Girl Trouble (Completed) - Ayesha Azhar (graded readers .TXT) 📗

let you see her-" 

   "I will force them!"

"But, Steph-"

  "Did YOU stand out, Jake? Did you stay away while I was unconsious?Could you do it? No. You were there in the room, werent you? Then dont stop ME, Jake."

We stood staring at each other's eyes. Brown into light brown.I knew I had him with the last line. The one about him waiting for me to wake up.

 The scene of earlier today was replayed. There were tears in my eyes. The only difference was that this time Jake broke the silence.

"Ok," He nodded,"Come on."

I followed him out in the hall. The questions started again when we passed through the cops in the ICU ward.

"There she is."Jake said, pointing towards a door. I walked over to the room and pressed myself against the door.It was glass, so I could see Mandy lying on the bed inside, her eyes closed, dying.

"Mandy."I started sobbing, Jake came and placed an arm around me,

   "There. There. It will be alright."

I barely heard him, I was lost in my own world.I wanted to touch Mandy, feel her. Make sure that she was still there, she was still alive. I forced open the door, it shut lightly beside me. I walked inside, going to sit on the bedside around Mandy.I touched her face, her hair. Mandy. My Mandy.

  I hadnt even asked her for forgiveness yet, we hadnt even talked thoroughly about the Ashley problem. I had so much to tell her, so much. If only she was there to listen.

All the good times we had had together, the times we had laughed uncontrolably over things not even funny. We had gone to parties together;slept together. There was so much, such a large portion of mylife had been spent with Mandy. How could she leave me now? Leave me to fight with the whole world alone? No, she wouldnt'. She couldn't.

 All the times we had teased each other,

  "Yes, madame,"Mandy had said, "I will do as you say, Your Highness."

"You have got a very bad impression of me, Steph."

   I remembered all the times we had laughed in Library together because we thought that the Librarian and our school peon, Mr Wilkins were going out. The time we had watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 together. We had both cried when Ron had left Harry and Hermione.

  The countless times we had watched reruns of our favourite TV serial,Green Gables. The times we had sat and gossiped about others. Everything had been perfect. Perfect. Before Ashley had came along and destroyed everything.

 And then all the times we had fought over Ashley. How could I have been so stupid? How?

   "I dont want to give her a chance, Steph. I am good enough as it is, and I want you to stay the same too, why do you want to be friends with her anyway?"

"You are my best friend! You should support me, Steph!"

How I had accused her,

  "You obviously stole my necklace, didnt you? And now you have the nerve to lie about it!"

"I dont believe you, Steph. Is this all the tust you had in me?"

   Oh!Oh! Why? Why did I ever accuse Mandy? How I could I have said all the things to her that I had? How could I have mistrusted my best friend?

 The time I had found Mandy crying in her room. Broken, because she had lost the lead. And I had rubbed it in in her face. Instead of comforting her, I had accused her of stoling mine and Jake's pics. What kind of friend had I been?

If only she could come back now, I would tell her everything. Everything. I would fall on her knees if I had to. I laid my head against Mandy's arm, crying softly.

"Hey! What are you doing here? Even the patient's parents are not allowed to go inside the ICU room. Please come out."

  I looked up, a man in doctors clothes was motioning for me to come out; I stood up.

"Please, please let me stay with her-"

   "I am sorry, miss, but you will have to come out, germs can spread."

"She's my sister! please-"

    "Please go out or I will have to call the authorities."

I sobbed and then with one last touch at Mandy's face, I walked over to the door. I looked back at Mandy. Why was my heart thumping? Why did I feel like this was the last time I would see Mandy alive? No. I couldn't let myself think anything like that.

  I walked out of the ward room,

"Jake? Where are you?"

    I had forgotten that the mob was waiting outside,they caught me as soon as I came out; trying to hold a microphone under my mouth. Asking questions. I looked around, there was Jake; with Ashley. I felt a burst of anger when I saw Ashley. She was responsible for all this, she had pushed Mandy! She was alive, well, while Mandy was there in the ICU. She had destroyed my life! I lunged at her.

  "You! You did this! you pushed her!"

Realizing that this was a golden opportunity, the reporters came at my side at once, recording everything on camera.

 "You tried to murder Mandy-"

"Be quiet, Steph, you dont know what you are talking about, anything you say now will be recorded." Jake tried to shush me.

"No!" I screamed,"Why should I be quiet? The whole world should know!" I ran towards a reporter,"I'll tell you, what do you want to know? I am a withness, this girl here, Ashley, sje tried to murder my best friend Mandy-"

  "Shut up!' Jake caught hold of me, putting his hand on my mouth, I fought against him,

"No!" I looked at Ashley,"Why wont you speak now, huh? Lost your voice?"

    "Are Mr and Mrs McHugh here?"

