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

Chapter 6

 

 I couldn't believe my eyes! MY  necklace in MANDY'S  backpack. I stared and stared at it, trying to force it to change it's form, trying to change it into a notebook or something, trying to change it into ANYTHING but my necklace. I just didn't want to believe, didn't want to accept that Mandy had been the one, MANDY had stolen my necklace.

   But why would she? What benefit would she get from it? Aside from it being from Paris, it was nothing very special, nor expensive, nor unique. That left only one option, she had done this to hurt me. But whyever? 'Just because you would never want to hurt her, doesn't mean that she would think it wrong too', a voice said in my head. I ignored it first but then, didn't all the evidence point towards Mandy?

   Think of the devil and the devil is here. I saw Mandy coming towards me, worry apparent on her face, Worry, because she had suddenly remembered that her backpack was the place where she had hidden the necklace and she was worried I would find out? or worry because of me?

"What took you so long, Steph? I thought you had fallen over or something."Mandy said,coming nearer and taking her backpack from me.I didn't say anything.Mandy looked at me. I still didn't say anything.

"Hellooooo.......Earth to Stephanie"she said, waving her arms in front of me. I held up my necklace.

"Whats that?" Mandy asked,as if she didn't know a thing of what I was talking about,"Oh! your necklace! you found it, Congrats"she exclaimed after taking a closer look.

"Yes,I did find it."

"So? Why are you making a face then?"

"Because I feel like it."

"You feel like making a face even though you have found your necklace?"

" It doesn't matter that I found it, Mandy.What matters is that WHERE I found it. Do you know where my necklace was?"

"How would I know where your necklace was?"

"Oh really," I said sarcastically,"Cant you guess?"

"No, well, where DID you find it?"

I snatched her backpack away from her and held it up so that she could get a full view,"In here!" I threw the bacpack at her.

I expected her to react, but she just stood there, looking confused.

"I dont understand,"she took a step towards me'"What was your necklace doing in my backpack?"

" That's what I  would like to know!" I said, surprised at how calm I was, even though I was so angry.

"Steph? you surely dont think that I stole your necklace and put it there?"

        I just stood there, so angry that my whole  body was shaking.Didn't her pretending that she hadn't stolen my necklace PROVE that she had? Wasn't that waht those criminals in those T.V. series always  did? Acted innocent?

"Can you explain how my necklace got into your backpack then, if you didn't put it there yourself?"

"I dont know, Steph.Anyone could have put it there,My backpack was out in the classroom the whole day,while I was outside the auditorium trying to...."

"Trying to what?"

"Nothing, but look,that doesnt matter_"

"No, it does!"I cut her in between"Why cant you tell me?huh? Afraid you will be embarassed if I found out more about alll the crimes you have committed?"

"Crimes?What crimes?"

"You obviously stole my necklace, didn't you? and now you have the nerve to lie about it."

"I DIDN'T steal your necklace,Steph,How many times do I have to tell you? Why would I?"

"Oh, I dont know,the police dont know the motive behind the crime before the criminal has told them,do they?"

"Police?Criminal?Have you seriously gone mad,Steph? You have been watching far too many crime shows.I am telling you for the last time that I didn't steal any necklace, nor do I have any reason to do so!"

"No,you did!you did,Mandy. you have been distant to me ever since I started hanging out with Ashley.You are jealous,  this could have been your perfect revenge."

"I dont believe you,Steph,I dont believe that you think I have stooped to that level.Is this all the trust you ever had in me?'

"I trusted you alot,Mandy.I trusted you more then I trust myself,but you broke that trust, you betrayed me!"

"Fine then!"Mandy exclaimed"Fine,you know what?I think it was a mistake we ever became friends.you never believed in me, you didn't have anyone else so you confided in me.But now you have a special friend,dont you?now you have Ashley."

"Dont try to change the subject!"

"I have no intention to do so, if you really dont trust me,Steph,then we should end this once and for all.I have  lost your trust in your opinion,and you have lost my trust in mine.My belief that you would always stand by me in whatever catastrophe we faced is shattered.I want no more to do with you, Stephanie Moore."

             I stood there, glaring at Mandy.I felt that my pride was hurt.Even though Mandy's reply had made me half believe that Mandy was innocent,her nerve to not only say that I was wrong but to also turn the blame on me, cauht me offguard. I felt my cheeks reddening.

                How dare she! It was MY right,I should have been the one to make Mandy feel guilty, Instead, I  felt bad, as if I had commited a huge crime by breaking her trust.ME break her trust?ha!How like her to accuse ME as if I had been the one found with a stolen necklace in my backpack.

