Even as a kid, I knew that I was different from the people around me, even if I didn't have a clear understanding of how or why. Why do the things that calm me down irritate others? Why do I plug my ears to the reverberant sounds that no one else seems to hear? How can people sit comfortably in the brightness of the fluorescent lights while I am so close to ripping my eyes out from the burning sensation I feel in them? How do people look at others so easily during conversations without the urge to divert their eyes to the floor or to the ceiling?
At the age of 10, I finally gained an understanding of why I'm different from other people... I finally understood who exactly Jasmine Sinclair was. 10 was the age that I was professionally diagnosed with autism. The diagnosis felt like my reflection in the mirror was finally beginning to defog as I finally began to understand who I was, but I hated being different. I hated being seen as a freak in the eyes of my peers and I hated that everyone got their own copy of the rule book for properly existing in the world except for me.
I hated being autistic, and at 16 years old, I still do.
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Embracing Jasmine
Teen FictionIn a world of people who are effortlessly able to communicate with others, it's hard for Jasmine Sinclair to not feel like an alien who was mistakenly born onto Earth. She hates herself for her differences, but when she meets a girl who loves her fo...
