Chapter 1: The Tangled Webs We Weave

Tina and Jimmy Jr. sat with their friends Tammy, Zeke, and Jocelyn in the cafeteria. Tammy was flirting with Zeke as she did on a daily basis, Zeke sat staring at Tina and Jimmy Jr. ignoring Tammy's many inappropriate comments and Jocelyn sat there making goo-goo faces at Jimmy Jr. while he wasn't looking. Tina stared at Jimmy Jr. draping her arm around his shoulder. While she stared at her boyfriend Zeke abruptly shouted.

"Okay Tammy! Can you just shut the hell up!? Please!?"

Tammy looked at him, anger very present on her face, and stood, looking down the rows of seats toward Tina.

"Tina, we're leaving. Bye losers.", she said grabbing Tina by the arm and dragging her out of the cafeteria.

"Tammy? What the hell?", Tina said eyeing Tammy.

"Did you hear Zeke? He's never talked to me like that."

"I'm sorry, Tammy. Is there anything I can do?"

Tammy eyed Tina. Tina knew what Tammy wanted to hear, but she didn't want to volunteer. Tina closed her eyes tightly, took a deep breath and looked back at Tammy.

"Tammy...do you want me to talk to Zeke for you?", Tina asked finally.

"Oh! Tina! This is why we're besties!", Tammy shrieked.

"Do you want me to do it now?"

"Duh!", Tammy yelped.

Tina nodded. "I'll be back.", she said, turning back and walking the way she came.

Tina walked to the cafeteria and pushed the doors open. As soon as she stepped inside she saw it. Jimmy Jr. and Jocelyn making out at their table. Zeke nowhere to be seen. Tina's mind went into overdrive.

Tina ran up the aisle of the cafeteria and grabbed Jocelyn's soda from the table and proceeded to dump it on the two of them. Jocelyn screamed and jumped up looking around furiously. Jimmy Jr. looked up in a disgruntled manner until he realized it was Tina. He then stood up and tried to apologize.

Ignoring him Tina ran back up the aisle as the tears streamed down her face. She had to find Tammy. She had to tell Tammy what just happened. She had to tell someone. She had to go home. Running to her locker she grabbed her stuff and ran for the door, texting Tammy as she ran. Between the tears and her text attempts she didn't notice a body ahead of her until the second and then...BOOM! She was lying on the ground, now crying from the pain and her unknown relationship status.

She rubbed her eyes and looked up at the hand extended to her. "Zeke…", she stammered between tears. "What...are...you...doing...here?"

"I left the cafeteria right after you and Tammy. What's wrong Tina girl?", Zeke asked.

"It doesn't matter…", Tina sobbed taking Zeke's hand.

"Aw, come on T-bird. You can talk to me…", Zeke said pulling her up to her feet.

"I caught Jimmy Jr. kissing Jocelyn after I left…", Tina said rubbing her eyes again.

"Oh…"

"Oh?"

"I saw 'em right before I left the cafeteria. It made me kinda mad, so I left. Tried to decide whether or not to go to the gym, but then bumped into you. How you holding up girl?", Zeke asked.

"I dumped a soda on them...I don't know what to do!", Tina screamed, falling back to her knees.

Zeke sat next to her, with a an arm around her waist. "It's gonna be okay girl," he said wiping a tear with his index finger, "You don't deserve to be treated like that."

Tina stared at him, trying to concentrate on something other than her imminent break up. She knew she had to break up with Jimmy Jr. This wasn't the first time he had cheated on her and she knew it wouldn't be the last. So, she closed her eyes and pushed herself off the floor. She took her phone out of her pocket and sent the break up text. She then turned to Zeke.

"I'm going home. Thanks for the pep talk Zeke.", she said walking to the end of the hall and not turning to look back. She closed her eyes once more, forcing back the tears. Jimmy Jr. could just make out with whoever he wanted. She was done putting up with his cheating, sweet talking ass. She turned off her phone and walked home.

xxx

Zeke walked toward his house. He couldn't believe J-Ju cheated on Tina...again. He hated seeing her upset and Jimmy Jr. always cheated on her. From Jocelyn to Julie. It never ended. Zeke didn't know what to do about it. So he just walked home.

Zeke had it tough. He lived with his dad and stepmom. Not knowing his mom was tough on him, but it helped toughen him up. Nothing bothered him now, except Jimmy Jr. and his indecisive games with Tina. Everytime she started to be happy without him he would come crawling back distracting her and winning her love once again. He didn't know how to tell her he loved her, but he knew that she had loved Jimmy Jr. since she was twelve.

I would never treat her like that. I don't have much, but what I do have I would give up to be with her, Zeke thought to himself, but then shook his head. The more he thought about it the madder he got.

Zeke was finally home. He opened the door and walked straight to his room. Pushing the door open he threw his bag on the floor and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He then belly flopped onto his bed and went through all the messages Jimmy Jr. had sent him. All of them about Tina. He shook his head and responded with a simple "I'm busy" then messaged Tina.

He sat there waiting for a response, but nothing. After a few restless minutes he stood up and started pacing the floor. Should he go see her? Should he just leave her alone? Should he just forget everything that happened and go see Jimmy Jr.? With a sigh he decided to go check on Tina and hoped that Jimmy Jr. wouldn't see him.

Zeke tiptoed through the living room, heading for the back door in the kitchen when he bumped into his stepmom.

