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The sun was setting over Ocean Avenue, signifying the end of a summer day. The crickets were chirping, the air was humid, and a dim light shone from inside a lime green building.
Tina felt an anxious groan rising from her throat as she was putting on her make-up. She might have become more rebellious entering high school, but sneaking out always made her feel guilty. She still couldn’t believe that her sister got Boyz 4 Now tickets, along with someone who agreed to drive them to the concert, all without their parents knowing.
“Are you almost done, T? Our ride is waiting at the end of the block.” Louise whisper-shouted from outside her doorway.
“Uhhh,” Tina quietly groaned, pausing what she was doing. “Yeah, I guess. Louise, are you sure we should do this?”
She could hear her sister scoff.
“You can’t just back out, now! The concert is literally in an hour.”
“Couldn’t we just ask Mom and Dad to drive us?”
“Mom is drunk! And no! They can’t know about any of this, especially the fact that I'm going to be seen with you at a Boyz 4 Now concert.”
Tina sighed, quickly applying mascara on her other eye and putting on her choker. There’s no arguing, especially when her sister was making the decisions. Tina grabbed her bag and opened the door. Louise's eyes widened in surprise at her look.
“You look like a Green Day fan.”
“I thought that the extreme look would maybe capture Griffin’s attention..?”
“Tina, sweetie, wearing dark colors at night is gonna make you invisible.” Louise rolled her eyes.
“Dammit,” Tina muttered. “I need to change-“
“No. We’re already late. Get your ass moving.” Louise ushered her forward. Tina really didn’t want to go out in this outfit now that Louise pointed out the mistakes, but her sister was right about being late. She wished that Gene was there to give her his fashion tips but he was out with Alex, partying at Lenny’s rager.
Suppressing a groan was difficult as they sneaked past their parents, but she miraculously managed. Tina made sure to double-check to make sure that her parents were out, noticing the empty wine bottle next to the couch. That should keep them asleep through the whole night. They finally reached the kitchen window and climbed out.
——————————————
“Why can’t you tell me who’s driving us?” Tina asked her sister, while they walked down the dark alley.
“You’ll find out whether I tell you or not, why do I need to tell you?!” Louise snapped back.
“I don’t get why you’re being secretive about it,” Tina responded.
“Shut up, T. Less talking, more walking.”
Tina decided to not push the subject any further, knowing that her sister wasn’t going to give her an answer to begin with. Thinking to herself, she tried to guess who could possibly drive them. The only person that popped in her mind that was legally eligible was Logan Bush, but Louise hated his guts. Tina crossed him out of her mind. The other people she knew that were allowed to drive them were Teddy, Mort, or Aunt Gayle. But Tina knew that they’d probably tell their parents, therefore Louise, always being two steps ahead of her, probably didn’t bother asking.
Could Jimmy Jr. be driving them?
Tina slapped herself mentally, refusing to think deeper about it. However, it was a bit too late, as her heart began to beat faster in her chest. Even if Jimmy Jr. and her were off right now, and he was dating Britney Taylor, there was still a small chance that Louise could’ve asked him and he could’ve said yes, right? She might’ve still felt hurt, yeah, and Louise won the tickets in the first place to get Tina out of her post break up depression but maybe Louise still asked him to drive?
Her palms and pits started to get sweaty as they were reaching the end of the block. There were a dozen cars parked on the curb, none of them indicating that a person was in them. Confusion was the second thing Tina experienced after nervousness, wondering if they were in the right place. She had no idea what to look for. Louise finally stopped in front of a run-down looking pickup truck, knocking on the hood. The truck came to life and the lights illuminated the street.
Wait, a truck?
Tina was struck with sudden recognition. Before she could protest, before she could open her mouth, hell, before she could even blink, Louise grabbed her arm and threw her in the passenger seat. Tina felt her cheek slam into a firm arm.
“Woah, girl! Are you alright?”
“Zeke,” Tina replied, feeling nothing but dismay at the very sight of him. No wonder Louise didn’t tell her anything.
“Thanks for giving us a ride, Zeke,” Louise spoke up, hopping in the back.
“No problem girls,” Zeke leaned a bit on his steering wheel. “So, y’all sure that I won’t get fired for this?”
“We made sure that the parentals were passed out before proceeding,” Louise replied.
