Too Equal For My Taste
Chapter 33: Clash of Six
Mike had left Ken feeling angry. He had so wanted to fight Ken there and then, but he left, making himself look weak, and alerting Ken. Ken had told Calvin, and Calvin agreed to defend Ken if a fight happened. Mike regretted leaving when he did, but he tried looking on the bright side.
Mike knew Jake was going to have Connor over the next day. Jake promised to back Mike up. If Jake had to back him up while Connor was over, as a friend, Connor would be involved too if Jake had difficulty. Mike had preferred to wait for Connor to come over. Besides, without Connor, it would be uneven because Mark was sure to help Ken.
One question remained. During the fight, would Elliot be involved, and if he was, what would Sarah do? She wasn't the type to fight people, and would never do so herself. Mike felt guilty about possibly damaging Sarah's relationship with Elliot further, but it had to be done.
Mark and Ken announced them going out that Friday to hang out. Only Mike knew their true intentions, and found it very unfair. He had to get them before they left. As luck had it, Connor was arriving just before Mark and Ken were to leave. Mike approached Ken and Mark was they walked out of their neighborhood.
"Oh, I don't believe it. Now what?" Ken demanded angrily.
"I'm not letting you do anything," Mike said firmly.
"Step out of the way or we'll fight," Ken threatened directly.
"Bring it on," Mike said, steeping towards Ken audaciously.
Ken walked up to Mike, staring at him angrily. Mike leered back, trying his best to give the boy who was about a few inches bigger than him a feeling of what was coming.
It did not work. Ken pushed Mike back hard, and Mike felt his legs moving him uncontrollably back, and he fell back, face up. "Hah!" Ken laughed. Mark walked up too, to show Mike that it was two against one, saving the third for a different circumstance that was to come soon.
Jake ran up, Connor following more slowly, "Ken, I warned you. Leave him alone!"
"Stay out of this, Jake!" Ken yelled back. "Or we'll fix you too!"
"Fix my ass!" Jake said back. "You're a rowdy, leave my brothers alone. And I mean Mike and Mark!"
"Mark is my friend, you leave that alone," Ken yelled. "As for Mike, take him. Like I give a damn? I never liked him."
Jake was now close enough to punch Ken's nose, and he breathed, "If you want a big fight, you're really asking for it."
"I'm not scared," Ken laughed.
At that, Calvin appeared behind Ken, and folded his arms, staring at Jake. "Have a fight with my brother?"
"Stay out of this," Jake said to Calvin calmly. "You don't know what Ken wants you to do."
"I know full well," Calvin croaked. "Now stay out of his way unless you want trouble."
At that point, Connor ran up to Jake's side too. It was time for an eventful weekend. The six stared at each other, Mike being helped up by Connor. Connor looked up at Calvin, and said, "We're really getting out of hand, aren't we? You wanna step out and watch as the four deals with it?"
"And step down to kids?" Calvin laughed. "In your dreams!"
"Then you want a fight!" Jake said angrily.
"You don't know half of it!" Ken said happily, and leaped forward on Mike again. Again, Mike fell back, Ken on top of him, Jake ran to force Ken off. Calvin ran in to get Jake off, and Connor jumped in to deter Calvin to little avail. Connor was only a month older than Jake.
Calvin threw a punch at Connor. Connor felt a fist collide with his face, and next pain. Mike forced Ken off with Jake's help, and threw a kick. Tae Kwon Do really paid off there for both of them. Mike and Ken were left to fight each other face to face, and Jake and Connor faced Calvin and Mark.
"Take Mark out!" Connor yelled to Jake as he threw a punch away.
Mark attempted to fight back, but Jake's underestimation of him was correct. Mark could not put up a fight. Jake seized Mark, and forced him out of the way as the four battled it out. Once far enough, he pushed Mark to the ground, and threatened, "Stay out of it, or you will get hurt. I am telling you this as a brother."
Mark nodded as Jake ran off the help Connor with Calvin. Ken had sustained a major blow to his forehead and a kick to his stomach compared to Mike's pain on his nose and shin.
