𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗘-ᵗʷⁱˡⁱᵍʰᵗ¹

two

When Sage woke up she could hear Charlie and Bella, and for the first time in the 2 years she'd lived there, she hesitated leaving her room. Hearing the clacking of utensils on plates made her feel out of place, reminded her that she was an imposter, that she didn't belong. that feeling was the reason why her room was left bare, her only personal touches being the guitar and piano her grandmother left her.

With a deep sigh she slowly opened her door and walked toward the kitchen. "morning."

"You're up early, whats the reasoning?" Charlie watched her Carefully, and Bella seemed to jump at the presence of another person.

"Couldn't sleep." The girl sat at her usual chair and stole a piece of his bacon. "I have a calculus test today and its making me rethink my choices to take classes that set tests on the start of the week."

Charlie laughed lightly and gave the girl the rest of his food, filling her empty cup with coffee. The three sat in silence for a second, Charlie slowly sipping his coffee and Bella watching how the two interacted. "When did you move in?"

Sage looked towards Bella, taking in how much she'd changed in two years. "Well considering i was with your dad on his summer trip to see you two years ago, i'd say two years ago."

"Oh, i thought you had left after that summer." the table fell into an uncomfortable silence no one quite knowing what to say. "Are you gonna need a ride to school?"

"No, i have car, and i still go on the Rez."

"I really need to stop letting you drive to school. considering you dont even have a permit."

"Like anyone would actually pull me over. Plus, do you really wanna have to leave extra early to drop me off at Billys?" They resettled into the silence, a slight tension floating between Bella and Sage. The ticking of a clock filling all their ears. Sage glanced at the clock, checking the time. "Well, Charlie you should get going, I'm going get ready then head to Bry's. His mom always makes the best blueberry pancakes."

"Tell them i said Hi." Charlie and Sage stood up, leaving Bella alone at the small table.

꧁♈︎꧂

Sage never knocked when she got to her friend's houses, some would consider this a character flaw, but to their parents it showed that she was comfortable with them. So Tiffany wasn't shocked when Sage waltzed straight to her kitchen table. "Tiff, do you have any leftover blueberries for a smoothie? i would actually kill for one right now?"

The older woman just smiled and pointed the girl towards the fridge. "You're a lifesaver Miss Call."

The raven haired girl was quick to flash a wide smile before immediately rummaging for everything she needed. "Did you eat this morning Gigi?"

"Yea, Charlie made Bacon and some biscuits." She glanced back at Embry, giving him a small smile as she went back to tossing things into the small blender. Pouring in some honey and lemon juice, she paused for a second before shrugging and deciding that was enough. Tiffany watched the girl with an amused grin. Tiffany was like the mother Sage never had, not to bash Joy, Allison, or Sarah (may she rest in peace), But Embry was the first friend the girl made, making Tiffany the first woman in the girls life who's home she wasn't intruding on.

When Sage broke her shoulder Tiff was there, ready to rush her to the hospital and fully pay the bill. And when she appeared on their doorstep with bruises the shape of a hand and watery eyes, Tiffany was there ready to storm the Uley household with fiery pitchforks. The older woman was there during her first breakup, and her second one (both with the same person much to her disappointment.) and helped her get ready for dates. Tiffany was the only mother Sage had ever known, and the girl knew if her and Embry ever stopped talking, the older woman would still get lunch and give her birthday presents.

꧁♈︎꧂

School was, as always, the worst part of Sage's day. The only good thing was lunch, because it meant she got to talk to all her friends at once. So she sat down, no lunch try visible, and looked expectantly at Quil.

"What?" The boy looked at the girl confused. "Sage i swear, Im not giving you the fruit my mom packed. Go get a tray."

Sage just kept looking at him, a brow raised. Jacob and Embry looked between them with a small smirk before the latter started a countdown from 3. Right as the last number escaped his mouth Quil let out a deep sigh accompanied with a grumbled fine before passing Sage his fruit. "Always a pleasure, Ateara."

꧁♈︎꧂

Days began melting into each other more than usual, and Sage found herself always at a friends for dinner after Bella took on the title of house chef. The snow started falling which caused a bright smile to never leave Sage's face. It was something her classmates always found off-putting. To the girl, snow was bittersweet. Her earliest memory was her and Sam running out the house as quick as the could one weekend, diving headfirst into the snow, not at all properly dressed. Their laughter seemed to echo for smiles that day as they tossed snowballs full force at each others heads. Between the horrors they'd experienced living with their father, they were each others safety, always bandaging eachother up and fighting until the sun came up.

One day Sage got a short call from Charlie while she was at Quil's before school. Apparently Bella almost got slammed by some guys van, The man hung up once he got to the hospital, telling the 15 year old he'd keep her updated. With that news, Sage had quickly convinced Joy she needed a mental health day, and that Quil needed to join her. Once the woman agreed, Sage found herself getting her other two friends out of school and straight to First Beach. They spent the day flinging damp sand mixed with rocks at each other's stomachs as they ran all through the beach. It was peaceful, At least until Sage bumped into a figure way too tall to be one of her friends. Immediately her eyes hardened as she looked up, her hazel eyes meeting with her brothers dark brown. "Sam."

"Shouldn't you be at school."

"Shouldn't you be feeding high schoolers steroids?"

"Im serious Sage."

"I am too." The half siblings had a small stare down before the younger one cracked. "Not that its any of your business, but Bella nearly got crushed by a van, therefore i'm enjoying my day on the beach."

Sam looked at her, confusion written on his face. "Shouldn't you be with Bella then?"

The girl just shrugged. "She doesn't necessarily like me, and I'm all about being selfish."

She could hear Embrys voice call her name, she glanced back and went to say her goodbye but was cut off by Sam's voice taking up space. "You should come over sometime."

Sage looked at him as if he'd grown another head. "Why on earth would i do that?"

The older boy just shrugged. "We could get to know each other again. I kinda miss knowing who my little sister is."

Sage paused, fighting the urge to turn into the 8 year old girl wondering where her brother had gone and why he no longer wanted to talk anymore. "I don't know Sam. I thought you made it pretty clear you didn't want me around."

"Just think about it." She paused and stared at him for a second, searching for any signs of sincerity, any signs of the boy who used to bring her ice cream after she got screamed at for breaking something. In a moment of weakness she nodded before walking towards her friends. Too wrapped up in her mind she decided to go home. and so she spent the rest of the day tucked into her bed, shoveling ice cream into her mouth.

WILLOW SPEAKS!

im pretty sure it's clear but i dont do grammar checks. its a bad habit