Knives & Pens

Ashley heard a loud knock on his front door Friday afternoon, he got up from the couch and approached the front door. He turned the door knob and pulled it open, seeing Andy standing there, Ashley immediately noticed Andy’s facial expression and knew he did not look too happy.
“Hey man, what’s up?” Ashley said, trying not to sound too apprehensive. Which he was, he knew Andy knew Pandora was pregnant now, by him.
“We need to talk.” Andy replied seriously, Ashley felt his throat begin to turn dry. He nodded and stepped back a bit to let Andy inside, Andy stepped inside and heard Ashley close the door behind him.
“Talk about what?” Ashley asked him, Andy turned to face Ashley.
“You know what Ash!” Andy snapped, Ashley swallowed hard. “Why didn’t you tell me you slept with Pandora?”
“Andy I’m sorry, it just happened.”
“It just happened? That’s all, but you still didn’t tell me!” Andy snapped, Ashley knew he needed to calm him down.
“I know I should have told you but I didn’t want to make it seem like a huge deal or anything, it happened unexpectedly and we decided to just to pretend it never happened.”
“It is a big deal Ash! She’s eighteen years old and you just turned thirty and now she’s pregnant!” Andy snapped, Ashley started to back up into the living room as Andy followed. “And I know how you are Ash, the party man, the ladies man. And I swear, you better step up!”
“Andy I will, just calm down.”
Andy stopped approaching Ashley and took a deep breath, he knew he went a bit too far than he wanted to. “Sorry Ash, I’m just trying to protect her.”
Ashley sighed in relief, he no longer felt like his life was about to end. “It’s cool man, I understand where your coming from.”
“Sorry Ash.” Andy apologized again, Ashley loosen up and smiled a bit.
“Don’t worry about it, but I did thought you were going to kill me.” Ashley said, Andy started to laugh and Ashley awkwardly joined in. Suddenly Andy’s face went serious and he stopped laughing immediately as if he wasn’t laughing just a second ago.
“Oh I was going to.” Andy said, Ashley stopped laughing and swallowed hard.
“Oh…”
“Yeah, oh.” Andy said, sounding a bit angry and serious. Ashley bit his bottom lip, it seemed awkward now and as the two of them fell silent and just looked at each other with nothing to say made it even more awkward. Andy sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Ashley. “So, you and Pandora are keeping the baby?”
Ashley turned around and headed towards the couch to sit down, Andy followed him and waited for an answer, he was growing impatient with Ashley.
“Yeah we are.”
Andy nodded slowly. “I said it once, I’ll say it again. You better step up, and if you don’t I will hunt you down.”
“I’ll step up Andy, I will and I told her I will,” Ashley said, Andy nodded. Don’t get him wrong, he was excited his best friend was going to have a baby with his other best friend, it was just that he was trying to keep Pandora from getting hurt. “Does anyone else know?”
Andy shrugged his shoulders. “I think Collin and I are the only ones that know right now, it will be your job to tell Jake, CC and Jinxx.” Andy told him, Ashley sighed.
“I have to tell them?”
“Yes you do, it’s your punishment.” Andy replied, Ashley chuckled a bit.
“Okay I guess I do deserve punishment.”
“Yes you do, and after you tell them the four of us are going to jump you in an alley.” Andy said, even though he was joking, he sounded very serious to Ashley.
“Oh, fantastic.”
Andy smirked. “Yeah, you won’t be saying that after we’re done with you.”
Ashley laughed. “Dude come on!”
Andy grinned. “Dude I’m just kidding, do you seriously think I’ll jump my best friend because he knocked up my other best friend?”
“Yes I do.”
Andy gave Ashley a look. “If I was going to fight you, I would do it now.”
“Unless you’re waiting until I’m off guard.” Ashley said, Andy chuckled.
“Thanks for the plan Ash!”
Ashley shook his head side to side and grinned, trying not to laugh. “So, where is Pandora?”
“Working.” Andy replied, crossing a leg over the other.
“What are we going to do about tour this year?”
“She’s still coming with us.” Andy told him, Ashley nodded.
“I hope she would.”



