Autistic Jacqueline Morrison was fretting. Nothing new, thought Clarissa.

Warm-ups for Clarissa's long awaited band concert were uneventful, although Jackie's panic was growing increasingly louder. Clarissa found her eyes drawn to her, slightly worried. Jacqueline's drum solo was important to the first arrangement; she was the only percussionist who could nail the downbeats.

She was also the only Special Ed student in the seventh grade. Her autism singled her out. Clarissa didn't think she had any friends; it had a lot to do with her loud voice, temperamental attitude, high intelligence, and eerie nearly-white eyes.

Their unorganized band director filed them onto the stage fifteen minutes early. If that wasn't embarrassing enough, Jackie was pacing and yelling about her dilemma.

Clarissa glanced at the distressed teen. Having Jaqueline upset wouldn't benefit the production.

"Jackie?" She asked tentatively.

"What?" Jacqueline whirled around, face flushed from anxiety. Her unnerving blue eyes pierced Clarissa.

She focused on her nose instead. "...er, can I help?"

Jackie took an angry breath. "I misplaced my drumsticks." Her fists were clenched and she mouthed indistinguishable words.

"I know. I'll show you where the spares are..." She was cut off.

Jackie's eyes watered. "My mom bought those!" She said in a choked voice. "It was a lot to purchase them! I won't be allowed a second pair!"

Clarissa stared at her, realizing Jacqueline's problems went beyond autism.

"Would you...like to have mine?" She shocked herself by asking. Clarissa reluctantly pulled the sticks out of her back pocket. "I have a second pair."

Jackie gulped and nodded, reaching out with shaking fingers. "Thank you," She whispered.

"You're welcome." Clarissa said, half unhappy about the loss of her drumsticks. The other part of her was bursting with pride, and a bit of surprise. All it took was a bit of friendliness, and Jackie was calm.

"But my mom will be mad! She'll kill me!"

"No, she's your mother." She assured her. "She loves you. Mothers are special." She paused, thinking of her own parent sitting in the darkened auditorium. She'd told her mother and sister to walk a few yards behind her on the way in.

Jackie coughed, wiping her eyes frantically, breaking the silence. "I look so stupid." She often said that about herself. The thought made Clarissa's stomach suddenly drop. "I'm sorry."

Clarissa shook her head. "You're smarter than me, Jackie." She thought of Jacqueline's excessive 'lexicon', as she called it. Clarissa hesitated, then opened her arms. "Would you...like a hug?"

Jackie replied with a Yes! and somehow, getting glomped by Jackie was a million times better than the applause of the crowd as the curtains opened.

Perhaps Jacqueline Morrison was just as human as her.