Tina crossed her arms, unhappy at their ordeal. Out of all the people that Louise picked, why did she pick Zeke? They were already stuck with him during the day, wasn’t that enough? He was annoying, loud, and always seemed to talk too much. There was no way that Louise and Zeke were even that close.
“Ya look nice tonight, T-Bird,” Zeke’s voice interrupted her thoughts as he usually does. Zeke knew how to insert himself in Tina’s business, and she was tired of it. She could only grumble in response.
“Err, I’m sorry that you had a rough landin’...”
“Don’t bother, Z. She’s probably butthurt because she thought that Jimmy Jr. was gonna pick us up in a horse-drawn carriage or something.”
“Ah...” Zeke awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
“That’s not it!” Tina burst out, shouting. “Zeke isn’t even qualified to drive us! He’s only had a license for 5 months, it’s illegal for him to drive minors without an adult!”
“Jesus, killjoy,” Louise cringed at her sister. “Zeke’s perfectly fine. He has a license, which means that he passed his driving test, that’s good enough for me.”
“I don’t care. I don’t want him to drive us.”
“T, I’m alright with drivin’ ya but if ya ain’t comfortable with it-“
“No,” said Louise, sternly. “We’re going. I thought you were trying to quit being such a prude, Tina.”
Zeke looked over at Tina, unsure of what to do. His hand rested on the gear lever, but he didn’t shift into drive.
Tina sighed, glancing back at Zeke. He quickly looked in the opposite direction, as he should. She definitely didn’t want to spend more time with Zeke, but really wanted to go to the Boyz 4 Now concert and didn’t want to ruin it for Louise.
“Fine.” Tina finally grumbled.
“You heard her, Zeke. Put this puppy into drive before she changes her mind!”
Zeke chuckled at the younger Belcher’s remark and took off.
_______________________________
Tina expected the car ride to be headache-inducing, but it was unexpectedly quiet and mellow. Zeke didn’t talk much besides asking Louise a few questions about the band they were going to. Louise gave him very defensive answers back which Zeke didn’t pry into further. It was very unZekelike.
Led Zeppelin’s greatest hits flowed through the truck’s speakers as Zeke sped down the highway. Tina hated to admit how nice she felt, especially when she told Zeke she had car sickness and needed a window open to which he replied that he knew that already and he didn’t mind. Jimmy Jr. would always complain whenever Tina rolled down the windows.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Zeke’s curly mullet flow in the wind. She didn’t know if Stairway to Heaven made it look cooler or she secretly liked the mullet, but she noticed that her eyes wandered back to Zeke’s frame. She swore that he was looking back at her too, but she dismissed the idea.
“...So, when should I come n’ pick ya guys up?” asked Zeke, breaking the silence.
“Why don’t you come to the concert with us?” Tina heard herself say, realizing that she spoke out loud and didn’t stop herself. Her mouth hung agape, in shock of her own comment. Zeke raised his eyebrows in surprise as well, while she felt Louise's stare burn the back of her head, metaphorically of course. “...I mean, we have an extra ticket and you did put effort to drive us over.”
“I can’t say that Boyz Fer Now would be something I’d listen to on my own,” began Zeke, while making sure to give occasional looks to Louise. “But if you an’ Louise are fine with it, I’d gladly give them a shot.”
“I’m okay with it.” Tina immediately answered, way quicker than she intended. She noticed that Zeke cracked a small smile at her weird eagerness.
Louise on the other hand stayed silent in the back.
“Y’know, ya don’t gotta say yes...”
“Shut up Zeke. Lemme think about this.”
He seemed to understand Louise’s cues to leave her alone, focusing his attention on fiddling with the radio. Tina wondered if she underestimated Louise and Zeke’s friendship. She felt her focus slipping, absentmindedly staring at Zeke’s hands. He had a few oil spots strewn around his fingers, the source probably being the stray splatters of oil from the burgers he flips on the daily. Her dad had similar looking hands, but she noticed that Zeke’s were a lot bigger. She never really noticed how sturdy and large they were, probably because she didn’t look at Zeke much, to begin with. Well, she might’ve spared a few glances at his butt on rare occasions when he was bussing tables. But otherwise, there was no interest she harbored for Zeke, even if she had a few dedicated friend fiction chapters for him.
“Anythin’ ya wanna listen to, T-Bird?”
