Saved By Carli

VIII

Sage's POV

Today the team has light training in the morning then they have the rest of the day off because they have a game tomorrow. Today is also the day of my mom's trial so I decide to stay in the hotel to finish some homework before going to a private room in a local library so that I can testify against my mother. I haven't told anyone on the team about the trial just because I don't want to burden them with my problems. I know it's a shit reason, but hey welcome to my world.

After lunch I leave the hotel and head to the private room at the library and log on to Skype. The judge allowed me to Skype in to the trial, which I am so grateful for, because I never want to be in the same room as my old mother ever again, and around ten minutes after I get into the call I begin to testify. Her lawyer asked way too many questions that didn't matter and by the time the judge had sentenced her to 40 years, due to the footage at the hospital, photos from the hospital, photos I had on my phone that I sent to the prosecutor, and apparently when they were selling the house, which I got to keep the money made from that thanks to dad's will, they found a lot of unlawfully obtained firearms in my old mothers room so that added more time to her sentence, I had been here for 4 hours.

After the trial is over I make my way back to the hotel and make the trek up the stairs to the room Carli, Christen, and I share. When I get to the room the door is cracked open which is suspicious so I knock on the door and walk into the room only to find the whole team sitting around talking, but the talking stops whenever I walk in.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." I say as I turn around to leave, but someone grabs my wrists and pulls me back into the room and sets me on the bed.

"Where did you go? You've been gone for 4 hours Sage." Someone says.

"My mom's trial was today and I had to Skype call in to testify." I say looking down.

"You could have told us Sage. We were worried sick about you." Mal says as she gets up and walks toward me with an angry look in her eyes. Seeing this sends me into a panic and my eyes widen.

"PLEASE NO. I'M SORRY I WONT DO IT AGAIN. JUST DON'T HIT ME PLEASE." I curl into a ball waiting for the barrage of slaps, kicks, or punches to hit me as I hear gasps all around the room. Fortunately nothing happened.

Timidly I raise my head to see whats going on, but all I see are wide eyed shocked expressions, Carli is on the verge of tears, Mal is rooted to the spot where she got up and doesn't know what to do. Slowly I get up, but keep my head down so nobody can see my face. Carli gets up and comes and sits down next to me and pulls me into her.

"Hey it's okay Sage. Nobody here will ever hurt you okay. And I promise if anyone does hurt you then they have 22 other people who will hurt them even worse than they hurt you okay." Everyone chuckles."I'm so sorry you had to go through what you did, but I do know that you'll become even stronger because of what you went through." After Carli stops speaking I whisper and ask her if all of the team is here and she nods so I speak up and talk to the whole team.

"I'm sorry all of you had to see that. Um I guess I should explain my self so I don't have to repeat this twenty times. I guess I will start at the beginning of all this. When I was 12 my dad was killed overseas fighting in the military. My old poor excuse of a mother, who by the way was sentenced to 40 years in prison, couldn't handle his death so she turned to the bottle which only caused her to get angry and drunk. Every night she would punch, hit, kick, and cut me to the point where I passed out. This cycle would happen every night along with verbal abuse. I also wasn't allowed out of the house since he died so basically for five years. So thats why I reacted like I did. Mal it's not your fault, you didn't know. I'm fine now it just brought up some bad memories. I'm really sorry you all had to see that." I now look down and continue speaking. "I never wanted any of you to see that. I didn't want you all to treat me different."

Everyone looks shocked and is either crying or has just stopped crying. It kills me to see that I caused them so much pain and sadness. I hate my old mother for this.

Pinoe, of all people, walks up to me and takes my hand causing me to look up at her. "Sage none of us will treat you different. We love you and will never let anything hurt you. You're an amazing girl who is probably stronger than any of us will ever be. I know for a fact I couldn't of survived all of that, but going through that will only make you stronger and it will make you be an amazing mother because you know what not to do. You are a special girl who means the world to each of us Sage. I promise we will always be here for you." Pinoe then hugs me which turns into a giant group hug.

Everyone decides to just have a movie day in our room. I don't really know what movie is playing as I am cuddled up into Mal and she is playing with my hair. She still looks distraught.

"Mal look at me." She looks down and I grip on to her side tighter. "It's not your fault. I'm fine now. I know you wouldn't hurt me. You didn't break me, my mother did. I really want you to not worry about this. There is nothing you could do to make me hate you." She doesn't respond she just scoots down, lays with me, and I pull her into me and we spoon while watching the movie which I found out is Step Brothers. Mal falls asleep half way through the move. I take this as an opportunity to text Ali and Christen.

Me: Hey I need you two's help with something at the next camp next month.

Christen: okay what is it

Me: I need help planning a date for Mal and I. And since its my first date I have no clue what to do.

Ali: Aww

Christen: ☺️ We will definitely help out.

Ali: Yeah. We will be in New Orleans and Cary, NC which is a suburb of Raleigh.

Me: Which do you think would be better for a first date?

Christen: Raleigh. I don't want you two alone in New Orleans

Ali: ^

Me: Okay. Well we can plan next camp. Thank you guys for helping me. Oh crap she's waking up gotta go.

I'm so lucky to be in this family. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that so many people could love and care for me as much as the ladies in this room do. I really hate that I caused them so much pain. Hopefully one day I can be normal.