Pandora was sitting outside in the hot air during break, she wasn’t bored nor entertained. Though her mind was very entertained with all of the pregnancy thoughts, that was probably one of the main reasons why she wasn’t bored. She couldn’t tell if Collin was mad at her for being pregnant by a different man, even though Collin had her smiling and laughing today she couldn’t tell if it was just an act to make her think he wasn’t mad. Last night Pandora laid in bed and thought about her parents, she wondered if she should at least tell them she was pregnant, but she couldn’t decide if they were worth it to tell them. It might start something else, and they might try to use the grandchild excuse to get back into her life. That was a big decision that needed more time to decide on, Pandora wasn’t in a rush to tell them, who knows they could have already forgotten about her. Pandora grabbed her Coke bottle and unscrewed the lid, taking a long sip when she saw Collin approaching her with a smile.
“Couldn’t wait for me huh?” Collin asked her, sitting down on the bench. Pandora screwed the lid back on her Coke bottle and set the bottle on the ground.
“Sorry, but I wanted a break.” Pandora said, Collin chuckled and kissed her cheek.
“So talk to me, what’s been going on?” Collin asked, he hoped she knew he was talking about the pregnancy. He was a bit upset that she pregnant by another man, but it was before they were together and he couldn’t complain about it nor be mad at her. Things happen, and even though he wasn’t the father of the baby he was still going to help take care of it.
Pandora shook her head side to side. “Nothing much, I told Andy.”
“What did he say?” Collin asked.
“He was shock at first, and then he seemed excited afterwards.” Pandora said, Collin pulled out his cigarette pack.
“Isn’t he best friends with the father?”
“Yeah, Ashley.” Pandora replied, Collin lit the cigarette and inhaled the smoke then exhaled.
“He’s going to kill him.”
“What do you mean?” Pandora asked, Collin looked at her.
“If my best friend impregnated my other best friend and didn’t tell me about it, I would kill him.” Pandora swallowed hard and Collin chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Andy wouldn’t literally kill Ashley. Maybe a little argument.”
“Wish I was a fly on the wall.” Pandora said, Collin laughed.
“If only wishes came true, have you told your parents?”
“No, I don’t know if I should though..” Pandora said, she sounded awkward and a bit upset.
“Whatever you decide to do I’ll support it no matter what.”
Pandora looked up at Collin and smiled, she hugged him and he hugged back tightly..

