narrator
📍Beverly Hills, California
"Hey" were the words that escaped his mouth, nothing much of it just a smile and a one syllable word, baby steps remember?
To clear the awkward tension, she decided to make the first act toward a fresh start "You're up a little later than usual" Probably not the words Sage should've went with, deeply regretting her actions toward a better future
"You just woke up right? So not normal, it's like 3:30 in the afternoon Jordan" She bounced back from what could've been seen as ploy to get Jordan back but that's not really what she wants.
Just because Sage is single and Jordan is too, it doesn't mean that their future together as couple would be bright. Let's admit it, he'd had his chance and he messed it up, sometimes people are better off as friends than anything ever more. No matter what the heart might want more, the universe has a bigger say than that, or maybe not.
Jordan nodded a little bit too late in her response "Yeah, Danny took me to a party last night at UCLA- crazy dudes"
Sage nodded hearing of this story before, Danny took Darnell, Spencer and Jordan along with him to celebrate their possible recruits to UCLA, kind of a tough call for the two quarterbacks- being a backup quarterback isn't the best feel either. Danny had asked Sage to come along with them last night but she'd had plans in pranking her sister Suede with her boyfriend Parker, that he crashed her car in the backyard, tearing the whole fence down but little did she know they were renovating the house to change the wooden fences with something much more durable. Suede was pissed and in tears, was heavily angry at the two for several hours up until Sage had offered her a peace offering of food and love
Sage was at the Baker residence to meet up with Laura, not Olivia, or Jordan and definitely not Billy Baker. Sage had been sent to drop off a few things for Laura, some sort of care package for Sapphire's upcoming album. She's throwing a release party and she'd normally have care packages sent out but when it comes to Laura Baker, her best friend in their cheer days- everything is personally given and maybe even sometimes she gets the better portions of the packages that Sapphire would send out.
"How have you been?" Jordan asked, hearing that Sage and Isiah had broken up not too long ago, Sage shrugged "I'm alright, I've got school to get my head in the game. Suede dyed her hair pastel pink- not a wig. It's a phase because Parker and I pranked her"
"Oh yeah she told me about that, she was pissed" Jordan had unleashed what might've been a hidden secret to Sage's sister Suede, out of the many guys that Sage had dated Jordan was by far the best one and Isaiah would've beat him to that spot if they hadn't broken up about distance and focusing on their selves, Suede says it's a lie.
Sage unaware of their back and forth messaging, pretended as if she actually knew "She could never even take a prank, instead of making us feel embarrassed she's making herself look bad" The conversation between the two went on, in the moment, forgetting the many brawls and hateful words were ever exchanged. It was a moment of peace and possibly an act of forgiveness coming from Sage herself.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting" Laura fixed herself up a little bit, she had just finished a facetime meeting with one of her clients, being district attorney is a lot to take on, you'll have meetings everyday even on your off days but if you knew Laura Baker the way the Carter's did, she makes everything work
Sage and Laura gave each other hugs and kisses on the cheek as their friendly greetings "Don't worry about it, Jordan, uh-" She didn't really realize it until she said it "Kept me company, all is well Mrs. Baker" Separated? Maybe, but Billy and her sure still are living under the same roof and honestly if Billy had said anything to King she'd know what he'd be up to so Olivia could stop asking but she truly does not know a thing- Billy Baker likes to keep a lot of things to himself and that might've been the beginning of the downfall of his life, he had trust issues so bad that he couldn't even trust his own wife with whatever he had kept in
Laura gave Jordan a proud yet concerned look "Great-Oh!" She had seen the large package placed on the counter that also came along with Jeff Leatham arranged flowers, it's a really big gift given to and from the richest of L.A- some might say these flower arrangements are nothing in comparison to chocolates. If you wanted to apologize, call Jeff Leatham, if it's your anniversary, Jeff Letham will be waiting for you. It's a Los Angeles delicacy that doesn't involve any form of anything actually edible
Jordan and Sage gave each other a brief stare before returning back into the present situation. Sage was only here to give Laura Baker a gift from her mother, maybe this was meant to happen so they can go back to their old friend ways or old relationship ways. Whatever this is, it's fate and either good or bad can come out of it, it's their decision.
Sage had left the Baker household, to her something felt different as if things were finally going back to normal but in a way she hadn't yet understood and figured out yet. Yet she smiled because before everything started to slowly fall apart, she was happy and she wanted it to go back to normal. No fights, no hate, no drama but just a complete group of friends full of love and support.
"Hey hey" She hugged Darnell, entered the house and straight to the kitchen Sage went, surprisingly Kia was nowhere to be found though she was certain that they didn't break up the air sure does feel a little bit thick with the lack of energy and enthusiasm Darnell gave when he'd welcomed her into his apartment
It was nothing but complete silence, she stared then she'd look away and he'd stare and then suddenly look away, it's as if there's an elephant in the room that nobody isn't quite ready to address.
