After my mom has been bugging me about my lack of social skills for years, I met a nice girl from work who asked me out...or so I thought.

When I was young, I was diagnosed with autism. As far as social skills go, I really struggle. I manage well enough usually, but every once in a while, I manage to royally screw up.<br><br>About a month or so ago, I was at the park with one of my friends. It was supposed to be a chill day: sleep in, smoke a little weed, listen to some tunes, maybe go for a swim. You get the idea.<br><br>Anyway, I met a girl from work named Anna. We had already been friends for a few weeks before we decided to hang out.<br><br>Early in the day, there were some clouds in the sky, but a few hours later, I decided to go for a swim.<br><br>On the way back from the water, I slipped on a patch of mud and my shorts got all dirty.<br><br>I pulled my shirt off, but my shorts were mud-soaked and I had to ask Anna to carry me back to the car. She laughed and joked about not being strong enough, but in the end, she agreed to.<br><br>We got back to the car and she was saying she wished she had brought her bathing suit.<br><br>I said “You can wear my shorts if you want.”<br><br>Then she asked if she could take her shirt off and I told her it was fine, but that I might not want to see that much of her chest. Anna and I weren’t sexual like that, she was just a friend. Still, I knew that if I saw too much of her, I would have trouble controlling myself.<br><br>After a few minutes, Anna tried to change clothes under my shirt. I could feel her hands going up my shirt and down my back. There was no way I could describe what was happening in that moment, because my brain was too wired. All I could think about was the feel of her hands on my bare back.<br><br>I was about to say something, but just as I was about to open my lips, she said “Thanks for letting me take a selfie with you. You’re a really good friend.”<br><br>The mud on my shorts was gone by now, but the moment was somewhat surreal in that it almost felt too good to be true.<br><br>I kept having that feeling all the way home, but when we were back at my place, we were hanging out and just chatting about our day, and she even made fun of me for being a bit awkward. Still, she was smiling and seemed to be having a good time.<br><br>The rest of the evening was pleasant. We enjoyed each other’s company and all that.<br><br>But the next day at work, I found out that Anna wasn’t interested in really meeting me. I ran into her at a coffee shop. She already had a coffee in her hand, so I asked her if she would like to get dinner with me that evening.<br><br>Anna was somewhat taken aback. She looked at me, not really sure how to say what she wanted to say. I thought she was just really busy and didn’t have much time.<br><br>But then she said “You know, really…we aren’t friends. I just wanted to see you.”<br><br>I was taken aback by her bluntness and asked what she meant. She got all quiet and said “I just wanted to try something.”<br><br>It was like she was ashamed. An invasion of personal space…that’s what it felt like.<br><br>Anna didn’t really know how to respond. She didn’t know what to do with me anymore. She got up and walked away, leaving me standing there in confusion.<br><br>The next day, I saw her again at work. She didn’t say much and neither did I. There’s a whole lot I would rather not recall, but one thing’s for sure. Do not take an interest in people you work with, folks. And please, for the love of God, do not take an interest in me.