Nate wasn't very convincing.

"She is a bit weird so you think she is autistic?" His mother intervened with a criticizing tone.

"I don't think, I know." Nate confessed. "But please don't tell Peter or anyone," he turned to Adah with a warning face, "I am not supposed to know that either and she also doesn't want anyone to know."

Mother and Adah exchanged glances.

"What?" Nate noticed the awkward silence. "I was just wondering if anyone was supposed to notice that."

"No, Nate." Adah replied. "Anyway, she's a normal person."

"I guess she doesn't want to be labeled," his mother added. "She sounds like a nice girl, Nate. Why won't she ever stay for dinner?"

Adah sent another look to her mother.

"She might. I will ask her next time." Nate said quietly.

Either way nothing happens between us.

***

Only two weeks were left for the vacation and before the spring semester starts.

Bina visited Nate immediately after the weekend for their follow-up project.

The first grades also began to arrive, and she was very positively surprised by Nate's performance.

They found it hard to concentrate during their time off so their process was very slow, yet they treasured their time together for obvious reasons.

"Bina," Nate just remembered something.

"Yes?"

"I didn't get the chance to tell you... You just ran away when we met before I could say anything -"

"Nate I am tensed, what is it?" Bina cut him.

"I am having a party at my house on Friday."

Bina put on a suspicious face.

"Something's wrong?" He asked.

"I know." She answered. "That you throw a party."

Nate chuckled as he understood her head. "You thought I would leave you behind, right?"

Bina looked at him with an embarrassed face full of self underestimation.

"Silly you! You don't even get the privilege to stand me up this time."

Bina smiled softly as she regained her trust. "Are you sure you want me to come? I am not even sure what I am supposed to do there."

"Just be my company. 'Kay?" He said and tapped her nose with his finger in a quick motion as he is used to.