Ashley and I were as thick as thieves. However, I chose to believe my friends when they claimed that she had been badmouthing and spreading malicious rumours about me behind my back. I ceased communicating with her. Ashley wrote a nice long letter, trying to explain herself but I just chucked the letter aside. Later, I found out that my friends had deceived me because they were jealous of our friendship. But it was too late to salvage the friendship. I learnt that I should always take my friends’ words with a pinch of salt and verify matters for myself.