The world had stopped making sense to Bailey the moment she was old enough to understand what the world was. After all, she'd grown up in such an unconventional manner that it wasn't surprising for her to rely only on what she could touch, feel, and every now and again, what she could see. In her experience what she heard was not reliable, because people lied. So many people always lied. They'd say that this would be her last home only to be moved three weeks later. They'd say that nothing would happen to make them think differently of her, and then she'd have a drop or an anxiety attack and again things would change. There was little left for Bailey to believe in, and she'd grown used to that fact. That was, until she'd met the 126. Though she still remained cautious she could tell that they were true in what they said. They didn't judge her or change their image of her simply because of what happened. After all, the first time they'd met she'd been unconscious (talk about starting off with your cards on the table). Since then, Bailey's relationship with the members of the 126 had only gone up.
It had been a couple of weeks since Carlos had come to the station the first time and now he stopped by regularly. There was a joking mannerism between him and Bailey that she enjoyed, but there was also an almost fatherly way that he interacted with her. He'd check in with her about things going on with the Hubbards or about how she felt about school starting up in a few weeks. He knew she was happy about being in the same place but still, no teenager enjoyed school, homework and tests weren't exactly a sixteen-year-old's idea of a good time. She was young to be starting her senior year but she was excited, being on the younger end of the spectrum opened up more opportunities to her in a way. She felt like she had more time to get her footing once she graduated high school if she wanted to take a gap year or maybe she'd be able to get more scholarships since people might be impressed with her age, she didn't know but she was okay with being the youngest.
Bailey had been in her room for a few hours working on a new piece when she heard the Hubbards get home. They'd been gone for a good portion of the morning running errands but Bailey treasured the solitude. It was better than having them home, better than the criticism and the lectures, not better than being with the 126 but she'd take what she could get.
"So you did get the job then?" Bailey heard Rachel's voice first.
"Yeah, they called me this morning. They want me there at the end of next week." Mr. Hubbard, Joseph, spoke next.
"Next week?" Rachel asked. Bailey put down her paint brush and moved to the hall so that she could hear better, the conversation intrigued her. "What are we supposed to do about living? It's not like you can commute."
"Colby starts at UT next month and wants to live on campus and the company has a house set up for us if we want it. I can call a realtor in the morning and we can get this one on the market." Joseph said.
"And Bailey?" Rachel asked. Bailey was surprised that her name came up, they never seemed to care about her before. "The income has been nice; will she be moved?" There it was.
"I called her case agent earlier, if we want to keep her in our care then her case can be transferred to an agent there. Her moving expenses would be covered by the state just like her medical expenses. Nothing would change." Joseph explained.
Wait, moving expenses? They wanted to move? They wanted to take her with them? Bailey walked farther down the hall, trying to get as close as possible to make sure that she was hearing everything right.
"What office is this again?" Rachel asked.
"The El Paso office," Joseph said. "They're offering me a management position Rach; this is what we've been hoping for."
El Paso? That was across the state. Bailey leaned into the wall more but hadn't expected there to be a laundry basket in her way and she tumbled over it, barely staying on her feet. When she caught herself she stood stock still, hoping that the Hubbards hadn't heard her.
"Bailey. Come out here." Rachel called.
"Damn it," Bailey mumbled straightening her shirt and walking into the living room. "Hi."
Rachel's brow was arched, there was no warm greeting coming from her.
"What were you doing eavesdropping? You know better than that. I assume you respect us enough to know not to listen to private conversations." She said.
Though Bailey knew that Rachel's statements weren't wrong, to say that she respected the Hubbards was a bit of a stretch.
"I heard my name," Bailey said. "I figured if you're talking about me then I should be a part of it. Or do you not respect me enough to include me in decisions that affect my life?"
If they wanted to play the respect card then it was only fair that Bailey could as well.
"Are you really throwing an attitude at me?" Rachel pushed.
"No," Bailey said. "Just pointing out the fact that I'm old enough to be included in a decision that has to do with me."
Rachel rolled her eyes and looked to her husband.
"Is that what you think?" Joseph asked.
"Yeah, that's what I think." Bailey said, sitting on the chair across the room.
Joseph shrugged and Rachel crossed her arms over her chest.
"Fine," She said. "Joseph has gotten a job in El Paso so we are going to move."
"I heard." Bailey said.
"You will be moving with us," Joseph added, he always tried to play things up and it really only annoyed Bailey more because she knew that he really couldn't care less. "Isn't that exciting."
Bailey shook her head.
"I don't want to move to El Paso." She said.
"What are you talking about? You're a part of our family and we want to keep you with us, I'd think that you'd be grateful for that." Rachel said.
Bailey scoffed.
"I'm not a part of your family, I'm a part of your pay check," She said. "I heard you talking remember. You said something along the lines of, the income has been nice and the state will cover any expenses that I have, just like my medical costs. Did I get that about right?"
Joseph finally dropped the act.
"You've been living in our home for a year, you will show us some respect." He said, his voice raising in volume.
Bailey shook her head.
"I've been in your house for a year, I'd hardly call it my home. You don't treat me like family, you treat me like an inconvenience, and if you acknowledge my existence at all it's to tell me that I forgot to do a chore. You haven't earned my respect. I'm not going to respect you just because you tell me I have to. I'm polite, I tolerate, there is a big difference." She said.
Rachel's nostrils flared.
"You are lucky to have a roof over your head at all. You're more trouble then you're worth." She said.
"Except for the check you get in the mail every month right?" Bailey pointed out.
"We will be moving to El Paso next week and you will be moving with us." Rachel said.
Bailey bit the inside of her cheek to keep the tears from falling. Her face was a mask of anger but underneath the mask she was a mass of fear and anxiety, they were going to drag her across the state, away from everything she'd ever known and never look back.
"You can't do this." Bailey said, her voice catching as her façade began to fail.
"You are under our care. We are your legal guardians." Joseph said.
"I've lived in Austin my whole life," Bailey argued. "You can't just take me away from everything I've ever known and expect me to be okay with it."
Rachel shrugged.
"You'll learn to be okay with it." She said.
That was it, that was her breaking point. She got up and walked to her room. Grabbing her phone, a set of headphones, and a light sweatshirt she headed for the front door.
"Bailey." Joseph called.
But she kept walking down the front lawn.
"Bailey get back in this house." Joseph called after her.
Bailey turned but kept walking backwards.
"Why don't you call the cops, it's what you do every time I leave anyway." She challenged.
Joseph's face was stone cold and Bailey could only imagine what Rachel's face looked like. They could call Austin PD for all she cared; they'd find her in the same place that she always was. It was all she had left. After all, Bailey had little left to believe in.