Read Online Rise Against the Faultless by Melissa Hardaway - Free Book Online Page A

“I
didn’t know that was going to happen.”
                I watched him as he said it, and it didn’t seem
like he was lying, but I didn’t know him all that well yet. I shrugged. “No
matter, I guess. What infinite leadership wisdom will you be imparting on me
today, or will your Mom be here to teach me more lessons?”
                He ignored my attitude. He plopped a book down
in front of me. Combat Training Manual: 16th Edition. “You’ll need to be ahead
of the game. You’re going to need to know your subject matter, and if you’re
going to be a leader, you’ll want to know it better than everyone else. If you
have any spare time, I suggest that you spend it studying this, for now anyway.
Besides,” he walked over to me and lightly touched the left side of my face, “it
looks like you could use a few pointers in defense. Start here.” I started to
argue with him that I had no idea that I would need defense walking through a
door, but I figured that would mean admitting that his mother was right.
                “Is this what she did to you when you were
chosen?” I regretted the question as soon as it left my mouth. I’m not even
sure why I asked it, but I knew I crossed a line. He walked away from me and
back to the desk in the front of the room.
                “I got mine in different ways. That’s all for
today.”
                “That’s it? That’s your advice, read the
manual?” Wow, I was getting a bargain of a mentor here.
                “That’s it for now. I trust I don’t have to sit
here and watch you read it.” I shook my head and turned for the door. I was
looking forward to meeting Adrian and Lo for dinner and then checking out the
bread in the lounge. I figured from Shane’s reaction I should probably run by
my dorm before dinner and get a shower and clean up before too many more people
saw me. He was right, I did look terrible. I decided to go to Lo’s dorm and see
if she had a concealer I could borrow. It didn’t do too much for the bruise
that had already turned an awful shade of eggplant purple.
                Adrian was sitting at the table waiting on us.
After fussing over my beaten face for a few minutes, he then excitedly
recounted his day of programming and new exciting technologies.  He kept on and
on about some sort of voice recognition that utilized water sources. I couldn’t
follow. During the lunch a boy I had never seen came and sat next to Lo. He had
short brown curly hair and sea foam green eyes. He sat next to Lo and started
jabbing on and on as if they had known each other for years. “I’m sorry,” he
finally noticed that there were other people at the table besides her, “I’m
Jubal, I’m in Lo’s division. I’m pretty much in love with her.”
                I laughed at his candor, “You wouldn’t be the first.”
I told him with a smile. He did seem besotted by her.
                “Oh I’m sure I’m not, but my persistence will
eventually wear her down.” Lo playfully laughed and shook her head no at him.
“Lo, and Lo’s friends, would you like to come with me to the lounge?”
                The line was not nearly as long tonight as it
was last night. The first bite of the warm bread with the dip was so delicious
I wondered if it was some sort of trick. I felt guilty for eating it. I looked
around to make sure no one was going to arrest me for eating so freely. By the
looks of them, my friends felt the same way, but we all enjoyed it so much we
didn’t stop. We went back for a second and then third helping and were
surprised when no one cut us off. I spotted Shane across the lounge, sitting at
one of the tall tables with a man I didn’t recognize. I put my arm around
Adrian and squeezed him. “I think I’m gonna turn in for the night, guys.
Homework.”
                I started on the training manual back in my
dorm. This