I love Teen Night

So... I have been taking some teens on the spectrum to a teen group once a week.  These are amazing kids, and getting that social interaction has been a hoot-for them and me. My young men asked me to share one of our adventures...

Teen night was a planned nerf gun war. The teens were all armed with various nerf weapons, smiling and gleefully prepared to have an all out squirmish. They romped and battled and hollered and dove this way and that for an hour, NotSoLittleMan drawing fire constantly as he paced about.. He would wait until they fired at him to yell "It's ok!! I am already dead, dude!".  Things were going wild when the group leader announced that in FIVE minutes there would be an EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF battle.  Last one standing wins.

I was standing by the door, with the other social mentor, watching the fun.  Teens were scattering every which way, seeking some sort of advantageous cover and collecting what ammo they could find.  They were making forts under tables, using gym mats for covers, hiding in every crook and cranny.  The place look abandoned, aside from one young man, who has named himself as Patistic.

Now, Patistic is quite tall.  He is not a figure easily missed, as he towers over most of his peers.  He was the lone teen in the room, calmly and pointedly setting himself up in the VERY CENTER of the room, lining his ammo up on the table there, setting up his nerf Gatling gun, and making an obvious mental note of where every one of his pals had hid.

When the leader yelled for the games to begin, nerf bullets were flying.  Most of the kids were aiming for Patistic, yet somehow not one bullet did land on him.  He calmly shot and hit one teen at a time, while swaying to avoid bullets, exaggerated looks on his face the entire time.

I was giggling so hard, tears were falling, as the battle came down to Patistic and a lady I will call Kate.  Kate and Patistic faced off and Kate let loose a stream of shots, and Patistic wove and swayed, avoiding each one, he was the bullet free monk, it was amazing...He fired in her direction, but high, made eye contact with her and smiled.  Her next shot took him full on and he fell to the ground 'dead' with a dramatic flair that was Oscar worthy.

Later, after the kids had tidied up some, there was some sort of gleeful scuffle and the kids all dogpiled each other. NotSoLittleMan was pacing by the door (we are done, why are we not leaving, we are done, it is over, it is the time of going)  Patistic was not going to join in, but Katey egged him on so he shrugged and casually piled on top of the pile, eliciting shrieking and giggles.  Finally they yeilded and Patistic let them up.

Now... This is my perspective...
I have NotSoLittleMan pacing to my left and behind, obviously ready to go.  He is oblivious (in appearance) to what is going on across the room.  I have the other social mentor (SM)  to my right.  The noise level is pretty high, with over a dozen screaming, giggling and shrieking teens.
My attention, in that moment is on my son, NotSoLittleMan, when SM starts slapping my arm frantically, going, OH MY LOOK AT PATISTIC LOOK OH MY LOOK HES PIGGY BACKING A GIRL LOOKOH MYLOOK, all right in my ear as she was completely beside herself, NSLM muttering behind me, "it is time to go it is the time of leaving" and I look up and there is Patistic, grinning broadly, walking towards me, Katey clinging to his back.  Then he stops.  A look of horror on his face. (and the whole time SM shrieking in my ear "ohmylookatpatisticlookohmy", NSLM pacing and muttering, the teens all shrieking and yelling) as he realizes he is touching a girl.

Now anyone who has seen Monster Inc may be able to appreciate this moment, as all I could think of was Sully as he realized the girl was on him..

Patistic yelled, "Get her off me get off get off noooooooooooooo!" as he took off running towards me, mock panic all over his face. He reached us, Katey said let me go and he did.
And he did.
And she landed hard, a startled look on her face.
Eyes wide.
And he looked at her.
She looked at him.
And they both grinned.

Oh. My.

Posted with permission of "Patistic" and "NotSoLittleMan".  All names changed of course.