battle, michael clifford

trader joe's

The next morning might've been one of the most peaceful and eventful mornings Sage Green had ever had.

She woke up to Michael shouting at Calum for stealing his toothpaste, which resulted in Calum shouting back that he hadn't bought any yet after he ran out of his last tube.

Sage groaned in annoyance, rolling over onto her back and sitting up.

The sun was shining through her windows, making her smile. The sun was pretty here.

She changed into jeans and a t-shirt before heading downstairs to where her mom sat with Michael, talking about coffee flavors.

Sage and Bella would be here for at least 2 weeks, which meant they needed snacks — so they were probably creating a grocery list.

"Morning," Sage said.

Bella didn't say anything back. Sage scoffed.

"Good morning," Michael said immediately after she spoke. "How did you sleep? We didn't wake you up, did we?"

Sage shrugged, sitting down gently beside Calum. "It wasn't a big deal. I get woken up all the time."

Calum hummed and handed her a bowl of strawberries. "Your favorite."

Sage knitted her eyebrows together and smiled slightly, "How'd you know these are my favorite?"

"You told us, right?" Calum laughed, strutting toward the kitchen.

Sage smiled at Calum and started to eat her strawberries and scrolled through the various apps on her phone while everyone conversed.

Sage didn't want to be the first one to talk. She wanted her mother to apologize for something that was clearly her fault.

But she highly doubted an apology would ever leave her mom's lips, because it would mean she admitted fault.

And Bella Green would rather die than admit fault.

"So," Michael hummed, sitting next to Sage. "What store do you wanna go to?"

Sage shrugged.

"Target?" Michael suggested. "Perhaps something else?"

"I don't care," Sage said. "I'm not really planning on going anywhere."

"You don't want to come with us?" Luke asked from behind, slightly startling Sage. She sighed loudly.

"No." She said plainly. "I don't want to be around her right now."

Michael frowned. "She's going out anyway, Sage, she won't be going with."

"Oh." Sage finally looked back up at the two guys looking at her. "Okay. I guess I'll go with you."

A smile formed on Michael's face and Sage got up to go upstairs. She put her finished bowl in the sink after rinsing it for Calum, who was currently tackling dishes.

Once she made it to the guest bedroom, she put her hair back and brushed her teeth and what not. She put mascara on after, sprayed perfume all over herself before turning around and walking downstairs with her shoes in hand.

"So we will go to Trader Joes," Ashton said. "Then Target, I'm thinking. Perhaps then somewhere else?"

Sage put her shoes on and looked up. "I've never been to a Trader Joe's. We don't have those in New Zealand."

"You're in for a treat today, Sage."

The car ride to Trader Joe's was calm. She sat up front with Michael driving, and the three other guys in the back. Michael had music on, but it was low enough to hear the conversation in the back seat.

Sage was starting to enjoy life like this.