"What were their names again?" one guy asked without raising his hand. The teacher allowed it and Bailey knew he was one of those that viewed the students as equals and actually let them have real conversations. This was definitely going to be a great class.

"Jamie and Harley," another supplied. "From what I heard it doesn't surprise me that people didn't know they were missing right away."

"Why do you say that?" Mr. Welsh asked.

"They like explored caves and stuff. At least Jamie did. I heard her father was like a professional and always took her along."

If that guy said 'like' one more time Bailey might have to deck him. Wouldn't be a super great impression, but he'd been quiet yesterday. She was tempted to beg him not to speak again.

"I heard they'd stunk of bleach when they were found," another voice supplied, changing the subject.

"Yeah and like apparently it had been flushed into you know where," a black haired girl spoke, clearly scandalized by the information she'd provided.

"What a way to go? Raped, bleached, and killed," a different guy provided, but Bailey didn't catch exactly where his voice came from. "They were hot blondes too."

"Don't be gross. Those poor girls died horribly, their memories deserve respect," a girl with glasses and black hair growled at the guy who'd spoken. "And I'm getting a little uncomfortable with this subject."

"Then leave."

"Now, now!" Mr. Welsh intervened. "It's not an appropriate topic. I apologize. Let's get started-"

Someone else decided to change the subject back. "Do you know how they died? I mean clearly they were tortured, but what actually killed them?" Mr. Welsh pretended to ignore them as he shuffled through papers on his desk. He was obviously very interested in this topic.

Bailey gave a sideways glance at the black haired girl, expecting more of a fuss, but the girl simply shrugged and pulled out a set of earphones. She stuck them in her ear and bobbed her head, tapping the tip of her sharpened pencil against the desk to the rhythm of whatever she was listening to.

The guy who'd etched 'like' into his vocabulary decided to comment again. Not before disgustingly shoveling in a bite of some type of cereal bar though. "One drowned in her own barf and dirt. I shit you not, dude. The other had her lips like sewn shut and had like tons of mud in her nose. It was like they'd been buried alive."

It was some trouble paying attention with all those damn 'likes' but when she caught up to what he was saying it reminded her of the Gravedigger segments in Bones, only real.

How freaky, Bailey thought before wishing the girls a better opportunity in death than what they'd been given in life.

"Okay," Mr. Welsh's voice cracked. His face had gone pale and he'd been so disturbed by where the conversation had been headed he almost looked like he'd be sick. Yet the interest on his face was clear as day. He wanted to continue talking about it. Clearly he was a glutton for punishment. "Let's talk about the killer. What type of guy would he be?"

They were going to profile?

How awesome was that?

"Crazy."

"He most likely started off abusing animals," Kate offered. "And probably has an unnatural relationship with his or her parents."

Mr. Welsh held up a hand. "All good usual assumptions, but lets think outside the box."

"Misunderstood," Bailey commented without thinking.

The guy next to her scoffed, "Yeah, because it's so easy to be misunderstood as you're screwing and then killing someone."

Bailey heaved a sigh, wishing she'd kept her mouth shut. "I didn't mean that. It's just well, the killers confused, he feels that he's misunderstood."

"About what?"

Bailey shrugged. "Sexual orientation, actually it might be more about love than orientation. It would lead to the answer about an unloving relationship with his parents, but that may not be the core of it. No." Bailey stopped, her brows furrowing in concentration. "His problems weren't necessarily from childhood. It was in high school when he started puberty and unwillingly lost his virginity to his pastor's wife. She liked pain and blood. As it continued, she ended up giving him the attention he'd craved. She made him into a monster."

"Um—" It was all Mr. Welsh could manage and silence followed for a minute. Bailey swallowed, scratching at her suddenly clammy palms. She'd done it again. She lifted her gaze, hoping the teacher would understand the pleading in her eyes. He tilted his head, frowning at her, before he spoke again. "Sexual orientation because of the rape, perhaps?" Mr. Welsh questioned, his blue eyes focusing in on her, looking pleased yet spooked with her answer.

Bailey's shoulders drooped as she exhaled with relief. The smell of her cooling coffee as she inhaled helped calm her even more. She needed that filter ASAP. "Yeah. That's it."

Mr. Welsh's brown hair was a bit messy, falling into his eyes beneath his glasses and Bailey had the distinct feeling that he was examining her, waiting for her to speak more. She knew she wouldn't, but she took the opportunity to stare back at him. He wasn't gorgeous like a lot of Haven residents seemed to be, but you could just tell he belonged here.

"Sexual orientation? How could he get it up for a female if he was queer?" a black guy called out, his full lips sneering.

Bailey turned at the obscene question ready to retort, but she was cut off as he glanced at her. He was gorgeous... and cocky, was her second thought as he smirked over at her. She wanted to tell him it wasn't a gay issue. It was the role women had played in his life. This murderer, this monster, was a victim too. What happened to him, the things he went through, he never should've had to go through. But his past was his past and didn't make what he was doing now right.

