Love My Enemy Read Online Free PDF Page A

should make her. I
would if she was my sister.'
    In the end Zee felt she had no choice but to leave
Tasha behind; she could hardly force her home. Stares
followed her and Conor as they threaded their way
through the crowd and people nudged each other,
whispering. It felt so sinister that Zee's heart thumped in
her ears and she gripped Conor's hand tightly.
    It's a celebration of Protestant over Catholic , her
mum had said earlier. What if some other hot-head took
exception to Conor's religion? What if they never got
home?
    Suddenly they were out, expelled from the crowd
which closed like a zip behind them. Zee sucked in deep
cleansing breaths of night air. The space around her had
never felt so good, the long tongue of tarmac road in
front had never looked quite so inviting. She gazed up at
the Milky Way, a vast pin cushion high above them.
    'Look at all the stars,' she enthused, overcome with
relief. 'Millions of them stretching over whole continents!
God, I can't wait to get out of this country!'
    'Can't you?' Conor sounded surprised.
    'No. Even if the peace works, it'll make no real
difference – not deep down.'
    'How d'you work that out?'
    'It won't stop people hating each other. It won't take
the religion or the politics out of them.'
    'It'd be pretty dull if it did,' he said. 'But we can learn
to live with each other.'
    'I didn't see much sign of it just now. And you – why
did you wind Gary up about being friends? Are you
crazy?'
    'I had my reasons,' he said darkly.
    'Aye – pride. Honestly, boys!'
    'Boys? I'll have you know I'm nearly seventeen.' He
slipped his arm around her waist. 'All grown up. Shall I
show you?'
    'No!' She was amazed and thrilled and embarrassed
all at once, but she spun out of his reach and passed it
off with a laugh. Fancy making a move on her just now.
Some fellas had no sense of timing.
    'Are you training for a marathon?' he asked a moment
later and she realised that she had quickened her pace so
much they were practically running along the pavement.
    'Sorry, I'm just fed up. I can't wait to get outa here.'
    'So you said.'
    'Tasha's travelled, you know. She's been all over the
place on holiday.'
    'Has she? It doesn't show.'
    'I can't believe she stayed behind like that. You do
think she'll be okay, don't you?'
    'At Gary's tender mercy?' He laughed teasingly. 'Of
course she will, Zee.'
    'Don't you like Tasha?'
    'I like you better.'
    He grinned down at her and Zee's stomach
somersaulted. 'I'm not going to be around much longer,
you know. I'm going to be a journalist,' she said. 'In
Fleet Street.'
    'I'm impressed.'
    Was he really? 'What about you, Con? You must have
sat your GCSEs last month.'
    'I want to do medicine eventually – if I get the grades.
I'm aiming to be a surgeon one day.'
    'A surgeon?' Zee really was impressed. 'Plenty of
demand for surgeons if you stay here.'
    'I plan to. And what will you do after Fleet Street,
Zee?'
    'I suppose I'll get assignments – Bosnia, Africa, the
Middle East – anywhere but Belfast.'
    He burst out laughing. He hooted and howled and
practically doubled up.
    'What's so funny?' she demanded.
    'You are. Do you really think those places will be any
different to here?'
    'Of course they will. Stop laughing at me!'
    'After what you did back there? I wouldn't dare
laugh.'
    But he was in stitches. She could see that by the
streetlights and she could hear it in his voice. It was just
that she hardly dared look at him now. She had always
thought her neighbour was good looking, and now they
were actually talking she felt all hot and bothered and
confused. Thank heavens they were almost home. The
lights were still on in her house and in Conor's house
too, just a few doors up.
    'I'm glad we bumped into each other tonight,' he said
when they reached her gate.
    'Aye, almost lynched we were – great fun.'
    'Seriously, thanks. You're the bravest girl I know.
Lucky for me you were there tonight.'
    Zee felt ridiculously pleased. She had to look away to
hide the blush