“Uhhh...” Tina started to groan. “...I was just thinking...”
“Oh? ‘Bout whut?” chirped Zeke.
“When did Louise ask you to drive us to the concert?” She tried to change the subject of her thoughts.
“If I recall, it was after we vandalized Frond’s garden-“
“Um, what-“ Tina frowned.
“What the hell, Zeke?” Louise screeched.
“Calm down, girls! T-Bird already knew ‘cuz she covered for us, remember Louise? We asked her if she was gonna join an’ she said no, so you, me, and Gene headed out. An’ Gene said he couldn’t make it to the concert ‘cuz he ‘couldn’t skip a DeStefano party.’”
“That was last week,” Tina replied. “I forgot that I knew.”
“It should’ve stayed that way,” Louise grumbled.
“Are we good?” Zeke hesitantly drummed his fingers against the steering wheel.
“I don’t agree with what you guys did but we’re good.”
“Fine,” Louise huffed. “I guess can come with us to the concert, by the way... but what goes on in that stadium stays in that stadium, got it?”
“Loud an’ clear.” Zeke chuckled.
“Good. Snitches get stitches. This is a test of your loyalty since you were eager to squeal to Tina.” Louise slid her fingers across her throat while making a cracking sound. Zeke seemed unfazed by her threat. Tina felt his eyes on her, but ignored the gesture like she always does.
________________________________
Zeke squeezed his truck in between two sedans, barely missing the neighboring car’s bumper. Louise swung her door open, enthusiastically jumping out with her “Boo Crew” shirt on. Tina put on her glowstick wristbands, making sure to cover herself in the Griffin Gang theme colors (which was green). She peeked at Zeke who looked almost comically out of place. His ripped sleeved shirt and his baggy sweatpants didn't match the aesthetic of a boyband concert. His mullet really topped everything off, reminding Tina of a glam metal band. Tina used to hate Zeke’s mullet, but she noticed on the ride over that he shaved the sides of his head which transformed the mullet into a semi-mohawk. Tina decided that she liked it. Zeke seemed to notice that she was staring, and flashed a smile again. It was Tina’s turn to quickly turn away, hugging her arm to her side.
“Are you guys ready?” Tina tried to speak normally, but her voice weirdly croaked.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Zeke took a breath, looking very lost but also excited.
“Jeez, Tina! You don’t have to be so dramatic, they’re just a boy band. It’s not like Boo Boo is the cutest human being on this planet and has such a slappable face that I totally don’t wanna slap!”
“Uhhh, I never said that. But okay.”
"Shut up, we’re gonna be late for the concert!” Louise looked back at them, as they were getting in line. “Both of you are dead if I hear that this spoken about.”
“We know, Lou.” Zeke did his best to reassure her.
The line moved steadily, and they were soon in a crowded stadium. Tina suggested they hold on to each other so they wouldn’t lose each other in the crowd. She lowkey didn’t worry about her or Zeke since they were both fairly tall, but Louise was 9 inches shorter than her. Louise had a tendency to run off; Tina was determined to not lose her sister tonight. And maybe in the back of her mind, she wanted to hold Zeke’s hand and thought that this was a good excuse. She dismissed her weird thoughts as break up delirium, blinking herself back to reality.
To her relief, Zeke agreed to the idea. Louise expectedly wasn’t a fan, but she unexpectedly offered Tina to hold on to her shirt sleeve as an alternative. Tina gently held on to Louise’s shirt sleeve and let Louise lead them to a spot. She felt her whole body almost unfamiliarly heat up as Zeke slipped his hand into her’s. Even though he agreed, she didn’t fully prepare herself for his touch. His hand was much larger, practically erasing her hand from existence into his.
“Ya okay with this, T-Bird? I didn’t misread this, right?” Zeke’s voice was barely heard among the chattering fangirls. “Yer normally not like this, I mean, I ain’t complainin’ but I wanna make sure that yer okay.”
Tina couldn’t respond. She didn’t understand why this felt right. How could a car ride change her opinion on a person who she’s disliked for years? Or maybe it wasn’t necessarily him who she disliked...
She felt Zeke’s hand starting to slip away. Her lack of response was probably being misinterpreted. Not knowing what else to do, she squeezed his hand, hoping that he’d understand. He did, hesitantly interlocking his fingers with hers once more.
