CHAPTERFOUR
"Hey Mike want to go shoot some hoops?" Jake asked approaching his younger brother, Mike sighed inwardly he knew why Jake was asking him – he was his fall back. The great Jake Baker couldn't leave the house by himself and seeing as Mark was with Kate across town for his optician appointment he needed someone else to drag out.
"Oh, Sorry Jake I have other plans" Mike replied truthfully, he had indeed made other plans and was not about to break them for a guy who'd drop him in five minutes if he saw someone he knew.
"Oh…" Jake began somewhat surprised his brother had something arranged, Mike Baker was usually more go then and there rather than arrange something in advance.
"Hey Mike are you ready yet?" Sarah's voice called from the kitchen and Jake's face turned sour.
"Erm I'll be with you in a second" Mike called before turning back to face his brother, face of stone an all – he and Sarah had both become experts at it.
"Go ahead go play with your sister …jeez and I told the guys at school you were cool!?" Jake replied bitterly a look of pure hatred on his face, but Mike saw past that he could still see the hurt in his brothers eyes are much as he strained them to look angry.
"You could come with us" Mike said searching for an answer in his older brothers eyes.
"Wouldn't want to ruin you and your sister's plans" Jake sneered before turning around and heading back upstairs.
"Hey she's your sister too" Mike called somewhat peeved by his brother's attitude – Jake seemed to lash out at everyone these days in particular whenever anyone mentioned Sarah's name.
Turning on the stairs he looked directly at his younger brother before icily replying "No she's not" leaving his younger brother stunned as he traipsed back upstairs.
Hearing a sniffle he turned to see Sarah in the doorway, and felt an invisible force pull on his heart strings. In all his life he'd never seen Sarah cry she'd always been the one tough tomboy who'd no one had seen cry, no matter how upset or angry or how much pain she was in. But now here she was her eyes red and puffy, cheeks tear-stained as silent tears continued to fall. Mike walked over slowly and hugged her, he was surprised that she didn't shove him off hugging wasn't a Sarah Baker speciality.
"Come on Sarah" Mike said leading his sister out the front door shutting before disappearing down the garden.
Despite appearing to have stormed off upstairs the middle Baker siblings had stayed sat on the banister at the top. Involuntary tears running down his face.
She cried because of me? Sarah never cries, especially because of someone she hates – she'd never give them the satisfaction. I cause nothing but trouble and grief he thought running a hand through his hair before stalking off to his bedroom.
"Sarah, Jake didn't mean that, he wasn't thinking" Mike said trying to make up every excuse in the book for his brother behaviour or lack of it, even though he wanted nothing more than to kick his sorry ass from here to Kansas. Sarah meanwhile said nothing as the two of them continued to walk around the streets aimlessly.
"Am I really that much of a terrible sister?" Sarah asked breaking her silence, her voice still fractured from the crying she'd done earlier. Why did she let him get to her like this?
"What! No of course not you're the best sister in the world" Mike said stopping in his tracks "I don't care what Jake thinks and you shouldn't either, he has a pride issue or an insanity one" Mike ended putting his arm around his older sister.
"Thanks Mike that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me" Sarah replied not stretching the truth by any means, that's what she always liked about Mike he was honest and he always knew what to say and when to say.
"Just telling it like it is" Mike replied a smile running across his face "What time did mum say dinner was?"
"Six so we should probably get back, though given the task of dinner was left to Charlie we'll probably be eating pizza" Sarah mused, as they crossed the road back to the house.
Mike and Sarah sat down together and soon enough everyone else did apart from Jake that is, the Baker brother was probably coming up with a way to get Mike back for "ditching him." Or so Mike assumed it wasn't like Jake to take no for an answer these days.
"Kim can you go fetch your brother" Kate asked whilst dishing out Charlie's home made Pizza – slightly burnt on the edge curtsey of the twins turning of the timing, and neglecting to tell anyone else.
"I wonder what he's doing. He never miss's Charlie's homemade pizza he loves it as much as Mike and Sarah" Henry pondered in betweens bites.
"I'll have to ask him later I need to ask him about my boarding lessons" Mark said causing Sarah and Mike to spit out their drinks
"You board?" Mike asked after he'd stopped choking, the thought of Mark just standing on a skateboard was unusual enough, let alone riding one.
"Yes" Mark replied holding his head high in the air "Well I will be able to soon, Jake's going to teach me" he added on causing Sarah to laugh, she made a mental note to follow them around, home video awards here I come she giggled to herself.
"You're just jealous because he doesn't hang around with you and Mike anymore" Mark smirked
"Why would that bother me?" Sarah replied cocking her eyebrow.
"Well I guess you couldn't get any higher in the popularity crowd with him so you ditch him, oh well" Mark replied a smug look falling on his face as he watched the anger build up in her eyes.
"MARK" Kate yelled as Sarah jumped across the table and pinned him down to the floor
"SARAH NO!" Mike yelled grabbing his sister before she could do any damage to their already terrified brother, who was shaking vigorously on the floor.
"Sit down the pair of you, NOW" Tom ordered, and the three teens slipped back into their seats.
"I'm absolutely disgusted in the pair of you, I thought that we discussed your issues earlier this year, now..." Tom was cut of by Kim running back in the room.
"What's the matter sweetie" Kate asked her daughter who seemed to be on the verge of tears.
"It's Jake" Kim choked, causing Jessica to hop out of her seat, wrapping an arm around her distressed twin.
"What's wrong" Mike asked curiously a hint of uncertainty tucked away in his voice, something told him he didn't want to know the answer to his question.
"He's run away" she cried holding up a letter, hand writing scrawled across it. Causing a chorus of "What's!?!" .Kate Baker rushing up to examine the letter.
Dear Mum, Dad, and everyone else.
By now you've probably know I've run away, you lives would be so much easier without my constant whining and moaning and in general screwing everything up. So I've left. Mike I'm sorry I've been a terrible brother to you and I never deserved your friendship to begin with. Enter for the elite skater tryouts you're a brilliant skater and you'll get in for sure.
Nigel and Kyle, you guys are the highlights of my day, your told to grow up and be more sensible but I wouldn't want you any other way they the way you are. Kim, Jess I'm sorry for using your texts books for baseball bases, there's a money box on the second shelf of my cupboard that should cover the cost of the replacements, love you both.
Nora and Bud take good care of my little nephew Tom; I know you'll be the best parents he could ever wish for. Lorraine I know we haven't always seen eye to eye but your a brilliant sister and I'm proud to say I'm related to you because your a smart pretty young lady and I hope you get everything you want in live, you've worked hard and deserve it.
Charlie I just want to say I hope everything works out with Annie you're a match made in heaven and I want to thank you for always being there for me. Mark your a fab brother and I've had loads of fun getting to know you better, you have fab idea's you just have to tell people so don't listen to Quinn and copper their idiots love you little bro. Henry: Keep on playing that funky music, heh enough said really.
Mum, dad you guys are the best parents i could ever ask for you've done so much for me and I've fought you every step of the way with school, skating and basically most things but I love you and I hope you can forgive me.
Lastly Sarah I know you probably hate my guts right now and I don't blame you, I've been so cold and bitter to you I can understand if you can never forgive me. I never wanted it to end out this way and I never meant anything I said you're the best sister I could ever ask for and I love you dearly. You guys are the best things that ever happen to me and I'm sorry I could show you that.
Jake x
"We have to go after him" Lorraine cried as the backdoor slammed, they looked around as Kate did a head count "SARAH? MIKE?" she screamed frantically, as the Baker household broke into chaos.