"Congrats!" I couldn't help but squeal, bringing Pete in for a hug. He gratefully hugged me back, swaying us back and forth lightly.

"Thank you, Ky," He said, and we pulled away. I sniffled, holding back my tears, and Pete noticed my face. "What's wrong?" He asked, and I shook my head.

Oh, nothing. Just emotions I'm feeling with this pregnancy is all, I wanted to say. 

"It's stupid." I wiped my cheeks, hoping my makeup wasn't smearing. He furrowed his eyebrows, before leaning back and whispering something to his new husband, Darren. Darren nodded, and Pete grabbed my hand, pulling me away from the rest of the reception.

"Nothing is stupid, Kiya. Tell me, what's bothering you?" He asked, giving me a concerned look.

"It's not things that are necessarily wrong, Pete. I'm just genuinely super happy for you. You've came out, turned your entire life around and now you're super happy. I would've never imagined that this is where you'd be the first day I met you." I gushed, laughing slightly at my humility. This is embarrassing. Although I wasn't lying about being happy for Pete, part of why I'm so emotional can be considered bad, but I can't tell him. Not yet, anyway.

"It feels like it was just yesterday that I gave you that piggy back ride to Natalie's, when we first met. Or a little after, at least." He whispered, rubbing his thumbs along my palms. "I took your friendship for granted then, Kiya."

"Oh, please! I think everyone took everyone for granted back then, even me." I mumbled.

"Well, you still continued to come around, and all. I wish we could've gotten closer than we had, but I was a stupid frat boy that was just trying to fit in, then," He said sadly, and I shook my head instantly.

"Don't get all upsetti spaghetti at your own wedding, Pete. I didn't mean to bring the mood down."

"I'm not, I'm not. But please come around more, I'm not the same person I was years ago." He smiled at me.

"I will, I need the friends anyway," I said. "At least all the friends I can get."

"Another thing. I planned on pulling you to the side and talking to you about this later but since we're already privately talking now I thought I'd take the chance." Pete stood up straighter. "I want to personally apologize to you about Teddy hurting you. It was my fault, I told him all those things making him think he wasn't good enough for you."

"I know, he told me," I responded.

"Right." He nodded. "Well none of it was true. I just didn't want you to get hurt again. After the whole Nash thing, then Teddy getting arrested and ignoring you the first time I thought you'd had enough. I figured if I told him to stay away from you and whatnot he'd listen and things would be better off. But I guess it didn't help that you guys ran into each other in the store," He explained.

"Yeah," I whispered, feeling my chest tighten up.

"But Kiya, Teddy likes you. Hell, I think he even loves you." He gripped the side of my arms lightly. "You guys belong together. The moment you guys met it was like Teddy forgot who he was. He didn't want to be with Brooke anymore, and he barely even knew you then. When he saw Nash the first time he got jealous. When Nash hurt you, he wanted to hurt him. Before him and I got into our fight he told me all these things about you, even when you guys weren't talking you were literally all he talked about. When we caught up with each other he told me about how Michael broke your heart too, and how he was there for you through it all. He wants to make up for all those times he hurt you, and even try to fix you with that happened with other people."

"You can't just fix people, Pete," I whispered, tears building up in my eyes again. "I mean, I'm really fucking broken. I can't go anywhere alone, I make sure when I'm even working at the pet store someone's working there with me. I almost dropped out of college, Pete. All the things I've worked up to be in life have been shattered because of some stupid college party. Teddy doesn't want someone like that. He wants someone who can do things on her own and can live her own life without worrying that-that guy's going to find her." Pete pulled me into his chest as I sobbed, but continued to rant. "He needs someone who isn't so broken she has to have someone in the house with her at all times, who doesn't have to worry about things like that. Someone who isn't fucking pregnant with her harassers baby!" It came out muffled, but Pete froze at my words.

He pulled me away from his chest, looking at me. "Y-you're pregnant?" He asked.

"Yes and I haven't told anyone but my parents, Natalie and now you. I don't know how to tell Teddy." I cried, and Pete wiped away my tears.

"He's going to love you no matter what, Kiya. He isn't the way he used to be. He's matured. He doesn't want someone like Brooke, he wants you, with all of your baggage," He said, his words immediately calming me down for some reason. "He knows you didn't just run out and sleep with anyone, and he might be confused at first but he'll understand."

"I don't want to get hut again, Pete- I don't think I can handle it again." I choked on a sob, before taking in a deep breath.

"He's wanting to do anything but that, Ky. He doesn't ever want to see you hurt like this, ever," He said. "Besides you, I know him better than almost anyone. You've helped him become a better person."

I pulled completely out of his grip, wiping my cheeks again. Luckily I noticed that I didn't get makeup all over Pete's tux, and he silently helped me fix my makeup. "I didn't mean to say any of this to ruin the mood, or make this night about you, when I know that that's the complete opposite of what you want, but I do know I'm partial reason you and Teddy aren't together right now and I want to see my best friend happy."

Nodding, I began to process everything he was saying.

"Both... of my best friends happy." He added after I hadn't said anything, and I sent him a small smile.

"Thank you, Pete."

"Go out there and ask him to dance, talk to him. I think he's looking for you anyway." I turned, looking through the small door windows to see Teddy standing by the food and drinks looking around for someone.

"Alright, thank you again," I said.

"Tell him about that, too. He needs to know, especially given how close you two are and I don't want to beating yourself up over it." He gave me two pats on the back as we walked back into the reception, him running off to find Darren.

Slowly making my way past people who were in their own little worlds, I felt my face begin to heat up as Teddy noticed me, setting his drink down on the table and beginning to walk toward me.

"Hey, I've been looking for you are you alright?" He asked. "Your cheeks are puffy, have you been crying?"

"Dance with me," I spoke as I completely ignored his questions, and his eyebrows furrowed but he obliged anyway, taking my hand and walking us toward the dance floor.

We began to dance to the slow song, my head on his chest as we danced together. I could hear his heartbeat, and I momentarily shut my eyes as I gathered my thoughts.

"I wasn't expecting you to wear a dress like this," He admitted, and I looked up at him.

"I wasn't either," I mumbled. If it were up to me I'd have worn a much tighter dress, considering that's my usual clothing. Well, my clothing from three or so months ago anyway.

"Everything okay? You seem off, you've been I don't know, hesitant around me lately." Teddy stated as we stopped dancing.

"I don't know if here is the best place to tell you." I admitted, pulling my hands away from his. Glancing behind me, I saw Natalie watching us closely as she danced with Michael, then I glanced at Pete who nodded at me to tell him. "But it seems it's the time."

"Time for what? Kiya you're scaring me," Teddy whispered as I grabbed his hand and pulled him off of the dance floor area. I made sure we were out of ear shot of anyone who could possibly spread the news, and I took in a shaky breath.

"This is going to be really hard to tell you, and it's going to be shocking and I don't know exactly how to say it, but-"

"Say it, Kiya." Teddy cut me off.

"When I was in the hospital, I was given some news," I started. "Well, it was when I went for check ups after the incident. I told the doctor not to tell anyone else, I didn't want anyone to know."

"What is it? Is something wrong?" He asked.

"I-"

"She's pregnant, dummy. Hard not to miss, but to each their own." A familiar voice spoke and I turned, seeing the blonde beauty I hated all four years of high school.

Ashley Swift.

--

bruh i listened to 'the night we met' (the song from 13rw) as i was writing the scene with pete and kiya and im CRYING

also were u expecting any of this lmao cause i wasn't.