"Well, that's all of them....i mean you gotta move them into the car but..." Callum looked around Clare's bare room. He couldn't really believe she was moving out.

It had been a week and it was decided. Clare was anxious they'd deny her entry for late enrolment so it had to move quick. She was excited for her new start.

"14 boxes. All my life in 14 boxes." Clare glared at the 14 boxes in the corner. Full to the brim of her possessions.

"Wow..." Isabel commented, holding Rowan in her arms. He could crawl now and was getting heavier and heavier.

The social service had decided that Clare was allowed to go. A social would check up on her now and again and because there was only four of them left in Chicago, a weekly visit would be going on.

Jake walked past and was pulled in by Isabel. Jake slumped against the wall and grunted. He was still pretty pissed Clare was leaving. They hadn't talked in a week.

"Stop being a baby Jake." Callum snarled.

"It'll make a nice spare room..." Jake walked out, making Clare feel even more guilty. Callum glanced at Clare and called after Jake.

"So that's it, huh? Tomorrow?" Isabel looked at Clare. Clare couldn't look at Isabel. Leaving her behind was probable the hardest. She was her little sister and she was the only girl left now.

"You call any time Bel" Clare suggested and got a nod from Isabel. She put Rowan down on the floor and gave him her keys to play with.

"He's gonna miss you. You're the best one with him" She stared down at Rowan. He was oblivious to what was going on and for some reason, Isabel wanted to be too.

"Well, i'm not disappearing off the face of the earth. I'll back every second weekend and holidays. You know, you'll probably see more of me then you normally do..." Clare cracked a joke.

Isabel didn't wanna think about it any more so she ignored Clare. She crouched down beside her baby brother and smiled "Show Clare what you learnt yesterday Ro. Can you say Clare?"

Rowan giggled a little and played with Isabel's hands for awhile before speaking "Caaarr.." He mumbled and huge smile appeared on Clare's face.

"And who else?"

"Caall...Jannk...Isba..." He smiled proudly and Isabel kissed him on the forehead. Clare looked at her "You taught him our names?"

"Well, i thought he might forget who you were if i didn't..." Isabel said bluntly and strolled out, down the stairs.

"Could you at least be happy for her? You don't have to like it Jake, but just put on a smile, for god sake!" Callum held at Jake as they both stood in the garden.

Their mother used to take great care of the garden. Fill it with loads of flowers and ivy on the walls. But it was now left un-kept and unhealthy.

"A smile? A fake smile you mean, cause I AM NOT happy about this one bit! How can you even think this is a good idea?" Jake questioned him. Isabel stared from the kitchen at her two brothers.

"It a great opportunity for her!" Callum had said this in every argument they'd had this week. 7 days later, he was repeating it.

"Yes, for her it is! I know that! I...I don't want to be the bad guy and tell her to not follow her dreams bu-"

"THAT'S exactly what your doing Jake! You're making her feel bad! Really bad about something she should be excited for!"

"SHE'S LEAVING!" Those words rang all the way up to Clare's ears. Jake lowered his voice after that "She's not gonna be around any more, doesn't that bother you?"

"Course it does. Clare does everything around here...and we...we're all gonna have to chip in more but we can make it work..." Callum tried to convince himself.

"Mom and dad would of hated this." Jake muttered and Callum couldn't help but agree. They wanted their kids to stick together.

The two brothers stared at each other for awhile. At some point it had only been those two and their parents. They had never thought about if it was just them. It wouldn't make any sense.

Isabel walked out. "J, We've already finished two classes! We need to go!". Jake snapped out of his head and whipped around.

"Yeah yeah, hey, haven't we got that big school assembly?"

"About moving students? Yup" Isabel motioned and disappeared along with Jake. They hoped in the vehicle and drove to education.

The schools in their area had had cut backs. One of them was tow join both East and West Quinn schools. Students would be mixed and moved.

