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THERE WERE SOME BATTLES THAT were pointless fighting against. Bailey Swan was well aware of that. If the outcome was futile why waste energy engaging in pointless conflict? This was of course referring to the unexpected uprooting of Bailey's life that had been completely decided by her mother, Renée Dwyer (previously Renée Swan). Renée was a giddy woman, wild and obsessed with so-called "freedom", she was spontaneous, always laughing and a bit immature and childish. More importantly, Renée was in love with her new husband Phil Dwyer. Bailey hardly ever saw her stepfather, as he was a minor league baseball player, he spent the majority of his time away. Bailey had no opinions on Phil—he was barely around so other than a few encounters when he started dating her mother she hardly knew him as a person. Even though her mother never showed it, Phil's constant absence bothered her—she wanted to be with him but instead stayed home to tend to her two daughters.
"I have an idea," said a voice, one exceptionally humid afternoon in Arizona.
Bailey paused in her literature readings, her gaze lifting just over her book cover as she spotted her older sister, Isabella.
Isabella, or Bella as she preferred, was Bailey's older sister by two years. Despite them being sisters and living under the same roof for the entirety of their lives they hardly talked to one another. Both Bailey and Bella were quiet people who didn't speak unless spoken to and they two had nothing in common. Bella was more of an indie girl, sensitive, clumsy and average all around. Bailey was a nerd, hostile, always had her nose in a book or was critiquing those whom she deemed to be inferior. They hardly ever talked to one another if it wasn't the occasional "good morning", "are you wearing my sweater" or "pass the salt".
"Go on," Bailey replied, studying her sister's body language. She watched closely as Bella's eyes flickered around the room to avoid staring Bailey in the eye, she shifted her weight from one leg to the other and tucked her dark brown hair behind her ear. Bailey noted that the two of them talking to one another was so rare that it was physically making Bella uncomfortable—as if she were talking to a stranger.
"I, uh, think we should move in with Charlie," Bella didn't beat around the bush. "Mom's been missing Phil like crazy and they haven't been married that long, you know, so they should be able to spend more time together. I think she wants to travel with him but feels like she shouldn't leave us behind. W-what do you think?"
"Okay," was all Bailey said before she resumed reading. She knew it didn't matter whether she agreed or disagreed with Bella's "idea", after all, Bella hadn't been asking for her permission she just wanted her opinion. That made it clear to Bailey that no matter what she said Bella was going to bring the idea up to their mother, who would leap at the opportunity to be with her new husband, whom she was utterly infatuated with.
That was the last time Bailey and Bella spoke to one another for a while—again, it wasn't that they hated each other or had bad blood, they simply didn't have anything to talk about and neither one chose to take the initiative.
