Settling Down [KJ Apa]

Chapter Twelve

"Because I'm pregnant."

Seeing Cole almost spitting out his coffee, Lili grabbing onto the kitchen table to avoid fainting, and Keneti's mouth just falling open, is quite amusing.

"You're what now?" Cole asks surprised, breaking the silence.

"Pregnant, knocked up, bun in the oven, however you want to call it."

I put my now empty mug down and glance at all three of them. Even though their stance has changed by now, I can see the wheels turning behind their eyes.

"How far along are you?" Lili asks.

I feel my stomach drop and the air getting denser. Memories are coming back, and they're not the good ones. I need to sit down immediately before I faint.

So, I walk out the kitchen and into the lounge room, sitting down in the loveseat in front of the fireplace. My hand involuntarily travels to my lower belly, softly caressing the fabric of my T-shirt.

"So?" Lili softly speaks, taking the only seat next to me.

I glance around to my friends sitting around me. I know I need to tell them, especially now. I need support.

"I had a miscarriage last year." I stare down, pushing hard to fight the tears, "Him and I weren't really trying, but we were overjoyed when we found out. About 22 weeks into the pregnancy, I felt these sharp pains and we rushed to hospital." A tear rolls down my face, "Hearing that you've miscarried, that's the most heartbreaking thing."

I dry my tears off onto the sleeves of my sweatshirt, "I'm about 22 weeks along now. Doctor says it should all be fine. But I don't believe it until I've passed the mark."

"Oh, Gee..." Lili sighs, "I wish I'd known."

"Does he know?" Keneti spits, and I know what's going through his mind.

"Yes, he knows." I playfully snap at him, rolling my eyes, "You don't need to go all protective on me now."

"So what do you want us to do?" Cole speaks up.

"Just be here for me. Honestly, it's been the hardest for me to have Freddie on tour and Bree on the other side of the world."

"Of course." Lili says smiling, wrapping me up in a side hug, "Of course we'll be here for you."

The only thing clearly audible are the smoldering coals of the fire from last night. I glance over to the other couch, seeing both Cole and Keneti look at each other, trying to use their imaginary mind link for no apparent reason.

"Can I see the nursery?" Lili asks, breaking my gaze away from the boys.

I nod to her, grabbing her hand and pulling her up with me. We climb up the stairs and I lead her down the corridor to the last few doors. I take a deep breath as my hand rests on the door on the right. I push the door open, revealing the light green walls and the black crib in front of the hand painted trees.

"We chose green, because we didn't want to know the gender the first time around." I explain as Lili wanders in, taking it all in.

"It's beautiful, Gee." She smiles at me, but it's not a happy smile.

"What's on your mind, Lil?" I cross my arms, "I can see the wheels turning."

"Why didn't you tell us?" She asks, "The first time around, I mean. It must've been so hard, dealing with everything."

"Well..." I frown, thinking back of those times, "I got pregnant only a few months after the premiere of-- you know -- and well, you all kinda made it obvious you didn't really want anything to do with me at that time. So I just-- kept to myself..."

I don't really want to tell her the whole truth, because how do you tell someone your boyfriend just didn't want you to talk to them?

"Oh, my god... Gee, no... We wanted to reach out, honestly. But we saw what the movie did with KJ. He was devastated. Devastated of how he could've missed the signs of your true feelings. We just knew he would've done something drastic if he knew we were in contact with you. And with drastic, I mean taking our phones and stalk you with messages."

"Hey, I get it." Her shoulders slump down, "Keneti and I never truly talked about the film and its repercussions. Not even now."

"Really? But you guys seem so close?"

"We are, kinda. As friends."

"Okay, Georgia." She grins, "I think it was you who said you two could never be just friends. Wasn't that the whole point of the movie?"

"Oh, shut up." I huff with a small smile, feeling the heat creep up my cheeks.

I slowly take a few steps towards the crib and rest my lower back against it. I watch how Lili is still mesmerized by the room as she walks to the window.

"The boys are outside." She states, nodding towards the window, "I wonder what they're talking about."

"Food."

"Or women."

"Or fantasy football."

She glances over at me and we both burst out laughing. Laughter slowly dies down as Lili joins me at the crib.

"I hope we can move past all of this though." I tell her, looking down at my feet, "I'd really like for all of you to be in my life again, permanently."

"Of course, Gee! We wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Lili wraps her arms around my neck as I tighten the grip around her waist. She loosens the grip though, realising there's a growing baby inbetween us.

"What are you two hugging about?" Cole chimes in.

I glance towards the two men standing at the door and smiling at us.

"We're just hugging." I shrug as Lili says, "Sometimes we just need a hug."

"I think my hugs are still better though." Keneti grins wickedly, opening his arms and walking up to me.

"No... Keneti, don't you dare."
I take a few steps back, laughing at him.

"Aw, George. Why don't you want a hug from me?"

"I want one, but not when you're charging at me like that." I smile at him.

He stops walking towards me and just opens his arms with a wide grin on his face.

I reciprocate the smile, taking the few steps towards him and let him pull me close to him. His chin rests on the top of my head as I wrap my arms tightly around his waist.

"I'll always be here for you, George." He whispers against my hair, loud enough for only me to hear.

And I, well, I totally trust him.

•••

Hey you guys!

I am so sorry you always have to wait for an update with this story... But don't worry, I'm not giving up!
I've recently started working as a teacher full time which means my schedule is pretty full. Next to that I'm still trying to graduate (I can work and not graduate just yet). That's on the schedule for next week.

It is truly heartwarming to read the comments you guys leave, encouraging me to update, thus to write on. Please continue with that. Otherwise it'll end up on the bottom shelf of priorities, and I don't want that to happen.

Anyways. This story has been through a lot of changes (to come) and I hope you'll bear with me. These changes take a lot of time to write and research.

I hope you enjoyed it and I'm off to write the next parts!

- Tess