West Quinn, the one the Elliotts attended was the better of the two. It had better facilities and teachers. East Quinn was rough and harder to become something. That's why things had to change.

"Hey, look there giving out envelopes. They've got weather you're staying or going!" Cegs told Jake as they filed into the hall. It was sparky hall with neatly made posters and banners on the walls.

"Man, what if we're sent to East? How does that work?"

"Man, if I'm sent to east maybe Mrs. Rogers will stop winking and getting all hot and bothered over me" Cegs winked at the flustered blonde teacher.

"You're a man slut, you know that right?"

"Oh hey, Cassie was looking for you! Says she wants her dignity back" Cegs punched Jake hard in the shoulder and chuckled.

"Ha, you're a comedian." They sat down on the benches and Jake peered round. "You seen Bel yet? I told she wanst allowed skip!"

"Like she listens to you and yeah, she's over there!" He pointed up high to where Isabel sat between a couple making out and her friend, Sandra.

"Who's the girl beside her?"

"Um...Sandra..." Jake replied.

"Oooh yeah..." Cegs had the same look on his face as everyday. Jake grinned at his best friend "You slept with her, didn't you?"

"Yup"

"And you forgot her name?"

"Yup"

Callum was wondering all day about the money situation. Frankly, that's all Callum thought about every second of every day. Money.

He had lost a lot of money to those crooks in Canada. That was in the past. Clare's school was free but she needed living money. Callum had set up a small account of money and Clare had a job lined up.

Paying the owned money would be hard as well. And they now needed a nanny for Rowan. Callum hadn't realised just how much money was needed till that very moment.

"You look happy" Clare smiled, walking into the stuffy kitchen. It had always been stuffy. Ever since their parents had bought the house when Callum was three.

He still remembers walking into the huge house. He remembers seating on the sofa when he was told Jake was coming. Seating in the kitchen when Clare was on her way. The swings when Isabel was coming.

He was told over the phone about Rowan. By then he had had three siblings so a fourth wouldn't change much. But Rowan really changed a lot.

The age gap was huge. Callum could be his dad. And it was scary that he was so much younger then him. It scared Callum a little.

"I'm just trying to think about this place without you!"

"You'll be fine. We didn't think we could do it without them either and look at us..." Clare added.

"We can't do it without them" Callum corrected her. Spending the longest time with his parents didn't mean he didn't miss them any less. "Clare? You're not too young for this, are you?"

"I'm 17"

"Yeah, Isabel's 15. Only two years younger and i wouldn't be sending her anywhere!" Callum argued. The thought of his sister out there. In a different state.

"I've got a social worker and a head teacher. Their job is to look after me!" Clare persuaded him a little.

"But their not me. And i need to know that you're sure about this?"

"Do you really think id cause all this drama? All this chaos, if i wasn't sure? I'm Clare, I'm the smart sibling. You thinks and knows what she's doing"

"I'm didn't ask you if you're smart Clare! I know you're smart! Everyone does!" Callum paused "I asked if you're sure?"

"I'm sure"

Jake fiddled with his envelope but couldn't resist the urge. He ripped it open. He scanned it in seconds and smiled. He was staying in West Quinn.

The school was chaotic with kids, crying and laughing. Teachers were also being moved and appoints were being booked for the boss.

Cegs didn't seem phased with the life altering decision in the envelope and went to the toilet. The letter was open when he returned and a grin upon his face "Looks like i change of scenery for me"

"No! What?" Jake grabbed the letter off him while Cegs leaned against the lockers. "This is bullshit, man."

"Its what they've decided. Put the good kids in West and bad in East. I didn't make the cut!" He seemed calm and not at all angry.

"You're not mad"

"Its just another school. A school i'm hardly gonna show up to and when i do, I'll be drunk!" He shrugged his shoulders like it was time to move on.

They shoved past the people while Jake moaned "Could this week get any worse?" Why did you say that Jake?

