battle, michael clifford

sage ingrid green.

"Mom." Sage firmly said. "He's from the internet."

Sage watched as her thirty seven year old mother bought two plane tickets to Seattle, Washington. She watched as her mother just spent over a thousand dollars on a man.

"It could be a scam. Or a catfish." Sage rolled her eyes. "Haven't you seen Catfish, mom?"

"Sage," her mom let out a laugh, stopping Sage's ranting. "I have facetimed him Michael on end, met his mother over call. He's not a scam or a catfish."

"Might I remind you that AI is progressing? It's the 21st century." Sage rolled my eyes, similar to what her mom did. "Technology has advanced!"

Bella Green closed her computer and turned to her daughter with an annoyed look on her face. "Honey, why are you so against this? You like Michael."

"I do not like Michael. I tolerate him." Sage corrected, pointing her finger, "And he lives in America! That's so far, and annoying. Mom, do you even know his real last name?"

"Clifford is his real last name, Sage." Bella tries to convince Sage. "I promise he's not a threat. He's not even from America."

"I trust you." Sage finally let her shoulders fall. "However, when I die at the hand of him, it's your fault for putting our fate in a strangers hands."

Bella smiles softly, getting up and kissing Sage's head firmly. "I am going to sleep now, love. Goodnight." 

Sage let a small smile on her face and watched her mom walk away. She exhaled. "Night, mommy."

The last three years were crazy for Sage and her mom, Bella. They'd always lived in New Zealand, but last year when Bella and Sage's father, Winston, divorced, they moved the next town over in a smaller house. It got worse when Winston told Bella he was going to try for full custody.

When Sage was younger, she believed her parents to completely and utterly in love. They were happy, so happy, one of the most loving couples in the small town. 

That was until her 13th birthday. 

Sage watched her parents avoid making contact. She watched as her mother stayed far away from Winston, or Winston not bat an eyelash when she carried presents out for Sage. 

2 months later they got a divorce.

Winston Green moved to a smaller town in Michigan, which was far away from New Zealand, and met his girlfriend, Brittany. She wasn't nice and Sage hated her to death.

A year ago, Sage's mom met a doctor on a dating app named Michael Clifford. At first, they were just friends. 6 months ago, they began dating and it was hell for Sage. Late nights of giggles and talking between the two — it was annoying. 

He's a surgeon in one of the biggest hospitals in Seattle, Washington — which was arguably a very big achievement. Sage would never admit it.

Sage was never comfortable with meeting him face to face. She told Bella that, and Bella respected that. She would facetime him whenever Sage wasn't in the room and respected her. 

2 months ago, Sage met him over facetime for the first time. They talked for at least 2 hours. And to be completely honest, Sage thought he was the sweetest ever and could've talked to him for hours. 

He really tried to get to know Sage. Asking her questions about her life — questions Winston couldn't care to ask about. Michael asked her questions about her school, what she wanted to do when she was older, and in return she asked him about being a doctor and some other general things.

When the call ended, Sage ran up to her room and cried. She cried for so, so long — knowing a little part of her wanted him to be in her life. How could she feel like this from a 2 hour long facetime?

As a result, she began to not ask about Michael. She never asked how he was doing, never asked where he was, and what doctor-y things he had done that day. She stopped doing anything that involved Michael Clifford.

Because, if her biological father couldn't stay for her, why would a man 8,000 miles away stay?