“T-Bird...?”
“Uhhh...” Tina groaned, feeling herself beginning to hyperventilate. She knew that Zeke was expecting an answer, but she really had no explanation for why she’s acting the way she was. She thought it was because of the breakup, but her heart was screaming objections at the idea.
Before she could think of anything, loud cheering started to fill the stadium and the lights flashed on. Tina felt a bit of pressure leave her body as she turned away to face the boys on the stage, although she knew that Zeke was probably still looking at her.
“HELLOOOOOOO HAVENPORT! COMING TO YOU LIVE, THE MOMENT IS NOW! BOYZ 4 NOW!” Matt raised his fist in the air.
The stadium erupted into almost frantic screaming, Louise joining the crowd.
“BOOOOOOO BOOOOOOOOO!”
Zeke flinched at first but started laughing next to Tina. She felt the vibrations through his hand. She subconsciously agreed that it was pretty funny to see her normally guarded and collected sister go boy crazy (if he was laughing at that).
Tina tried to cheer as well, but her voice sounded like a drone compared to everyone else’s excited screams. Zeke noticed her cheering and decided to join in with her. A few girls near them were surprised that Zeke was cheering along to Boyz 4 Now, but it seemed to get them even more excited. Tina found this strangely endearing, unable to hide her smile at the boy. Zeke smiled widely back at her. Tina felt her heart skip a beat.
That couldn’t be right. Maybe it’s because we’re in the moment.
B4N started with their hit song “I Love U So Much,” and continued on to the night until they concluded the concert with “Break My <3 BB.” During the course of the concert, Tina gave Zeke one of her glowstick wristbands as an unofficial inauguration into the Griffin Gang, and she ended up hoisted on his shoulders. It was mainly because everyone else around them was on each other’s shoulders, and Tina couldn’t see so Zeke offered to lift her up. Tina felt a new sense of happiness that has been unfamiliar to her. She felt taller on Zeke’s shoulders...probably because she literally was... but she felt tall in the sense that she was supported. Zeke literally had her secured on his shoulders. It made her feel a sense of warmth, looking down at the boy below her. She tried not to think about the fact that his head was in between her legs, her mind immediately spoiling the moment she was having.
Tina felt her cheeks heat up at the newly ingrained memory, subconsciously gripping Zeke’s hair a bit harder.
“Owwhhh, ya okay up there, girl?” Zeke grimaced in slight pain.
“Oh, sorry, Zeke,” Tina muttered, the realization that the concert ended was sinking in. “...You can put me down, now.”
“Oh, ya. Sorry that ya were stuck up there.” Zeke let go of Tina’s ankles, allowing her to slide down from his back. Louise was wiping some sweat from her forehead, a rare sweet smile on her face.
“That was their best concert so far!” Louise pulled her bunny ears down, hiding her delight terribly.
“It was pretty fun,” Zeke agreed. “Didn’t think that I’d enjoy somethin’ like this.” His gaze lingered on Tina, almost like a puppy.
“You and Tina formed a Zena mech,” Louise chuckled. “I could sense the girls behind you guys wanting to harvest your blood.”
“The girls in front of us shouldn’t have given us the idea,” replied Tina.
All of them shared devious smiles, not really feeling bad for their actions.
—————————————————
The car ride back to Seymour’s Bay was peaceful, similar to how it was before, except for the heavy weight of feelings on Tina’s back. They popped out of nowhere! She was known to fall in love quickly, but to fall for Zeke? She disliked him for 5 years now, which grew even more when he started working at the restaurant and talking to her regularly. It grew, even more, when he became the main person that she hung out with at school. It's almost as if he was inescapable.
But why did she dislike him so much?
Her eyes darted quickly at Zeke, to get a glance without him noticing. She convinced herself that he looked horrible with his ripped shirts, stained sweatpants, and ratty mullet. But looking at him now, she could only see how good his arms looked, how developed his jawline became, his muscled legs, how his hair grew out pretty nicely and was styled... A dangerous curiosity danced in Tina’s mind, relating to Zeke’s butt. He’s usually in the kitchen grilling burgers with her dad which didn’t give her many opportunities to peek. Even when she did have a chance, she didn’t look much. He never tried to get her attention in a flashy way like Jimmy Jr., who danced in front of her and accentuated his butt for her when he wanted Tina to notice him. Zeke mainly walked beside her, chatting her ears off, or he waited by her locker. His butt never got her attention, but now she needed to see those buns.
