Chapter 4

What happened to your hair?" James Daniels said deeply, looking in the rear view mirror towards his daughter in the back. Bailey's hair was short, pass her jaw line, but much shorter than she had had it before. James dark green eyes fell upon Bailey's brighter ones and he forced a smile towards his daughter.

James remembered the birth of his daughter, how it was all a surprise it was going to be her, and not...him. It was learned from the beginning James was going to have a son, a son to step into his footsteps. Instead Bailey came along, and at first it was a disappointment, and he made it obvious to Bailey as she grew, not intended though. Looking back at his daughter, he wished that he had showed more love to Bailey. Then he came to realize, he had never told her he loved her.

"I never gave you that birthday present..." James said, reaching into the glove department, and handing a small box back towards Bailey. Bailey took it surprised, and opened the small case to a golden ring, a heart engraved into a diamond. Smiling she looked up and saw her dad smile.
"I love it..." Bailey muttered weakly, taking the ring and stringing it on a golden chain.
"I'm so nervous about you going back to school?" Rinoa said in the passenger's seat, using her fingers to move strands of hair from her face.
"Why Rinoa? Haven't we already talked about this?" James said, almost annoyed by the topic.
"I don't think its right-"
"Mom...I want to return to school, I think it- it will help me..."
"See Rinoa, stop your worrying..." James said, stopping at a red light.

Rinoa only peasantry smiled, and listened as her husband began to speak towards Bailey.

"So what were you and those girls doing anyways-"
"James I don't think-"
"I'm just making sure Bailey wasn't at any wild party or anything?" James looked in the rear view mirror towards his daughter again, "Were you?"
"I was at a surprise party, for me..." Bailey answered coldly.
"Was anyone drinking?" James asked.
"A few, seniors-"
"Were you?"
"James!" Rinoa cried, "Our daughter would so no such thing until she is of age..."
"Well with the people she hangs out with, I don't know if that's true...Bailey?" Bailey looked up ghastly as the car came to a stop.
"No..." Bailey answered hesitantly, grabbing the door handle, and opening the back door.
"I don't believe you-"
"James! Goodbye dear!" Rinoa called after her daughter, "Come home for lunch, I have some good news..."
"Yeah, Ill think about it-" Bailey said snooty, now angry with her father and his suspicions.
"Don't talk to your mother like that..." James said, only getting a cold, hatred from Bailey.

Bailey slammed the door shut, ignoring her father as she had done many times before. Rinoa rolled her eyes, and shook her head. James noticed as he pulled away from the school curb and out onto the busy road.

"What?" James asked.
"I wish you two weren't so stubborn..." Rinoa wished, tilting her head and resting on her elbow.
"I'm not stubborn..." James argued.
"Yes you are, how else do you think Bailey got it...I'm not stubborn?"
"No your not..." James said, feeling his wife peck a kiss on his cheek.
"So what is the good news..." James asked.
"You'll see..."

"Oh..." Zack said disappointed as Bailey came out of her trance, and living the sudden moment. Shaking her head, Bailey placed her hand on Zack's shoulder and smiled when he turned to look at her.
"Come pick me up? When our lunch hour is over-" Zack smiled and nodded, gently pressing his hand across his pockets, making sure he had his keys.
"How are you going to get home?" Zack asked as they headed back towards the classroom, Zack's arm gently stretched across her shoulders.
"I'm going to walk...I don't exactly trust getting rides home anymore-" Bailey joked trying to reassure herself, it was never her fault. The accident, was an accident...right?
"Alright, well see-" the bell rang and Zack smirked, "see you after lunch..."
"Yeah-" Bailey felt him kiss her on the lips gently, and then step into his classroom door, letting out anxious classmates for lunch.

They each passed Bailey with a hug, a hello, or a smile of sympathy. It was heartbreaking how the ones to successful, so liked had to suffer...and not Bailey. Why wasn't she killed with them?