Chapter 2: The Loneliest Number

Zeke walked to school on Monday morning. He knew things we're going to be different. He and Jimmy Jr. were no longer friends, which meant they wouldn't sit at the same lunch table. Meaning no Tammy, which was great, but Jimmy Jr. was one of his only friends.

As he approached the entrance of school he took a deep breath, knowing he had to stand his ground. Zeke walked through the double doors and went straight to his locker, grabbed his English textbook and notebook, throwing his other books in his locker. After slamming his locker shut he walked straight to his classroom and sat right next to Tina.

"Hey T-bird.", Zeke said. "How ya doin' girl?"

"I'm fine, Zeke.", Tina said staring at her weekend homework for Calculus.

"Well, that's good girl!", Zeke said. "Can I ask you something?"

"What Zeke?", Tina asked.

"Can I sit with you at lunch?", Zeke asked. "J-Ju...I mean, Jimmy Jr. and I are no longer friends."

"Aww...what happened?", Tina asked.

"Just a disagreement.", Zeke said.

"Well, I guess you can sit with me.", Tina said.

"That means a lot to me.", Zeke said. "Thanks T-town."

"You're welcome.", Tina said laying her head on her desk.

Zeke looked at Tina with concern. She wasn't acting like herself. As she laid her head on her desk she dozed off. Zeke took a deep breath and tapped her shoulder. She shot up in shock, her eyes trying to focus on him.

"Zeke.", Tina hissed.

"Mr. Barden was heading this way to pick up homework. I didn't want ya to get in trouble. Sorry.", Zeke said looking to the front of the classroom. Mr. Barden stood and headed down the aisles taking the workbook page he had assigned the night before.

Tina handed her sheet to Mr. Barden as he passed, then turned to Zeke. "I'm sorry. I'm just really tense and tired.", she said.

"Do you need to talk?", Zeke whispered as Mr. Barden began his lecture.

"There's nothing to really say. I'm just trying to stay away from Jimmy Jr.," she began, "it's just kind of difficult to stay away from him. He's in most of my classes."

"Do you want my help?", Zeke asked.

"What about Tammy?", Tina asked looking in the direction of her bestie.

"What about her?", Zeke said looking confused.

"Tammy will get pretty mad at me if we hang out.", Tina said looking up at the whiteboard as Mr. Barden scanned the room.

"Why? It's not like we're going out or anything.", Zeke said.

"Well...uhhhhhhh…", Tina said looking at the floor.

Zeke couldn't say anything. He knew Tammy liked him. He also knew he probably instigated the feelings she had, but he didn't reciprocate them. He flirted with Tammy for fun, that was it, but he should have known that Tammy would read more into his intentions. Zeke just shook his head and looked up at the whiteboard, waiting for class to be over.

Zeke sat back in his seat and thought about what the rest of the day would be like. He knew it would be quiet. That was a no brainer. His best friend wasn't there to help him cause a ruckus. Zeke shook his head. It was going to be a long day, but maybe things would look up. He tried his hardest to keep his mind off Tina, but she was always on his mind. His mind went wild. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but couldn't stand it if she didn't feel the same way.

xxx

The bell rang. It was finally lunch period. Tina pushed herself off her desk and dashed to her locker where Louise was waiting for her. After throwing her things in her locker she looked down at her little sister.

"Where's Gene?", she asked.

"I don't know. I saw him upset with Courtney earlier.", Louise said shrugging.

"Well, Zeke wants to have lunch with us. Apparently he and Jimmy Jr. are no longer friends.", Tina said looking at her sister.

"I guess that's fine.", Louise said shrugging once again.

The two of them headed to the cafeteria only stopping to drop off a form Louise needed to have signed for Mr. Frond. Louise dropped the form on his desk and then walked around his desk, swiftly sitting a push pin on the left side of his swivel chair. Louise then signaled for Tina to lead the way out of Mr. Frond's office, chuckling manically to herself. Tina just shook her head.

As they approached the cafeteria the doors suddenly swung open. Mr. Frond was leading Zeke, Jimmy Jr. and Gene from the cafeteria. Upon second glance, Tina noticed blood coming from Jimmy Jr.'s bottom lip, right nostril, and a jagged cut across his right eyebrow; Gene had blood covering his nose, two black eyes, and a scratch going down his arm; Zeke however looked just fine and was standing tall and proud.

Mr. Frond looked at Tina and Louise. "Get in the cafeteria before the two of you get into trouble as well.", he spat as his nostrils flared.

"Yes, sir.", Tina said dragging Louise by the arm.

"Don't quit your day job, Frond!", Louise yelled out as the cafeteria doors closed.

As soon as Tina stepped into the cafeteria Tammy was running toward her with all the news about what had gone down before she walked in. Louise was called to Mr. Frond's office as soon as she got her lunch. After chuckling to herself she went back to Frond's office.

"Like, you so should have been here!", Tammy said with a sigh.

"What happened again? Sorry I was distracted.", Tina said watching her said watching her sister leave the room.

"Okay, so Jimmy Jr. walked up to your brother and was begging him to help get you back, but Gene kept saying no. Well, Jimmy Jr. didn't like that answer, so he punched Gene over and over again. Well, Zeke saw what was going on and knocked Jimmy Jr. around until he Mr. Frond intervened."