Jimmy Jr...
That’s right, this all started with Jimmy Jr. She always thought that Zeke was always in the way and purposely pestered them so Tina and Jimmy Jr. couldn’t be alone together. But now that she’s thinking about it, Zeke likes to just barge in and hang out without a care. He wasn’t malicious, that’s just who he is. It’s not like she can really blame Zeke either. She’s known for a long time now that his presence doesn’t affect her and Jimmy Jr.’s rocky relationship. Actually, she’s starting to think the opposite is the case. She hasn’t admitted it out loud, but she’s noticed that Zeke and Jimmy Jr. stopped hanging out after Zeke started working at Bob’s Burgers. She never asked why, maybe she should. There’s actually a lot of questions that she’s secretly wanted to ask Zeke...
“Are ya feelin’ alright, Tina?”
“Huh?” Tina responded, startled. Zeke rarely addresses her by her legitimate name.
“I’ll translate for him: ‘You’ve been staring at me and I’m creeped out so I’ve tried calling you out multiple times but you’re giving me the foggy dead fish eyes.’” said Louise casually from the back.
“That’s not what I’m tryin’ to say an’ ya know it.” Zeke glared at Louise through the rearview mirror.
“Staring...?” Sweat started to accumulate on Tina’s palms.
“I swear I was keepin’ my eyes on the road. Ya kinda were gettin’ super close to me an’ it was gettin’ harder to ignore.”
Tina felt her cheeks heat up, mortified. Her “quick glance” must’ve lingered as she got lost in her thoughts. Tina couldn’t help but release a loud groan.
“Are ya car sick? We can pull over if ya’d like.” Zeke seemed really worried, slowing down the truck.
“No.” Tina turned to her side and tucked her legs near her chest. She felt heavy with embarrassment.
“You’ve just been actin’ off since the beginnin’ of the night. Just a bit worried that somethin’s up.” Zeke admitted.
“She’s probably about to have her period or something else hormone-related.”
“Louise!” Tina prayed that Zeke didn’t hear that, even though he clearly did.
To her relief, Zeke ignored the comment and kept driving, albeit slower. He didn’t push Tina any further, but she knew that he kept looking at her when he could. It was frustrating. When did he ever care about her?
Tina’s heart sank. Who was she kidding, he always cared about her.
All the times that she thought he was disgusting, he did it for her. He publicly humiliated himself for her on multiple occasions. Whether it was pooping in places he shouldn’t have, or running around in his underwear, he did it so Tina wouldn’t have to be embarrassed. She wanted to cry. She didn’t understand why all of these feelings were being brought to the surface now. Sure, she’d acknowledge that Zeke was a good person sometimes. But her heart couldn’t take any more than that. She couldn’t bring herself to admit that she felt something. She...felt something?
"Zeke!” Tina unintentionally shouted, which made everyone in the truck jolt in alarm, including herself.
“Uh, whut’s up, girl?”
“Can we talk for a bit a little later?” She couldn’t stop herself from talking.
“When’s later?” He asked.
“Uhm, maybe you could drop Louise off and we can take a walk around Wonder Wharf?”
She couldn’t stop.
“What!?” Louise butted in. “You’re gonna ditch me? What if Mom and Dad are awake? You seriously are gonna leave me alone?”
“It’s not gonna take that long, Louise. I’ll take the blame if you get caught.” Tina pleaded with her sister. “Please, I promise.”
Louise looked at her sister, then at Zeke. A sudden light of realization glinted in her eye.
“Oh, so your Tina brain has finally developed a crush on Zeke?”
“SAY WHUT NOW?” Zeke’s surprise made the truck slightly swerve, but he quickly gained back control of the vehicle.
Tina flipped herself to face him, letting out a sigh.
“...It’s complicated. I want to just talk. Without Louise here.” Tina glanced at her sister who had her arms crossed in the back.
“Yeah, of course. We can do that girl.” Zeke’s voice slightly stuttered, while his face was a bit red. For once, he didn’t meet Tina’s eye contact and looked straight ahead.
“So everyone’s agreeing without my input?” Louise grumped.
“Sorry...” Both of them replied at the same time.
