https://youtu.be/Y2afnD6HAtc

After school, Kate had made plans with everyone to go out to this Karaoke bar in the next town over. Bailey didn't want to go. She needed to speak with Amanda to see how her day went at the police station and if tonight would be when the break in would happen. But when she got home and Amanda wasn't there she found herself wondering if declining was the best idea. She was to be moving on after all.

Damien had even gone.

She had to pretend, but really it wouldn't hurt for her to loosen up a little. To get that normalcy she'd been missing since Gwen vanished. It would rejuvenate her; make her more alert to things she might not have seen from being too exhausted. It seemed like the perfect time to release steam so she'd be ready for the break in.

She eyed the phone before walking towards it to quickly dial Kate's number. "Hey, it's Bailey. I'll be there in twenty minutes. I just have to make a call first."

"I'm glad you changed your mind. We need you here," Kate seemed to hesitate before speaking again. " needs you here."

Ignoring the last comment, she quietly placed the phone back in its cradle just as she heard the front door slam and the muffled sound of shoes running against the carpeted floor towards the kitchen. Matt skidded to a halt in front of the refrigerator, completely ignoring Bailey while he riffled through the contents inside.

"I'm leaving," Bailey informed him.

He turned from the fridge with a jar of Mayonnaise and sliced turkey from the deli. With a hearty plop on the counter from each item he turned towards her with a raised eyebrow. "Are you gonna get arrested again? 'Cause that was hilarious," he said.

Bailey scowled and reached over to steal the piece of turkey he'd already generously applied to his whole wheat bread. Shoving it in her mouth she gave him a satisfied grin as she munched the meat.

"Hey! Get your own," he snapped with an irritated sigh. "Are we running tomorrow?"

Bailey shrugged and hip bumped him towards the bread. "Sure. I want to since we didn't this morning. I felt pretty gross all day because we skipped it."

He nodded knowingly as he slapped the pieces of bread together. Screwing the cap back onto the Mayonnaise jar he turned to put it back into the refrigerator and then pulled out the Miracle Whip placing it on the counter. "Don't forget to put it away," he commented coolly before hauling himself up onto the bar stool.

"What am I? Twelve?" she asked. "Don't we have any lettuce and tomato?"

"I don't know. I just needed food. Didn't have time for all that other stuff," he mumbled around his rather large bite.

"Got practice?"

He nodded quickly, glancing at his wrist watch. "Yep. I got maybe five minutes. Sensei still thinks you should come in for training."

"Not gonna happen. Running in the morning already kills me."

Matt snorted in disgust as he shoved the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth. Without another word, he darted up the stairs to change, leaving Bailey alone. She glanced around quickly, making sure no one was around as she reached for the phone again, dialing the number Rajah had given her.

"I don't recognize this number."

The voice was a smooth and husky, yet sharp and firm at the same time. It reminded Bailey of the sound a wet towel makes when it's smacked against bare skin. The female's voice not only commanded attention, but demanded it. And the female wasn't too pleased at the moment.

"Oh, um, hello," Bailey said with a tinge of surprise.

There was a pause. "Like I said, I don't recognize this number."

"Rajah Lithgow gave it to me. This is in regards to Samantha Levy and Gwen Atherton's disappearance."

A heavy sigh and the sound of clicking heels followed before the female on the other end responded again. "I told Raj we didn't have much, but she insisted. I say the best we could do is stuff that's already been done by the police. If you want to meet though..."

"I do. Sometimes the smallest bit of information can be helpful. You might have something I don't. We'll connect the dots."

"What are you a detective or something? I thought you were like my age."

"I am, I just...every little detail counts. I want to be sure I'm not missing anything. Saturday?" Bailey said.

"Fine. I got some business at Haven Park Saturday around noon. Be there at one. Don't be late or I walk," she said with finality in her voice.

"I understand."

Click. Dial tone.

Bailey pulled the phone away from her ear, staring blankly at it before shaking her head and settling it back down. "Goodbye to you too," she mumbled sarcastically.

"Who was that?" Gale asked.

Bailey nearly jumped a foot in the air as her mom walked up behind her. "Mom! You scared me," Bailey said. "It was just a friend, making plans for a get together at the park on Saturday. And speaking of a 'get together' do you mind if I go Karaoke with some friends in about ten minutes?"

"Will you be home in time for curfew?" Gale asked.

Bailey nodded and settled her hands on the counter. "I'll be back in time, I promise, but I'm supposed to meet them there, so can I take your car?"

Gale paused and lifted an eyebrow skeptically. "Maybe Amanda should go with you."

"Really, Mom? I don't think so," Bailey said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, Amanda isn't here right now and I can't wait."