They both stepped back, Mike limping. They were almost out of breath and a question came up. Could they keep fighting? They leered at each other angrily, but Ken had a thought in mind, With Mike limping, Ken could deal him a blow on the stomach next, and flinch him, forcing him out and down once again.
Ken ran forward, the pain in his stomach having alleviated. He threw a punch at Mike, meaning to distract him. But Mike blocked it with one hand, and his foot met Ken's in midair. After, Mike did a head butt, (though not from Tae Kwon Do) to Ken's stomach. He kicked Ken next, and jabbed his face. He dived down on Ken's waist, and forced him down.
It looked as if Mike had won, and Jake and Connor had Calvin against the wall of the Murtaugh house. The two strode forward angrily, and Calvin was about to give in.
Just then, Elliot ran in. Mike's fear came true as Sarah had observed the fighting too. "What the hell!" He forced Mike off Ken, and threw him aside. He forced Ken up, and pushed him away angrily. He then strode up to Jake, and pushed him away, and he wasn't afraid to confront Conner either.
"What the hell is your problem?!" Elliot yelled at Calvin.
"Jake has a problem with the friends people choose!" Calvin yelled back. "And stay out of this. This isn't your war!"
Sarah watched as Elliot verbally fought Calvin, and the confrontation threatened to go physical.
"It wasn't your war either!" Elliot yelled. "What the hell got you in?!"
"Ken's my brother!" Calvin yelled back. "He's your brother too! If anything, you stick up for him."
At those words, Sarah realized exactly what she always liked about Elliot. He didn't take sides based on family and friends. He took sides based on what he believed in. At that point, he believed fighting was not the answer.
"Ken lied to you!" Elliot said angrily, but at least more calmly. "He has the jewels your mother lost. Why not check his bag?"
Mike, scrambling up to fight Elliot, realized that Elliot took the fight to Calvin, and listened too. Apparently, Jake had told Elliot what had happened, so they were still friends all along. Mike felt grateful that he dared to tell Jake the problem.
Calvin snatched the bag from his fallen brother's side, and opened it. Ken watched in fear from the ground as Calvin's eyes widened. He was caught! He was so close, but he was caught! His heart started pounding. Everything was forfeit.
"You"-
"I give up," Ken said weakly, getting up. "I took them all. For years, mom and dad unfairly put my request for an allowance raise down, and I am dying to save my own money. It's not like I'm making a career out of it. I just want something to start with, instead of always spending money on school. It's always on school. It's like they don't trust me."
"No wonder," Calvin said to Ken. "If they had trusted you, what would you spend it on? Clothes, or drugs, Ken?"
Ken didn't answer, truthfully because he didn't know the answer. Either that or he preferred not to answer. Jake, Mike, Calvin, Connor, and even Mark, who had come back, stared at him.
"You want to make a case, make it in a better way," Calvin said angrily. "Now what can I do? Tell mom? Or leave you be and abandon you?"
Ken looked down, now feeling immensely guilty, but on his face was pure anger and hatred.
Calvin turned, "Alright. I'm gonna have to tell".
"No wait!" Ken called. "Ok, ok, let me do it. Please. Let me fess up."
Mark looked down, "Wait, I'll fess up too. It's partly my fault."
"After this, we'll decide what to do with you," Jake said firmly. "For now, leave this."
Elliot led Ken and Mark back home like criminals. Jake and Connor had their fists on their backs. Mike opened the door for them, and they walked in. Jimmy and Serina were sitting in front of the television to watch the afternoon news when Ken and Mark were pushed in. Mike, Calvin, Jake, Connor, and Elliot stood at the doorway to watch.
"Mom, dad," Ken began.
"Ken and I have a confession to make," Mark said lowly.
"And I think it will please and displease you," Ken said, looking determinedly at his own sneakers.
"But as someone who's not a Murtaugh, despite what my heart may be feeling now, I ask that you take it calmly," Mark nervously.
One person standing on the lookout though out of sight was Sarah. She also stepped in to watch everything end. As she listened, she felt as if Elliot was acting heroic again. So, surprisingly, Elliot felt a hand on his shoulder. He was surprised at the owner of the hand, but he smiled as he looked to his left and saw it was Sarah.