Didn't Expect (Book 2 of the KBI series)

Chapter 4 - Mickey Mouse

My eyebrows raised while I allowed my body to be engulfed by his. 

"What else could surprise me today?" I retorted and rolled my eyes. 

"Look around." His deep voice near my ear almost made me melt, but I held it together. I'm not a simp. 

My eyes graced the view in front of me, just to see an empty box of pop tarts on the counter as  Tiger and Jack talked about something in the kitchen. I spotted Peter watching some random movie on Netflix while laying comfortably on the couch. 

"What am I supposed to see? Everyone getting too comfortable in my home?" I turned in his arms and placed my hands on his shoulders to push him back a bit. 

"Nah, nah, nah, nah," Kai answered with a grin. "Who's missing?"

My eyes squinted at him as I tried to put the puzzle pieces together in my head. There was Val in my shower, Weuss and Scarlet in my room, Jack and Tiger in the kitchen, Peter on the couch, Mick-

I paused in my thoughts. 

Mickey. 

I looked around quickly to see if he was anywhere near in order to spot him. I turned back to Kai my face formed into confusion. 

"Where is he?" I questioned Kai as his face began to drop. 

Suddenly he called out to the others in the room, "Guys, she's asking about Mickey."

The room was silent and Peter paused whatever movie he was watching. I felt anxiety creep up into my thoughts infecting my chest with fear. What happened to him? Scratch that, did something happen to him? Not Mickey. It couldn't be...

"What?" I pressed on the topic, "What happened. You're scaring me."

"He didn't make it, baby." Kai's voice trembled as his normal smile faltered into something filled with sorrow. I noticed the silent sound of grieving come from everyone else in the room, the energy heavier than ever.

My eyes immediately watered and I began sobbing. Mickey was like a light and having that blown out forever killed me. 

"What...Happened?" I managed to ask between tears.

"He had to go get our uniforms."

"No! This is terrible! Not Mickey, plea-"

My eyes widened as I cut my sentence off. 

"What did you just say, Kai?"

"Our uniforms, he went to go pick them up. You know, from your school? He couldn't make it back in time t-"

I punched him in the stomach causing him to double over in pain.

"What the fuck, Kai!" I screamed, "I thought he was dead! You fucking..."

I snapped and turned towards the other three who decided to go along with the prank. I'm not one to get violent. But today was the day I beat someones ass. 

Every step I took towards them, they would take one back. 

"Why are you scared? Don't fear the inevitable."

Oh, that was a good line.

"Hayley, we can talk about this." Peter defended with his hands up. 

I brought my fist back and punched each of them in the stomach and knocked them each on their heads. They all let out a large groan of pain. 

"You're all dicks." I began to walk away towards the kitchen but paused to turn around to Tiger, "You are what you eat."

His jaw dropped and a smile graced my lips as I went to the cabinets to grab some cinnamon toast crunch. 

"That's my baby, Hayleyy." I heard Kai sing, as if he was proud I punched all of them in the stomach. 

I mean shit, if I saw the situation I would too. I couldn't fucking believe that they made me believe he was dying when he was really-

"Kai!" I called him over with power in my voice. 

What the hell?

"What uniforms is Mickey getting?"

"That was the surprise!" Kai continued, "We're enrolling at your school. And before you freak, let me expl-"

"What the hell! Why the fuck would you transfer to my school? There's zero reason to even do it, I even graduate in, like, three months!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I couldn't take it. 

 This entire situation is getting more and more out of hand and my lack of control over it was overwhelming me. My school is a pile of shit however it has been my safe space. No matter what this is my experience and after a year they pop up and just shove themselves into it?

"Hayley! Let me explain!" Kai attempted at calming me down, "We won't even be there for that long! Hayley!" 

Suddenly my front door was kicked open and a familiar tone was being sung.

"It's the Mickey Mouse, clubhouse! Come inside, it's fun inside!" 

Mickey walked in doing the classic Goofy dance, arms flailing while he popped up and down while he walked into the living room, a grin showcased on his lips. In one of his hands he held a large paper bag. However, as soon as he saw my livid face, Jack, Tiger and Peter doubled over, and Kai's concerned expression, he paused. 

"Ohh," His arms dropped, "I'm guessing the news didn't roll over well?"

"Mickey. Explain." I ordered and I heard a protest from Kai. 

"Oh so when I try to explain, it's a problem but when he does it he gets a green light?" 

Mickey just ended up speaking up. "Things are getting pretty serious, Hayley."

Mickey dropped the bag and closed the door behind him. His face was serious and if Mickey was serious it was really serious. 

I guess this was, I squinted and looked out into the distance, serious. 

"Edei, we all know she never died. We escaped but that's about all we did. She's trying to haunt us down but all we know is she's looking in the wrong places. The worst thing being she's also specifically attempting to haunt you down as well."

Oh wait, huh?

"What? Why would she haunt me down? Because I'm affiliated with you?" I questioned, anxious. 

"Well," Mickey's face turned into a thoughtful expression, "It could be that, yeah. But we were going with the serum she gave you."

Oh yeah.

"Oh... Yeah..." I trailed off, completely forgetting about that part of the past. 

"We think it was something new she must've been working on for torture methods, but when you didn't die, I think it peaked her interest. And one thing you don't wanna do with Edei is peak her interest."

"Okay, okay," I didn't allow my brain to even understand the concept of whatever was being told to me before I moved to the question I have been waiting to ask since the beginning, "But, why are you going to my school?"

"It's the place she'll least expect the seven of us, and..." He sang in a musical tone while picking up the bag slowly to put it on display, "my ass will look great in these khakis."

I groaned. "Okay, but it's the first place she'd expect me."

"Exactly." Kai popped in, "That's the point. We're here to protect you."

"We can't just wisp you off again, Hayley," Tiger popped in, walking to sit on the couch, "So instead of taking you with us, we're letting you take us with you."

"It's safer this way, Hayley Waily." Peter suggested and I rolled my eyes. It's a new nickname everyday. 

I get this was about my safety, but I couldn't help but say under my breath.

"Fucking, idiots."