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

I looked at Ashley, she was smiling at me in this strange sort of way.

"What?" I asked, self consiously.

"Its the first time you have said it" she replied.

" First time I have said what?"

"I mean, its the first time you have called me Ash."

"So whats so special in me calling you Ash?"

"Nothing, I guess, but you know, its like friendy, you have finally dropped that formal tone, saying the whole of Ashley, Ash suggests a more friendly manner."

"Really?"I didnt think so at all,Why use contractions when they werent really necessary? Steph or Stephanie was different but Ash or Ashley?just two letters difference, but anyways, if Ashley felt like that, what could I do?

   "So, do you want me to call you Ash?" I asked.

"No, I mean, I want you to call me whatever you want to,Steph."

   "So Ash is fine then?"

"Yup,good."

Ashley stepped closer towards me,"The sets are going to be fine,what's troubling you now,Steph? You look worried."

"Worried, me?" I said,"No,nothing is troubling me, I am fine."

"No, you arent, there's always SOMETHING in nothing,Steph."

"Well, there's no something in THIS nothing,Ashley."

 "Liar,you really are a very bad liar,Steph,has anyone ever told you that? you are obviously worried about something."

"I am not worried about ANYTHING."

"You arent just worried about ANYTHING,Steph,you are worried about LOTS of things,you csn tell me,I wont spill."

"Well,err..."I thought about it.Really, Ashley was being a much better friend to me then Mandy had been,and besides, I needed to confirm my doubts, know for sure whether Mandy had stolen my necklace or not, Ashley's opinion on this would maybe help me decide for myself. So I decided to tell her.

"Its about Mandy,"I said,"You remember that necklace I had, Ash?"

"The one which you wore that day in The California Dream?"

I nodded,"Yes,So what happened was that today when Mr Owens called me,I left it in my backpack,when I returned,it wasnt there,and earlier today, when I was over at Mandy's,I was checking her backpack and there it was."

"Hmmm...so you think Mandy stole it?"Ashley asked.

"I...No,I dont know,but it WAS in her backpack." 

"You know what,Steph?Mandy sits right next to you,if anyone had a good chance to steal that necklace,it was Mandy, and dont think I am saying this to turn you against Mandy, its just a basic fact."

 "Yes, but Mandy said she wasnt in class-"
"Wasnt in class?"Ashley interrupted,"Whoa, she was right there,I mean,ok,she did leave, but she left a long time after you left."

 "Why did she lie to me then?"

"To keep you from the truth?Maybe she just planned to take it and then give it back to you after a day or two,saying that she had searched for it and then found it, to get into your good books?"

"Well,no....Mandy's not like that."

"If you can think her capable of stealing, then why cant you think her capable of one harmless prank,Steph?And if she didnt take your necklace then why was it in her backpack?"

"Mandy said someone else must have put it there-"

"Someone else as in who?Me?You know,I never will understand Mandy,I got her a second audition,but all she does is mope around as if I am a murderer or something, and will hurt her."

  "No, she didnt take your name Ashley, its nothing about you-"

"Please,"Ashley held up her hands,"I dont want to talk about it anymore."

"Ok,"I said, what else could I say? I had turned my problem into hers."Well,good luck for tommorow."  

   "Thanks,"Ashley smiled,"Gotta go now, I'll see you later."

"Ok,"Ashley gave me a hug and left.I sighed and began walking. Oh God, what was I going to do now? I had already lost Mandy and now Ashley was angry at me too. Maybe I had got such a personality which made people want to fight with me?

    Maybe I should take a lift from someone?No, I felt like walking.As I walked, a tear rolled down my cheeks, 'Oh Mandy, why have you done this?'Maybe I should go apologise? Afterall, I was pretty rude too, but not as much as her.

Mandy, Mandy, after Jake, it had always been Mandy.We had never fought this bad before. All our fights had been small, on minor things.But this time I was sure Mandy wasnt going to apologise, because her apologising would mean that she was accepting that she had stolen my naecklace. And I wasnt going to apologise either,because my apologising would mean that I was accepting that she hadnt stolen my naecklace.Did Mandy really believe in me anymore? Worse, did I believe in Mandy anymore?

I turned around, I had heard a sound.Was someone following me? Nope, noone out there. Where was I anyway?I had been walking for quite a long time.Infact, instead of walking TOWARDS my house, I had been walking AWAY from it. I looked around again.

I was near Jake's house,Should I call on him? It was getting dark, but I didnt care, I didnt feel like going home.I didnt even know Mr and Mrs Wilson that well, I had only seen them once, in seventh grade.I knocked in the door, Jake opened.

"Hey!you came! So Ash told you, huh?"Jake asked.

"Told me what?"I said, confused.

"So she didnt tell you,But you are here now, so it doesnt matter, come on, party's going on."

"Oh!"I exclaimed blushing,"If I am interrupting a party, I'll leave."

"No, silly."Jake laughed."You are invited, Ash must have forgotten to tell you, Come on."

  I went inside.The party was in full swing.I recognized a lot of students from school and some freshmen.How did Jake came to know all these people so quiickly?But anyways, who cared? I saw Ashley sitting in a corner, sipping apple syrup.I went over.

" So you left because you had to come HERE, huh?"I asked.

"yeah,"Ashley nodded,"Sorry,Jake asked  me to tell you about the party but I got so angry all of a sudden, I forgot."

"It's okay."I said.

"So, who told you about the party then?"

"No one, I was just going home and then I thought of calling on Jake."

"You were just going home and you thought of calling on Jake?"Ashley said, questioningly.

