---Felix's POV---

"Here's your stop Felix." The bus driver spoke in a dull tone. My eyes flickered over his face, confused. Was he angry? His brows were frowned but his lips were lifted up... Why is he making a happy gesture when he's angry? Or maybe he's happy but angry with...something?

I let out a little hum, grabbing my bag. My fingers flew over the zippers and ties, making sure everything was closed and in place twice over, opening and zipping everything shut again before I stood up.

The man let out a little sigh while he opened the doors, making me flinch back at the loud hissing sound. I quickly walked down the two steps, looking left and right before walking away.

Already I spotted my mother standing on the porch, waiting patiently. My eyes dropped back down to the floor, watching as I took the familiar steps until I paused.

"Welcome home Felix."

I hummed, swaying my weight slightly. She opened up the door and I walked in, flinching back when I nearly bumped into Eric, my father. "Oh, sorry Felix. Didn't see you there, son."

But my eyes were focused on Eric's feet, how close they stood to me. If he leaned over, he could easily touch me... I hated being touched. Somehow, I had to be prepared mentally and reach out myself before I could let it happen.

Scurrying around Eric, I heard him sigh deeply as I fled upstairs and dropped my schoolbag before neatly emptying it, sorting everything away. After I was done, I went to the closet and got out of the school uniform, changing into warm and soft clothes before I grabbed my walking boots.

No rain today... perfect day to go walking again.

Holding onto the boots, I made my way down and looked around, spotting Caroline in the kitchen. My brows furrowed as I stared at the floor, swaying on the spot. I wanted to go out and walk... but there were rules I had to follow.

And one of them was asking permission first.

I knew it was Caroline's attempt to get me to speak more often, to try and verbalize me as advised in class. As if it worked; I hated being talked to like I was a little toddler. Or worse, talked about as if I wasn't standing in the same room, listening to the conversation.

My mind could easily come up with multiple occasions where my parents or teachers have spoken about me, but not to me. Making degrading comments about my capability to understand them, the teachers even huffing out their annoyance about having to babysit a 'drooling invalid'. Ever since they pinned the label of Severe Autism on my head, people were acting as if I didn't understand them.

'Low functioning autism' is what they called it. A nice way to say that they thought I was beneath them, that I wasn't mentally capable of doing what they did simply because I chose not to speak.

But that was just it. I chose not to communicate, voted against creating more output and adding more sound to process. But they didn't see it that way. I didn't speak, hence I was incapable of doing so, which made me moronic.

I didn't even know if I could; I had tried it a few times on my walks, but the sound of my own voice was sharp to my ears, loud as it bounced around inside my head. However, I knew I was equally as smart as what they considered to be a normal human being. If there was a way to speak without sound, I would.

"Felix? What's wrong honey?" I glanced up and away as I saw her approaching, cleaning her hands on the dishtowel. Her ring glinting in the sunlight, nail-polish glistening softly before I looked down. Licking my lips, I kept my eyes focused on my boots. I wanted to go outside but hated speaking.

"Do you want to go out for a walk sweetheart? Is that what it is?"

Stop it... stop speaking to me in that stupid baby voice. I'm not stupid!

Instead of speaking up, I simply started humming, swaying side to side as I clutched the boots tighter to my chest. Even my parents thought I was a moron, just like everyone else did.

"Okay Felix, you can go. Just be back before dinner okay? We'll eat at six."

She slowly moved closer, making me more agitated so I did what worked last time. I growled low in my throat while glaring down at the floor.

Yet she didn't react like the wolf did, who had stopped and respected my distance. Instead she walked closer, reaching out until I smacked her hand away with another sharp snarl.

"It's alright Felix, no touching, I get it."

No you don't! You don't listen to what I tell you! Even a wolf understood I want space!

Why don't you just leave me alone!

My swaying was growing worse, fingers digging onto the boots until she sighed and turned away. I took the moment to run out the door, not caring that I was running on my socks.

"FELIX!"

The loud shout made me cringe but I kept running, only stopping when I was deep in the forest, panting sharply. Looking down at my feet, I frowned as my usually clean socks were now muddy and starting to get soaked.

Ew....

I quickly peeled the wet fabric off my body, hating the sensation before I pushed my feet in my boots, tying them firmly. The socks were left on the ground, as the texture disgusted me too much to even think about touching them.

Mud on my toes, between my toes, squishing with each step and making my feet cold.

Ew. ew, ew.

I shivered, repulsed but there was nothing I could do. It made walking much more uncomfortable and I stopped after a few more steps, removing the boots so I could brush my soles over my pants.

Better. Much better. My pants are dirty now but no more mud on my feet.

A heavy sigh slipped from my lips as I glanced up at the forest. Even now, when the wind was calm and there was not a speck of rain to be seen, it was still a source of so many sounds.

I could hear the birds in the trees, chirping at each other and cleaning their feathers. Brushing their beaks over branches and their little nails click on the wood. Could hear the leaves of the trees ruffling in the soft breeze, or the loud soggy and slurping noises when my boots stepped through mud.

