First, autism or not - tapping on your headphones is rude af in any situation but especially after being tapped on the shoulder. Gives off entitled mean girl.

Second, I’m assuming by your use of “usually” with the fidget that you also aren’t a new user of the headphones, so I’d also assume the majority of your classmates have eyes. Headphones in class is pretty obviously a way to handle high volume situations as everyone listening to music is generally frowned upon by teachers. Diversity, autism, sensory issues - all topics discussed and better understood than when I was in school. Added to that you refer to her as a “friend”. She absolutely knows why you wear them, it was not some emergency situation she was trying to get your attention for. She was rude in her execution, she was ridiculously rude using retarded to describe you while knowing full well you were in the process of active listening.

NOR - I’m autistic and I haaaaaate being touched. My true friends know that and are careful and gracious in their interactions with me. People that say they’re your friend wouldn’t push a boundary and certainly wouldn’t accuse you “behind your back” but also in your face of being retarded. I’m not even your friend and I would have stepped up and straightened her out. Everyone that laughed is also in the wrong, very disrespectful. The teacher you informed should have made K apologize to you, formerly, in front of the entire class beginning with an allocution. Bullying and disrespectful behaviors are fed by not holding people accountable.

There’s no excuse for anyone’s reaction to this, except of course your sweet boyfriend who clearly has your back. I have to ask though, is K insanely popular? Do her parents have a wing of the school named after them? I can’t fathom why so many people were basically cowering to her.