mute

chapter 23

Chapter: A New Beginning

The next day, Billie woke up still feeling the afterglow of the previous day's excitement. Her body was buzzing with leftover energy, her hands already fluttering as she pulled the blankets off. "Tsk! Eh!" A couple of vocal tics slipped through, but they were light, almost as if they matched her happy mood. Today felt like it would be a good day, especially since she was going to see Odessa again.

When Billie arrived at the dance studio later that afternoon, Odessa was already there, stretching in front of the mirrors. The moment she saw Billie, her face lit up with that warm smile Billie had grown so fond of. Billie felt her heart race, her hands flapping slightly in excitement as she walked over to her.

"Hey, you," Odessa said, her voice soft and full of affection.

Billie couldn't help but smile, her body already starting to sway slightly with excitement. She was so happy to see Odessa, and even though she couldn't speak, she felt like everything was perfect in this moment. Her hands flapped a bit more as she took a seat next to Odessa on the floor.

They started their usual warm-up routine, chatting in between stretches and movements. But there was something in the air, a slight tension that Billie couldn't quite place. Odessa seemed nervous, and Billie noticed her glancing over a few times with a thoughtful look on her face.

After warm-ups, when they took a break, Odessa suddenly turned to Billie, her eyes serious but soft. "Billie, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," she said, her hands fidgeting slightly in her lap.

Billie's heart skipped a beat. She could feel her body start to stim a little more, her fingers tapping her thighs lightly as she tried to stay calm. "What is it?" she signed, her curiosity piqued.

Odessa took a deep breath, and then, in a quiet but confident voice, she asked, "Billie, would you like to be my girlfriend?"

For a moment, Billie was stunned. She blinked, her mind racing as she processed Odessa's words. Her hands started flapping immediately, the excitement rushing through her body faster than she could control. "Tsk! Eh! Hm-hm!" Her vocal tics burst out, and she could feel her feet tapping against the floor in quick succession.

Odessa smiled, watching Billie's reaction with a soft, patient look. She didn't seem to mind the sudden burst of energy and tics-she never did. Instead, she just waited for Billie to process everything.

Billie's heart felt like it might burst from happiness. She nodded quickly, her body still moving as she signed, "Yes! Yes!" Her hands were flapping so much she could barely get the signs out, but it didn't matter. Odessa knew what she meant.

Odessa laughed softly, leaning over to hug Billie tightly. Billie hugged her back, feeling warmth spread through her chest as more happy stims burst from her. Her body swayed back and forth, her hands tapping against her knees and flapping sporadically. "Tsk! Hm-hm!" Her vocal tics continued, but they were all tied to the overwhelming joy she felt.

For the rest of the day, Billie couldn't stop stimming. Every time she thought about Odessa's question-about being her girlfriend-her hands would start flapping again, or her feet would start bouncing. Even when they were dancing, her body couldn't contain the happiness inside. It flowed through her movements, making every step feel lighter, every turn smoother.

After dance, when Billie got home, she immediately told her family the news. Maggie, Patrick, and Finneas were all thrilled for her, and their excitement only added to the joy Billie was already feeling. Her body was constantly moving, from small finger taps to full-body rocking. "Eh! Tsk!" The vocal tics continued to burst out, but they felt like part of her celebration, a natural response to all the happiness swirling inside her.

"You're glowing, Billie," Finneas teased, giving her a playful nudge as they sat down for dinner. "I've never seen you stim this much in one day!"

Billie just smiled, her hands flapping lightly as she signed, "I'm just so happy!"

Her parents shared a proud look, knowing how big this was for Billie. To see her this excited, this connected to someone-it made them feel like everything was falling into place for her. Maggie reached over, giving Billie's hand a gentle squeeze. "We're so happy for you, sweetheart. You deserve this."

The rest of the evening was filled with Billie's joyful stimming. She sat on the couch with her family, absentmindedly bouncing her knees and twirling her fingers as they watched TV together. Her mind kept drifting back to Odessa, and every time she thought about her, the excited stimming would pick up again. "Tsk! Eh!" Her vocal tics joined in, but tonight, they didn't bother her. They felt like part of the celebration, an expression of the pure joy she felt.

As the night wore on, Billie's energy remained high. She paced back and forth in the living room, hands flapping as she thought about the day's events. Her body was still buzzing with excitement, unable to stay still for too long. Eventually, her parents encouraged her to wind down for the night, but they could see how happy she was and didn't push too hard.

Before heading to bed, Billie spent some time in her room, playing soft music to help calm her mind. She rocked gently back and forth on her bed, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her legs. She pulled out her weighted blanket, wrapping it around herself for comfort, the heaviness helping to ground her after such an exciting day.

With the music playing softly in the background, Billie grabbed her notebook and started to doodle. Drawing always helped her relax when she was feeling overstimulated, and tonight, her sketches were full of swirling lines and shapes, all reflecting the happiness she felt inside. Her hands twitched slightly as she drew, a mix of tics and stims still working their way out of her system.

Once she felt calm enough, Billie set her notebook aside and climbed into bed, pulling her weighted blanket up to her chin. Her body still twitched with small, happy stims under the covers, her hands flapping lightly against the sheets. But as the tiredness finally caught up with her, Billie felt herself starting to relax.

As she lay there, her mind drifted back to Odessa. She smiled, her hands flapping once more under the blanket as a soft "Tsk! Eh!" slipped from her lips. The thought of being Odessa's girlfriend filled her with warmth, and she knew that tomorrow would bring even more happiness.

Finally, after a long and exciting day, Billie closed her eyes, the soft music lulling her to sleep as she drifted off with a content smile on her face.