Too Equal For My Taste

Chapter 26: All-out War

The fight between Jimmy and Tom did not evaporate as expected. Instead, he got worse. As Tom had refused to call it on points, Jimmy changed his mind to a harsher stance. The Murtaugh's had won the competition, because they had played fairly, and that's what counted. The Bakers, meanwhile, should deal with it.

Tom had scoffed as Jimmy's stance, and said the Bakers had won fair and square. He also didn't fail to point out that Jimmy had changed his mind about the whole issue, which was unfair. Jimmy's change had angered more than just Tom. Kate got angry too, and stopped going over to talk to Serina, which in turn made Serina angry.

The conflict spread to the kids as well. Elliot had effectively ditched Jake and his pals. Connor had advised him on going out with Sarah, but Connor, and especially Coolidge was not exactly the type of people Elliot liked hanging out with. Even Jessica was distant with him, but that was normal since the incident with Sarah. It had damaged a promising relationship with Jessica. However, Elliot had no regrets. It was better to be 'just friends' with her.

As November arrived, everything got worse. It seemed to Mike that Ken had not changed due to Mike's influence. He took more things. One by one, jewelry and antiques disappeared. Thanksgiving neared, and it seemed as if nothing would stop. Tom and Jeffery cut off their meetings and it was like they were no longer friends. Even Kate and Serina gave up, after Jimmy changed his position, and Kate found herself sympathetic with Tom.

The kids were no help either. As said, the kids were affected as well. It made Elliot have a harder attitude than usual towards Jake and his pals. It made Mike hate Ken's guts once again, and hate him more than usual. It made Sarah and Elliot have many disagreements about the whole thing. The two had tried ignoring it, and acting like there was no situation, but the parents showed signs of wanting the two to break up.

Elliot had dreamt of being the boyfriend that won the competition, and Sarah had wanted to prove to Elliot that he needed her. Now, both felt that their desires were being threatened. Sarah and Elliot had tried hard to keep it cool, but it was difficult, and their relationship was once again in danger of being tarnished.

The only contact between the two sides were Jimmy and Tom taking turns on driving Ken and Mike to and from Tae Kwon Do class. Ken had tried to open conversation with Mike like always, but this time Mike was angry. Ken hadn't understood until Mike had punched him painfully in the chest after class, when they were waiting.

"What the"- Mike looked at him with anger, and Ken got it. He smirked, "Oh, you heard, did you? Couldn't tell, could you? Because you know I'll smash you if you do."

"I'll tell you what, Ken," Mike breathed angrily. "I've trusted you. It's your choice to betray, but I trusted you. If I beat you, you're going to beg for me not to tell."

"Hah!" Ken laughed. "You think I care? You can't beat me. Get it? You can't. I mean, do you seriously think I give a damn about you trusting or distrusting me? Let me tell you what, Mikey. How about you join with Mark and me, Mike? Then we can be friends. I mean, haven't you too had a difficulty with your parents and your allowance, for example. You want more money, then"-

"What do I care?" Mike challenged. "I want more money, sure. But then I'd turn you in, and I'd be surprised if I don't get a mega-raise. You and Mark would lose all your money."

"Yeah, there's that," Ken recalled, before pinning Mike against the wall of the gym. "Look here, Michael. Tell a soul, and whether or not I'm punished, I will make your life miserable. Got that? Miserable. The folks at home can't kill me, but I can make you miserable."

"Unless you go to juvy," Mike mocked.

"And what happens when I get out?" Ken tested.

"I'll be toughened up with Tae Kwon"-

"Forget about it," Ken interrupted lowly. "For as long as I'm there, I work out and get tougher myself. The minute I come back, I will beat you so bad; you will hate me and your own life. Now, get out of my sight, geek!" He pushed Mike to the ground. Mike tried to get up, but Ken had him pinned hopelessly, and Jimmy drove up as Ken got off.

As for Elliot and Sarah, the two were no longer as good with each other usual. They were better than Mike and Ken proved to be, but pat of them couldn't stand each other any longer, and started to see the major flaws in each character. Sarah saw Elliot could be a bit stubborn at times, and Elliot saw Sarah was too arrogant sometimes, and refusing to admit the truth when it was so plain.

As thanksgiving neared, Elliot and Sarah had argued about their points, and their problems. They both met, yelling about their issues, and Sarah interrupted Elliot, and said, "You're not helping!"

"Well, you're not being much help either!" Elliot shot back. "Can't you see there're issues here? It's the kind of thing that needs to be solves and"-

"It's not the point of being solved," Sarah said over him. "If your dad would stop acting like a"-

"Finish it!" Elliot challenged. "This whole thing is your fault. It was your idea that"-

"What!" Sarah exclaimed. "You're blaming me. You were saying we should do that."

At the end of the date, Sarah had got up angrily. "You know what, Elliot. It's pointless. Our parents don't like each other, and this isn't like a Romeo and Juliet type thing, so let's just accept it. Let's save ourselves the trouble, and stop this now before our parents do." She shook her head, and turned away to hide her face, "I'll- see ya," and left the small restaraunt, leaving Elliot sitting alone, dumped and hurt. Sarah had dumped him.