Noughts and Crosses Read Online Free

eyes when he looked at me was gone without a trace. His eyes were storm-grey and just as troubled. He ran his fingers over his short-cut, chestnut brown hair in a gesture that seemed almost nervous. I opened my arms and stepped towards Callum.I wrapped my arms around him, my head on his shoulder. He was holding me, squeezing me too tightly but I didn’t say a word. I held my breath so it wouldn’t hurt so much. Just when I thought I’d have to gasp or protest, Callum suddenly let me go.
    ‘I can’t go any further,’ Callum said.
    ‘Just up to the rose garden.’
    ‘Not today.’ Callum shook his head. ‘I have to go.’ He handed back my bag.
    ‘I am going to see you tomorrow after school, aren’t I? In our usual place?’
    Callum shrugged. He was already walking away.
    ‘Callum, wait! What’s the ma . .?’
    But Callum was running now – faster and faster. I watched my best friend tear away from me, his hands over his ears. What was going on? I carried on walking up to the house, my head bent as I tried to figure it out.
    ‘P ERSEPHONE ! I NSIDE ! N OW !’
    My head snapped up at the sound of my mother’s voice. Mother came hurtling down the steps, her expression dour and fierce – as always. She’d obviously not had as many glasses of wine today as she normally did, otherwise she wouldn’t be in such a bad mood. I turned back to where Callum had been, but he was already out of sight – which was just as well. Mother grabbed my arm with bony fingers that bit like pincers.
    ‘I have been calling you for the last half an hour.’
    ‘You should’ve called louder then. I was down on the beach.’
    ‘Don’t be cheeky. I told you not to wander off today.’ Mother started dragging me up the stairs behind her.
    ‘Ouch!’ I banged my shin against one of the stone steps where I’d been too slow to pick up my feet. I tried to bend to rub my bruised skin but Mother was still dragging me.
    ‘Let go. Stop pulling me. I’m not luggage.’ I pulled my arm out of Mother’s grasp.
    ‘Get in the house now.’
    ‘Where’s the fire?’ I glared at Mother as I rubbed my arm.
    ‘You’re not to leave the house for the rest of the day.’ Mother entered the house. I had no choice but to follow.
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘’Cause I said so.’
    ‘What’s the . .?’
    ‘And stop asking so many questions.’
    I scowled at Mother but she was oblivious – as always. To her, my dirty looks were water off a duck’s feathers. The warm, wonderful afternoon was excluded from our house with the closing of the front door. Mother was one of those ‘refined’ women who could make the quiet closing of a door as forceful as a slam. Every time Mother looked at me, I could feel her wishing that I was more ladylike, like my scabby big sister, Minerva. I called her Minnie for short when I wanted to annoy her, because she hated it so much. I called her Minnie all the time. She loved our house as much as I hated it. She called it ‘grand’. To me it was like a bad museum – all cold floors and marble pillars and carved stonework which glossy magazines loved to photograph but which no-one with half a gram of sense would ever want to live in.
    Thank God for Callum. I hugged the knowledge ofhow I’d spent my day to myself with a secret smile. Callum had kissed me. Wow!
    Callum had actually kissed me!
    Wowee! Zowee!
    My smile slowly faded as a unbidden thought crept into my head. There was just one thing that stopped my day from being entirely perfect. If only Callum and I didn’t have to sneak and creep around.
    If only Callum wasn’t a nought.

two. Callum

    ‘I live in a palace with golden walls and silver turrets and marble floors . . .’ I opened my eyes and looked at my house. My heart sank. I closed my eyes again. ‘I live in a mansion with mullion windows and leaded light casements and a swimming pool and stables in the acres and acres of grounds.’ I opened one eye. It still hadn’t worked. ‘I live in a three up, two