Saturday evening.
“Pandora, hurry up we’re going to be late!” Andy yelled from downstairs, Andy arranged a dinner with all the band members this evening for Pandora and Ashley so that they can announce Pandora was pregnant. It was now six twenty, and they were supposed to be there at six thirty but Pandora was taking it a bit slow with her nerves.
“I’m coming!” Pandora yelled back to Andy, he stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting impatiently, he looked good since they were going to a very fancy high restaurant Pandora never went to since the price was a bit high. But with Andy being in a band, he had enough money to eat there, probably enough to eat there every day of the week if he wanted to. Andy pulled out his cell phone and checked the time again; 6:23 PM.
“Pandora, we have to go now!” Andy yelled, he turned away and headed into the living room to turn off all the lights. The living room darken and when he headed back to the stairs to yell again, he saw Pandora walking down the stairs while holding onto the railing so she wouldn’t fall in the heels she wore. Andy smiled and held out his hand for her to take, she took his hand and he helped her down the stairs carefully.
“You look gorgeous.” Andy told her, Pandora blushed a bit and walked by Andy’s side as they approached the door.
“Thank you, you look handsome.” Pandora told him, he opened the door and offered to let her go first.
“Thank you, I know I look handsome.” Andy said, Pandora shook her head side to side and felt Andy’s hand reconnecting with hers as he helped her down the porch steps.
“Can you walk in those?”
“Yes, just afraid to go down the stairs in these things.” Pandora said once she took the last step and started to walk on her own, Andy smiled and watched as she walk and she did walk perfectly well in them.
“These things? You mean a death trap?” Andy asked, he opened the driver side door and climbed inside.
“Yes I do.” Pandora replied with a smile, she put on her seatbelt and leaned back against the seat as Andy put the key in the ignition and turned it to bring the engine to life. He grabbed one of his mix CD’s and pushed it into the CD player and pressed play, the first band to play was Avenged Sevenfold. He turned up the volume, put the mustang in reverse and backed out of the concrete driveway and drove off. They would be a few minutes late, but Andy was sure people would survive. Pandora told Andy he didn’t have to do this, but he insisted on doing it anyways. They arrived at the restaurant seven minutes after six thirty, it was getting darker but still remained warm. Andy opened the door for Pandora and let her inside first, the restaurant was warm inside but nowhere near as warm outside. Andy approached the waiter and told him he made a reservation and his friends should already be here, the waiter let him go on and Andy led her to the big table where the guys sat with Ella and Brittan.
“There you two are!” CC said, Jinxx stood up and pulled out a chair for Pandora. She sat down with a smile and he scooted her chair up a bit closer to the table, Andy sat down beside her and fixed his sleeves quickly.
“Sorry, you know how girls are when they’re getting ready.” Andy said, Pandora smiled and lightly slapped his arm. Jake laughed.
“Tell me about it, Ella started getting ready an hour before we left. And she wasn’t even completely done until five minutes before we left.” Jake said, Ella smiled and pushed him playfully, making the guys laugh. Jinxx handed Andy and Pandora the menus and everyone of them started to decide on what to eat, Pandora was trying to calm her nerves as she decided on a steak and baked potato and a salad. The waiter took all of their orders a few minutes later, and that brought out the conversation between all of them. Andy picked up his glass and took a long sip, before leaning over to whisper in Pandora’s ear. “You going to tell them?”
Pandora shivered as his breath touched her ear, his deep voice softly going through her ear. She nodded and he pulled away, she took a deep breath and noticed Ashley looked apprehensive.
“Hey guys,” Pandora said, getting all of their attention. “I have something to tell you.”
“You and Collin getting married?” Jake asked, the guys laughed and Pandora smiled.
“No we’re not getting married.”
“Not yet anyways.” CC mumbled, Pandora smiled. This was getting a bit difficult.
“Not for a while,” Pandora said, the guys looked at her and she knew now they wouldn’t interrupt. “Um, well. I’m pregnant.”
The table became silent, no one said anything and they just basically looked at each other in shock without saying a word. Pandora felt completely awkward as she waited for someone to say something, Ashley picked up his wine glass and took the longest sip ever since his nerves were making him thirsty. He finished the glass and looked for the waiter, wanting another glass, knowing he may need it.
“By Collin?” CC finally asked, Pandora looked at him and shook her head side to side, then she pointed to Ashley. Jinxx, Jake, CC, Ella and Brittan’s head turned towards Ashley and he swallowed hard.
“What the fuck?” Jake said, the words coming out slow in shock.
“Whoa whoa, hold up a second,” Jinxx said, looking at everyone. “Pandora is pregnant by Ashley? When in the hell did this happen?”
“Back in January, before me and Collin got together.” Pandora replied.
“Ash, I’m going to kill you.” CC said, looking at Ashley with a deadly look. Andy chuckled a bit, even though this was completely serious Andy thought it was a bit funny and knew these guys protected Pandora like she was their little sister.
“Not if I do it first.” Jake said, Ashley swallowed hard.
“Guys I didn’t mean to!”
“Well no shit Ash, but you did!” CC hissed, the girls tried not to laugh.
“So, what are you two going to do?” Jinxx asked, looking at Pandora and Ashley. Ashley’s eyes connected with Pandora’s for the first time tonight, she knew he wanted her to answer, so she cleared her throat and looked at Jinxx to reply.
“We’re going to keep the baby.”
The table was silent again, but it seemed like the intenseness in the air was settling down and Ashley felt a bit better about it.
“A Purdy baby,” Jinxx said, picking up his glass. “ Someone help this child.” He said before taking a sip, making everyone laugh, even Ashley. Dinner was great and once they all walked outside into the warm night air, Jinxx joined Andy’s side to talk to him as he lit a cigarette.
“So, what do you think about this baby on the way?” Jinxx asked Andy, Andy exhaled his cigarette smoke and looked at the group in front of them, laughing and talking.
“I’m excited for them, I’m honestly glad it was Ashley and not some other guy.” Andy said, Jinxx nodded.
“I feel the same way, I think Ashley will be a great father honestly.”
“I think so too.” Andy replied, seeing Ashley hugging Pandora bye.
“You still have feelings for her don’t you?” Jinxx asked, Andy shook his head side to side.
“Not as much as I did before, she’s happy with Collin and she’s expecting a baby. I’m glad she’s happy, and I’ll always be here for her.”
“I’m glad you feel that way, you need a girl now.” Jinxx said, Andy laughed.
“I think I’ll wait on that.”
“That’s a good way to go,” Jinxx came to a stop once he approached his car. “Well, I’ll see you later Andy.”
“Yeah, I’m going to get her home and lay down on the couch and nap.” Andy said, Jinxx chuckled.
“Well have fun with your nap you lazy bastard, bye Pandora!” Jinxx said, Pandora looked at him and waved bye. They all got into their cars and drove off, it went better than Pandora expected and she was glad they all took it pretty well. She was tired when they got home, she changed into pajamas and laid around watching movies with Andy, until the two of them fell asleep on the couch while watching a boring movie..

Notes

I'm almost caught up now :P