Not at all. Bailey felt sick. Her mouth watered as the vomit threatened to rise in her throat. Had she really been sympathizing with a murdering rapist? What the hell was wrong with her?

"First of all don't be an ass, watch your mouth, and show some respect. Second of all, who's to say it was even male? A female is perfectly capable of evil. Haven't you read Macbeth?" a guy who appeared to be tan all over saved Bailey in more ways than one. She turned towards him feeling more relieved than she could let on. She eyed his gelled black hair. Bailey even saw a hint of sheen on his lips.

The black guy sighed, who was sitting right next to mister tall-gelled-and-glossy, looking honestly regretful of his previous words. "Ryder. I didn't mean you man."

"No, you just meant everyone who was gay in general, which just so happens to include me. Oliver, sometimes you just need to think before you speak."

"It was most likely male, by the way." Kate responded, suavely changing the subject. Bailey nodded. He was male, but it was Kate that continued once more. "There was vaginal tearing on one of the girls. She'd been a virgin."

Oliver snorted. "They're called a dildo babe. You know, there's a sex shop downtown. I'll be happy to introduce your hot twat to one, even happier to introduce it to my big fat co-"

"Oliver, that's enough!" Mr. Welsh snapped, his blue eyes flashing with warning. "Kate, I apologize for his crude comments."

Kate held a hand up, waving off his apology. "It's cool, Mr. Welsh. It's just how he is."

Bailey, who couldn't believe what Oliver had been saying to Kate, was shaking her head in disbelief.

The way they spoke in this school... how was it even allowed?

"I think it's time we talk about the reading material assigned last night. I know you all read it right?" Mr. Welsh asked, raising an eyebrow.

Collective groans filled the room and desk squeaked as the students shifted to pull out the hefty, five-hundred page Introduction to Psychology book. Multiple books slamming on the desk tops followed and Mr. Welsh grinned broadly, clapping his hands together. "Pop quiz."

After the pop quiz and some other discussions about the human psych the class went relatively fast. As the bell rang, ending first period, Mr. Welsh called out for everyone to read the next chapter by tomorrow.

"Hey," Kate called out.

Bailey turned, figuring she'd been 'heying' in her direction. "Hello."

Kate shifted her load of books into her arms and awkwardly managed to extend a hand. Bailey reached forward clasping her semi-warm hand in hers. "Kate Cunningham."

"Bailey Roberts."

She gave a sweet smile before speaking. "So it probably wasn't the best topic to make you feel safe around here, but Haven's a good place. Don't let that scare you. Sherriff Lambert is not only hot, but extremely efficient at his job and keeps his men aware of situations they need to watch for."

"That's good to know, especially since he doesn't keep his gun loaded." Kate rolled her eyes with a nod and Bailey continued. "The topic maturity was actually kind of nice though. It's not something I expected to talk about in sophomore psychology. That pop quiz sucked though. "

Kate chuckled and shifted her books again. "We get a lot of freedom here because most of our parents' pockets are deep. Almost every student here has above a 'C' average though. It's a school requirement. Anything below and they get shipped to the public school in the bad part of town or that religious private school the next town over."

"This isn't a private school?"

Kate shook her head. "No. Anyone can come so long as they have the money to pay. So what's your next class?"

"Geometry."

"Ew. Who do you have?"

"Trevali?"

Kate nodded. "I'll walk with you, it's right across from my Lit class. By the way those two guys in class? Oliver Defoe and Ryder Blake-it really is such a shame that Ryder is gay. He's sexy and nice, an unheard of combination. Oliver on the other hand is a douche. Not mean or anything, just a pervert. Kind of the player around school, so just watch yourself when he hits on you." Kate informed. "And he will hit on you."

Bailey failed to mention it would be the first time a guy actually hit on her then. They didn't say much as they walked down the hall. Kate kept staring and that didn't help the already awkward silent atmosphere either. Did Bailey have something on her face?

She was about to ask when they got to the Geometry door. Kate swiveled towards Bailey, fully facing her before nodding. Bailey's eyebrows shot into her hairline as she watched the petite blonde lick her bottom lip and bow her head as her cheeks flushed pink.

What was going on?

Bailey decided when she saw Kate rub her hand against her thigh that she needed to go to the bathroom and make sure nothing was on her face. Was Kate trying not to laugh? Would Kate tell her what it was? "Um, is there something my face?" Bailey asked cautiously.

Kate's face burned red and she shook her head. "Oh. Oh no! You're perfect! I-I mean no." Kate clutched her books tightly to her chest and let out a tiny giggle. "Seeya at lunch!" She swiveled around and walked away.

"O-kay," Bailey said to the air. Maybe Bailey wasn't the only odd ball in this school after all. On the plus side, Bailey now assumed she had two people to sit with, Kate and Gwen.

Things were seriously looking up.