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When a girl embraces a youth, there's trouble (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

malady

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'trouble' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both states of affairs as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

'when a girl embraces a youth' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'a' is within the answer.
'youth' could be 'lad' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'lad' is found within the answer.
The remaining letters 'my' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

'there's' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for malady that I've seen before include "Sickness or disease" , "Disease, ailment" , "Complaint" , "affection" , "Sickness, ailment" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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