Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long for this chapter! I had a bit of writer's block, but it seems to be cleared up! So this chapter isn't touching too much on the pregnancy, but that will come up again VERY soon.

Pinkprincess1357 I'm happy that you have enjoyed my writing. I'm hoping you'll enjoy the next chapter. :)

britinvasion80 Thank you for your support. :)

Life Strong I enjoy the Tina and Zeke pairing as well. I feel like there just isn't enough of it. I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far. :)

audresacoolkid Sorry it took so long. Here's the next chapter. :)


Chapter 4: Love Hurts

Everyone sat silently, mouths gaped open around the dinner table. Everyone except Tina, who's only response was, "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh." The rest of the family, and Zeke, just continued to stare at Gene and Courtney, who looked like she was on the verge of crying. The one to finally break the silence was Linda.

"Zeke, Louise, Tina I think we should leave your father to talk to Gene and Courtney," Linda stammered, "Bob, you need to talk to your son."

Zeke stood awkwardly, looking at Tina who continued to sit staring at Gene making the same obnoxious noise that drove her father mad. After a long pause, he gently took Tina's hand and pulled her up from her seat leading her out of the dining room to the stairs that led outside.

"Zeke," Tina hissed, "What are you doing?"

"We're gettin' outta here Tina-girl," Zeke said smiling.

"But, Gene," Tina began before being cut off by Zeke.

"Gene isn't your problem. He made his bed, now he's gotta lay in it. Let your parents deal with Gene, you and I are going out. Got it?", Zeke asked.

Tina nodded and followed Zeke down the stairs. When they got to the door, Tina paused and looked back up the stairs. Zeke squeezed her hand trying to reassure her. After a few moments and deep breaths Tina opened the door to the outside world and walked out with the last person she ever thought she'd be with, Zeke.

As they walked down the sidewalk, Tina looked into the dark windows of the businesses around them. Jimmy Pesto's was the one that stood out the most. She had walked into Pesto's place many times to see Jimmy Jr., but now she was walking down the sidewalk with his best friend. She shook her head, trying to push Jimmy Jr. out of her mind. He was still contacting her after the break up and pulling the same strings that he always did, but she wouldn't allow herself to fall for his tricks again. She couldn't. He had hurt her one too many times.

Tina picked up the pace, trying to get to the corner that took them toward the wharf and away from Pesto's. Gene and Courtney's situation was the perfect distraction from her tragic love life, but as usual when all hell broke loose she was asked to leave the scene. Zeke walked quietly beside her, still holding her hand. Upon this realization, Tina shook her hand free and walked a couple steps ahead.

"Thanks," She started weakly, but stopped short unable to properly thank him.

"For what?", Zeke responded skeptically.

"For getting me out of there."

"It was no problem at all," he retorted shortly, looking down at his feet as they walked.

"How can I pay you back?", Tina asked quietly.

"Aww, well, never mind. You don't have to pay me back for anything T-bird.", he said smiling.

Tina could by the look in his eyes that something had come to mind when she asked, she didn't know whether or not she press the issue. All of her instincts told her to let it go, not bring it up again, but her curiosity was peaked.

"Tell me," Tina finally said with a long sigh.

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me what you were thinking before you said nevermind."

"Oh, that," Zeke said chuckling to himself, "It was nothing. It was...stupid."

"Zeke, just friggin' tell me."

"It's...embarrassing."

"Zeke! Tell me dammit!"

To Tina's surprised Zeke grabbed her arms and pulled her close to him. Looking into her eyes, he slowly leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. She stood there, eyes open in shock as Zeke moved his calloused hands to caress her face, sliding his tongue between her warm, parted lips. He began to lick her lips as his fingers began playing with her hair, looping it from finger to finger.

When Zeke finally pulled away, Tina was still in a daze. She put her hand to her mouth and turned, running back through back alleys to the fire escape outside her room. She climbed the fire escape, opened the window and hopped inside closing the window behind her, but not before hearing Zeke behind her calling out her name.

xXx

Feelings of rejection resonated inside Zeke's chest as he walked to the outskirts of town on the way to his small home. His mind raced and he could feel his heart pounding. His heart skipped a beat as his phone vibrated, hoping it was Tina, he flipped it open.

"Hey! Wanna meet up? - Tammy"

His heart sank, but he ignored it as he responded to Tammy with a yes. It's not like they would do anything. Tammy would try to make a move and then he would turn her down, but it would boost his ego to feel like someone wanted him. He turned around again and headed back into town, to his and Tammy's spot in the park.

"Hey stranger," Tammy said smiling as he walked toward her.

"Hey. What's up?" Zeke asked attempting a smile.

"Just wanted to meet up," Tammy said sliding closer to Zeke.

"Well, I'm here," Zeke stated frankly.

Tammy chuckled and placed her perfectly manicured hand on Zeke's arm and gently twirled him around. Zeke was preparing to turn her down when she stood and closed the gap, sitting on his lap. Zeke, unable to resist, pulled her face down to his and kissed her angrily. As much as he wanted to be kissing someone else, he knew that other person didn't want him, so he'd settle for something else.

They sat kissing until Tammy finally pulled away and looked at Zeke grinning. Zeke forced himself to smile as he tried not to think of Tina. He wanted to turn his attention to Tammy, but he couldn't force Tina out of his mind.

"So, you finally decide to ask me to be your girlfriend?" Tammy asked, spinning of piece of hair between her fingers.

