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

I tried to go back to my dream. Such a nice dreaming it was too, two rabbits were floating on a lake. Wait! Two rabbits couldnt float on a lake, could they? And then these rabbits pounced on my face and they were so cold, I shivered and woke up with a start.

 "Huh?"I could feel cold water over me, and then when my eyes came into focus, I saw Jake and Ash standing on my bedside. I instantly felt angry. How dare they throw cold water over me?

  "You guys," I started, Jake backed off, but  Ash stood there, smiling like an idiot,"Is this ANY way to wake up someone..aaah!"

  Ash had thrown water over me again. I was ready to rip her apart when my eyes again came into focus when I saw mummy, father, Mandy's parents, Mrs John, Steve and Fred( Ashley's twin brothers) standing behind her in the room too. And then a loud yelling of,

"Happy Birthday!!!!!!!"

  And then everyone was hugging me one by one and I was smiling, Jake hugged me the hardest and the longest. And then they stuffed cake in my mouth and all over my face.

  "This is incredible!" I smiled as I plastered cake cream all over Jake's face. He got me right back and got cream all over my hair.

   Ashley made an arm gesture as if speaking in front of a camera,"So, my dear people, this is the official waking up 18th Birthday of Stephanie Moore!" She ducked as I threw cake over her,"The official Birthday Party will be held at The Moore house. It will start at 2. Stay tuned for more-"

  This time I got her full in the face. She made a face as she looked at me from behind the cream. I looked around at my room. It was a mess now, cream and cake here and there, but I didn't care. Whatever. I was much too happy now. This was my best Birthday ever!

  "So, what's for breakfast?" I said, smiling at everyone.

"What would you like, your Higness?" Jake said, bowing infront of me.

  I smiled,"Ummm, blueberry pancakes?"

 "Then blueberry pancakes it is! Anything else?" He said, lookking at me all innocently, I laughed.

   "Nope. All's good."

Laughing and smiling, we made our way over to the kitchen, where everywhere sat in different places. Our normally empty kitchen was now filled with happy, smiling people. As promised, I had blueberry pancakes and grape juice, Then we made our plans for the day. Jake and Ash made plans actually, as they would still not tell me what they were going to give me.

 I could hardly wait for 2. It came soon enough. Mummy had got me a satin dress for my Birthday party. It was creamy pink. It was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen, and with a little makeup and hairdo, I looked, hopefully good. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I had a feeling, a feeling that today was going to be special. Something good would happen to me today. I was sure of it.

"Steph, come on down. The guests are starting to arrive."

  "Coming, Mother!"

I called back. hmmm..I looked good. Time to make my grand entrance. I climbed down the stairs, there was everyone waiting for me. Jake looked more handsome then ever. He had decided to wear a suit to honour the occasion. Ashley, even, looked more beautiful, though that couldnt possibly be. She was already so beautiful. There was a loud chorus of 'Happy Birthday!' as I came down.

 Then we cut the cake. I gave the first bite to Mummy, the second to Aunt Jenny, then Father, and then Jake. He smiled and then stuffed the leftover in my mouth.Ashley smiled through all this. She was over it now. Soon, it was time to open the presents.

"So, which one is this from?"I said, pointing to a large wrapped box which sat in the middle of the table.

  "It's from us, dear." Aunt Jenny said, pointing to her and Mr McHugh. I hadn't gotten as unformal to call him uncle yet.

"Oh. Ok."I nodded,"Jake, which one's yours?"

  "I am not gonna tell you. I havent even signed my name. You'll know it when you see it."

"Oh. Alright." I reached out for a box and unwrapped it, it was a new camera. The one you see in all those grand shops."To Steph, with love, Mummy and Father."I read and smiled, then went over to Mummy and hugged her.

The next gift was from Mandy's parents, it was a big drum. Not very big, but the size I had always wanted. I went over to hug her too. After many other presents, I finally got my hand on Ashley's. I smiled as I unwrapped it. God knew what she would have got me. It was a book, I saw, disappointed.

