I Hate California

Sneak Peak: Teenager Sage

"Honey, let's go sit down at the table, please" I pled as we walked into the our New York City penthouse. I had just picked up Sage from school and she hasn't been her usual self.

Like I figured, Sage ignored me and walked up the stairs. I knew that she had her days, but for some reason, today was different. This morning, she didn't want us to bring her to school and just left with the driver. When I went to pick her up, I noticed that she had tear stains down her cheeks, but didn't say anything; not wanting to get her upset.

After waiting a couple minutes, wanting to give her some time, I decided to go check on her.

"Babe?" I knocked on her door. No answer.

"Sage, please open the door" I said again. When I went to turn the handle, she had locked it. We had a no lock rule in this house, for safety reasons of course.

I started to get angry, walking into Joe and I's bedroom and rummaged through the drawers to find the key to her door. When I finally found it, I carefully made my way back over to her room. Putting the key into the lock, I opened the door to find Sage sitting on the floor, with her back against her bed and her head in her hands. I quickly went to her side, pulling her into my embrace as I swayed us.

"You're okay, I've got you" I whispered into her ear. She didn't respond, but instead had silent tears streaming down her face.

Before I could say another word, I heard the door downstairs open, meaning Joe and our youngest daughter were home. I quickly went over to the door, closing and locking it. Not wanting her little sister to see her like this.

"Hey, can you talk to me baby?" I asked in a soft tone. My heart broke just seeing her cry. No words escaped her mouth as her cries began to get stronger. She shook her head as she held tightly onto me.

Not letting her go, I helped her onto her bed and held her tightly in my arms, just like when she was little.

"T-There talking a-about me again" She managed to say. She stuffed her face into my shirt as she sniffled.

I couldn't believe it. Those stupid kids in her school were talking about her again. About her early childhood to be correct. We had this problem before and it wasn't good. Sage came home early just after her first week of freshman year and was in tears. The kids were constantly telling her that I didn't care enough for her, that we were constantly hiding her when she was younger, explaining why she was never seen often. That was never the case. No one knew the real reason on why she was only announced to the world at six years old, they didn't need to know.

I held her face, wiping away her tears and kissed her forehead, nose, and wet cheek.

"You my dear, don't owe them an explanation. They have no reason to be up your business 24/7. Your Dad and I will go to your school ourselves and get to the bottom of this. If I think it won't end up going anywhere, we're homeschooling you again" I tell her. I wasn't going to risk my daughter getting bullied to the point where it's too late. I would never forgive myself. I still haven't forgave myself for her getting kidnapped, which was also a topic the kids in her school wanted to constantly bring up.

Sage wasn't a lonely kid in school, but she also didn't see herself as a popular student. Most of the kids were afraid to even go up to her because they knew we were her parents, but then there are the other kids who just wanted to tear her apart, for no reason.

"Why do they hate me? What did I ever do to them?" She asks, looking up at me. That's when we heard a knock on the door and her little sister's voice yelling about why she couldn't enter.

"Hey, no shouting. Mommy needs to be with Sage, alone" I say loudly, hoping Joe gets the message to distract our youngest.

I continued to rub Sage's back. She wasn't crying anymore, but was just staring into space. That was the moment I made my decision, she was going to be homeschooled.

"I love you so much Sage, you know that. I won't let them hurt you like that again. Your Dad and I are going to keep you home for your studies for now, okay? You're going to be okay my love" I tell her softly. I rubbed my thumb over her hand, letting her know that I wasn't going to leave. She nodded her head slowly, tucking her head back into my chest.

I held onto her, thinking about my younger Sage. The little girl that I promised to keep safe and told her that I wouldn't let anyone hurt her, I didn't keep that promise.

Looking down, I saw that she had fallen asleep. I quietly and carefully got out of the bed and slipped out of the room. When I walked into the living room, I saw Joe and our other daughter eating snacks while watching a movie. Knowing that our youngest was focused onto the screen, Joe followed me into the kitchen where I leaned back onto the counter.

"What happened?" Joe whispered with a concerned look on his face.

I was still so hurt, hurt that Sage was going through that. I knew what it felt like for others to pick on you and try to bring you down.

"The kids are picking on her again. She was asking me what she did to deserve this, what she did she ever do to them? That really hurt my heart, Joe" I say as my voice cracks.

I watched as Joe's face turned into pure anger and his fists clenched up. I told him my plans on going down there and talking to the school about how she isn't going to be attending in person anymore, which Joe quickly agreed on.

"I'll get those kids. I swear, Taylor, if anything happens to my baby girl they won't see the light of day" He tells me.

I was going to respond, but I heard our youngest walking into the kitchen. She looked up at us with a confused look on her face. She adored Sage and always wanted to be around her, so I knew that she was curious on why she couldn't see her big sister right now.

"Is Sage okay?" She asks in a sad tone. I quickly nod my head at her. I didn't want to tell her what was going on since I know Sage wouldn't want her to know. Sage was very protective over her little sister and she never wanted her to see her cry.

"Sage is just going through something babe. She'll be okay, okay?" I tell her and she just nods her head, not believing a word I was saying.

I watched as our youngest daughter sat down at the kitchen table, taking out her notebooks from her backpack. I knew that I had to go back up there to check on Sage, but I knew we needed some time to pass by.