Hater 1: Hater Read Online Free PDF Page A

jostling with each other for position. Edward digs his elbow into his little sister's ribs. Ellis shoves him back out of the way and then slams against the table, spilling Liz's coffee.
        'Dad, will you tell her?' Ed spits, pointing accusingly.
        'Tell her what?' I ask, distracted by the pile of bills I've just found on the table.
        'Tell her to stop following me around,' he yells. 'She's winding me up.'
        'Why don't you both just leave each other alone? Go and play in your own rooms.'
        'I want to watch telly,' Ed protests.
        'I was watching it first,' Ellis complains.
        'She'll be going to bed soon,' I sigh, trying to reason with Edward. 'Just let her watch it for a while then you can change the channel when she's gone to bed.'
        'But my programme's on now,' he whines, not having any of it. 'It's not fair, you always take her side. Why do you always take her side?'
        I've had enough.
        'Let's just leave the television off then,' I tell them. Both of them start screaming at me but even their god-awful noise is drowned out by Lizzie who shrieks at the pair of them to get out of her sight at a deafening volume. Ed pushes his sister as he barges out of the room. Ellis slaps him on the back as he passes.
        'Well handled,' Liz mumbles sarcastically.
        'Little sods,' I mumble back.
        'That's why I've had enough,' she snaps. 'I've had to put up with their rubbish constantly since we came out of school and I can't stand it anymore. Okay?'
        She storms out of the room. I don't bother following, there's no point. There's nothing I can do or say to make things any easier so I take the easy option and do and say nothing.

    
        
    FRIDAY
    ii
        
        'He was looking at me.'
        'Get lost! He was looking at me. He's not interested in you!'
        Josie Stone and her best friend Shona Robertson walked down Sparrow Hill and across the park together arm in arm, laughing as they discussed Darren Francis, a boy two years ahead of them at school who they'd just passed outside Shona's house.
        'Anyway,' Josie teased, 'everyone knows that Kevin Braithwaite fancies you. You stick with Kevin and leave me and Darren alone.'
        'Kevin Braithwaite?!' Shona protested. 'I wouldn't be seen dead with him. He's more your type.'
        'Shut up!'
        The two friends tripped and slid down the greasy grassy bank, still giggling and holding onto each other's arms as they struggled to keep their footing. Their speed increased as they stumbled further down the hill and onto level ground. Josie slipped as they ran across the middle of a muddy football pitch. Shona instinctively reached out and yanked her back up before she hit the ground.
        'Careful!' she laughed as she struggled to stay standing like a bad ice skater.
        Josie and Shona were as close as sisters. They'd met at school three years ago and, both being only children, had quickly become inseparable. They spent almost all of their free time together and often slept over at each other's house. Last summer Josie had even spent a fortnight in Spain with Shona and her family. Nothing was allowed to come between them, not even boys.
        'I heard that Dayne was round Phillipa's house last night,' Shona said, suddenly remembering a vital piece of gossip she'd heard on the way home from school. 'She's a dirty tramp that Phillipa.'
        Josie stopped walking.
        Shona carried on for a few seconds, oblivious.
        'Danni said she saw her with her hands down...'
        When she realised she was on her own she stopped, turned round and looked at her friend.
        'What's the matter with you?' she asked. Josie didn't answer. 'Come on you silly cow, the others will have gone if we don't get a move on.'
        Still Josie didn't move. She simply stood and stared at Shona who, not understanding her friend's behaviour, turned round again