My Saving Grace

Mindset

Rachel's POV

"Pete, you're gonna end up setting the house, and possibly the neighbor's house, on fire," I said as I watched him walk out from the house with roman candles in hand.

"No, I'm not," He replied, setting down the explosives.

I folded my arms across my chest, "Dude, I swear, if you set this house on fire, I'm going to set you on fire."

"Why would you d - "

"Pete! No fireworks!" Jess yelled from inside the house. She was looking out the window from the kitchen, observing Pete's every move. Chances were, he'd done this before.

Pete groaned and picked up the explosives, "She's such a bitch."

"I heard you," Jess sang.

"Good!"

"You two are like little children, knock it off," I laughed, helping Pete pick up the backyard. "Why are you and Jess like that anyway?"

"I dunno. You put two smartasses in a room and that is the outcome," He shrugged, walking into the house. "She's like a sister to me, so I'm obviously joking when I say half the shit I do."

"Awww, Petey, you're like the brother I never wanted," Jess smiled before playfully shoving him.

Pete just grinned and walked into the other room to go put his fireworks away.

"So, when is Patrick getting home?" I asked, sitting at the little breakfast bar. I grabbed an apple and took a bite out of it. I loved apples so much.

Pete came up from behind me and snatched it out of my hand before taking a bite out of it. "Delicious," He spoke with his mouth full.

"Stop talking with your mouth full. It's so gross!" I said, slapping his arm.

"Patrick should be home around three. Why?" Jess answered as she glared at Pete for taking my apple.

"I wanna ask him if I can go with you guys to Cali," I smiled, snatching the apple back from Pete.

"You don't need to ask him! Of course you're coming with us! We weren't just gonna leave you, silly," Jess laughed.

"Oh, I didn't know you were going."

"Of course I'm going. I'm not passing up an opportunity to spend a month or two in Cali," She said, shaking her head.

"Patrick just never mentioned the trip to Cali on the way here..." I said quietly, toying with my ring.

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, but Pete blew it," She answered, glaring at Pete.

"Whatever," He replied, rolling his beautiful, hazel eyes. Wait, Rachel, snap out of it! I mentally slapped myself across the face. I had told myself that I would not let myself get involved with anyone at least until this baby comes out.

"So, when are we leaving?"

"Friday."

"I need to pack!" I yelled, scrambling to the stairs. Friday was in four days. I needed to get all of my stuff back together into my bags. I went through the closet, finding my luggage and immediately starting tearing off my clothes from the hangers.

"What are you doing?" I heard a familiar voice come from behind me.

My head snapped towards the door, smiling when I saw who it was it, "I'm packing for California, Joe! Wanna help?"

"Um...not really."

"Thank you, Joe," I said, rolling my eyes. "Can you at least give me that bag over there?"

"Over where?"

"Over - "

"Here!" Pete yelled, jumping onto Joe's back, obviously catching Joe off guard. Joe struggled to keep his balance as Pete wrapped his arms around Joe's chest, holding on for dear life. "If you drop me, I will set off smoke bombs in your room tonight."

"Get the fuck off of me, Pete!" Joe yelled, desperately trying to get Pete to let go. He backed up to the bed and fell on top of Pete. "I'll be awaiting those smoke bombs."

"You better," Pete said, sitting up. "Now, get Rae her bag."

Joe walked over to where my bag was sitting and picked it up, throwing it at Pete with all his strength. I laughed loudly as the bag collided with Pete's head, causing him to fall backwards onto the bed.

"Oh my fucking Christ, Joe!" I choked out, clutching my stomach as I laughed.

"I'm going to kill you!" Pete yelled, running after Joe, who ran as soon as the word 'I'm' left Pete's lips.

I rolled on the floor as profanities were heard throughout the house. I was gonna pee myself, I was laughing so hard.

Joe and Pete ran by the room again before running down the stairs. I heard a loud crash, followed by Jess shrieking. They broke something.

I ran down the stairs and saw a plate of nachos all over the carpet. Well, that was why Jess shrieked. A lamp was knocked over, the glass from the bulb scattered all over the carpet. I walked further into the living room and saw Pete sitting on top of Joe's head. Dear God, poor Joe.

"I'm going to kill you both," Jess pouted, picking up her fallen nacho plate. I felt bad for her. I mean, they knocked over her nachos.

"Et uff!" Muffled screams were coming from under Pete's ass.

"What?" Pete asked, looking down.

"Et uff!!" Joe yelled again.

I walked over to Pete and shoved him off, "Move. You're hurting Joe."

"Thank you, Rae!" Joe gasped, getting up to hug me. He squeezed me tightly. So tightly, I didn't think I could breathe.

"No problem, Broseph. Now, come help me pack," I smiled before turning to the stairs.

"Do I have to?" He whined.

"Yes. I saved you from Pete's ass. You owe me," I replied, not bothering to turn around.