Zeke hadn't thought of asking her anything. He didn't want to be with Tammy in any sense, but he was tired of being alone. Instead of saying this he just nodded, hoping that he would somehow become happy with this arrangement. He knew that he and Tammy had nothing in common, but he was tired of waiting around for Tina, especially after she made it clear that she didn't care for him the way he cared for her.

Tammy screamed happily as Zeke sat in silence.

"I have so many plans! We have to make the announcement at school on Monday! It has to be big! God, it feels like I've been waiting for you to ask since, well, since forever!", Tammy screamed giddily.

"Wait, hold on," Zeke started, "We don't need to announce anything to anyone. We need to take it like super slow."

"Excuse me?", Tammy responded angrily.

"What?", Zeke asked confused.

"What are you talking about? Take things slow? I have taken things slow! I've waited for you to ask me out since I moved to this stupid town!", Tammy yelled.

"Well, I feel like we should take this slow, meaning keep it to yourself for awhile." Zeke said taking a stand against the girl he knew would not take any advice from anyone.

Tammy drew in a deep breath and nodded. "Fine."

"Okay, well I need to head home.", Zeke said quietly.

"Okay. I'll see you Monday." Tammy replied pursing her lips, still angry.

Zeke turned and headed back in the direction of home. Staring at the street his heart pounded, so many thoughts ran through his head. The night had come to a devastating end in his opinion. He knew that he and Tammy wouldn't last long, but he didn't want Tina to know that they were together, he knew that that would give off a really bad impression of himself. Zeke wasn't a player. He wasn't just using Tina. He was using Tammy, but not to make Tina jealous, he was just tired of not having anyone. He had waited for Tina for a long time and had nothing to show for it.

Zeke approached his house, walked around to his bedroom window, opened it and crawled inside kicking off his shoes. Zeke threw himself onto his bed and dozed off into a restless sleep.

xXx

Tina stepped out of her room at six the following morning. Everyone usually slept in on Saturdays, but today she couldn't sleep in. Her father had slept on the floor next to her parent's bed the night before, so Tina snuck into their room and hopped in the bed with her mother, who woke up startled.

"Tina!", Linda howled, "You scared me!"

"Hey mom," Tina said, tears running down her face.

"Oh, honey, what's wrong?", her mother asked rubbing her head, "Is it Jimmy Jr.? Do you want me to go have a long talk with him?"

"No mom. This is about...about…" Tina began, but couldn't finish.

"Honey…talk to me." Her mother pleaded.

"It's about Zeke. I'm just confused."

"What happened?"

"Zeke and I left the house last night after Gene's...big news...and...and…"

"And what honey?"

"He...he kissed me…" Tina said between sobs. "I couldn't sleep last night, because I was confused and I've never felt like that before, even when Jimmy Jr. kissed me, it didn't feel the same and I don't know what to do. I ran away from him after he did it and I feel awful, but I was overwhelmed."

Linda shook her head affectionately. "Honey, it's okay to be confused. Everyone gets confused sometimes. Like your father last night. He handled things with Gene...well, very badly. He was confused as to why I made him on the sleep on the floor. My point is that everyone gets confused about things. I know you just broke up with Jimmy Jr., but you don't need to keep hoping that Jimmy Jr. is going to change, because he has proven many times that he will continue to break your heart. No matter how many second chances you give him, he throws them away."

Tina nodded, tears still running from her eyes. "I'll talk to Zeke on Monday."

Linda kissed her daughter's head and asked her to go to the store before everyone woke up. Tina nodded and walked to her room to get dressed. She put on a fluffy pink sweater with a pair of jeans. After scanning her room, she shut the door and walked down the hall, grabbed her mom's debit card and walked down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk.

Tina started toward Fresh Feed, the grocery store that her mother had worked for a short period of time when things were tight. Tina took a right at the end of the road and walked up to the entrance of the store. She grabbed a cart and pulled the list her mother had written the night before out of her pocket.

Tina walked up and down the aisles grabbing the few things her mother needed today. When she was finished she went to the register, waiting for the clerk to ring her up. She stood there quietly looking over all the magazines in the rack when she heard a familiar screaming noise.

"Tina!", Tammy screamed as she saw her friend across the store.

"Hey Tammy.", Tina whispered as she put her items on the conveyor belt.

"Oh my god! I can't believe I'm seeing you here! I've missed you this weekend.", Tammy said in her too loud voice. The cashier glared at her, to which she just rolled her eyes.

Tina moved up to the register with Tammy on her heels. "Yeah, my mom sent me to get some stuff this morning.", Tina said giving her debit card to the woman behind the register.

"Well, I'm so glad to see you. I heard Jimmy Jr. and Jocelyn started dating last night. I know how you feel about him, I just thought you'd want to hear it from me instead of someone else." Tammy began, talking louder to annoy the cashier.

Tina took her debit card along with her bags and headed toward the door. "Eh, I don't care.", she said simply, which peaked Tammy's interest.

"Oh are you talking to Josh again?"

"No, I'm not really talking to anyone right now.", Tina said, dreading telling her friend that she had fallen for Zeke.

"That's too bad.", Tammy said half-heartedly, "Oh my god! I forgot to tell you! Guess who asked me out!"

"Who?" Tina asked quietly, feeling her stomach sink.

"Zeke!" Tammy squealed, hugging Tina, who felt the tears from earlier that morning forming once again.