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

up at his face in horror. Yes, Mandy was dead. That was the truth; Mandy was gone,gone far far away where I could never touch her again. We would never talk again, never laugh together. I would never hear her  voice again.

"Oh, Oh Jake!"

"Just calm down, Steph, it will be alright, hush."

     I took a deep breath, and then a rush of anger came over me again,

"Where's Ashley? Where's that witch? Where's that MURDERER?"

    This seemed to strike Jake, "Murderer?"And then"Oh!" Perhaps he had not realized that now that Mandy had died, Ashley was guilty of murder. Her acting career, all her dreams were over. Prison would be her home now.

   Served her right! That spoiled evil brat. I would give evidence against her; however much Jake would want me not to, I would. I would make sure that that murderer got her punishment.

  And for a moment, I had forgotten, and whose murder I was talking about.But then it all came crashing back. But before I could take another step, Jake had already left the room. I followed him.

  Outside it did not seem that the news that Mandy had died had spread. The media was still crowded outside the room, not being allowed to go inside. Jake and I both ran towards Ashley. I let him get to her first, all the better for me. He went and stood around her. The woman whom I still didnt recognise, looked up and asked,

"What happened? Can I take Ashley home now?"

Home? Then she must be Ashley's mother, why wasnt her father here too? Jake held the woman's hand sympathetically,

"No, I am sorry, Mrs John,"So I was right, the woman was Ashley's mother,"But Mandy has died, there will be the court proceedings now-"

  "That girl died and left my daughter-"Mrs John started to speak, but I interrupted her,

"Dont you dare!" I cried, running up to her,"Dont you dare say anything bad about Mandy!"

    Mrs John looked sideways at Jake, with a glance I realized had a hidden meaning; but which I didnt understand.But I was stopped thinking further because Ashley, who had been silent all this time, started to laugh. Hysterically. We all looked at her in confusion.

"Ha ha ha!"She actually FELL down laughing, clutching her stomach. Mrs John tried to control her, afterall we were coming on live TV right now.

"Ashley, are you okay? Why are you laughing?"

"Dont you see, mother? Mandy is dead!"

   "That's nothing to laugh about!" Her mother hissed.

"Hahaaha! Jake! Mandy's dead! I'll get that role now!"

   That was the last straw. Mandy was dead, and she was happy that she would get the role now?I lunged towards her,

"You. Evil. Murderer.You'll have your punishment, you'll go to prison-"

"Dead!Mandy's dead!"

   "You-"I started again but Jake interupted me,

"Stop, Steph!" He said,"Dont you see? It..it has got to her brain! She's..she's mentally unstable!"

   "Yeah, right."I said sarcastically,She's mentally..wait!what?! You mean..she's...she's gone mad?!!"

"We are giving you the latest news,"Lots of the reporters had started to film their interviews,"The victim, Mandy McHugh has died, and the culprit,Ashley John is being said to have lost her brain."

  "Look at her!" Jake screamed, fianlly having lost his temper,"Do you think se would be acting like this if she was in her right mind?"

  "She..sh..she.."I stared at Ashley, she was twirling around, laughing. The cops were trying to control her, she was hysterical. Uncontrollable. And then I realized, Yes. She was mentally unstable. She would never be so...so vulnerable, if she was okay.

  She had lost her brain;mlost her brain in the knowledge that her life was over. She would be going to prison now.

"She's mad!" I yelled,"She's dangerous!"

     And then everything was happening suddenly. The cops were dragging Ashley somewhere with the media, Mrs John and Jake running after them.

    I looked around, there was no one here. No one at all. No one here to suport me, cry with me. There was only me here.Only me, me and Mandy's dead body.

 

It was a few hours later; I was at Mandy's house, with her parents. My own parents were due to arrive anytime now. We had stayed up the whole night, it was around 8 in the morning now. I had stayed with Mandy's parents, supporting them, crying with them. Our grief was the same. But how could I comfort them for loosing their daughter, whom they loved, when I was broken myself?

    Jake had went with Ashley; she had been put under custody; in the Mason Hospital for the Mentally Unstable, down South of Riverdale. She hadn't been certified as Mandy's murderer yet. But she was the biggest suspect. Suspect, huh! She WAS the murderer.

We all were wthnesses. There had been 4 people present on that hall when Mandy had fell. Me, Jake, Mandy and Ashley. Jake would obviously give evidence in favour of Ashley, he wouldnt want her to go to prison. But I would give evidence against her. I would avenge Mandy's murderer.

   Prison. She hadnt been taken to prison yet, only to the hospital. To check whether she had lost her mental stability. According to that, it would be decided, what the court proceedings would be. If she really had lost her mind, she wouldnt be put into prison, only in the Mental hospital.

   She was still under custofy though. the police were gathered outside the hospital. And the media too. What did they care? They only wanted a good story for their viewers. They didnt care that some parents had lost their daughter, a friend had lost her best friend, a girl had left this world. A leaf had fallen. A light had dimmed. What DID they care?

"Here, have something to eat, you must be tired."

I looked up, it was a woman I didnt recognise, she was handing me a Dairy Milk.

   "Thanks."I said, taking it from her, afterall who can refuse a Diary Milk?

The woman smiled and sat down beside me, "You were Mandy's best friend, werent you?" She said softly.

   I sighed, best friends. I hadnt behaved very best friendly, for sure.