“Normally I would say ‘fuck no,’ but I’ll make an exception. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, T, but it’s about time. You can thank me later.”
“Nothing’s gotten into me!” Tina lied. “There are questions that I want answers to.”
“Oh?” Zeke and Louise chimed.
“It’s nothing bad-“ said Tina, awkwardly picking at her fishnets.
“Well, I’ll be delighted to tell Gene all about you and Zeke.” Louise hummed.
“Gene will be hearing about nothing.” Tina glared at her sister, doing her best to seem threatening.
“What was that? You said that I should tell Gene all of the juicy details about how you guys couldn’t get your hands off of each other at the concert? And now you want alone time with Zeke?”
“No, I said that... Oh, you were being sarcastic.”
“Yeah, you need to work on reading the room, T.”
“Uhhh,” Zeke cleared his throat, interrupting the sisters’ conversation. “Whut’s goin’ on an’ whut am I doin’-“
“Just drop me off, Zeke,” said Louise. “But don’t get my sister pregnant while I’m gone, please.”
Zeke’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, while Tina groaned.
“Louiseeeee-“
“Don’t get your panties twisted in a knot, T. Zeke knows I was joking. He isn’t a scumlord like the older Pesto, and he knows the consequences of messing with my family, right Zeke?”
“Errr...Yea, Lou. I ain’t gonna do T-Bird dirty like that...”
Not knowing what else to say, the rest of the car ride was silent, aside from the Muse songs in the background. Tina was making note of what to talk about when she and Zeke were alone.
———————————————
Louise Belcher [11:47 PM, Delivered]: They’re both still asleep and Gene’s home.
Tina read the notification that flashed her old smartphone briefly, before turning the screen over on her lap. Zeke parked in front of Wonder Wharf a while ago, but neither of them decided to get out of the truck or talk at all. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but Tina wanted to say so much. Zeke seemed concerned about the silence but didn’t speak up.
“Do you want to talk a walk...?” Tina finally asked him, fidgeting with the phone in her lap. "...I meant take a walk, not talk a walk."
“Sure, T-Bird.” Zeke smiled softly at her, which made Tina’s heart race.
They both got out of the truck and walked the boardwalk side to side. The summer night was warm and humid, which made Tina sweat even more. She hoped Zeke didn't see. More silence was shared until they found a good spot to look over the ocean.
“The car ride,” Tina began, leaning against the railing. Zeke looked thoughtfully at her and did the same. “It made me think about a lot of stuff.”
“Yea?” Zeke asked, his accent changing ever so slightly.
“...You’ve gotten close to most of my family, including me.”
“Ya consider me close?”
“Well, even though I say I can’t stand you, we hang out every day at school now. We talk at the restaurant every day. We’ve even hung out personally a few times, albeit with either Gene or Louise.”
“Yea.” Zeke stared out to the ocean, the faint boardwalk rides jingling in the background. “Yer siblings are pretty great, probably the best friends I ever had. And in a way, feels like my own blood.”
“Do I feel like your own blood?” She asked, suddenly.
She saw Zeke stiffen like a board, looking straight at her.
“Say whut now?”
“Do I feel like your own blood...?” Tina repeated.
She almost laughed at how Zeke’s face scrunched up at the thought.
“...Nah... yer different, T-Bird.” He turned back to face the ocean, avoiding her gaze.
“How?”
“Errr...” A noise hummed in Zeke’s throat, unsure of how to answer.
Seeing that he was uncomfortable, she scooched a bit closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. She felt his skin blaze under her touch.
“You don’t have to answer. I’m just curious if we feel the same way.”
“Whut...?” There was a hint of something in Zeke’s voice, although Tina couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Well, I think that I’ve come to terms that I like-like you.”
Zeke looked like he was about to fall into the ocean, as his whole body went slack. Worry struck his face when he recovered from the initial comment.
“T-Bird, are ya sure that yer okay? Have ya been drinkin’ or somethin’?”
“No, why would I?”
“It’s just,” Zeke sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “This is comin’ out of nowhere. Ya always hated me, and ya always loved J-Ju. This don’t feel like a normal T thing to say.”
“...So you don’t feel the same way...” Tina muttered, feeling her heart sink to her feet. It was understandable, she didn’t treat Zeke well and she realized too late that he was a person that Tina valued in her life.
