JD walked past Veronica, who was still brandishing the knife at him. She looked serious, waving it slightly, but her head remained bowed—unable to meet his eyes.
He should have been cautious. If it had been a real knife, he could have been seriously injured. But that thought never even crossed his mind.
Joanne had said it wasn't real, and that was enough for him.
Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed it. The blade retracted instantly, just as Joanne had said.
Veronica stiffened, her hands twitching slightly before falling limply at her sides. She scuffled uncomfortably, her entire posture screaming frustration. JD knew autism made things difficult for her—eye contact, tone detection, emotional regulation—but still, waving a fake knife at him? That was something else entirely.
"Come on, let it go," JD said, chuckling as he pried the knife from her grip. "Oh, and by the way, Jo's angry at you. She asked me to tell you that."
Veronica flinched.
