Knives & Pens

Pandora listened to the dial tone as she called Ashley, she was tapping her fingers on the steering wheel apprehensively. Is he even going to answer? Pandora thought, then suddenly the dial tone stopped and a voice came through.
“Hello?” Said Ashley’s voice on the other line, Pandora felt her heart skip a beat.
“Hey Ash, what’s up?” Pandora said, trying to act normal and not break down in tears, which she feared would come. She felt her eyes burning a bit and her throat beginning to tighten.
“Nothing much, cleaning up the house a bit. What about you?”
“I just got off work, and I’m sitting in the car in the parking lot.” Pandora told him, slightly giggling at the end.
“At least your not driving and talking on the phone, I’d have to hurt you for doing that. It’s dangerous.”
“Yeah I’m not like that,” Pandora said, then she bit her bottom lip and looked down, she needed to tell him now. “Hey um, do you remember that night back in January?”
Ashley was quiet for a bit. “Um, depends. Help me out?”
“A few days before your birthday, you took me out for a bit and then that happened between us..” Pandora said, feeling her heart beating fast.
“Oh yeah, I remember that. Why?”
Pandora bit her bottom lip. “Um.. Well. I’m pregnant..”
Ashley was quiet for the longest time it seemed like, Pandora waited impatiently for an answer and began to wonder if he passed out or hung up.
“Oh fuck..” Ashley said, he sounded completely shocked. “Oh wow.. Wait, are you sure it’s mine and not Collin’s?”
“Yes I’m sure it’s yours, you’re the only one..”
“Oh fuck.” Ashley said again, Pandora was silent, not knowing what to say. “Does Collin know?”
“Not yet.”
“Does Andy know?”
“No he doesn’t.”
“He’s going to kill me, I mean literally kill me.” Ashley said, Pandora didn’t even think of how Andy would react when she tells him.
“I’m sorry..” That was the only thing Pandora could think to say, this was a little bit awkward for her honestly.
“How far along are you?”
“The doctor says I must be at least three months along.” Pandora replied, he was silent for a while.
“How did this even happen, I used protection!”
Pandora shrugged her shoulders even though Ashley couldn’t see. “I have no idea.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah just nervous, what about you?”
“I’m alright, just shocked out of my mind at the moment but besides that, I’m fine. When are you going to tell Collin?” Ashley said, Pandora bit her bottom lip.
“I’m going to call him next..”
“Need any help with that?” Ashley asked, at least he was trying to be helpful. Pandora smiled.
“No I got it, I just don’t want him to be mad at me or think I cheated..”
“You didn’t cheat, you weren’t even dating him then and didn’t even know him.” Ashley told her, Pandora smiled softly.
“Thanks Ash.”
“Don’t think bad of yourself, don’t think you did anything wrong. It happens. And I’ll be there with every decision.” Ashley told her, that made a huge smile form across her face.
“Thanks Ashley, means a lot.”
“Hey I am the father, I want to at least say ‘yeah I was with your mom every step of the way.” Ashley told her, Pandora giggled.
“So does that mean you want to keep the baby?”
Ashley was silent for a bit. “I guess it does. What do you want to do?”
“Keep it..”
“Then that’s what we’ll do if your sure, I’m not going to run.”
“Promise?”
“Girl please, I swear.” Ashley said, Pandora smiled.
“Thanks Ash, well um, I’m going to call Collin now..”
“Good luck with that and hey if he says anything out of the way, you call me and I will hunt him down for you.” Ashley said.
“Will do.”
“Do you want to tell Andy or do you want me?”
“I want to see you tell him so if he attacks you I can watch, but I’ll tell him so I can keep him tame.” Pandora said, Ashley laughed.
“Yeah, I might be sleeping with one eye open for the next few days. I might be most wanted.” Ashley joked, Pandora laughed.
“I’ll call you soon okay?”
“I’ll wait for the phone call.”
“Bye Ash.”
“Bye Pandora.”
The phone call ended and Pandora sighed in relief, he took it better than she thought he would. She dialed Collin’s number next and on the third ring he answered.
“Hey babe.”
“Hey, what’s up?” Pandora said, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her.
“Just walked in the door babe, what about you?”
“Nothing much,” Pandora said, she counted to three in her head and decided to tell him. “Collin, I have to tell you something.”
“Alright go ahead.”
“Promise me you won’t get mad?” Pandora asked him.
“I promise, what’s up?”
Pandora was silent for a few seconds, she felt completely horrible. “I’m.. I’m pregnant.”
“Pregnant?! What, how?! We haven’t done it.” Collin said loudly in shock, Pandora closed her eyes tightly.
“I got pregnant before we got together..”
Collin was quiet for a few seconds, but then he said. “By who?”
“Ashley..” Pandora replied, feeling a trail of wetness running down her cheek. She wiped the tears away quickly.
“Oh wow.. I didn’t expect this.” Collin said, Pandora felt completely guilty.
“I’m so sorry.”
“No don’t be sorry babe, it happened before we were together. No harm done. I’m shocked and I didn’t expect it, but I’m not going anywhere.” Collin said.
Pandora didn’t expect for him to be so supportive and he was, he said he understood it and he was going to help out the best he could. Even if his girlfriend was carrying another man’s baby, but it was before they were dating. He couldn’t be mad over something that happened before they were together, she didn’t hurt him nor betray him in any way. Once Pandora returned home she heard Andy in the kitchen, the sound of pans and pots echoed through the house and Pandora rushed to the kitchen to see what was going on. She saw Andy sitting in the floor looking through the cabinets, pulling pots and pans out, searching for something.