“Nah! It’s not that!” Zeke placed his hand over Tina’s, resting it on his shoulder. His eyes seemed desperate, trying to scan Tina for any sort of insincerity. “I’ve confessed to ya many times T, but ya never seemed interested. Ya loved J-Ju, an' I was okay with that.”
“Why? Why are you so supportive of us?” Tina took note that he considered his confessions to be genuine.
“I’m not,” Zeke admitted. “He treats ya like trash, T-Bird. Nobody, especially somebody like ya, deserves to be led on like he was doin’.”
“Then why didn’t you speak up? Why did you cheer whenever we kissed?”
“...I wanted both of ya to be happy.”
Tina felt her heart sting in her chest, as her face fell. Zeke wasn’t smiling as he usually does, his brows furrowed in frustration.
“Zeke, I’m sorry.”
“Fer what?” Zeke bitterly laughed. Tina has never seen this part of him before. “...Fer me bein’ a coward an’ lettin’ J-Ju treat ya like that for god knows how long? Or maybe fer inserting myself in yer life in hopes that ya’d care bout me even though I know ya couldn’t stand me? Or was it ‘cuz I only agreed to drive y’all when Louise told me ya were comin’.”
Zeke turned towards her, a sad smile gracing his lips. “Or maybe yer sorry ‘cuz ya don’t really like me, ya just felt a spark tonight that’ll die tomorrow when ya see J-Ju again. And yer sorry that my feelings won’t change and I’ll still lo- like ya, no matter what happens.”
Tina felt a lump form in her throat, knowing that she opened a can of worms that Zeke tried to hide from her. She didn’t know that his affection for her was this deep. He let go of her hand and slumped against the rails in defeat.
“I like-like ya too, T-Bird. But ya can’t blame me for being hesitant.”
“I can’t,” Tina’s hand was still on his shoulder, as she laid against it. “I know that I tend to fall for people too quickly.”
“Mhm.”
“But,” said Tina, which got Zeke’s attention. “I think that what I’m feeling is more than a one-night infatuation.”
“Whut makes ya say that?”
“All of this feels familiar. I think that I've felt these feelings for you in the past before but I didn't... I don't think I recognized them.”
“Huh,” Zeke didn’t look at her, but he seemed to relax slightly. “Was I that bad?” He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood that he created.
“No,” Tina laughed softly with him. “I just always considered you my rival for Jimmy Jr.’s attention.”
“He’s a prick.” Zeke's voice was cold, which surprised Tina.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have talked about him.”
“Nah, T. Yer okay. I was talkin’ bout him too.”
“I still shouldn’t have, since you two seem to be on bad terms right now.”
“Yea,” Zeke glanced at her. “I punched him when he told me he was cheatin’ on ya with Britney.”
“Oh.” Tina knew that their friendship ending had to do something with her. Well, she heard some rumors from Gene about it. Guilt crept up her spine.
“It ain’t yer fault, T,” Zeke said, almost as if he read her mind.
“It’s just-"
“Ya didn’t do anythin’,” Zeke sighed again, which was happening a lot during this conversation. “I don’t want ya to think that any of what he did an’ my reaction to him was yer fault.”
Tina didn’t say another word, but she slowly slipped her hand into his. She wanted to comfort him as he did for her tonight. Even if he didn’t know it. Zeke didn’t pull away, instead gently swiping her hand with his thumb in small circles. She laid her head against his shoulder blade, breathing in his scent. His smell of woody smoke was strong, even against the breeze of the sea. The waves were shifting back and forth, almost in sync with Tina’s heartbeat. They stood like they were for a while, saying nothing but enjoying each other’s company.
--------------------------------------
“I was hurt when I first found out about them,” said Tina, after a while.
“I know, T. Ya stayed at home for a few days. Had to give ya yer homework, remember?”
“Yeah.” Tina squeezed Zeke’s hand a bit tighter. “Even now, I wish that Jimmy Jr. didn’t do that to me.”
“Me too,” Zeke said.
“But if he didn’t cheat on me, Louise probably would have never gotten the tickets to see Boyz 4 Now and we wouldn’t have this moment.”
“I know,” Zeke said.
“...And I’d probably still be with Jimmy Jr.”
“I know, T.” Zeke mumbled, exasperated.
