Beside You - Ashton Irwin

1

"Andrea! Did you see this dress? The red and the shape would really compliment your figure at the dance." I peered over the racks of designer dresses over to where Diane was. Her obnoxious blonde hair swayed as she turned towards me. "You know I hate wearing dresses, Dee." She rolled her eyes at me. My rocky vibe didn't match her pink princess vibe. "Just try it on, Andy. Please? For me?" She gave me puppy dog eyes. "Urgh, fine. But this is the only one I try. I'm still deciding if I want to go to the dance." She gasped and shoved me into the changing room. 

I ripped off my expensive brown pants and then removed my stubborn white corset top. Shopping in Manhattan did mean dressing up in the current fashion, as much as I hated expensive clothing and fashion, I did have a reputation and a name to uphold. I slipped on the floor-length red silk dress. Surprisingly it didn't look that bad to what I thought it would look like.

"Hurry up Andy. We don't have all day. Your mum just texted you. She said get home now. Damn, Andy the rebel. Hope you're not in trouble! Karlie and Emora are across in the other shop, pretty sure it's H&M, speaking of which, I need a cute top to wear over my bikini for Alex's pool party." She started going on about how in love she was with Alex Cooper, he was the senior sports captain and the captain of the Varsity Football Team. And, as cliche as it was, Diane, the head cheerleader, was dating him. I had stayed away from boys since my sophomore year to try and focus on my declining studies, so I would have the grades I needed to get into Law School. I had taken the SATs early and thus taken the LSATs (Law School Exams) and applied to multiple ivy league schools. I had been accepted into 3 of my favourites and was looking forward to starting at my chosen one next year. 

I hadn't always wanted to be a lawyer, but after stern talks with my dad about good futures, I decided law was my new path in life. It definitely did not suit who I was whatsoever but I lived to impress my family. Speaking of which, I hadn't spoken to my dad for 2 days, it wasn't unusual for him to be extremely busy since he was one of the 2 senators for New York. He was always travelling and being his rich, important self. It didn't bother me that he had missed most of my childhood due to his crowded schedule.

We had a month until we would all be walking across the graduation stage, collecting our diplomas. I couldn't wait until my entire friendship group, Diane, Karlie and Emora and I would drive away from school blasting our favourite songs, then go to LA for our holiday before college started. Sadly, none of us we're going to the same college, so it was super important to spend the summer together. Diane banged on the wall of the dressing room and I started laughing. "Ok!Ok! I'm coming, Dee. I walked out and three collective gasps were heard. 

Dee, Karls and Em were standing in front of me, eyes open in shock. "Is it bad? Oh, fuck it looks terrible. See this is why I don't wear dre-" "Shut the fuck up Andy. You look, killer!" The girls insisted we look over 20 million photos to post to Instagram. It was at this moment I remembered how different these 3 were. I was THE disposable friend. I found this out when I was in middle school, yet, they were my only close friends so I stayed in their slightly toxic friendship group. When they all got hot boyfriends in high school. I got a hot boyfriend in high school to fit in with them. I knew I was only around for the perks and connections, yet I had always needed this validation from my friends. We paid for the dress and walked out of the store. I had almost forgotten about my mother's texts until my phone started playing Shut Up and Drive by Rihanna. Everyone turned around and looked at me while I scrambled around for my phone which happened to be at the bottom of my handbag.

"Andrea, why aren't you home yet? I texted you 20 minutes ago!"

"Sorry mom, we got a bit distracted buying a dress for prom which is in a few weeks."

"Ok Andrea. Just get home now. Somethings come up."

"Ok, mom."

I hung up. Her tone seemed drained since she wasn't putting up a fight with me about being late like she usually would. All these thoughts lead me to freak out about what she said. 'Somethings come up.' What had come up?

After Diane and the others had dropped me off at my penthouse apartment on the upper west side, opposite central park, Siala the housemaid let me in. "Mom? Where are you?" I walked around a bit before journeying upstairs to the kitchen. My mum sat at the kitchen table with red eyes. "Oh, baby." She jumped up and threw her arms around me. I swear the last time she gave me a proper hug was when dad got reelected as State Senator. "Did he tell you what's going on?" she questions. I shake my head in confusion. "Your father... he's done some bad things. He's upstairs. Some people are going to take him away soon. I just need you to stay in your room. Lock it. If you come out they'll ask you questions and that can't happen yet. I promise I'll explain after it happens." there was banging on the front door of the apartment.

"Bruce Pentworth? This is the FBI we're coming in."

Still confused as ever, I sprinted up to my room and shut the door. Why the fuck was the FBI in my house? Why were they after my dad? I could hear chaos below.

"I LOVE YOU ANDREA. I'M SO SO SORRY" I peeked my head out of the door and saw 2 bulky men cuffing my father with 3 other surrounding him. My mother stood in the kitchen clutching her mug in silence, I could see tears streaming down her face. 

Finally, the scene below registered. "D-dad?" I yelled out. 2 officers glared at me. "ANDREA.... Go back to your room." My mother screamed at me. "Bruce Pentworth, you are under arrest for election fraud, bribery and extortion. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do may be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you by the state." With one last look, my dad turned his head back to the officers as they walked him out. I was in a state of shock. My brain couldn't figure out what was going on. Election fraud? Extortion?

I walked back down to the kitchen where my mom was frozen in her spot. "Mom? What's going on? Why was my own father just arrested in front of me?" she stayed silent for a bit before sitting down and looking up at me.

"He told me 20 minutes before you came home that he did something terrible. He knew he wasn't going to win the previous election, so he did what he did best. Manipulated his colleagues and connections to help him win. He had a whole group of men working for him, Andy. I-I didn't know anything until he said that. He knew the FBI had opened a case on him and his inside sources told him they would be raiding our house tonight. 

"I'm sorry baby, I'm so so sorry you saw that. It's probably all over the news already. I'm going to be so embarrassed to leave the house. I don't know what to do without him, Andy. I'm sorry." I shake my head. "Mom, this is something you don't need to be sorry for. It's not your fault. Dad messed up. We can figure this out. Please." She walked past me to the sofa and sat down with her head in between her hands. I switched on the TV and my mother's biggest fears were true. Every channel I switched too had a story about my dad getting walked out of our apartment building in handcuffs being led along by the FBI. We had hit rock bottom.