Hey guys! I'm so sorry it's been so long! I kinda had some writers block that still isn't quite resolved, BUT I'm working on it and the next chapter should be up soon!

Chapter 5: Love Stinks

Monday morning came too fast. Zeke pulled himself out of bed and dug through his dresser, pulling out a black v-neck and pair of jeans. He walked into the kitchen, grabbed a bagel and left through the back door, yelling a goodbye to anyone who was listening.

As he walked toward the school he felt a tinge of anxiety. He hadn't seen Tammy since she declared their new relationship status and really didn't want to deal with her today. He reached the school fifteen minutes before the bell rang, just around the time Tina went to her locker. He got to her locker right before she turned down the hall. When she saw him waiting there she turned and walked the other way.

"Hey! T-bird! What are you doing?", Zeke yelled running after her.

"Zeke.", she mumbled.

"I just wanted to apologize for kissing you. I shouldn't have. I should've waited for you to say it was okay...I didn't expect you to run off like that." He explained quietly.

"It's fine," Tina lied, "but you should apologize to Tammy."

"What are you talking about?", Zeke asked drawing in a short breath.

"Well, you should apologize to Tammy for kissing me right before asking her out.", Tina spat, hearing the jealousy in her voice.

Zeke stopped in his tracks. "Look, Tina."

"Don't 'look, Tina' me. You're no different than Jimmy Jr.. I can't believe I started to have feelings for you!", Tina yelled, tears filling her eyes. Many people stopped and stared in her direction, but she didn't care. She turned, bumping into Zeke, who was standing mouth agape, and walked back to her locker just as the first bell rang.

xXx

Zeke sat in the front of his English class. He couldn't believe Tina had feelings for him. Maybe it was some weird joke, but he knew that word would get around about it either way. Tammy would find out that her "best friend" had feelings for him. She just had to yell it out in the middle of the hall. Tammy would make Tina's life a living hell when she found out and he just couldn't have that.

The bell rang and Zeke ran into the hall, bumping right into Gene. Gene looked grim, which was normal on a Monday, but Zeke could tell something else was going on from the look on his face.

"Hey, Gene!", Zeke shouted, "How is everything?"

"Oh, ya know, my parents didn't take the news too well.", Gene responded in a whisper.

"What's wrong?"

"My dad wants me out by the end of the week. Courtney's dad isn't kicking her out, but he doesn't want me to see her anymore.", Gene said, his voice dry.

"Why don't you stay with me? That'll solve the housing issue," Zeke responding, offering a sincere smile. "My parents won't mind."

"That means a lot. Are you sure that'll be okay?", Gene asked.

"Yeah. I'll talk to them tomorrow. Hell, I'll get 'em to help ya move.", Zeke said happily.

"Thanks!", Gene said looking a little less gloomy.

"As far as the Courtney thing, let her dad cool down a bit. I'm sure she'll try to see you despite what he says.", Zeke said hopefully.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right.", Gene said, as he and Zeke walked toward the cafeteria.

xXx

Tina walked to the cafeteria with Tammy who was talking nonstop about her plans with Zeke. Tina felt her heart drop as she listened to her best friend go on and on about the guy she cared about. She shook the thoughts from her head.

"So, how long do you think you guys will last?", Tina asked quietly.

"What do you mean?", Tammy demanded heatedly.

"Well, what happened with Justin?", Tina asked.

"Justin? From my Bat Mitzvah?", Tammy asked with a slight smile. "I completely forgot about Justin. He and I stopped talking forever ago, not because I didn't want to talk to him, but because he lives a while away. Ya know what I mean?"

"Yes." Tina said sighing.

"Eh, I can't just dump Zeke for Justin. I just started dating him. I'll stick with him for a while then just dump him out of the blue. That way it won't look suspicious," Tammy explained chuckling to herself.

Tina shook her head as the two headed toward the cafeteria. She didn't know why she was so upset with her friend. She had been into Zeke since the first day she attended Wagstaff. Tina shook her head. She had bigger things to worry about. Her brother was going to be a dad. Her dad was furious and she had been so absorbed in her own drama that she hadn't even asked her brother how he was doing.