“...And I’d never realize that the happiness I’ve felt with you tonight was the happiest I’ve ever felt with someone besides my family.”
“Whut? Really?” Zeke asked.
“I’ve never met anyone who accepted me as ‘totally Tina.’ You went out of your way to go to a concert I liked because I liked it. Well, Louise likes them too, but the point is that you went with us without judgment. You're also the only person besides my family who isn’t weirded out by my erotic friend fiction.”
“Yeah, girl! You get real creative with that stuff,” Zeke chuckled. “I could never think of somethin’ like that.”
“I want to try this, if you want to as well.” Tina suddenly blurted out.
“This...?” Zeke waved his finger between him and Tina.
“Yes.” Tina silently cursed at herself for her stupid monotone voice, but she tried to convey how she felt through a small smile.
Zeke took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Tina felt worry stir in her gut, but she ignored it. Even if he said no, they’d still remain friends. Right?
“Are ya sure that this isn’t a one-night thing?” Zeke asked.
“Positive.”
“Can we take things slow...?” Zeke asked, again.
“Of course.” Tina smiled.
"Okay, I trust ya," Zeke breathed. "We...We can try."
Tina smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Zeke stood still at first, but quickly hugged her back, lifting her off the ground. The somber air around them swirled into giddiness.
“I never thought that we’d be somethin’ together in a million years.” Zeke grinned.
“Me either. But I could get used to this,” Tina cupped his face in her hands.
“Yer makin’ me wanna kiss ya, T.”
Tina’s breath caught in her throat.
“...Can we...?”
Tina closed the distance between them, sharing a passionate kiss. This by far wasn’t the first time they locked lips, but it felt different than all the past kisses they shared. It wasn’t sloppy, rushed, or forced. It was sweet, gentle, and full of emotions.
Zeke was the first to pull away, gasping for air. Tina noticed that a bit of her lipstick smudged on his lips, which made her feel a bit hot.
“Damn girl, you made me float on air.”
“Best kiss I’ve ever had.” Tina agreed, feeling her heart race.
Zeke leaned to kiss her again, Tina excitedly meeting his lips. She found herself immediately hooked to his smokey taste. They kissed for a while, melting into each other.
Finally, Zeke let go of her lips, while giving her the most loving gaze she’d ever seen from another human.
“...So whut now?” Zeke asked, his tone husky.
“Hmm, when’s your next break?”
“I have wrestlin’ on Wednesdays and ya know I work at the restaurant every weekday,” Zeke listed each plan by counting with his fingers. “I work with Teddy on Sundays, and I volunteer at the animal shelter on Saturdays. So unless Mr. B gives me a break, I dunno.” Tina could see the displeasure on Zeke’s face. Hearing Zeke’s busy schedule made her feel the same way.
“Maybe we can hang out on Friday after our shift is done?” Tina thoughtfully asked, holding on to his hands.
“If we ain’t too tired. Friday is usually a busy day.” Zeke sighed.
“I can probably work something out with Gene and Louise,” Tina beamed, proud of her idea.
“Ya think so?”
“They’re bargainers, but they owe me for all the times I covered for them.”
“That’s true,” Zeke smiled and agreed. “So, we’re shootin’ for Friday?”
“Mhm.” Tina felt warmth spread through her heart. She pecked Zeke’s cheek lightly. “It’s a date.”
Tina has never seen a man get so flustered from her kisses as Zeke has. His face was still red, even after she said she had to go and he walked her to the alley beside her home. It was still red when he lifted her up so she can reach the rusty ladder to their kitchen window. And his face only got redder when they waved each other goodbye, and Tina blew him a kiss. Her heart couldn’t help but swell. She couldn’t believe that just hours ago, she was convinced that he was nothing but a headache.
Her siblings quietly greeted her at the window and dragged her into Gene’s room. They chatted away over a bowl of nachos with guacamole about the night, and Gene prodded her to spill the beans.
“Wait, Zeke ISN’T gay?” Gene dramatically sighed through a bite of nacho. “My fantasies are ruined!”
Tina and Louise laughed at this, very much knowing about Gene’s very brief crush on Zeke last year. A lot of things happened tonight that Tina would never dream about, but she’s happy that her life is taking unexpected turns for itself. Her mind wandered away from her siblings, and to the activities that she and Zeke are gonna do on Friday.