Read Online Intermix Nation by M.P. Attardo - Free Book Online

Nazirah assumed that Adamek would buy a private island and
hide away until the war was over and he could safely return to
Mediah. She can’t be around him for more than a few seconds without
wanting to throw up, and now they have to live under the same
roof?
    Nikolaus looks between her and Adamek
cautiously, clearly worried that one of them, maybe both, will
snap. “Do not question me,” he says. “I am your brother, and I am
your Commander. I am sick of your selfishness.” He walks past her
to the door, holding it open and scowling at the nosy rebels
listening outside.
    But Nazirah isn’t done yet.
“How could you let him stay here?” she hisses, glaring at Adamek.
She is addressing him now, spitting slander. “This disgusting,
racist snake who is contaminating me with his presence?” Her eyes
blaze. “This … murderer !”
    Adamek stares hard at Nazirah before sharing
a brief look with Niko. Adamek nods, walking towards the open door.
He stops in front of Nazirah, who is suddenly aware of how tall he
is. She hadn’t noticed in the prison because he was sitting the
entire time, but he is only a few inches shorter than Nikolaus.
Nazirah refuses to feel small and weak next to him, and holds her
head high. Adamek bends down. He whispers something in Nazirah’s
ear and then straightens and strolls out of the room.
    Nikolaus waits by the door, not really
paying attention. Nazirah distantly hears him tell her that they
will finish discussing this later, that he needs to get back to
work, that she needs to go to class. But Nazirah is not
concentrating on him. She is concentrating on what Adamek has just
whispered, his words repeating over and over in her mind.
    “And don’t you forget it.”
    As if she could.
    #
    “What a day.”
    Nazirah drops her heavy bag on the dead,
withered grass next to Cato. It is Thursday, four days since she
made her penitent return to classes, and she already feels
overwhelmed with work. Her teachers weren’t understanding or
lenient, hadn’t eased her back into things. They piled makeup
assignments and extra credit essays on her with a smile, especially
Bairs. Nazirah doesn’t want to do the assignments. She thinks that
showing up is more than sufficient. But Riva encouraged education,
and Nazirah doesn’t want to disappoint her any more than she
already has.
    “Rough day of class?”
    Nazirah shoots Cato an annoyed look, sitting
on the grass beside Lumi and Taj. They are lounging in a circle, on
the grounds behind the main building, watching some younger rebel
children play tag. It has been a beautiful day and the grounds are
full of people relaxing before dinner.
    “I got my paper on Zima back,” Nazirah tells
them, stretching out her legs. “The bear was not pleased. ‘You
should take your work in this class more seriously, Nazirah,’”
Nazirah says, in a poor Bairs imitation. “‘Territory History is an
essential foundation of our rebellion. It’s how the races learn
about one another, how we realize we are all similar and
connected.’” Nazirah scoffs, because the last thing she needs is
yet another lecture.
    “That witch,” says Lumi, her voice suddenly
full of derision. Nazirah is surprised to find she and Lumi agree
on something. “Can you believe she took points off my essay? How
would she know anything about Zima? She’s a southerner!”
    Nazirah smirks. It’s typical of Lumi to
revolve the conversation around herself, but she still feels better
about her own decimated essay.
    “Don’t feel too bad about it, Irri,” Taj
says kindly. “Bairs doesn’t like anyone.”
    “Except you,” Cato says, and Taj smirks.
    Like Nazirah, Taj is intermix. An orphaned
refugee from a small village several hours north of Rubiyat, Taj
has warm brown skin, an appreciative smile, and an eternally
grateful disposition. He can’t read or write, so he completes his
essay assignments orally. Taj is wicked smart and remembers nearly
everything he hears. Nazirah wishes she