Mr Ruffles

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"You never know how much something is worth until to finally loose it." For me that statement does not apply because I have never really had anything to loose.
I was born with ASD, for some of you that do not know what that means. It is a disability caused by difference in the brain, because of it I am unable to interact with people normally. I don't know where when a person is telling a joke or when I am supposed to laugh.
Perhaps my condition would have been better managed if I had people that loved me but then I found myself in the walls of an orphanage at the age of five.

I remember every single detail that led up to the point where I was dropped but I rather not talk about it.
My brain works differently making me act differently.
Back to my first entry of the day,my teacher said that in class this morning. It stuck for some unknown reason because I knew I had nothing so I couldn't loose it.
"Samantha, I need not remind you that it is time for dinner. Keep that book down and join the others downstairs".
"Yes Miss Vivian".
I closed my book, tucked in my shirt and headed downstairs. The other children were already seated, lined up in the perfect order. Dinner was quiet as usual, no one making any sound loud enough to be heard.
After, dinner we got ready for bed. 7:00 pm, the light went out.

"Class, I would like to introduce you to your new classmate, Michelle Watson".
I was scribbling in my notebook when the name perked my ears up. I looked up from my book at the girl capturing everyone's attention. I didn't quite get it but I felt it too. The way everyone stared at her. She was really beautiful.
She walked closer taking the only empty sit in the class, right behind me.
"Psstt, I'm Michelle", she nudged me with her pen.
"Why was she talking to me?", I thought. I kept scribbling away. She made a few more efforts to get my attention before eventually giving up.

At lunchtime, I took my food to the corner of the field where I always ate. I had taken a few steps to my usual spot when I heard someone talking.
"You are a cute little thing, aren't you?. You just wanted a little food".The person giggled. I peeped as I was curious to what was going on.
Michelle was on floor, kneeling as she fed the brown cat I always saw loitering around my corner of the field.
The cat looked skinny. I read in a book, if you feed a cat it will keep coming back so I never fed it.
She was about to get up when I said,"Why did you feed the cat?". She turned to look at me,"Oh she speaks".

I stared back at her blankly making her sigh, "I fed it because it looked hungry. I saw it and I had sympathy for it". I continued to stare, "Sympathy, do you not know what it is?, It means-".
"Feeling pity or sorrow for someone else's misfortune".
"Well I wasn't going to give such a perfect definition but yes". Silence followed.

"Why did you try to talk to me in class?. You didn't try to talk to anyone else". She smiled,"Yesterday when my mother brought me to take a tour round the school I saw you sitting all alone eating and I thought maybe you could use a friend".
"A friend?"
"Yes a friend is-"*
"A person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection typically one exclusive of family relations".
She giggled, "You really have a really big brain don't you?". I frowned, "I didn't mean to offend you. It was just a complimentary joke".
"I don't like jokes". I turned and left. She ran after me. She never left my side after that. Everyday at lunch time after much convincing we would feed the cat or as she called him, "Mr Ruffles".

That was fifteen years ago. Michelle stuck by me through everything, from high school to University to Law School. In those years I finally felt the impact of the statement I wrote in my book many years ago when during our university days I almost lost her.
Today, I watched my best friend as she laughed and danced around the hall.

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"Time for the toast" someone said.
It was time. My hands were shaking but I heard her voice in my head as I made my way up. The room was quiet.
"I was born with a condition that makes me not want to be the best person you want around". Some people laughed, "I am here today because fifteen years ago, a beautiful twelve year old girl felt sympathy for another who was in need of a friend. She taught me that there was more to life and I should never think I am not good enough just because I am different", I paused facing Michelle directly and whispered I love you. She wiped an escaped tear from her eye.
"So let's raise our glasses to my favorite couple". We all raised our glasses. The light in the room hit my fingers making my engagement ring sparkle.
"To Michelle and Davis". Everyone chorused.
I made my way to my best friend. She threw her arms around me.
"I couldn't have done this without you". We both turned to the noise at the side. I smiled ruffling his fur, "We know. We couldn't have done this without you either".