The next day, Billie was still recovering from the emotional weight of therapy, but the comforting memory of Odessa's support lingered in her mind, sparking warmth in her chest. As she went about her morning, Billie found herself thinking of Odessa nonstop. Every time she remembered the gentle way Odessa had calmed her, her heart would race, and she’d let out a small vocal tic—a soft hum or a happy squeak.
When Odessa came over that afternoon, Billie’s face lit up, her hands already beginning to flutter in excitement. Odessa grinned, noticing Billie’s happy stimming, her fingers flicking, shoulders shrugging, and her feet tapping against the floor. Odessa moved closer, sitting beside Billie on the couch.
“You seem extra happy today,” Odessa said, smiling.
Billie nodded, her cheeks pink. She signed, “I was thinking… about you… all morning.”
Odessa’s cheeks flushed as she reached for Billie’s hand. “Funny, I was thinking about you too,” she whispered, her voice soft.
A silence settled between them, the kind that was warm and filled with unspoken feelings. Finally, Odessa gathered her courage, took Billie’s hand, and said, “Billie… I love you.”
Billie’s eyes widened in surprise, her heart beating faster than ever. Her fingers stilled for a moment as she took in Odessa’s words, and then, she signed back, “I… love you too.” She felt a rush of joy that was almost too big to contain, and her entire body responded with excitement. Her fingers began to wiggle, her hands flapped happily, and her head tilted side to side with her stims. Little vocal tics escaped—soft “hmphs,” “ah,” and happy squeaks—showing the happiness that words couldn’t fully express.
Odessa laughed softly, watching Billie’s joy spill out. “You’re so cute when you stim,” she said, squeezing Billie’s hand.
The rest of the day felt like a dream. Billie couldn’t keep her excitement inside. She stimmed constantly, running her hands over the soft textures of her favorite blanket, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet as they walked around her house, and twirling her fingers whenever she thought about Odessa’s confession.
Her family noticed her joy, smiling whenever they saw Billie buzzing around with happiness. Odessa stayed by her side the entire day, enjoying Billie’s excitement and basking in the happiness of their shared confession. As evening came, Billie’s stimming continued, her excitement still bubbling over as she finally wound down for bed.
Before she went to sleep, Billie typed out a message to Odessa, showing it to her with a sleepy but joyful smile: “Today was the best day. I love you.”
The next day, Odessa surprised Billie with a special plan for the evening—a date she’d been quietly preparing. As the day went on, Billie grew more and more curious. She asked Odessa questions through sign language, but Odessa only smiled, refusing to reveal her surprise. When the time finally came, Odessa took Billie’s hand and led her outside, guiding her to a field just outside the city where wildflowers stretched as far as they could see.
The sun hung low on the horizon, casting a warm golden light over the flowers. Billie’s eyes widened, taking in the vibrant colors and the gentle breeze that brushed over the field. She turned to Odessa, her hands fluttering in pure excitement, her joy spilling over into soft giggles and a few happy vocal tics: “hm-hmm,” “mmm,” and tiny squeaks. Odessa beamed, reaching out to pull Billie into the field.
Odessa set up her phone to take some videos and photos of the two of them together, and soon, they were dancing, laughing, and twirling each other around in the sea of flowers. Billie felt entirely free, her hands in constant motion as she signed to Odessa, “This is beautiful. I’ve never felt so happy.”
Odessa smiled, signing back, “I’m glad you love it. I wanted it to be just us—somewhere you could feel calm and joyful.”
Billie took Odessa’s hands and signed, “I’m so lucky to have you. This is perfect.”
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, the sky turned shades of pink, purple, and deep blue. They both sat down in the grass, quietly watching as the last light of day faded. Billie’s hands continued to stim softly, tracing patterns in the air, and her face was filled with quiet, unfiltered joy.
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When they returned to Billie’s house later that evening, Odessa leaned in close, giving Billie a gentle kiss. Billie’s heart raced, and she responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around Odessa. They kissed for a long time, soft and sweet, Billie’s excitement spilling over into a whole array of stims. Her hands flapped joyfully, her feet tapped against the floor, and happy vocal tics continued, “mm-mm,” “ah!” and a few soft giggles that she couldn’t hold back. Odessa smiled at Billie’s happy stimming, finding it endearing.
As they settled in for dinner, Billie struggled to keep still, her excitement bubbling up so much that she found it hard to focus. Odessa noticed and smiled, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You’re adorable when you’re this happy," Odessa said with a warm smile, making Billie blush.
After dinner, they settled in for a movie night that Odessa had planned, complete with snacks and cozy blankets. But Billie was still so full of energy that she couldn’t sit still. Odessa just laughed, cuddling close to her and letting Billie’s joy and stims flow freely.
“Do you know how cute you are right now?” Odessa teased, nudging Billie playfully.
Billie giggled, her eyes lighting up, and signed, “I’m just so happy I don’t know what to do!”
They spent the rest of the evening snuggled together, Odessa holding Billie close while Billie’s stimming continued softly. It was a night filled with laughter, comfort, and the quiet joy of simply being together.
As the night continued, Billie tried her best to focus on the movie Odessa had picked out—a sweet romance that mirrored how Billie felt inside. But every few minutes, her excitement would bubble up again, causing her hands to flick and flap, her fingers tracing patterns on Odessa’s arm or tapping against the blanket. She’d occasionally let out small vocal tics, soft hums and squeaks that expressed her uncontainable joy.
Odessa noticed, wrapping her arms around Billie and laughing softly. "You’re so cute when you’re this excited," she whispered, resting her head on Billie’s shoulder and giving her a gentle squeeze. Billie’s cheeks flushed pink, but she couldn’t stop herself from smiling.
After the movie, they stayed curled up together on the couch. Odessa could see Billie’s eyes were growing heavy, though her hands continued to move with the same happy energy. She brushed a few strands of hair away from Billie’s face, watching as Billie’s eyes blinked slowly.
Billie signed, “I’m so happy I don’t want this to end.”
Odessa kissed Billie’s forehead and signed back, “Me neither. But I’ll be right here whenever you need me. Always.”
Billie’s heart felt full, and she nestled even closer to Odessa, finally letting her stimming slow down as she relaxed into the warmth of Odessa’s embrace. They stayed like that, wrapped up in each other’s arms, until Billie’s breathing evened out, signaling she was drifting off to sleep.
Odessa watched Billie for a while, her heart swelling with affection. Just before she closed her eyes, she whispered, "Goodnight, Billie," smiling as she felt Billie squeeze her hand gently in response, even in her sleep.
When Billie woke up, she found Odessa still there, asleep beside her on the couch. Billie’s heart swelled all over again, a few soft stims starting up in response to her happiness, a quiet hum escaping her lips. She knew that with Odessa by her side, she’d always have a safe place to land, no matter where life took her.
YOU ARE READING
mute
Fiksi Penggemarbillie has severe autism and is mute. as she grows old she meets a friend. Billie is always bullied in school for being mute and having Tourette's.
