Chasing Butterflies Read Online Free Page B

ants crawling all over it when I realise how close she is to me.
    “I left it at home.” I tuck a piece of my long hair behind my ear and look up at the cloudless, blue sky as dizziness crashes down on top of me. I screw my face up and fan myself with my hand.
    “It’s hot today,” she says. “Are you sweating?”
    I feel my shoulders stiffen as I shake my head. “No.”
    “Yes, you are. We can smell you.” She grabs at my clammy hand, and before I have a chance to pull away from her, she lifts my arm high above my head. “Oh my God!” She gasps, letting go of my arm.
    I pull my hand close to my body and feel hot tears prickling at my eyes. “Leave me alone, Jasmine.”
    “She’s got hairy armpits,” she yells to the others as she waves her hand in front of her face dramatically. “And by the smell of it, she hasn’t used deodorant this morning either.”
    My throat feels dry and constricted, but I manage to whisper, “I hate you.”
    “What was that?” she asks, leaning closer to me while she pinches her nose.
    “Nothing,” I mumble, turning away from her.
    “Oh, I think I heard you, Yara.” I try to cross the road to get away from her, but she pulls on the hem of my dress and yanks me back. “Let’s go and see just how much you hate me.”
     
     
     
    Gabriel
     
    I’ve never been so physically exhausted in all my life. Even the extra work I did while I was away at college was nothing compared to how I feel now.
    When I came back to Eleze a couple of months ago, I had no money left and no job. My best mate, Jonny, managed to get me a job with a big landscape gardening company, and I’ve been trawling across the county with the same group of guys ever since.
    I lean back in my seat and close my eyes with a sigh.
    “What’s up with you, Gabe?”
    I open one eye and stare at George, noticing the way he’s started to use my newly acquired nickname. I’ve realised since starting this job that none of the guys on the team call anyone by their real name. “Nothing,” I mumble.
    He rolls his eyes at me and then turns back around to look out of his window. I’m in the back of the works van with George, or Big-G, beside me. Matt’s driving and Bernie is in the passenger seat. Matt and Bernie have been arguing about which radio station we’re going to listen to, while George and I have done our best to ignore them.
    “It doesn’t seem like nothing,” George says. He doesn’t turn to look at me, but I know he’s frowning. George is always frowning, and it always seems to be aimed at me.
    “I’m just tired,” I tell him. “My arms are aching and my back is sore.”
    “You carved some good shit today.”
    I grin and playfully punch him in his shoulder. “I always do, don’t I?”
    He nods and turns to grin at me. “True story.”
    “What the fuck?” asks Bernie, sounding excited.
    I almost bang heads with George as we both lean into the middle to try and look out the front window. “What is it?” I ask.
    “I can see tits,” Matt replies. “And legs and long, blonde hair.”
    “Where?” George shoves at my chest, pushing me out of the way, and sticks his head in the gap between the front seats. “Where is she?”
    “Pervert,” I grunt as I slump back into my seat.
    “There,” says Matt. He points at something—or someone, from the sound of it—but because George has blocked me, I can’t see who it is.
    “What the fuck? That’s some sick shit. Who is it?” asks George.
    I frown and then I hear Matt laughing. “It’s that weird girl. The one who killed her mother.”
    I feel the blood go cold in my veins. “Yara?” I say, trying to pull George back so I can see.
    “How do you know her name?” asks George.
    I turn to him and shrug. “She lives behind me. I think I’ve heard my mum mention her a few times,” I lie, feeling it burn as it leaves my mouth.
    They slow the van down, and I shove at George until I push myself through the gap. Then I see her. She’s