I looked around; it was a doctor, the same one who had driven me out. For the first time I noticed Mandy's parents standing in a corner. Her mother sobbing silenty. They called out,

 "Here we are, is Mandy better now?"

"No," The doctor shook his head, walking towards them, I ran over too," I am sorry to say but your daughter has gone into coma."

  "Coma?!!" There was a large intake of breath from everyone; Mrs McHugh sobbed harder; I screamed and Jake ran over to comfort me. Ofcourse, it didnt matter to him;what did he care? He didnt care for anyone beside Ashley. I shrug him off.

  "Coma? You mean she will never wake up?" Mandy's father said.

"We cant be sure. With coma, you dont know." The doctor replied," She may wake up now, or in 10 years, or never.She may die. Nothing can be said. And even if she wakes up, there is no surity, that she will remember anything."

 I fell down on the floor, the doctor walked away but his words stayed behind'she may never wake up','she may die'. Oh!

Ring.Ring.Ring. Jake's phone was ringing. He handed it to me,"It's for you."

  "Who is it?" I asked, remembering as I want the time that I had asked Mandy the same question when she had said the same thing to me.

"It's your parents."

"How do they know?"

"I called them.

   "Oh. Ok, give it to me."

I held the phone,"Hello?"

  "Hello, Steph? Are you alright? Oh! You are  okay? How did everything happen Is Mandy okay? When did you wake up? Do you have anyone there with you? OH! Why wont you anwer me?!"

  "Mummmy, let me speak atleast. Yes, I am okay now. The McHughs are here too."

"Is Mandy okay?"

  I stifled a sob,"No, she's gone into coma."

    There was a pause on the other side,"Oh, I am so sorry, Steph-"

"Please dont talk  about it, mummy, tell me, is Aunt Hilda okay now?"

   Another pause, then,"No, she died. Earlier today. Very soon after you called infact."

    "May she rest in peace." I couldnt express more then just general grief for Aunt Hildas death because I didnt know her so well," When are you two coming back?"

 "We are trying to come as soon as we can, I know you are alone. We will be back after the funeral. Tommorow. "

  "Oh."

"Are the McHughs okay?"

   "No. They are crying. the cops have arrested Ashley-"

 Suddenly everyone in the hospital rushed towards someone. I looked up;the doctor had came out again.

   "Mummy, I'll talk later," Without even waiting to hear her reply, I screamed,"Bye!" and ran towards the doctor.

 "What's happened? Is Mandy okay? Has she woken up?"

The Doctor looked at the McHughs and then at all the people gathered around, including the reporters and the officers. And then taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth to speak.

Chapter 29

"Now, before I say anything, please be sure that we tried our best-"

   I was almost about to shout,"Oh, shut that! Just tell us about Mandy!" But Jake placed a hand on my mouth. I looked over to him, but he was looking ahead.

"-But I am very sorry to say, Mandy McHugh is no more."

There were shrieks and yells, I dropped down to the floor, still trying to make sense of what the doctor had said.'Mandy McHugh is no more.' And then I realized, Mandy was dead! 

  "No! You are lying!" 

I fought against Jake, and ran towards the ICU ward, going straight for the rom Mandy was in. I heard people following me, but I didnt care. There was only one thought on my mind;I had to make sure that the doctor was lying, I had to make sure that Mandy was still alive. I ran towards her, shaking her, her face, her hair, any part of her that I could touch.

"Mandy! Mandy, wake up!"

I shook Mandy's face, i tried to open her eyes, I felt for her heartbeat, it wasn't there.

  "Mandy!Look! Its me, Steph, I have came to take you home, come on, wake up, Mandy,open your eyes, please, MANDY!"

     I felt someone trying to drag me away, trying to seperate me from my Mandy, I kicked and fought against them.

"No! Wake her, she is not dead. No,she is alive!"

    That same doctor came around, covering Mandy's face with the sheets.

"No!" I yelled,"What are you doing?" I pulled the sheets down,"She wont be able to breathe!"

    "Steph, she's dead-"

 "No! She's not dead! you are lying1 You all are lying!"

    I ran towards Mandy again,"Mandy, look, look what they are saying about you, they are saying you are dead, come on, wake up-"

   "Miss Moore! She's dead, someone control this girl please!"

There was yelling, shouting, all sorts of strange noises.The doctor covered Mandy's head again, I tried to run towards her, but I was stopped;strong hands were holding me back,

  "Let me go! Mandy's alive-"

 And then I was lifted off my feet again, I didnt care who it was, I just wanted to get back to Mandy, I fought against my carrier with all my might, screaming,

  "No! Mandy's alive-"

And then I caught sight of Mr and Mrs McHughs face. they were both crying;broken, but they were both staring at me, asif they had found their daughter again. I turned away from them, and kicked my attacker. I was placed down somewhere, I gor up again, still screaming. Jake stopped me,

    "Stephanie! She's dead. Mandy. Is. Dead!"

The realization seemed to hit this time, I stared