***

"Pete, I don't wanna go," I whined as we sat in Chicago traffic. He was taking me to my doctors appointment. I didn't want him to, but he was the only one that could. Joe was 'too tired to come', Jess was waiting for Patrick to get back from wherever the fuck he was, and Andy...I still hadn't met Andy.

"You've got to," He said, turning to me as we inched towards a red light.

"I don't have to."

"Do you want a healthy baby or not?"

I glared at him before turning to face forward, crossing my arms in the process. I wasn't ready to have a baby with the way I was acting. I was seriously a huge cry baby, if not the biggest.

"Also, do you want to find out who's kid it is?" He asked, bringing up a painful subject.

"No," I mumbled, staring out the window. I knew it was Jack's. All the facts added up.

"I know you secretly do," He said, poking my side.

I didn't jump. I didn't crack a smile. I just sat there staring out the window, watching everything flash by. I didn't want to know, because I already knew.

"Cheer up, prissy pants," He spoke as we pulled into a parking lot.

"I fucking can't, okay? The one thing I want to do the most is forget my past, but I'll always have a strong fucking reminder of it! I'll have to look my past in the eyes every single day of my entire life!" I yelled at him as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Rachel..." He said softly.

"Forget Wentz, let's just go," I snapped, wiping my face dry. I looked like shit, but hey, I felt like shit.

I climbed out of the car, slamming the door. I walked to the large building, not bothering to wait for Pete.

"Hey! Wait up!" Pete yelled, running to catch up with me.

"What?" I asked, turning around.

"I'm here for you, no matter what," He smiled lightly at me.

I forced a smile before turning back around to walk into the large doctors building.

*

Thirty minutes past my appointment time I had been sitting in the waiting room. Thirty goddamn minutes of listening to Pete go on about how bad it must hurt to have something the size of a bowling pin come out of your pelvis. I was not happy. The doctor was running late. He/she was probably out golfing.

"Pete?"

"What?"

"Shut up before I make you," I growled.

"Rachel Woods?" A woman asked, looking down at a chart. "You can come back now."

"Fucking finally," I sighed, getting up and walking back to the small room. Pictures of fetus' and pregnant bellies were posted on the walls. It was kinda disgusting.

Pete strolled in behind the doctor. Oh, great.

"Hi, Rachel, I'm Doctor Ryan," The woman smiled at me. Great, my doctor's last name was Ryan. Awesome. More memories I would have to face.

"Hey, Doc," I smiled, sitting on the bed thing. The paper that they laid on top of the bed ripped underneath of me, causing Pete to laugh a little. I shot him a glare.

He coughed, trying to regain his composure.

"So, honey, you're pregnant?"

No. I came here to talk about pudding.

"Yes," I replied flatly. Pete chuckled at the woman's ignorance. "I want to find out how far along I am, and I need medicine."

"Well, how old are you?" She asked, looking at a clipboard.

"Eighteen," I lied.

"Is this the babies daddy?" She asked, turning to Pete.

"Oh, I - "

"Yes," Pete replied.

Doctor Ryan nodded before exiting the room for a second.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I whisper-yelled at him. He told her that he was my boyfriend. I didn't understand why, but he did. He better have a fantastic explanation for that.

"Look, they're gonna want to know all this shit about who you live with, who to call when blah blah blah. I don't want them knowing that you ran away, because, in case you didn't know, ru -" He whispered, but was soon interrupted.

A female nurse cleared her throat, "Hi, Rachel? We're gonna take an ultrasound. That cool with you?"

I nodded my head and stood up, following her out of the room and down a long hallway. She opened a door at the end of the hall. The room was dark, and machines were everywhere. I didn't want to go in.

Pete shoved me inside the room. Supportive boyfriend.

I glared at him as I took a seat on another bed type thing. Another nurse came in and told me to lift up my shirt so she could apply some gel thing to my stomach. This was highly awkward, especially with Pete sitting in the corner just staring at me.

He had feelings for me. I knew it.

"So, sweetie, how'd you figure out you were pregnant?" The nurse asked, trying to make conversation.

"I started throwing up a lot, and I just got a bad feeling about it, so I went out and got a pregnancy test. And, yeah..." I laughed nervously. Pete just continued staring at my stomach.

"So, how'd you take the news?" The nurse asked Pete.

"I can honestly say that I didn't believe it," He spoke, turning his attention to the monitor.

A little blob popped up onto the screen. "That is your baby," The nurse smiled at Pete and I.

My breath caught in my throat. It was so beautiful, even though it was teeny-tiny.

"H - how far along is s - she?" Pete stuttered out, his eyes still fixated on the little blob.

"Three months," She smiled.

It was Jack's. Jack Bassam Barakat was going to be a daddy, while Alexander William Gaskarth thought he was going to be one. Alex would have that hanging over his head for the rest of his life, while Jack wouldn't.

I made a huge mistake.

♠ ♠ ♠

title credit:// mindset - every avenue.

so, it's 5AM, and i still haven't gone to sleep. if there are any mistakes, whether they be major, or minor, just blame it on my lack of sleep.

i'm going to bed now. goodnight loves. x.