"Book?" I said.

"Not a book, silly, it's a photo album." Ashley replied,"Open it and you'll see."

   "Oh."

I opened the album. I could see instantly what had inspired Ash to give me this. There were chapters within the album, like in Best Friends column, there were all these pictures of me and Mandy, and some of me and Jake("I salvaged them from the tunnel" Ashley admitted, embarassed.). And then in the Best Family section, these were all these photos of Mummy, me and Father. I turned another page.  It said Best Ever Couple. I looked up at Ash in confusion. I had never went out with anyone. She smiled at me and mouthed,"Turn Over."

 I turned over the page and gasped. They were all pictures of me and Jake. And not old either. Recent pics. Infront of our college. At my house. And labeled under Best Ever Couple! I shut the album quickly and looked at Ashley. She smiled.

"Thanks,"I smiled,"But what about that?"

  "You'll soon know." She said, all mysteriously.

"Where's your gift,Jake?"I said,"No gift is left now."

    "Come with me, I'll give it you." Jake said and smiled.

"Umm, okay."

  We walked out of the house and around the garden.

   "So,"I said,"Where's my gift?"

"I... i want you tell me something first, Steph,"at this point, Jake took my hand,"Do you like me...like really like me?"

     I looked up at him. For once in my life, I wanted to tell the truth.

"Yes," I said, and looked down.

   "Then why didn't you say?"

"Because you obviously liked Ash, didn't you?" I cried,"Always, you have been so friendly with each other, and I know you would never go out with me, because you dont like me-"

  At this point, I was stopped. Stopped because Jake had dropped my hand and instead put his around my neck and we were kissing! Kissing! I kissed him right back becasue I thought this was the only time in my life that I would get this opportunity.

We broke apart after a while,

"Are you totally mad?" Jake said,"I have always liked you.Always! I told you, that thing with Ashley was all fake. I have always just liked you!"

  "Really?"

"Really, Steph."

  "Oh! I am so happy, Jake. But, what did you promise Ash? That she always kept reminding you of?"

"Oh, that. Nothing. I only promised her that I would always do whatever she said. I love her like a sister."

  "She knew about this?"

"Yup. And here's your gift."

    I unwrapped it, it was a ring. Not an engagement ring or anything. But, just that. A ring. With the name Steph printed on it. In emerald. I knew instantly what it meant. I fell in Jake's arms at once.

"Thankyou!Thankyou so much, Jake! I am so happy!"

   "You deserve to be."

I smiled and then we went inside, hand in hand. Ashley noticed and smiled at us. We were together now.

 

 

It was two days later and I was standing before Mandy's grave. I was in the graveyard, with Jake. We were going to go back to Rochestor tommorow. I stared at the grave.

"Mandy McHugh,"It said,"1995-2013. May she rest in peace."

 A tear dropped from my eyes, Jake tightened his hug around me. I bent down and placed flowers around the grave. And then I started sobbing in Jake's chest.

"Hush...it's okay. You cant bring her back now by crying, Steph."

  I nodded,"But I so miss her!"

   "I know. But she's gone now, Steph. Gone where you can never see her again."

I nodded again, yes. Mandy was no more, She was just a memory now,a hapy memory.

   "But we are here, Steph. We are both alive. Together."

  I smiled and looked up at him,"Yes, Jake. We are here. Together."

   And then we turned and made our way out of the graveyard and towards the aiprt where was the plane that would take us back to Rochestor. Back to our dreams. Yes, I smiled again as we walked together. Ready to face all the challenges that life would throw at us. Together.

Imprint

Text: Ayesha Azhar
Images: Ayesha Azhar
Editing: Ayesha Azhar
Translation: Ayesha Azhar
Publication Date: 01-12-2014

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
This book is specially dedicated to both of my parents, Fatima Azhar and Azhar Qadri. To both my siblings Faizan and Amna. And to everyone who ever encouraged me in my ambition. To all my readers. And lastly for all my critics, you know who you are.