“What are you doing?” Pandora said, Andy looked up at her.
“Looking for a certain pot and I can’t find it.”
Pandora laughed. “What kind of pot?”
“It’s the medium size one, and I guess it grew pot legs and ran away because it’s not here.”
Pandora laughed and approached him, leaning down and picking up the pot he was looking for.
“Is this it?”
Andy looked at her. “How in the.. Are you serious?! I didn’t see that, what the hell, am I going blind?” Andy said, he started to put the pots and pans back into the cabinets.
“I guess you are.” Pandora replied, Andy stood up after he had cleaned up his mess and smiled.
“Would I look hot in glasses?”
Pandora looked at him and nodded. “Yeah, honestly you would.”
“Damn right I would, I’d look hot in anything.”
Pandora laughed and shook her head side to side. “What’s for dinner?”
“Everything! I’m going to grab everything we have, put it in a big pot and cook it and we’ll see what we get.”
“Ew, no let’s not do that.” Pandora said, Andy crossed his arms.
“Do you have a better idea?”
Pandora looked at the counter and saw a box of spaghetti noodles and a jar of sauce, she looked back at Andy and smiled.
“We should have spaghetti.”
“Okay, that is a better idea than mine.” Andy said, he set the pot on the stove and grabbed the sauce jar, turning the lid and pouring the sauce into the pot and turning on the stove.
“Oh and we should have garlic toast to go with it.” Pandora said, sitting at the bar.
“Do I look like a chef to you? Help me out.” Andy said, Pandora laughed.
“Garlic toast goes in before the noodles and sauce are done, so I can’t do that right now.”
“Who told you that?”
“No one did, my mom just always did it so I learned from it.” Pandora said, Andy nodded and smiled.
“Okay yeah, I can understand that one.”
Pandora smiled and the smile slowly faded when she realized she needed to tell Andy, but how. Maybe she should hint around? “Hey Andy.”
“Hey Pandora.”
Pandora laughed, he was such in a good mood for some reason. “No I meant hey as in I need to talk to you.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that. Wait, give me a second chance. Do it again.”
Pandora rolled her eyes with a smile. “Hey Andy.”
“What’s up?” Andy said, Pandora tried so hard not to laugh.
“What would you say if Ashley was involved with one of your other best friends?”
“Like a girl best friend?” Andy asked, Pandora shook her head.
“Well yeah of course.”
“Oh, would my girl best friend be hot?” Andy asked, Pandora knew he was just going to continue to mess with her. Unless he was serious.
“Um, I couldn’t consider her hot.”
“What do you mean by involved? Like a kiss, dating, or more than a kiss.”
“More than a kiss.” Pandora replied.
“Well, I’d tell Ashley if he hurt her I’d kill him and if he done something she didn’t want to do I’d kill him and you know just things like that.”
“Good answer, what if she became pregnant?” Pandora asked, Andy thought.
“I’d probably be there for her, you know like a best friend would be. I’d talk to Ashley calmly, and I’d tell him if he even tries to just sneak away or not support her or the child I will beat some sense into him.”
Pandora bit her bottom lip and rubbed her hands together. “What if I told you I was pregnant?”
Andy looked at her with a serious expression, then he laughed. “Your not serious are you?”
“Yeah, I’m serious.”
The laughter stopped and Andy just looked at her in shock, he didn’t know what to say. “By Collin?”
Pandora shook her head side to side. “No, by Ashley.”
“What?!”
Pandora took a deep breath. “I got pregnant by Ashley before I met Collin.”
“What?! When in the hell did this happen?! How did this happen?! Wait, I know how it happened of course, but what?!” Andy said loudly, Pandora knew he was freaking out.
“Remember that night I left with Ashley to hang out, and I didn’t come back until two?” Pandora asked, Andy nodded. “That’s when..”
“Oh my god, does he know?”
“Yeah I told him when I left work.” Pandora replied, Andy ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes were widen in shock and his heart was beating fast for an unknown reason.
“How far along are you?”
“Three months.” Pandora replied.
“Does Collin know?” Andy asked, Pandora nodded. “Did he say anything out of the way?”
“No, he was actually calm about it and said he understood and was going to help.”
Andy stared at Pandora for the longest time, then he made his way around the island and hugged her tightly. He stroked her hair and held her tight, he smiled softly.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah I’m okay, what about you?” Pandora said.
“I’m just shocked, I didn’t expect Ashley. But honestly, I’m glad it was him because I know him better and I know where he lives.” Andy said, Pandora laughed.
Pandora hugged him tighter, burying her face into his neck. “You aren’t mad?”
“No I’m not mad, I can’t be mad at you nor Ash. I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose, but Pandora I want you to know something. I may be in a band, I may be a celebrity but I want you to know that you can stay here as long as you want. And if you ever need anything, even if it’s money, you let me know. I’m serious.” Andy told her, Pandora smiled.
“Thanks Andy.”
Andy pulled back and looked at her. “We should finish cooking dinner, because I’m really hungry.”
Pandora giggled. “I agree.”
“Your going to help.”
“Damn, thought I could get off of that one.” Pandora said, Andy smirked.
“Oh no, now fill the pot with water and put it on the stove and put the stove on high.”
“I know how to boil water Andrew.” Pandora said, grabbing the pot and filling it with water.
“Stop calling me Andrew! Hey, if the baby is a boy can he be named after me?”
Pandora laughed and put the pot on the stove. “Talk to Ash about that one.”
“Oh I will.” Andy said, Pandora laughed and they started to cook dinner together..

Notes