Bailey felt a sliver of panic at the reality of that fact. It was three in the afternoon, Amanda should've been home by now or maybe she got more information from the police officers than Bailey did. Still, she couldn't have spent eight hours at the police station.

Gale reached for Bailey's head, pulling her forward to place a kiss against her forehead. "Alright, be careful."

"I will."

"And Bailey, please, no police. I don't think I can handle it anymore."

Bailey's shoulders sagged and she bowed her head. She would never live her arrest record down.

--

The Karaoke bar was surprisingly packed for it being four o'clock in the afternoon. Jammed inside were mostly high school students, but there were a few stray adults nursing an alcoholic beverage, enjoying the antics of the students.

"Bailey! You made it," Kate cried out to her happily. "We just ordered a ton of hot wings, but they have pizza too."

Bailey smiled, taking the seat Grayson was offering. "Hot wings are good," she mumbled glancing around. "I guess I should've changed clothes."

She hadn't even thought to do it, but now she wished she had. Bailey was the only one still in her school uniform and she felt even more out of place than usual. She cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably. She hated sticking out unnecessarily.

"It's fine," Grayson said, somewhat distracted as he shoved a folded piece of green paper in front of Bailey's face. "Choose your poison."

Bailey promptly pushed it back with a tight lipped grin. "I don't sing."

Grayson scowled and lifted the paper up, dropping it in front of her again. "You do tonight. You knew what you were getting into. You have to sing."

"It's the rules. At least one song," Damien smiled encouragingly.

Bailey folded her arms across her chest and raised a challenging eyebrow. "I don't follow your rules. Guys, I really can't sing. You're not missing much. Honestly, you're saving your ears."

Damien raised a hand, pointing to the wall behind Bailey. "Actually, it's posted on the back wall. They took your name before you came in right?"

Bailey frowned as she vaguely remembered they had asked for her name. She'd been five minutes late and had rushed through the front door where they stamped her hand, took her name, and forced her to pay a five dollar entrance fee...the thieves. It wasn't like this was a hopping dance club. There shouldn't have been an entrance fee. That's what had had Bailey's attention, not the name part. Well the fee plus the fact that Bailey didn't do well with crowds.

With a Cheshire grin, Grayson tapped the song list. "Have to sing."

"Why don't you pick for me then," Bailey said sneering at the piece of paper. "All of you, all of your ears, are going to regret this," she added giving everyone an evil eye.

"Oh come on, you can't be that bad," Oliver said, while crunching on some ice from his drink.

"Oh, I can. And I am. I'll go next to prove it," Bailey said.

Kate smiled. "See, you were against it, now you're just too eager to get up there."

"I just want to get it done. I'm not nearly as good as Willa is," Bailey said, cocking her head in the Asian girls' direction as she mastered an Etta James. "I sound like a frog dancing on shards of glass. I'm here for the food and conversation soley after this. You all will agree after the song I sing. Have you chosen yet Grayson?"

He nodded. "It's perfect," he added before getting up to put Bailey next in line.

Willa finished and with a smile bounced off the stage, happily trotting towards them, stealing Grayson's seat. "I'm glad you made it Bailey," she offered.

Bailey smiled warmly at her. Willa wasn't the easiest person to get to know and since Bailey wasn't either they'd settled into a routine of simple 'hi, how are ya's' and very minimal conversation. Willa spent most of her time studying and rarely went out, so it was slightly surprising that she was here. Bailey got the distinct impression she was there to support Damien and to a lesser extent Bailey herself. Willa's normally cool attitude, much like Bailey's, seemed different tonight; warmer, happier, accepting even.

"How've you been Willa?" Bailey decided to ask on a whim.

Her beautiful black hair seemed to shimmer tonight, just like her eyes. "I've been well. Really well," she grinned glancing at someone over at the bar.

Bailey glanced over her shoulder noticing Seth. "Did you two get back together?"

She nodded happily.

"That's great. I-" Bailey was cut off as her name was called.

"Next up, Bailey Roberts with Trouble by Elvis Presley," a deep male voice filled the area.

Bailey raised an eyebrow at Grayson then turned to glare at a chuckling Damien. Her glare lessened in its strength when she noticed the smile Damien was giving didn't reach his eyes. She slowly stood up.

"Grayson, no pushing!" she said slapping at his hand as he forcibly shuffled her towards the mini stage in the middle of the room.

Elvis Presley's Trouble, she thought to herself, how cute. It was like someone was trying to tell her something.

The only joy she would get out of this was when everyone realized the mistake they'd made in choosing a Karaoke bar that requires everyone to sing at least one song. With the heavy, solid microphone shoved in her hands she glanced at the lyrics coming on the screen. "If you're looking for trouble," she croaked into the microphone and the people in the crowd cringed, jerking away from the sound. "...I was born standing up and talking back."