When the girls reached the cafeteria, she had decided to go check on her brother first thing, but when she pushed the cafeteria doors open she saw her brother sitting with Zeke. The two of them laughing at jokes that the other threw out, none of the jokes were really funny, but it was just their matching sense of humor.

Tina took a deep breath. She didn't know her brother was now besties with Zeke. She decided to ignore it until. She'd wait until Zeke walked away and then she'd approach her brother. Tammy however had other ideas.

"Zeke!", she screamed, eyeing Zeke.

Zeke turned to look at her and rolled his eyes. He didn't move. He didn't say anything. He just ignored her and went on talking to Gene, who was staring at Tammy with annoyance.

"Do not ignore me Zeke!", Tammy yelled again.

This time Zeke stood and walked toward Tammy, looking more angry than Tina had ever seen him. Tina walked toward the table Gene was seated at, but heard Zeke hiss "What?" on her way by. Gene was already questioning her about what was going on.

Tina just looked at him and said, "It's none of my business."

"Whatever," Gene replied, annoyed with her.

"Since when are you and Zeke best friends," Tina asked quietly.

"Since my sister stopped caring about my life and Zeke decided to help me out more than said sister.", Gene stated, glaring at Tina.

"Look, Gene. I'm sorry I didn't ask about the whole situation. I just found out Tammy and Zeke were dating and I know it isn't anything compared to what you're going through, but…"

"You're right it isn't. Zeke started dating Tammy, because you acted like you weren't interested. At least you get to see him. Courtney's dad won't let me see her. Dad is kicking me out. Mom is depressed because Dad is kicking me out. But no, you've got it bad," Gene said slamming his hands palms down on the table before pushing himself up and picking up his tray to leave.

"Gene! I'm sorry!", Tina cried, getting up herself to follow her brother.

"Leave me alone Tina.", Gene cried, pushing the double doors leading to the hallway.

Tina stopped in her tracks. The guilt she felt for her selfish behavior hitting her in the chest. Tina turned back to the table to see Zeke sitting next to a now crying Tammy. She shook her head and walked back to the seat she had left prior to her altercation with her brother. Louise sat in Gene's now cold seat and looked at Tammy, who was now making a scene. Tammy turned and bumped into Louise, who fell off her seat.

"What the actual hell!", Louise screamed after Tammy who was halfway out the cafeteria.

"You okay?", Tina asked, pulling her sister to her feet.

"I swear, I can't stand that brat," Louise said, turning back to her food to play Food Court.

Tina shook her head at her little sister, stood up and walked out of the cafeteria.

xXx

Zeke sat at the cafeteria table, glancing occasionally at Tina. He knew he had a long way to go before he could talk to Tina, to try to explain. He hoped that him helping her brother would up his chances at forgiveness.

He was now sitting alone. He broke it off with Tammy and of course Tammy being Tammy, she caused a scene. This time when he glanced in Tina's direction she was gone and Jimmy Jr. was talking to Louise. Zeke slid a couple seats closer to hear what he was asking Louise.

"So, has Tina talked about me?", Jimmy Jr. asked Louise.

Louise looked at him blankly and shook her head. "She's over you Pesto."

"I didn't mean to hurt her."

"Oh, puhlease! You wait until she doesn't want you to hurt her, because that gets you off. Now if you'll pardon me I'm going somewhere else." Louis said sliding out of her seat and leaving the cafeteria.

Jimmy Jr. shook his head and turned slowly to see Zeke eyeing him. "You're not going to get her!", he yelled angrily at Zeke before running toward the line.

Part of him missed his best friend, but another part of him really wanted to have Tina to himself. Tina was now avoiding him. Jimmy Jr. was currently being a real C-U-Next-Tuesday. Zeke just closed his eyes wishing the day would just be over.

After taking a deep breath, Zeke decided to cut the rest of his classes. He walked out of the cafeteria and toward the exit signs down the hall. After exiting the school, he walked home and talked to his parents about Gene moving in. Of course they said it was fine.

'Hey. My parents said you could move in this weekend.' Zeke sent Gene via text.

Gene responded with a 'Thanks.'

Zeke then texted Tina, apologizing and explaining what happened with Tammy and that he had ended it and never wanted to be with her to begin with. She didn't respond.

Zeke took off his shoes and slipped under into his bed and fell into a deep sleep, a deep sleep that held promises of Tina's love for him.