Chapter 49

Baker was about to throw up and die at the same time.

He placed his metal lunch tray on the table, sitting next to Yoshi. He immediately laid his head on the other shoulder, frowning. Kai seemed to notice the frown from across the table. "What's wrong, Baker? Are you sick?" Yoshi placed his hand on Baker's forehead. "Not sick, no fever." He analyzes. Baker shuts his eyes, nodding. "I'm ok."

He was absolutely, one hundred percent not ok.

"No you're not. You're not eating." Wafi reached over from the other side of the table as well, giving him a piece of chicken. "You should eat." Wafi suggests. Baker silently shook his head. Yoshi sighed, grabbing Baker's hand and holding it. This would probably be the most intimate thing that they've done, but Baker had other reasons to freak out.

"Is this about that promise we made earlier?" Yoshi asked. Baker sadly nodded. "What promise?" Harley asked, sitting beside Yoshi. "Baker had been wanting to come out to his family, but hasn't done it yet. So, we made a promise that he was going to come out tonight with my help. But I guess he's scared." Yoshi explained, his voice going more to a whisper at the end. "I'm not scared, just a little nervous." Baker muttered.

Mago back hugs Baker, placing his chin on the blond's shoulder. "It'll be fine, we don't have to do it. Not today at least."Yoshi provided, but Baker shook his head. "If I don't do it today, then I never will." Mago stepped away from the hug, leaving Baker just a little colder. "We should probably head to class before the rush." Kai says.

Baker sighed, leaning off of Yoshi and laying his head on the table instead. "Wafi." Yoshi said simply, standing up. Wafi nodded, walking over to Baker and lifting him off his seat, placing the blond over his shoulder. Wha- HEY LET ME GO! STOP IT!" Wafi ignored him, leading the way. Yoshi and Mago snickered from behind him, with Kai and Harley in the back.

He couldn't have one day of feeling bad for himself?

Wafi didn't let go of him when they walked into HIsoki's classroom, but by that time Baker had given up. He laid lump on Wafi's shoulder, making Mago crack up. Hisoki looked up at the four, before going back to the board. "Are you going to sit him down?" HIsoki asked Wafi. Wafi shrugged casually, pulling Baker from his shoulder and setting him on the floor.

Baker sat there, staring at the floor. "Is he ok?" Harley asked, walking up to Baker. Baker looked up from his seat on the floor, shaking his head. "I have no will to live." Baker mumbled. Yoshi scoffed, crouching to Baker's height. "Seriously, you don't actually have to do it if you don't want to. You don't have to tell them at all." Yoshi rationalized.

"Is this about Baker coming out?" Hisoki asked, walking up to Baker. He didn't look at Hisoki, instead looking down at the floor. Screw having a crush for the day, this was way more important. Hisoki sat down next to Yoshi, sitting in front of Baker. He tilted his head down to try and make eye contact, but Baker avoided him.

Hisoki sighed, reaching out and grabbing Baker's chin, lifting his head to finally face the instructor. "Baker, you'll be fine. I know you must be nervous, but I have talked to your parents. They are sweet, kinding, and are very proud of you. And I know they will continue to be proud of you, so calm down, ok?" Hisoki said, smiling. Baker's heart fluttered in his chest, almost breaking free as he looked into Hisoki's brown eyes. His smile was a total relief for Baker, making him nod.

Ok, so a crush is more important than that.

_____

Baker slid off his shoes at the porch, reaching down to grab them, before stepping inside his house. He could hear water boiling from the kitchen, a white walled hall leading to the kitchen. The hall split two rooms apart, the left being a red, orange, and brown themed living room, and the other side being a dining room. Baker threw his back pack onto the couch, sat his shoes by the door, then walked into the kitchen.

His mom was standing in the kitchen, mixing the bowling water and noodles. His father sat at the table, reading a book. He looked up, smiling when he saw Baker. "Hey kiddo, back from school early?" He asked. Hisoki had left early, mostly because he had a meeting and Baker had done his test in time. Baker nods. "Yeah, I am."

Baker's mother turned to hug him, Baker lightly hugging back. "Hey hun. We actually want to talk to you about something." She says, stepping back lightly. Baker nods. "I actually have something to tell you guys." Baker voiced nervously. Baker rubbed his palms together, noticing the smile on his mother's face.

What if she hates him?

What if she kicks him out?

His father looks up from his book, politely shutting his book. "Would you like to tell us now?" He asked, an encouraging smile on his face. No. Hell no. ABSOLUTELY NOT. "U-uh no- nno it's c-cool." Baker said quickly, nodding. His mother frowned, before nodding. She turns off the stove, as his father pats the seat across from him. "Sit down."

Baker does so, sitting down in the opposite seat as his mother sat down next to his father. "So, just be completely honest, ok? Where were you last week? You didn't come on from school. You don't do that more often now. What's going on?" He asks, looking up at Baker with concern. Shit, he forgot to tell his parents. He wasn't going to hide his friends from his parents, but he just forgot to.

"Oh, uh. Ha, about that…." He awkwardly combed a hand through his hair. "Baker. You're a good kid, so I know you can't be doing anything wrong." She said, somewhat scolded his change in topic. "It's not bad. I just have some friends. I was going to tell you about them, and was going to tell you where I was. But usually something really serious happens." Baker explains. His mother frowns at him.

"Baker, what do you mean seriously? We worry about you when you don't come home the entire night. Don't you care about us?" "-I do! A lot! Sometimes things get in the way.." He felt like he was only digging himself into an even bigger hole. He had never really got in trouble before. "I know you are trying to make friends….. But maybe your friends aren't the right ones to be around." his father suggested.

"What? No! They are sweet, caring, and nice."

"Then where did you go last week?"

"To the mall... then my friend's apartment…...and then that friend left... and then he came back…. And then we had breakfast."

They both stared at him, as if he lost his mind. "How old is your friend-" His father asked calmly, but his mom cut him off. "Your friend has an apartment?! How does a highschooler have an apartment!" She wasn't mad, instead she seemed more shocked. "Uh, yeah. He's... twenty." Baker explained.

He was going to have to switch Hisoki with Mago for a moment,

"His name in Mago, and he is my teacher's assistant. But now he's one of my friends. I'm sorry that I haven't been texting and tell you guys where I was like I used to. Just, so much stuff is happening for senior year, you know? It's been kinda chaotic. But I promise, I'll start." Baker said, smiling. They still seemed hesitant, but Mother sighed. "Ok, fine." She said, smiling. She nudged her husband. "Right, Levi?" She asked, tilting her head and giving him the look. He sighed, and nodded. "Fine, fine, alright. Tell us what you wanted to talk about."

Oh…. shit.

Just say it Baker.

You can do it.

It's so simple.

You've done harder things in life.

It's so simple.

The door dinged at just the right time. Baker quickly stood up, chuckling awkwardly. "Uh, let me go get that." He said quickly, running out of the kitchen. He ran to the door, opening it. He sighed a breath of relief, running to hug the boy on the other side. He hugged back. "Seemed you missed me." He joked. Baker hummed, nodding his head. "You ready?" He asked. Baker shook his head. "Heck no. It's going to be a mess. I'm going to regret this." He muttered. The other smiled, shaking his head. "You can do this. Don't be the little wuss you were earlier." He joked. That made some small nerves disappear.

Yoshi always seemed to be the one to do that.