"Where ya goin'?" She asked.

"Umm...I was gonna go see a girl." Zeke said looking at the floor.

"Oh...well...have fun." She said smiling.

"Bye," Zeke said walking through the kitchen and out the front door.

As he walked he saw Jimmy Jr. riding his bike his way. He paced himself and started walking faster. It wasn't until Jimmy Jr. brought his bike to a skidding stop in front of him that he acknowledged him.

"Zeke, I need to talk to you.", Jimmy Jr. said.

"What's up J-Ju? Can't talk long. Stepmom is sending me to the library and the store for somethings.", Zeke lied looking back at his house.

"I need help with Tina,", Jimmy Jr. began, "I don't know how to get her back."

"Maybe you should just leave her alone. Give her some time.", Zeke responded.

"I can't do that. Everytime I do she ends up talking to Josh or noone and just ignores me. I mean she broke up with me. She always comes back...right?", Jimmy Jr. said.

Zeke felt the anger building up. The reliance Jimmy Jr. had on Tina's forgiveness always made him angry. He never wanted Tina until he no longer had her. Zeke tried to calm himself down, but knew that he was going to upset Jimmy Jr. with his honesty.

"Why don't you...I don't know...not cheat on her? You know pay attention to her? Love her?" Zeke said hearing the edge in his voice as he said it.

"Excuse me?", Jimmy Jr. gawked, eyes filled with shock.

"You need to make up your mind about what you want. She deserves someone who only wants her. Not someone who has her, but wants to kiss everyone else.", Zeke said.

Jimmy Jr. snickered, "Someone like you?"

Zeke glared at him. "You know, I felt bad for lovin' her, until I saw how you kept screwin' her over."

"It's whatever. I want her back even if that means I have to fight for her." Jimmy Jr. said.

"I'm not fighting you. I thought you were my friend, but I guess I was wrong. See ya around, idiot." Zeke said turning to walk away.

Zeke walked the rest of the way to the restaurant and looked in the window. He saw her. She and her siblings were all sitting at a table doing their homework. Occasionally Louise would stand up and whack Gene in the head with a pencil and then start howling with laughter. She'd then sit back down and focus on the paper sitting in front of her. Tina looked somber as she stared at the paper on the table.

Zeke tried his hardest, but couldn't bring himself to open the door. He then turned back toward his house and began walking. On his way home he saw Jimmy Jr. riding up to his Jimmy Pesto's. He then got off his bike looked at Zeke, smirked, and flipped him off.

xxx

It had been two days since she ended it with Jimmy Jr. her crush since middle school. They had been through more than any couple should. She had caught him cheating seven times since they got together their freshman year of high school. She always forgave him and ignored the feeling she had in the pit of her stomach that it would happen again. She hadn't mentioned her break up to her family, but they suspected something was wrong.

Jimmy Jr. had sent her forty-nine messages apologizing and making empty promises that she knew he wouldn't keep. So, she ignored them, deleting each one as they came through. She knew that if she read them she would let him back in, but she wouldn't let that happen again. It was time for her to tell her family.

At dinner that night she sat quietly waiting for the right time. Her family sat talking about their Sunday events. Everything from Louise's date with Logan to her mom dropping her cell phone in the restaurant deep fryer. After everyone talked about their day, they stared at Tina. Tina sat feeling awkward.

"How ya doin' honey?", Linda asked.

"I'm...okay…", Tina said scooting peas across her plate. "Jimmy Jr. and I broke up."

"What!?", Linda exclaimed. "Aww, my poor baby! What happened?"

"I caught him making out with Jocelyn. In the cafeteria.", Tina responded shortly.

"Isn't that like the hundredth time he's cheated on you?", Louise asked.

"Yes...which is why I was hoping you and Gene could be my school bodyguards. You know...keep Jimmy Jr. away from me. I know that if he and I talk we'll get back together," Tina said still staring at her unfinished peas, which began to take the form of a horse on her plate.

"Tina...no offense, but you know that I don't like to get involved in your love life," Louise said shrugging her shoulders, "but...since you're my favorite sister...I suppose I can be offense and defense."

"I'm your only sister and thank you.", Tina said standing and hugging her sister who was struggling to get out of her arms.

"I've got your back also, T!", Gene yelled as his phone rang. "Oh it's Courtney. I'll be back."

Tina looked at her mother who hadn't said anything, but stared at her eldest daughter. Tina cleared the table as her mom continued to sit there.

"Tina honey...please sit down.", Linda said. "Honey...why do you let Jimmy Jr. treat you like this?"

"I've like-liked him since I first saw him mom. It's not like I enjoy feeling like my heart is being ripped out," Tina said as she felt tears running down her face.

"Tina…", Linda said grabbing her daughter's hand.

"I'm okay mom," Tina began taking a deep breath. "I just need to go lie down."

"Okay honey." Linda said getting up and clearing the remainder of the items off the table.

Tina walked into her room and flung her body on the bed. She then picked up her still vibrating phone from the nightstand. Twenty more messages. She shook her head and deleted them. After deleting the messages she saw where Zeke had texted her the other day while her phone was off.

Tina sighed and sent Zeke an apology text for not responding. Not even a minute later her phone buzzed with a response. She sighed again and laid her phone on back on the nightstand, closed her eyes and fell asleep.