"YOU want no more to do with me, or I want no more to do with you?I dont know why I stuck with you in the first place, Mandy,flying in a rage at every little thing, FIGHTING with me at every little thing and behaving as if you own me"

"Then why are you still here,Steph?complaining because I have finished everything with you?Get out!"

"Huh?"I was confused.

"My room, stupid,Get out of my rooom.just go away! I never want to see you again!"

"I dont want to see you again either!"I screamed and with that I stormed off.

       I slammed the door hard as I left. Serve Mandy right. I walked softly on the road, my shoes making a crunching noise on the ground.I reached my home soon,and went straight to my room. I pretended not to hear when my mother called me for lunch.I just wanted to lie down on my bed and forget everything..

                As I lay down on the bed,I thought about everything which had passed.The true object of our fight had been forgotten in old faults,sour memories,which had been kept hidden in the brain because none of us wanted to hurt the other,had finally came out.It was all so confusing. I knew Mandy would react but not so much as to break it off completely,and as to the real object of our fight,the necklace,if Mandy hadn't stolen my necklace then who had?

  Whom did I know who was so low that they had stolen my necklace and then hid it in Mandy's backpack to blame her?Unfortunately,I couldn't come up with an answer.

  But what if it was a mistake? What if I had myself put the necklace in Mandys backpack?But I would surely remember if I had done something like that. And anyways, Mandy and I hadnt been talking to each other, how could I have put my necklace in Mandys backpack?No, that couldnt be.

       I closed my eyes,trying to force the bad memories out, sleep was threatining to engulf me, though HOW  I could sleep when I was so emotionally disturbed,was beyond my intelligence.I didn't know what to think anymore.Had I been wrong? Had I wrongly accused Mandy?

Oh dear,no wonder Mandy was so angry.But what if I was right?What if Mandy HAD stolen my necklace? And worst of all, what would happen tommorow, when the roles of Sustenance would be announced?

Chapter 7

  I woke up a few hours later, a glance at the bedside clock on the table told me that it was only around 5:00 in the evening.I got out of bed,I had a ton of homework to do.Miss Edgecomb had told us to write on a famous historician and I have always had trouble  deciding on who to pick to write essays on.But first I needed a drink.I opened my bedroom door and walked quietly into the kitchen.My mother was in there, making pasta.She looked up,sensing my presence.

  "Oh,are you feeling well,Stephanie?you dont normally sleep in the afternoon,I was worried, you dont have a temperature, do you?"My mother said, checking my forehead.

There you go, that was my mom worried about every little thing.

"No mother, I am perfectly alright, I was just a little tired, Anyways,can I have a drink?"

   "Sure,Sweetie,"she replied"Oh!and your friend called,I didn't want to disturb you so I told her to call later"

"Mandy,wasn't it?"I asked

   So soon? I smiled.Mandy had came to her senses earlier this time.Anyways it was SO like Mandy to fight and then apologize and pretend as if everything was alright.But I wasn't prepared to forgive her just yet.She had gone too far this time.I still couldn't believe she had done it.Stealing!and speaking about my necklace, where was it?God damn it,I must have left it at Mandy's, well I wasn't going to go back for it, that was for sure.

  "No,not Mandy dear,it was Ashley something,she quite insisted that she had to talk to you.She wanted to come here.Really! After I TOLD her that you were asleep.You should call her,Steph,she sounded quite urgent."

"Okay"I agreed,even though I was in no mood to talk with anyone.But it felt important not to loose the only good friend I had,after Mandy,I mean.So I called Ashley.

"Hi,this is Stephanie Moore speaking.Can I talk to Ashley?"

"Steph? Oh hey,it's me,Ashley."

"You called?"

"Yes, I want to tell you something, Steph, it's about the play."

"What?"

"Well,it's the sets, Steph, I dont really know what happened but Harry O'Cornor of the Computer Club just called to tell me that the paint has been rubbed off."

"Rubbed off?But how?"

"Well,like I said,I dont know, Harry only said that the paint has been rubbed off."

"When did this happen?"

"Just over two hours ago,I called as soon as I heard, but you were asleep.You should go check the sets as you are the sets manager."

"Well, alright, I guess."I said"I will be over"And we hung up.

I dressed instantly, what could have happened to the sets? I would only know when I get there.

          I went over to Ashley's and together we went over to the school to see the stage, It wasn't so bad, The paint was smeared but it could be repainted.Infact, I thought it could be made much better then before.

"I dont think it's damaged much,Ash,we can paint it again,It wont take much time."