The next day, Ashley darted into school full of courage, beaming with excitement as she approached her classroom.
Her first class with Mr. Andy was going to be the most thrilling part of her morning.
As she approached the hallway,
Ashley spotted Hannah.
She quickly ducked out of sight before Hannah had a chance to see her.
Despite their friendship, she couldn't shake how Hannah's words often stung, especially when it came to advice.
For once, she was certain about what she wanted, but she knew very well that Hannah would think differently.
So to avoid any unwanted lectures, Ashley took the long route to class.
***
When she finally arrived at the music classroom, she froze - the classroom was completely empty.
Many thoughts crossed her mind.
"Did they move the class? Was I wrong about the schedule?" Ashley asked herself.
Just to be certain, Ashley took out a sheet of paper containing the school's timetable and confirmed the time, but she was still at a loss as to why she found the classroom empty.
She stepped out, hoping to question the students around her, when she bumped into Angel.
"Watch where you're going, witch!" Angel shrieked, acting as if she'd been hit by a truck.
Ashley had never thought she would be as excited to see Angel. Everyone knew her to be the mistress of gossip, so without a doubt, she would know what had happened.
"First of all, a glass cup in my house is worth more than whatever you're putting on right now. Secondly, why is the music class empty?" Ashley asked.
Angel laughed at Ashley's comment and said, "Well, since you're so rich, figure it out yourself."
With that, Angel walked away, and Ashley anxiously tried to call her back, but Henry grabbed her arm and pulled her.
"Ashley, you don't have to apologize to her if that's what you're thinking. The music teacher called in sick, so we were sent to study hall by the principal. That's why the class is empty," Henry explained.
Ashley was relieved to find out it was nothing too serious, but at the same time, she was worried about Mr. Andy and the state he could be in.
Heading to her next class, she couldn't help but feel restless.
She clutched the edge of her collar as she walked down the hallway, preoccupied when Hannah yanked her by her shoulder.
"Ashley, I've been calling out to you. What are you thinking about again, and why didn't you come to meet me this morning?" Hannah asked.
"It's nothing, Hannah," Ashley said with a gloomy look. "I was just rushing to class this morning and found out Mr. Andy called in sick. Do you have any idea what could have happened to him?"
Hannah was about to reply to Ashley when Miss Lily walked in on their conversation
"Shouldn't you two be in class? What are you doing outside? In fact, I don't want to hear a word out of either of you. Just rush back to your classrooms immediately."
Undeterred, Ashley boldly asked, "Actually Miss Lily, we were just on our way, but since you're here...do you know what's wrong with Mr. Andy?"
An unmistakably anxious look flashed across Lily's face, which Ashley immediately picked up on.
"Why are you asking me about this? Just go to class already!" she snapped evasively before storming off.
Lily walked away, trying to refrain from giving off any other hint to Ashley.
She knew deep down that Andy's absence from school was due to her actions the previous night, and knowing Ashley was hot on her trail, she couldn't risk her suspicions.
Ashley, on the other hand, already had her suspicions about Lily, and it made her more worried.
"Han, I'm really worried," Ashley said to Hannah once they were alone again.
"Did you see how weird Lily got? She's usually so tight-lipped about everything, but that reaction...what if something seriously happened to Mr. Andy?" Ashley continued.
"Don't let Lily get under your skin," Hannah replied, trying to be the voice of reason. "I'm sure nothing happened."
"This is my problem with you, Han!" Ashley cried in exasperation.
"You never seem to get where I'm coming from. I need to go check on him myself to know he's okay. I won't be able to focus on anything until I do!"
Before Hannah could protest further, Ashley suddenly doubled over, clutching her stomach as a piercing scream of pain escaped her lips.
Hannah watched in shock as her friend crumpled to the floor, making her to immediately call for help.
Henry and a group of passing students raced over at the commotion.
Without hesitation, Henry scooped the wailing Ashley into his arms and rushed her to the nurse's office, Hannah and the others following closely behind.
On reaching there, Ashley was gently dropped onto the bed.
The nurse asked the other students to leave the room.
Hannah requested to stay behind, and after much pleading - the nurse agreed.
"How are you feeling?"
"Any pain here?"
The kept interogating as Ashley shook her head nagative.
Hannah was suspicious.
All Ashley kept saying was that she wanted to go home.
Due to Ashley's persistence, the nurse finally wrote her a permission letter and went to the principal's office to get it signed.
As soon as the nurse left, Hannah gave Ashley a suspicious glare and said, "Drop the act now, Ashley. Is this the stunt you plan on getting out of school to check on Mr. Andy?"
Ashley pretended to be sick, got up, sat on the bed, and said,
"Hannah, don't you think of ruining this for me, okay? I really need to get going, so the best you could do is play along."
Before Hannah could say anything else, the nurse came in with the signed letter, and Ashley pretended to be asleep.
She was handed the letter for a call to be put across to her family to fetch her, and a few minutes later, her escorts drove into the school's building to take her home.
On getting home, Ashley's maids and nanny brought her medicines, food, and water, after hearing about her health.
When they all left, she locked the door and tried to escape through the passage.
She tied a rope from a balcony and climbed down, escaping the mansion through the back gate.
The next place she headed was Mr. Andy's house.
Arriving at the front porch, she stood for a while to take in a deep breath before approaching the door to knock.
But just before her knuckles could move, Mrs. Bates opened the door.