Isabel came walking past. She was still abit pissed at what Jake had said to her but they were on better terms then his other sister. "Bel?"

One look and he knew. "I knew they'd do it! Mrs. Graman hates me..." She muttered, showing Jake her later.

"Well high five, cause we've both just gotten voted off the island!" Cegs put his hand up but she just rolled her eyes and stormed off.

"She cant go to East..." Jake stuttered "They'll eat her alive there."

"No, they wont man. Isabel's tough and besides, i'll look out for her" Cegs offered but Jake stared at him in awe. "I'll have her back."

Callum grinned as both Jake and Isabel entered the house. They had manadged to move all the boxes to the front door now. Rowan and Clare were playing inside.

"How was school?"

"Why are you asking?" Jake walked past and dumped his bag down. Isabel shrugged "We're now attending different schools."

Callum didn't really know what that meant. Isabel sat on the kitchen counter while Jake hung around at the fridge. Clare looked at them both.

"So, looks like we're all set for tomorrow! Did you give the letter to your principle?" Callum asked them. Jake nodded and remained silence.

The kitchen remained silent. Callum almost found the situation a little bit awkward. Isabel rumadged through her bag while Jake slurped his milk. Clare looked sad.

"So i'll be driving up if you guys wanna come?" Callum asked.

"I've got to move school..." Isabel muttered while Jake stayed silent.

"Ok...well we're going to mom's diner tonight, a proper send off, you know? Just us!" Callum smiled at Clare.

"I've already said goodbye to my friends...and Derek" Clare informed them. Jake looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but the kitchen.

"So, is that it?" Isabel stared at them both.

"Um..i gue-" Clare stared but before she could finish, Isabel had trudged upstairs and Jake had gotten in his car. Callum glanced at Clare "They'll come"

Don's diner was always busy. Chicago was a big city with a lot of diners but Don's always had a buzz. For the Elliots it was home. The sound of rock music. The smell of cheesy fries and hot dogs. That sweet, sweet atmosphere of home.

Callum ordered before anyone had arrived. He knew their orders off by heart. He could repeat his parents orders as well. He almost did.

Clare was saying good bye to a few more friends before she came. Rowan sat to Callum right, talking away. He talked a lot more now that Isabel had been teaching him.

Isabel and Jake were no where in sight. And when Clare arrived 15 minutes late she knew they weren't coming. Her eyes saddened to just see two of her brothers.

"Hey..." She sat down opposite Callum and he gave her small smile. "I ordered but maybe i should cancel their orders..."

"Yeah..." Clare muttered. Callum got up to look for someone but sat back down when he saw Clare's face.

"Clare, the reason they didn't show up is cause they're stubborn and difficult!" Callum explained "And cause they care too much..."

"Their happy for you. They really are. They just don't like change. No one likes change, but they hate it"

"Bel's always hated it and J...J just doesn't want you to leave so he's being a jerk"

"Don't they realise how big of an opportunity this is?" Clare scowled "I mean don't they realise-" but she was cut off.

"What big jerks their being..."Isabel finsihed and both Callum and Clares eyes whipped up to see ISabel standing their. Jake stood behind her awkwardly.

"Sorry, we're late" Jake sopke and sat down beside Clare. "We had to make a detour!" he glanced at Isabel.

She took a sit beside Callum and took out a bright green book "We got this for you!" Clare read the title and was more confused then ever.

"Its for when your in your genius school..." Jake explained. "Its 1000 things an idiot would say. We thought that it might comfort you a little..."

"Cause see you'll be surrounded by pure geniuses and we thought that maybe the only reason why your so smart is because your surrounded by idiots. And seeing as Bel, Cal and I won't be around, we thought this might remind you of us"

"And remind you that even the idiots at home know you're smart. And that if you ever feel home sick, you just read of of these pages and we wont miss us" Jake finsihed.

Clare laughed but had tears in her eyes.