Boisterous laughter and encouraging cheers came from her table, but she cast a glare towards them when they all hollered as she started the chorus.

"Because I'm evil, my middle name is Misery."

Her croaking faltered when the booing started from others that weren't with their group and Bailey's eyes darted around the area noting that people clearly weren't drunk enough for this 'misery.' She brought her 'not over 21' stamped hand up and made a cutting motion across her neck indicating she was finished. They'd asked for it and as Bailey shuffled towards the table all of them were still laughing. This would've bothered her if she hadn't already been through it with her family.

She plopped down in the wooden chair next to Grayson. "I warned you all. And that song was just mean. I'm not trouble!"

Damien snorted into his soda.

"You can't carry a tune at all. You sounded like a dying frog," Kate rolled in her chair, holding her stomach.

Bailey scowled grumpily. "I told you," she paused and glanced around. "Who's next? Damien?"

He lifted his gaze to her and cocked his head to the side, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Sure. Let a pro show you how it's done."

Bailey rolled her eyes, "Yeah right!"

"Order 26," called a voice over the intercom.

"Yes! Hot wings," Oliver said, smacking the table as he leapt to his feet to go fetch the order.

Bailey sat at the table quietly as she watched Oliver and Seth carrying back multiple plates of hot wings. She glanced over to see Damien getting ready to go on stage and then turned to watch Kate chatting with Grayson like they were old friends that hadn't had a brutal break up way back when. The air surrounding all of them seemed almost nostalgic and Bailey felt like she didn't belong. And maybe she really didn't.

She hadn't moved to this town for this. She'd moved to this town because of Gwen and Sam. Of course it was under the guise of a cheating father, but it was in her bones, Bailey knew. Gwen and Sam, they were the reasons she'd been moved to this town...like she had a calling.

Bailey laughed quietly at her thoughts. She'd officially gone off the deep end.

For the next two hours Bailey sat at the table, schooling herself to not think of Gwen, Sam, or the meeting with Rajah's drug dealing friends. She started off small, occasionally, throwing out a 'boo' to an obscenely bad singer, of course, none were worse than her. She even got up to do a second song, something she swore she wouldn't do. And slowly but surely she felt the months worth of tension in her shoulders releasing and the weight on her chest lifting. Turns out hot wings, numerous colas, laughing and bad singing among friends were healthy doses of natural medicine.

The night had been successful in rejuvenating Bailey. Tomorrow she'd be ready for anything after this. It was honestly the most fun she'd probably ever had. That earlier feeling of not belonging completely vanished as the night progressed too. The gnawing uneasiness of being in large crowds that had been present upon entering the bar disappeared completely. Her hands were no longer clammy and the only burn in her stomach was from spicy hot wings. It was the good kind of burn. Not the getting sick kind because she was afraid of large groups of people. Even in school it bothered her, but it didn't seem to worry her here. It dawned on her that it was something she hadn't worried about for a while...ever since Gwen disappeared.

There were things in the world to worry about, but this wasn't one of them. Her thoughts whispered.

The surprised hiccup of laughter that escaped her lips went unnoticed as Kate suggested they get going so they could make curfew. Bailey found herself glancing at the clock on the wall, surprised that it was almost 6:30.

"Bailey, I'll walk you to your car," Damien spoke surprisingly close to her ear.

She jolted, almost having completely forgotten him. He settled the palm of his hand against her lower back, directing her towards the exit.

"Do you have a coat?" he asked.

Bailey shook her head as she turned to wave goodbye to the others. Holding the door open for her, Damien ushered her outside and she turned towards the red hybrid she'd purposely parked far away from any other cars.

"Why did you park so far out?" Damien asked.

"If I get a scratch on that car Mom would hand me my behind," Bailey informed him.

"Hmm. Well, I'm going to follow you home to make sure you get in alright. Wait for me to be behind you before you get out of the parking lot, okay?"

Bailey turned towards him with a frown plastered to her face. "You don't have to. Mom'll be waiting up for me."

"I'll pretend you didn't say that," was all Damien said as he jogged over to his car.

He was sure being friendly and touchy. Bailey scowled when his tires squealed as he did a u-turn to move in her direction. She quickly got into her car and flipped down the visor where she'd stashed the keys. Starting the car she glanced back in the rearview mirror to make sure Damien was behind before she pulled through the empty parking space in front of her.

She was almost halfway home when it happened. She hadn't expected the flash of lights from a truck to blind her or for her breaks not to work. It almost seemed like the truck was coming into her lane as she swerved to avoid it, but failed. The sounds of tires squealing and the loud crunch of metal were deafening.