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

could be more like him,
wishes she could let the despair roll off. She doesn’t know how he
manages to do it, continue smiling day after day.
    Nazirah sighs. “She gave me so much makeup
work today that I’ll be busy for a month.”
    “If you need any help, you can always ask
Ani,” Lumi says sympathetically. “She’s the brains of our
family.”
    Nazirah is thrown off by Lumi’s
pleasantness. Everyone has been walking on eggshells around Nazirah
since Monday morning, when Adamek first set foot onto the grounds.
All Nazirah wants is for everything to return to normal and for
everyone to ignore her again. That would be so nice.
    “Thanks, Lumi,” Nazirah says, genuinely
grateful for the tip. “How is she doing, by the way? I don’t see
her around much.”
    “Your guess is as good as mine,” Lumi sighs.
She throws her hands up in exasperation. “I try to ask, but she
won’t talk to me. Or my father. Or even Yuki.”
    Nazirah is skeptical about whether Lumi has
really tried to understand her reclusive sister, but she stays
quiet. She feels guiltier now about not stopping to chat with
Aneira in the girls’ lavatory last Friday.
    “It’s a big change,” Cato says gently. He is
resting on his palms, eyes closed. “Just keep trying.”
    Lumi looks at him wistfully. “I’m sick of
trying, Cato.”
    Nazirah doubts Lumi is still talking about
Aneira.
    “I overheard Grum speaking with Badoomi
today,” Taj says. “We’re starting actual combat training next week.
Fun, yeah?”
    Cato’s eyes pop open. Their combat class
has, up until this point, basically consisted of studying battle
techniques from strategy textbooks. Nazirah wonders if Adamek’s
alliance with the rebellion has sped up the impending war. The
thought of having to fight sooner does not cheer her up in the
least.
    “Fun,” she grumbles.
    Silence becomes the fifth member of their
circle. Even though they’re all recruits, it’s easy to forget,
sometimes, what they’re really here for. Why they’re constantly
going to classes, learning, and training. But at certain moments,
like now, they’re given a harsh reminder. They’re preparing to
become soldiers, tools, warm insurgent bodies. They’re preparing to
fight a battle against the government, Medis, and Median allies.
Many of them will die.
    Nazirah looks at the children jumping rope
and swinging nearby. She looks at her friends, at Cato, and she
wonders.
    Wonders who will be standing at the end of
all this.
    They stay like that, watching the late
afternoon light dim, preoccupied by their own personal demons.
Nazirah sees Cato stiffen. He is looking behind Nazirah, towards
the picnic tables, surviving relics of a time long ago. She notices
Lumi staring as well. Nazirah turns her head and sees Adamek
sitting alone. The tables around him are empty, which Nazirah
guesses is more by design than chance. He is deeply engrossed in
reading something, not paying any attention to them. People shoot
him nasty looks, mothers hold children tightly to their bosoms, but
he takes no notice. Or pretends not to.
    Nazirah faces the circle again, to find her
three friends avoiding her. Everyone at headquarters has heard
about Nazirah’s outburst in Nikolaus’s office, although no one, not
even Cato, has asked her about it.
    “You don’t have to tread so cautiously,” she
says. “I’m not going to break or anything.”
    Does saying it out loud make it true?
    “No one would begrudge you if you did,” Taj
says quietly. Nazirah looks at him, but doesn’t respond.
    “It’s just so weird that he’s here,” Lumi
jumps in eagerly. “I mean … not weird that he’s here outside …
weird that he’s here in general.”
    “Oh, because I wasn’t sure what you meant
there for a moment,” Nazirah says. Cato shoots her a look and
Nazirah shuts her mouth.
    “He’s just … hurt so many people here,” Lumi
continues. “I don’t understand how someone can suddenly change the
beliefs they’ve been