"WHAT!?", Tina yelled, standing to go find her brother.

"I know! I was so confused. I didn't even know Jimmy Jr. dumped you!", Tammy shouted.

"That's because I dumped him," Tina said slowly, "I caught him with Jocelyn...again."

"WHAT! When did this happen?", Tammy yelled in shock.

"Last Friday...when I went to find Zeke for you…", Tina said.

"Oh my god, Tina! Why didn't you tell me?", Tammy asked.

"I didn't take it too well...I dumped a soda on the two of them and then ran home."

Tammy started laughing uncontrollably. "I can't believe you would do that.", she said laughing still. Tina just looked at her now feeling extremely self conscious for her actions the previous week.

Tammy was her best friend, but she wasn't the best at the sentimental friend stuff. She tried her best to be patient with Tammy, but sometimes she was too much. Today was one of the days when she just couldn't deal with Tammy.

"Tammy, I'm going to go see Mr. Frond. I'll see you in class. Okay?", Tina said changing the subject.

"Okay, Tina.", Tammy said looking down at her lunch.

Tina left the cafeteria in the direction of Mr. Frond's office. As she walked she thought about how different things felt. She never really had alone time when she was with Jimmy Jr. It was always the two of them together. It was nice to be alone for once.

Tina knocked on Mr. Frond's office door. "Mr. Frond?"

"Tina. What do you want?", Mr. Frond asked from the door.

"Is Gene in trouble?", Tina asked.

"Tina...you know I can't divulge information like that, but yes.", Mr. Frond said.

"But Gene didn't do anything. Jimmy Jr. started everything.", Tina said glaring at Mr. Frond.

"Tina, unless you have something you need guidance with then I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.", Mr. Frond said.

"Yes, sir.", Tina said turning to walk away.

As Tina walked back down the hall she heard Jimmy Jr. yelling. Knowing she should stay out of it her curiosity got the best of her. Peeking around the corner she could see Jocelyn crying. Tina looked from Jimmy Jr. to Jocelyn who was sitting on the floor, hands covering her face.

"This is your fault!", Jimmy Jr. shouted.

"I said I'm sorry!", Jocelyn sobbed. "I thought you really liked me!"

"I was with Tina! It's your fault she dumped me!", Jimmy Jr. continued.

Tina was so angry at Jocelyn, but she knew what was right and she knew Jimmy Jr. just wasn't it.

Tina walked around the corner and pushed Jimmy Jr. angrily. "Leave her alone, Jimmy Jr.", Tina said glaring at him.

Jimmy Jr. looked shocked. Tina had never told him what to do or she had and just hadn't asserted any dominance. Jimmy Jr. shook his head and looked solemnly at Tina.

"Tina, please take me back.", he begged.

Tina turned to Jocelyn and offered her hand. Jocelyn cautiously took Tina's hand. After helping Jocelyn up, the two walked back the way Tina had come, ignoring Jimmy Jr.'s pleads. As they walked Jocelyn apologized profusely. Tina just looked straight ahead.

"Tina...I'm really, really sorry," Jocelyn said looking at Tina with tears still in her eyes.

"Look Jocelyn, I forgive you, but I don't think we can friends anymore. I hope you understand. I would say it's nothing personal, but it kind of is."

Jocelyn looked down at the floor as she walked. They walked the rest of the way in silence. Tina looked straight ahead, counting the seconds that passed. After miscounting five times, she gave up.

xxx

Dear Tina. Zeke wrote on another piece paper, which he balled up and tossed in the trash with the other letters he had started. He shook his head and looked around the room. Louise and Gene sat next to each other in the dingy classroom. Jimmy Jr. however sat on the other side of the room glaring straight at Zeke.

'Sorry you're stuck in here.' Zeke wrote on a piece of paper that he passed to Gene. Gene just shrugged and looked forward. The hour passed slower than his usual detention trips. He found himself dozing off a couple of times, but jostled himself awake.

I thought me being friendless would result in less detention trips. Zeke thought to himself shaking his head. He couldn't believe he just started hitting Jimmy Jr. in the middle of the cafeteria. Oddly enough, he didn't feel bad about it.

The remaining five minutes drug on. He sat thinking about Tina and how she was doing. He wondered whether she had thought about him. He wondered if she ever thought about the possibility that they could be together.

As the bell rang Zeke pushed off his desk and walked toward Gene. He watched as Jimmy Jr. left the classroom. Zeke turned back to Gene.

"I'm sorry about what he did.", he said looking at the floor.

"It's really no big deal. Do you want to come to our house? I'm going to need a little help explaining this one to my family.", Gene said.

"I don't mind.", Zeke said.

Louise looked at Zeke smiling and shook her head.

"What's so funny?", Zeke asked.

"You just want to see Tina.", Louise said under her breath.

"Does Tina know that?", Zeke asked Louise in a fluster.

"Ha!", Louise shrieked. "No...she's oblivious to boys who actually care about her."

"Oh...well...that's good.", He said taking a calming breath.

Gene looked between the two of them. "Are we gonna go or just stand here?"

"Following you.", Louise said extending her hand in front of her as she bowed.