"D, are you good?" Sage asked closing the refrigerator door, with a new unopened bottle of grape gatorade Darnell only gets because Sage likes it, he hates grape but doubles up and buys grape and cool blue. She wasn't feeling well, but if she felt good she would've raided his coconut juice stash he keeps hidden on the very top shelf only guys taller than 5'7 could reach, yes Sage is a giant to the normal female species
"Are YOU good?' He flipped the tables and asked the question assuming that her taste has changed due to something bad happening in her life
She chuckled, disregarding that. Sage hates admitting that she's in defeat and or that she's sick and right now she's kind of feeling a little bit of both "Yes, I'm fine but you seem like you've got something to say and you need to say it out your chest it seems" She sipped and analyzed Darnell some more, wanting the focus to be shifted anywhere else but her
He sighed, shaking his head not knowing if he should speak things into existence because maybe he thought things would be different if he did "D, I'm still here unless you- uh, need some you time instead" She was starting to get worried toward the actions of her best friend who felt the same way as she did. Darnell nodded "Kia and I got into a pretty big fight because it sounded, it sounded so-" He paused and looked back up at Sage and gave him a nod to continue "Dude you're being so sketch"
Darnell laughed a bit, realizing he was being stupid to not tell her the argument, his best friend "Kia got all worked up about how I spend so much time with you and your family and how I put y'all above her and she thinks you're a threat and I tell her that you guys have done me so good and you guys are like family to me" He spilled, Kia was threatened by a harmless Sage Carter, harmless until provoked of course, kind of like sharks
Sage batted her eyes at Darnell, couldn't believe what the hell he was saying. "She's way more than jealous it's as if she hates me and my family I mean I personally apologize on behalf of my family that we helped you get your own place, gave you an opportunity to get more noticed by college scouts and scholars- I- You tell her We're sorry we were such an inconvenience to her, jeez and to think we were cool" Sage laughed it off, dropped her gatorade on the floor, losing her grip
"I'm sor-"
"Don't even worry about it" Darnell cut off and hurried toward her to come help her clean up the spill but he wasn't quick enough because Sage already had fallen and passed out on the floor
He couldn't catch her, she hit her head on the counter as she'd lost consciousness, he knew something was up, but typical Sage doesn't want people to worry about her and now a lot of people will worry about her. Darnell panicked, his heart raced as blood had gushed out her forehead, it was cut up pretty bad.
"Damn it Darnell! Breath!" He yelled at himself as he reached for the phone in his pocket dialing 911
"Hello 911 what's your emergency?"
"My- My friend passed out in my kitchen mid conversation, uh she hit her head on the counter and she busted, she busted, she busted her head pretty bad" He was scrambling his words, repeating things because he was in such a shock, his eyes started to tear up because not again, he didn't want someone to die within his watch, he'd never be able to forgive himself
"Alright sweetie calm down, breath and help me find her pulse"
Darnell shook his hand to help it stop from shaking and placed two fingers onto her neck, dragging it to feel any type of pulse "Yeah, yeah it's weak"
Darnell was then instructed to leave Sage to open up the door wide open after he'd given them his address. He stared at her, he freaked out because Sage never felt sick, she was the most healthiest person he'd ever meet who drinks soda once a month or not even at all. Darnell had called up the Carters to let them know of this incident, he was afraid that they'd hate him because it happened under his roof.
He paced in the hospital as everybody rushed toward him. Sapphire and King were out of town on a business trip up in Palo Alto, California- they saw a business opportunity to possibly move there to continue on raising their family while King buys off yet another professional team. Paxton and Dawson ran as they were shortly followed by Parker and Suede who ran for his sister
"What the hell happened?" Paxton questioned, Sage and Paxton weren't always on good terms but they were the close
"I knew she wasn't feeling good, she woke up two hours late for school and I- ugh!" Suede screamed and buried her face into her boyfriends arms who too was close with Sage, they'd grown a bond with each other the second they met and they became each others favorite 'in laws' they called each other. For Dawson, things felt like the world was having a massive earthquake. Dawson and Sage were the closest, they'd hang out with each other in the middle of night, especially on days where Dawson didn't feel like he was doing enough. Sage made sure that Dawson was always okay and he made sure that she was happy. Dawson's going to spiral off the most if anything bad were to happen to Sage
They all sat down and waited for the doctors, they had came earlier and said she was going into emergency surgery for something that they all couldn't remember because this was all too fast and too real. Sage was healthy.
Laura, Billy and the twins rushed. Olivia started to cry, she froze when she'd seen the blood on Darnell's hand and the string of his hoodie "Oh my God what happened?" Laura asked as she each gave the kids a hug of comfort
"We were talking about my stupid relationship problem and then she dropped her gatorade-" Jordan cut him off, he knew Sage too well "She doesn't drink gatorade unless she's working out, have a game or doesn't feel good and she's strict on that" Darnell nodded at that fact "Yeah"
"What else happened?" Billy stood, arms across his chest
"She apologized and then fainted and hit her head on the counter."
"The doctors had to do an emergency surgery because they found internal bleeding or I- I don't remember, this is just too much " Suede couldn't believe what was happening, she started to tear up some more
Sage Carter was one perfectly healthy person, was strict on her sugar consumption. No one knew what was really going on with Sage, what hurt or what didn't. She has a really bad habit of keeping her physical feelings to herself all because she didn't want to feel like a burden to anybody and now everybody that loved her is fearing for her life and the possible loss of a loved, no one is prepared for any of this and absolutely no one knows what's going to happen once the guys in the white coats and navy blue scrubs with their printed caps come in and say what they need to say. Is it I'm sorry? or We tried our very best? What do the doctors start with?