Buried (Bailey Roberts Trilogy #1) Editing

10: Wild Horses [3rd draft]

It is so loud and way too smoky was Bailey's initial thought as she entered the medium sized house.

It was crowded to the point of being stuffed. The minute they'd entered someone had knocked into her, she thought she'd even felt a groping hand, which was really the second time it had happened since she'd moved to Haven. It had been unheard of in her old town. Maybe she'd reached that growth spurt and she hadn't notice, but other people, , did.

Bailey had lasted about ten minutes, standing awkwardly next to Gwen while she had what would have probably been a civil conversation if it hadn't been so loud. She'd foreseen this awkwardness. Bailey wasn't a mingler and, no matter the promise or not, the changes wouldn't happen over night.

And it being the end of the week, Bailey already felt drained. So she gave in to the need to get to a corner quick and migrated towards the empty black leather couch in the back. She quickly slipped into a line to grab a closed bottle of something first, the only thing she'd paid attention to was that it was closed, and once she reached the couch, flopped down.

It was quite comfortable and luckily no one was looking for her. She would stay a few hours just to show Gwen she was attempting to enjoy herself, and then politely leave, but calling a cab in Haven may prove to be a challenge. The house, of junior named Samantha Levy, who she had yet to be introduced to, also seemed to live in a secluded area on the other side of where Bailey lived.

Just as she was fully getting comfortable in her couch potato ways she saw Gwen notice where she'd gone off to. She gave the girl a small, reassuring smile, but it did nothing to stop the red head from bulldozing her way towards her.

"I've been looking for you. What are you doing back here?"

Bailey shrugged. "I just don't feel comfortable at these things."

Gwen chuckled, giving a knowing nod, and flopped on the couch beside her, causing Bailey to bounce up and down. Gwen rested her feet on the glass table in front of her and slouched into the cushions, sighing happily.

"Gwen, you don't have to stay here with me."

She shrugged. "I'll stay. I want you to feel comfortable around me, around my friends, so I'll stay and we can just talk until you are."

Bailey smiled gently at her. "You should enjoy the party."

"Bails, I'm good here. I'm enjoying it now."

Bailey shook her head. "I think we could end up being best friends," she mumbled.

Gwen turned towards Bailey, seeming to think about it, and then gave her 600 kilowatt smile. "Okay."

"I take a while to open up, but I'm really going to try. I've been making some fairly big steps, so if you promise to just give me a chance-" Bailey started.

"Bailey?"

"Hm."

"I said okay," she informed. "I've never had a best friend."

Bailey snorted and gave her an 'are you serious' look. "But you have so friends."

She shrugged. "I've talked about things with you I've never talked about with anyone. I feel some type of connection with you..." she paused, sliding an awkward look towards Bailey. "I'm not hitting on you by the way. I'm all about men, but I just wanted to let you know. Most of my friends are guys too, if you hadn't noticed. Kate sat with us today because of you. Raj and Harper I'm just friendly towards, Willa's best friend is Seth, or rather used to be, Damien and Grayson have known each other since they were in diapers. And I can't really call Damien my best friend, because brothers don't count. Grayson's always gotten on my nerves. So it's safe to say I see potential for us. I've dated Oliver, so that can't really count either. I'm pretty sure you're the closest thing I have to a best friend."