But I preferred this sound to the sounds of the city, of the classrooms. People were too loud, noisy creatures. Down here, sounds were minimalized, natural. I still startled when birds suddenly flew up or when a twig snapped in the distance. It all sounded the same to me.

Equally as loud, all demanding the same amount of attention.

Reaching forwards, I closed my eyes and gently pressed my hand on the tree. The texture was rough, nearly painfully so as I slowly brushed my hand down the tree. Looking up, I blinked sharply as I saw the light pierce through the canopy, splashes of olive green blending with a darker pine all mixed with the golden glow of the sunlight.

Painful...

I quickly blinked and averted my eyes before tilting my head as I noticed a sparrow sitting lower on the branch. A slight movement caught its attention and it flew off in an explosion of sounds; feathers clicking together as it wings flapped loudly, a piercing chirp rolling through the air.

Birds are a lot like people... overly noisy...

Following my usual path, I stopped at the different trees in the forest, mesmerized by the difference between the tough texture of a great oak compared to the softer, paper like bark of a birch.

I didn't bring my small drawing book with me, which frustrated me to no end but there was nothing I could do about it, except going back. But I didn't want to leave yet. My ears picked up a soft rustling followed by a snort.

Closing my eyes, I slowly turned around and stilled as I spotted the same wolf from before. It was looking at me fleetingly, eyes flitting over my body before it looked away. Immediately I felt calmed.

Someone who doesn't judge me. He acts the same way I do, looks away from my face... and for once, there is someone I can actually understand as well as they understand me.

Though it still had expressions, they were simple, pure and easier to understand than a human. Flashing his teeth wasn't something he did when he was happy, unlike humans, who smiled even when they were angry.

So much difference...

My hand patted against my thigh in a sharp rhythm, showing off my excitement as a soft sound of excitement escaped my throat. He looked so soft... like the coat from mom I loved and always wanted to pet because it was so silky smooth and soothing under my fingers.

I hadn't realized I had taken a few steps forwards, hand outstretched before the wolf barked, hackles raised. My hands flew up to my ears as I rocked, whimpering at the loud noise as I crouched down and rocked rapidly.

My ears hurt...

"Hmmmmm....." My nails scraped over my ears as I hummed loudly, eyes closed and rocking back and forth in an attempt to block out the ringing in my ears. I heard the wet sounds of paws stepping in mud before I froze as I felt air brush over my face.

The sensation was odd; cool air brushing over my cheek as the wolf sniffed before warm air was exhaled softly. My eyes opened, fluttering against the sharp light before they locked onto a set of golden eyes.

Its nose twitched slightly with each inhale, slowly stalking around me. Glancing at him from the corner of my eyes, I could see its thick fur slightly bristled, tail flexing stiffly before its pink tongue flicked over its lips.

Still... I didn't like how close it was, nor how it leaned even closer, as if it wanted to press its glinting nose on my skin. My nose twitched as I imagined the cold sensation and the wolf paused. I arched away from him, baring my teeth and fully prepared to growl but felt surprised when it had already backed off.

...What?

My rocking slowly stopped, fingers clawed in the fabric of my pants as I slowly lifted my head more. The wolf was sniffing at the ground now, averting its head slightly before it sat down and let out a stretched out yawn.

Though I cringed at the whiney, high-pitched sound, I didn't feel annoyed with the creature. My fingers twitched again as I looked at its thick fur, how it swayed softly in the wind. It looked so soft...

My fingers shook as I slowly reached a hand out, stopping when the wolf's head instantly snapped up, teeth bared when it saw my gesture. I cringed at the loud growl, whimpering softly as my ears protested painfully.

But, much to my surprise, the wolf didn't back away this time. It seemed to look from my hand to my face, eyes blinking before it looked away. Flexing my hand slightly, I swallowed and was about to pull away when it glanced at the ground before slowly taking a few strides closer.

It stopped a few inches away, body arching slightly away from me and I recognized it for what it was. I did it so often when someone got too close to me. This wolf was just like me in a way... Alone in a world filled with strangers that didn't speak its language.

So I pulled my hand back and rested my cheek on my knees, clutching my arms around my body. And that's how I sat in a comfortable silence with the wolf... Simply observing it, watching its every move and looking away when it looked at me. He snorted, its breath through my hair and tickling me in the process, making me chuckle stiffly.

It perked up at that, ears twitching and pinned up before it tilted its head. Copying its actions, I let out a huff of my own, pausing when a bird flew over before I glanced away.

Time passed by, the sun arching slowly before I felt the urge to move again. Didn't want to be late for dinner... I pushed myself up, startling the wolf enough for it to dart away, claws digging in the wet soil and kicking up a spray of churned dirt. My eyes fixated on the flying specks of mud and the bushy tail disappearing into the woods before I pushed up and sighed.

I hope there is no rain tomorrow...