Chapter Four: Baby, It's Cold Outside
As fall rolled into winter Tina and Zeke became closer friends. They weren't exactly inseparable, but they did spend a lot of time together between school and work. Her feelings for Jimmy Jr. were long gone. His cheeks didn't leave her weak and catching him staring at her didn't make her heart flutter. She was ready to find someone else to pursue, but whom?
Winter break came, which didn't mean Zeke wouldn't be around. He still had to work a couple days a week, not counting Christmas or New Years. Business was slow one day and Bob let the kids go to the Wharf before the big snow. The four of them walked through the pier entrance and debated on what they should do. "Okay, so we should hit some of the good rides before the big snow, you guys in?" Louise asked.
"I know I am! I'm ready for some three-holer action!" Gene said enthusiastically.
"Okay, so Gene's in, what about the puberty brigade?" She asked Tina and Zeke.
"Uh, I think I'm okay." Tina said. Although Tina enjoyed some of the rides on the Wharf, the destruction of the carousel and the fiasco that was Felix Fischoeder trying to murder her dad made the Wharf a little less enchanting.
"Zeke, you in?" Louise asked, secretly hoping he'd choose to hang out with her sister instead.
"Naw, I'll hang with T-Bird." He said.
"Okay, see you lovebirds later!" Louise said as she waved her hand.
"Have her back before the streetlights turn on!" Gene said as he joined Louise.
Tina and Zeke walked along the pier and stopped to watch the sunset along the coastline. The icy wind blew through Tina's hair and she shivered. "You good, T?" Zeke asked.
"Yeah I'm okay. This is nice." She said.
"Sure is." Zeke leaned up against the railing as Tina directed her gaze to the sunset. "Listen, T, I gotta tell you something." He said as he looked up at her.
Tina turned her attention to him. Even though he was slouching, he was still significantly taller than her. "What is it?" She asked. His face turned bright red, but she figured it was from the cold.
"Remember when the town had that water balloon fight at Fischo's?" He asked.
Tina nodded. "I remember."
"And you were in the hedge maze with me and J-Ju?" He asked again.
"Yeah, why?" She asked him.
Zeke sighed and looked down. "When I told you I liked you… well, I meant all that. Hell, I even meant what I said 'bout J-Ju. You're a special gal, T-Train." He said as he looked up at her.
Tina felt as if time completely stopped. Her friends were right. Louise was right. It made her a little happy, but she wasn't sure why. "I-I don't know what to say." She admitted.
"You don't have to say anything. I just wanna try something and if you don't like it, we'll forget the whole thing happened and stay friends." Before Tina could respond Zeke turned to her, leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She never thought she'd ever be kissed or would get involved with Zeke in any way, but she liked it and the idea of him. He pulled away slowly and looked her in the eyes. "Never done anything like that before," he started, "so what'chu think?"
Tina looked down at her feet and looked back up at him. "Can we do it again?" She asked awkwardly. He chuckled and kissed her again, this time wrapping his arms around her waist. "I just have one question." Tina said.
"Shoot." He replied as they made their way away towards the entrance of the pier.
"Why me? I mean, let's face it, I'm a dork who writes erotic fan fictions who's bad at math and I openly expressed my love for Jimmy Jr. Plus Tammy liked you and let's face it she was a raging bitch and an awful person and-"
"Tina! It's okay," he laughed, "I knew she did and all about that stuff. But you're not a fake. You openly talk about stuff you like without getting embarrassed. You're smart and kind and naturally funny and you do your own thing. I don't know somewhere along the way I fell for you, girl."
"Aw," Tina cooed, "so does that mean you're my boyfriend?" She asked in a hopeful tone.
"Well, shoot, course it does," he said as he wrapped his arm around her, "just you 'n me, T-Bird." They looked over and saw Gene and Louise waiting for them. Louise walked over to them, smirking.
"So, you finally did it," She said with her arm's crossed as she inched closer to Zeke, "it's about time you manned up and popped the question."
"Isn't it past your bedtime, shrimp?" He asked as he lightly shoved her. Louise got flustered and punched Zeke in the stomach, which seemed to bounce right off.
"Let's go," Gene said impatiently, "Kitchen Nightmares is on tonight and I'll be damned if I miss the whacky antics of the inexperienced staff!"
"God," Louise said with disgust as they started walking, "if you want to see an inexperienced employee take a look in the mirror!" She shouted.
"I do look in the mirror," Gene said as-a-matter-of-factly, "and what I see is fantastic!"
They made it back to the restaurant and Gene and Louise scurried back into the house. Tina and Zeke stood outside just as the snow was falling. "So, guess I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he looked up at the sky, "maybe without Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum." He said looking back down at her, referring to Gene and Louise.
"Yeah, I'll ask my mom tomorrow." They looked over at Jimmy Pesto's and saw Jimmy Jr. looking at them through the window.
"Well," he said as he turned his gaze back at Tina, "I best be going home. Goodnight." He said as he kissed her goodbye.