Jenny Downham - You Against Me

You want this to be a love story? If someone hurts your sister and youre any kind of man, you seek revenge, right?

If your brothers accused of a terrible crime but says he didnt do it, you defend him, dont you?

When Mikeys sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart.

When Ellies brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel.
When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide.

This is a brave and unflinching novel from the bestselling author of Before I Die . Its a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all its a book about love.

jenny downham

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Version 1.0

Epub ISBN 9781409048206

www.randomhouse.co.uk

YOU AGAINST ME
A DAVID FICKLING BOOK 978 0 385 61350 7

Published in Great Britain by David Fickling Books,
a division of Random House Childrens Books
A Random House Group Company

This edition published 2010

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Copyright Jenny Downham, 2010

The right of Jenny Downham to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

For HJD and AKD

Praise for Jenny Downhams first book, Before I Die:

Before I Die is one of the years standout books . Sunday Age

This is a novel with enormous breadth and power Highly recommended. Reading Time

A transcendent, remarkable work. Magpies

Before I Die is one of the finest, most carefully structured and astonishingly assured novels I have read in a long time. Viewpoint

Downham takes the reader to the sticking place, the place which we never, ever want to let ourselves see, but she does not leave us alone there. Courier-Mail

Jenny Downham writes with elegance and perception. Only an iron heart could not shed a tear or have a chuckle. Tessa may be my favourite literary heroine. Daily Telegraph

This debut from a British writer is one of the standout reads of the year A shocking, absorbing and defiantly humorous story that is unsentimental and deeply moving. The New Zealand Herald

Relentlessly detailed, totally honest and authentic, colossally carthartic. New Zealand Listener

Dealing frankly with teenage life, Before I Die will be the years most talked-about novel Novels for young teenagers do not usually feature drugs and casual sex within the first 20-odd pages. But most books for teenagers will not leave an adult readers eyes so blurry with tears that its hard to see the final chapters. Jenny Downhams extraordinary first novel does both. Sunday Times

Downhams prose is brave and bare, her characters relentlessly realistic. Sunday Telegraph

Destined to drive hundreds of thousands of readers to tears and to swift injunctions to all their friends to read it Yet the intolerability of whats to come spotlights a subtle truth, which Downham has captured well. That in life, despite all the warnings, no one ever quite believes the ending. Observer

This is an affecting and brave novel. Tessa is such a rich character For everyone, it is a reminder to value the people that matter, seize the moment, wish with courage, adventure with relish. Guardian

I dont care how old you are. This book will not leave you. New York Times

The eloquent dying teen can seem a staple of the YA novel, but this British debut completely breaks the mold. Downham holds nothing back in her wrenching and exceptionally vibrant story. Publishers Weekly

In luminous prose that rings completely true, Downham earns every tear she wrings from her readers. I trust there will be many of them many readers, and of course, many tears. Entertainment Weekly

Also by Jenny Downham:

Before I Die

Mikey couldnt believe his life.

Here was the milk on the counter in front of him. Here was Ajay, hand out expectantly. And here was Mikey, scrabbling for coins among the old receipts and bits of tissue in his jacket pocket. A woman in the queue behind him shuffled her feet. Behind her, a bloke coughed impatiently.

Anger stirred Mikeys gut. Sorry, he mumbled. Ill have to leave it.

Ajay shook his head. Take the milk and pay me tomorrow, its all right. And here, take some chocolate for your sisters.

No. Youre OK.

Dont be daft, take it. Ajay put a couple of Kit Kats in the carrier bag with the milk. And have a good day, yeah?

Mikey doubted it. He hadnt had one of those for weeks. Still, he managed a quick nod of thanks, grabbed the bag and legged it.

Outside, the rain was still going, a fine mist falling into light from the fluorescent strip above the door. He breathed in deep, trying to smell the sea, but the air smelled of fridges something to do with the fans blowing warm from the shop behind him. He yanked up his hood and crossed the road back to the estate.

When he got back to the flat, Holly was sitting on the carpet in front of the TV, eating Cookie Crisps from the packet. Karyn had stopped crying and was kneeling behind her, quietly brushing her sisters hair.

Mikey looked her up and down. You feeling better?

A bit.

So, you want to tell me what happened?

Karyn shrugged. I tried to go out. I got as far as the front door.

Well, thats something.

She rolled her eyes. Crack open the champagne.

Its a start.

No, Mikey, its the end. Holly needed milk for cereal and I couldnt even manage that.

Well, Ive got some now, so you want a cup of tea?

He went to the kitchen and filled the kettle. He opened the curtains, then the window. The rain was slowing down and it smelled fresh out there now. He could hear a child crying. A woman shouting. A door slammed three times. Bang. Bang. Bang.

Holly came in and dumped the cereal box on the counter. Mikey waggled the collar of her pyjama top. Why arent you dressed for school?

Because Im not going.

Yeah, you are.

She collapsed backwards against the fridge, her head flung up towards the ceiling. I cant go to school, its the bail hearing!

He frowned at her. How the hell did she know about that? Listen, Holly, if you promise to go and get dressed, Ill give you a Kit Kat.

Is it two or four sticks?

Four.

He rummaged in the carrier bag, pulled out one of the bars and dangled it at her. And can you wake Mum up?