Quiet As A Mouse (Outsiders Fanfic)

Chapter 20-Shocked

Note to Readers: Sorry I haven't updated in forever, but I've been busy with make-up Driver's Ed courses and a new little sister and everything.  Please comment and vote on this chapter!

The next morning I woke up to Two-Bit trying to drag me out of bed once again. 

I squirmed away, my head still enshrouded in pillows and blankets, and groaned in a harsh voice slightly louder than a whisper, "Stop it, Two-Bit."

Surprisingly, he immediately let go of my ankle and stood there.  I shoved back the blankets and sat up to look at him, blinking.  Usually he never gave up that easily, especially if I asked him to stop.

My cousin's mouth was open in an O, his eyes wide as he stared at me.  Before either of us could say anything, Kayla came running into the room, dragging Aunt Kat behind her.

"Look!  She cut all her hair off!" Kayla exclaimed to her mother, and then she noticed I was awake and shouted, "Why?", clearly shocked.

I groggily reached a hand up to my head, fingering the choppy strands.  I didn't remember getting a haircut...and then last night came back to me in a flash. "Oh, yeah.  I-I got mad last night and..." I trailed off, my voice quiet and sheepish, but I was talking.  I was talking!

All three of them stared at me with as much shock on their faces as I'm sure had registered on mine.

"You can talk!" Kayla squealed as her gaping mouth quickly morphed into a grin that looked a lot like Two-Bit's.  For some reason, she ran over and hugged me around the waist.

I still didn't like hugs, but I stiffened and didn't push my younger cousin away, and soon enough Aunt Kat and Two-Bit had enveloped me in their arms, too.  I thought I saw tears sparkling in my aunt's eyes, but before I  could know for sure I wiggled away, perching on the edge of my bed.

"I'm glad you're doing better now, Michael, but you have some explaining to do," Aunt Kat said, but then glanced at the clock hung crookedly above the door on Kayla's faded pink bedroom walls. "But you'll have to do it after school, or you're going to be late.  Hurry up," my aunt insisted in a stern but sympathetic motherly voice. 

I sighed, which almost sounded normal, and nodded obligingly.  I couldn't help but smile slightly at her back as she and my cousins left the room so I could get ready.  For some unfathomable reason, I was suddenly extremely happy today. I felt like running around, despite my lingering cold  and sore body from getting jumped yesterday, and shouting to the world with my newfound voice about nothing in particular.   I hadn't felt this happy in a long time. Since my brother died.

For once I actually felt like eating breakfast, and on the drive to school Two-Bit started firing questions at me.

First was, "I'm never letting you borrow my blade again if you only use it to give yourself a haircut," in a fake chiding voice.

I smiled but didn't say anything, but that might have been because I still had his blade. I had grabbed it from the bathroom this morning where I had left it, planning on holding onto it for a while longer, just in case. 

When I didn't answer my cousin pestered, "What, are you only selectively mute now?"

"No," I said with a laugh, "I just didn't have anything intelligent to say that you'd understand," I teased him.

"That's offensive," he replied, but we both laughed before he could pretend to be hurt by my comment any longer.

  When we pulled up to the school, I noticed quite a few people gaping at me. I don't know if it was the haircut or the cuts and bruises all over me, but it creeped me out a little bit. I glanced at Two-Bit and asked in a hushed voice, "Is it just me, or am I being stared at?" as we got out.  For once we were early, even though I had woken up late.  Maybe being in a good mood put a 'spring in my step' as my grandma had always called it.

He leaned over and replied cockily, "Sorry to break it to you, Mickey, but that haircut makes you hot, no matter how creepy it sounds coming from me," as Two-Bit spotted his—and maybe mine, too—friends and headed over by them.

I followed just because I wanted to see if their reaction would be the same as everyone else's if Two-Bit was right.  Evidently, he was. 

Pony and Johnny's mouths immediately dropped open when they saw me, and apparently Steve and Dally were hanging around outside school today too, though I don't think I had ever seen either of them in classes during the day.  They both looked a little surprised but quickly masked it, and of course Dally had to make a sarcastic remark the minute he saw me.

"Did the devils in the Underworld think you needed a haircut to make you look more badass?  Cause it worked," Dally commented coyly with that ever-present smirk of his.

I was literally shocked, because no one ever talked to me of all people like that.  I snapped my mouth shut before it could drop completely open and then replied with feigned composure, "Well why don't you ask them, cause I'm sure you're from there," opting for baffling him more to maybe get him to shut up by suddenly talking.

Two-Bit smirked, but for once I left Dallas Winston—and Ponyboy, Johnny, and Steve—speechless.