 "Yeah, I was."I replied, taking a bite. I didnt really care who this woman was, she must be a relative of the McHughs. A lot of people had came here to comfort Mandy's parents. This must be one of them.

 "It must hurt."

"Ofcourse it does!"I snapped.

   "I am sorry, Mrs McHugh told me that you were there too when it happened. Would you like to tell me about it? It might make you feel less guilty."

  I stared up at her, she was a stranger, a complete stranger. Yet, somehow I felt like telling her everything. My subconsience was telling me that I shouldnt trust her, but I ignored it.

   "It all happened so quickly, one moment Mandy was there, and the other she was falling."I said, my mind taking me back to that scene in the hall.

  "Oh. Did she loose her balance? Is that why she fell?"

"Did she ever!"I said in a rush of emotion,"No! That murderer Ashley pushed her! That's why she fell! She would never have fallen otherwise!"

   For a moment, I thought I saw a look of satisfaction on that womans face, and then again, worrry.

"You blame her, then."It was not a question, it was a statement, but I replied anyway,

    "Yes. I blame her entirely for taking Mandy's life, she should be put into prison!"

"Well, well,well," the woman said, in such a perfect imitation of Ashley that I actually thought she was here and looked up,"The court will decide that. Do you feel better now?"

  "Yes. Loads."I nodded.

"Get some rest now." the woman got up suddenly and left the room. I got up too and went otside. Mummy had already phoned, she knew Mandy was dead. They were coming back.

  I opened the door, and walked outside. I jogged over to a park, the same park I had sat in one day. I went and sat at a bench.It was early morning;so it wasnt much crowded. I closed my eyes.

 

"Steph! Wake up!"

"Huh?" I opened my eyes,"Mandy, is that you?"

   "For Gods Sake! Mandy is dead! When will you accept that?"

I screwed up my eyes,"Jake?"

   "Yes, Jake. Now, get up and come with me."

"Where? What time is it by the way?"I said, getting  up and rubbing my eyes.

   "Around 11. Come on, I need to show you something."

 "What?"

   "Get up first."

I got up and glared at him,"Now what?"

   "You were sleping on a bench."

"I was sleeping on a...so what?"

   "Nothing. But what you did BEFORE that is something. Come with me."

   "What did I do? What did I do, Jake?"

      He didnt reply, instead dragged me towards his house. And into the TV room.

"Why have we came here, Jake?"

    He switched on the Tv. It was a news channel.

 "You brought me here to watch the news?"

   "Look!"

I stared at the screen, and gasped. It was me. Me! With that moman. She was a reporter! She had tricked me! Tricked me into giving her an interview!

"That murderer Ashley pushed her!"

"Yes, I blame her entirely for taking Mandy's life. She should be put into prison."

    I watched my own face speaking on the Tv. And then that woman said,

"We now know that Miss  Ashley John murdered Mandy McHugh. one of the two present withnesses have given evidence against her. The other prime withness is Jake Wilson.."

  "Why did you do that, Steph? Why?!"

"Believe me, Jake. I..I didnt know!"

   "Oh, right!" He said sarcastically,"You didnt know that that woman was recording you?"

"Honestly, Jake, she didnt say anything-"

   "Oh, please!"

"I am not lying, Jake, please, please dont leave me, please. Mandy's already gone."

   Jake looked at me and then sighed,"I am sorry, Steph, but do you have ANY idea what that Interview is going to cost? "He looked at my tearstrewn face,"Oh, alright."

   I hugged him then looked up,"What will happen now?"

"The court has sheduled a hearing for tomorrow.If Ashley is proven guilty but mentally unstable, she will be put into the mental hospital."

 "We know she's guilty, Jake."

"But she didnt mean it!"

   "She did so. She went over and pushed Mandy."

Jake gave me a look with whichI knew we were going to have a fight now.

   "Do you have any idea what she's been through,Steph?"

"That doesnt matter now-"

    "No, it does. Come on, I'll show you her house. And then you can judge her."

 I nodded, I had to see for myself,"Is it far?"

    "In the outskirts of the town. We'll go by bus."

 I nodded again, we both caught the subway bus and sat by the window side. I looked over at Jake, he seemed lost in thought.

"Jake?"

"Yeah?"

   "Where are your parents?"

"At the hospital. With Mrs John."

   "Oh. Are we there yet?"

"Just about."

    The bus rounded a corner and I followed Jake as he got off.  The area we had came to looked like a rubbish dumpster to me. there were some shabby cottages here and there. A bad smell sorrounded the air, i wrinkled my nose.

  "You think it's strange, dont you, Steph?"

"Um, what's strange?"

   "That Ashley might live in a place like this?"

"Yes. Ofcourse, she doesnt live her."

    "I'll show you, come on."

Jake lead me towards one of the cottage, and pointed at the gate. I could barely make out the name 'John'. I gasped, so Ashley did really live here.

  Jake opened the door, it creaked.

"She...she actually LIVES here?" I asked, peeping inside the cottage,"this house is smaller then my den!"

     Jake smiled, a weird sort of bitter smile,"You see now? You see her need for money? Ashley's father diied when she barely 5. Since then her mother, Mrs John, brought up her and her two twin brothers alone. She did odd jobs, cleaning. Working as a clerk. All sorts of jobs just so that she could feed her children."

 I noticed a tear in Jake's eyes as he said this,"Ashley wanted to help her. She wanted her to rest now. She wanted to earn money, support her family. She wanted her brothers to have  agood future.

       "That was why it was