"Yeah,so what?"I said.

"Hey!"Ashley exclaimed,"You and Jake arent going out,are you?"

"No!" I said,"We are just friends, what made you think that?"

"Nothing,I just thought."

"Isnt there always a something in nothing, Ash?"I said, teasingly.

  Ashley chuckled,"Well, there is a nothing once in a while, in which there really is nothing, you said it yourself."

  We both smiled, Ashley  was fun to be around.Then Jake stood up.

"Attention,Truth or Dare everyone, come on."

  "Excellent, come on Steph." Ashley took my hand.

"Oh, no,I am not playing,I can still tast mushrooms in my mouth."I said, backing away, but Ashley grabbed me.

"Yes, you are playing,Steph.Come on"I didnt move.

"Come ON, Steph, or I will carry you there." Ashley pulled me towards the table.

"Who's first?" a girl in the year below,Mitchelle Clark asked.

"Stephanie Moore."Ashley announced.

"Me? Why me?" I groaned.

"Because you were the last one to join the game?"Ashley replied, matter of factly."Come on now, dont be a spoilsport, Truth or Dare?"

  I thought about it, who knew what dare Ashley might make me do? Truth was much safer.

"Truth."

"Truth, what shall I ask you? Hmmm....." Ashley said.

"I know!" Ashley exclaimed,"What did Mr Owens called for?"

 I froze, "I... I cant tell you that, Ash, Mr Owens told me not to tell anyone."

"You have to, Steph, you chose Truth, afterall."

Should I tell? Everyone WOULD know tommorrow,what would it hurt if they came to know today?

"Ok,"I said.

"And remember, only the truth."Ashley warned.

"Ok, well, Mr Owens just called to tell me that Mandy isnt the lead in Sustenance."I explained.

   Ashley took a deep breath,"Then who is? The lead,I mean?"

I looked around. There was silence in the room. All eyes were on me, waiting for the answer.I took a deep breath and finally said,

            "You are,Ash."

 

      

 

 

Chapter 8

 Ashley gasped,"Yes,yes, yes,Oh my God!,Jake!"

 Ashley hugged Jake,she didnt leave,"Oh,oh, Jake."Jake held her tightly, "I am so happy for you, Ash,so so happy."

"I cant believe it, Oh, this is too good to be true,you are sure, arent you,Steph?"

     I nodded, "Yes," Mr Owens hadnt really said that Ashley was the lead, but I had figured, if Mandy wasnt the lead, then ofcourse Ashley would be.

   A tear rolled down Ashley's cheek.

"Why are you crying,Ash?" I asked, this was nothing to cry about, was it?

"These are happy tears, Steph."Ashley replied."oh,I am so happy!"

She hugged me too, then she hugged Jake again,"Finally, Finally, Jake."

"Yes,yes, I know."Jake replied.

  What were they talking about?But I didnt care, it made me feel happy to see Ashley happy, but I felt that twinge again when I saw Ashley and Jake together.

"umm.....you guys."I tried to break their hug, "Mandy is second lead."

"Oh, but who cares? she can be anything she wants as long as she is not the lead."Ashley said.

"Yes, but did Mr Owens say why he didnt select Mandy for the lead?" Jake asked. 

   I didnt want to reply, I knew I would regret it later, But I had to do something to divert their attention and break their hug, they were still holding hands.

"He...Well, Mandy is, you know, quite....energetic.I mean, she gets angry at very little things,like that day she flew at Ashley, Mr Owens doesnt want someone like that for the lead."

"Energetic?" Jake chuckled and moved away from Ashley, "Is that the best you can do,Steph?"

 I blushed, but atleast I had suceeded in diverting their attention.

"Mr Owens was right at THAT,"A boy named Winston said."That McHugh girl looked so comical,running down the corridors, her arms flying."

"Yeah, she wasnt fit to be lead."another girl nodded.

"Ashley is much better." a boy said.

    I had to say something, I had turned then all against Mandy.

"You guys," I started,"Dont say that, Mandy is a very good actres, I am sure-"

"No, she isnt,"A boy said,"She shouldnt even be second lead, she will mess up all our rehearsals."

   Everyone shook their head in agreement, even Ashley and Jake. I glared at them, ofcourse, now that Ashley was the lead, what would she care? but Jake too? But ofcourse, he was Ashley's best friend wasnt he? He would support her. I remembered Mandy's words,

"You are my best friend, Steph, you should support me."

Oh, forget that,Jake was most probably Ashley's boyfriend too, though none of them would admit to it, why did I care anyways? Why did I care if Jake and Ashley were together?

"YOU should be the second lead,Steph,"Jake said suddenly, breaking into my thoughts."You are quite a good actress too."

  "Well I never! I never really thought about it Jake."

"Then think about it now."Jake replied.

    "As far as I know, all the parts have already been given out,Jake."I replied,"And anyways, I dont even want a part, if I would have wanted, I would have auditioned, it was always Mandy-"

  "Forget Mandy, I am sure she must have been the one to tell you not to audition,didnt she?"Ashley broke in.

"No, she didnt tell me, I decided for myself."

This was a right out lie, I HAD wanted a part in Grease, but when Mandy had said that she had only thought about me for the stage crew, I had changed my mind. Afterall, if my best friend did not think me capable of acting, then most probably I wasnt.

 "Maybe she didnt discourage you, but she didnt encourage you either, did she?"

"Yes, she didnt."

What was the use lying? They already thought bad about Mandy.

  "We are encouraging you, Steph."Ashley said,"All the parts havent been taken yet,