Reply to Reviews:
Divergent Amity Transfer: OOC stands for "out of character". Like, most of the main characters here really don't have their canon personalities (and I'm aware of that, haha).
QuinnDeRavensborough: With no supermarket, Frypan's life is a struggle XD
the glade: But why...? :D
Aurora Marie Williams: That's so cool! I'm glad you think it's good enough to be in that spot! :)
lovbooks005: There might be a little bit of both, along with some other things, but that's not really the focus.
Queen Rebelle: It really was, unfortunately. :/ And you're on that boat, too?! My goodness, I really don't like those types of fics (for the most part, at least)!
AsgardianGrizzly: I think that could be a possibility ;)
DemigodPrefect: Probably not... I have a massive case of writer's block there. Sorry!
The Gladers carried their food to their rooms, and then Minho flung himself on the couch. "I wanna get music." he said.
"Good to know." Thomas responded.
"How do you find out what good music is?" Minho asked.
"I think radio stations have Top Forty stuff or whatever it's called..."
"Don't only cars have radios? Can it be Googled?"
"Maybe. I'm not sure why you're asking me, though." Thomas shrugged. "I pretty much know just as much about these things as you do."
Minho went into the bedroom and got his new laptop. He sat back down on the couch and opened it up. "Popular... music..." his eyes lit up. "Holy shuck, I think Google might end up being the solution to all of life's problems! Look at this!" he spun the screen around and showed Thomas. There were pages upon pages of links to go to. "If they've got all these responses for music, can you imagine how many answers'll come up for everything!"
Thomas leaned forward, reading all the links. "American Top Forty?"
"With Ryan Seacrest!" Minho said, spinning the computer back to him. Thomas got up from his chair and sat next to Minho, leaning over his shoulder. He clicked on "This Week's Top 40 Countdown", and a list of forty songs appeared on the screen. "Jealous... Blank Space... Uptown Funk... Love Me Harder... well, that's suggestive."
Thomas laughed.
"Look up 'Jealous'. It's number one, so it should be decent." Minho said.
Thomas went to the bedroom and got his computer. He put it on his lap and pulled up Google. "Jealous... by..."
"Some dude named Nick Jonas."
"Nick Jonas." Thomas pressed "enter", and pressed a Youtube link to a video. It started playing, but there was no sound.
"There's no sound." Thomas said, stating the obvious.
"Turn up the sound, genius." Minho rolled his eyes.
"Whoops." Thomas pressed the volume button and music started filling the apartment.
"I don't like the way he's lookin' at you... I'm starting to think you want him too..."
Minho and Thomas sat silently as the song played all the way through. They let the music fade off and they were silent for a minute, thinking up the verdict.
"I didn't like it." Minho offered.
"Eh." Thomas agreed.
"Try 'Blank Space'."
Thomas looked that up, and clicked on the Youtube link to the music video.
"Nice to meet you, where you been, I can show you incredible things..."
Minho peered over Thomas's shoulder as the video went on, their eyes growing wide with surprise and a little bit of worry.
"And I got a blank space, bay-by, and I'll write your name!"
Thomas and Minho stared at the screen as it faded to black.
"I'm not sure if we should be interested in the music or be fearing the lives of this chick's exes." Thomas said slowly.
"I think it was a joke." Minho said. "At least, I think. And I hope. I mean, I don't think they'd let actual psychos make music. I think they'd lock up psychos."
They stared at the computer screen a little more.
"Google it. Make sure she's not insane." Minho said eventually.
Thomas nodded. "Is... Taylor Swift... insane." he pressed "enter". He clicked on the first link, which was an article praising the singer for her convincing role as an insane lover in 'Blank Space'. "Thank God, I don't think she is."
"Go to 'Uptown Funk'." Minho said.
"Uptown... Funk... by... Mark... Ronsen... and... Bruno... Mars." he pressed the link to the music video.
"Uptown funk you up, uptown funk you up..."
The boys watched silently, again. About halfway through, Thomas saw Minho bobbing his head to the beat of the music. Thomas bit his lip to keep himself from laughing as the song continued on. Minho started bouncing from side to side slightly in his seat, as well.
When the song finished, Thomas looked quietly at Minho, awaiting the reaction.
Minho nodded. "Pretty good song." he said, attempting to sound nonchalant.
"I saw you dancing, Min."
"I did a little head-bobbing and swaying. I'm not sure if you can count it as 'dancing'."
"You've been teasing me all day about girls flirting with me and stuff, I'm going to milk this."
They listened to the next ten songs, and Minho said, "Uptown Funk's the best."
"Well, considering that was the only one you danced to..."
"You know what? I'm not gonna let you bother me with that." Minho said firmly. He went into iTunes. "Let's see what iTunes recommends..." he clicked on the search bar, bringing up "Trending Searches".
Thomas looked at the screen alongside him. "Uptown Funk!"
Minho rolled his eyes. "Dude. Slim it."
"Nah..." Thomas grinned at him.
"Let's see what else, shall we?" Minho read down the list. "Sugar Maroon Five... Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack... Listen David Guetta... Boom Clap... Eminem..."
"Isn't that candy?"
"No, that's M and Ms."
"Wait, how's this dude's name spelled?"
"E-M-I-N-E-M."
"Huh. Check him out. I have a feeling it's gonna be weird. Anyone who names themselves after candy is bound to be weird."
"You want to listen to this guy, but we were both worried that Taylor Swift was psycho. What makes you think a dude naming himself after chocolate's gonna be okay?" anyways, Minho clicked on 'Eminem' and an assortment of songs, albums, ringtones, and music videos came up. He clicked the first song, and they listened to the first few samples of the guy's songs.
"This dude has a lot of anger." Thomas said slowly, after the fourth song sample. "This is definitely not 'candy-music' or something like I was expecting."
Minho clicked on the fifth.
"HOLY SHUCK LANGUAGE!" shouted Thomas. "How is this considered music?"
Minho laughed. "I'm thinking this guy's actually insane, but I like his nerve."
"You're buying this stuff?"
"Uh, I'm not sure. But the world needs more people who are willing to speak their mind."
"It's not like you filter whatever comes out of your mouth."
"'Guess there's a bit of Slim Shady in all of us'." Minho said in a deep voice.
"What?"
"The Real Slim Shady. Duh."
"Uh, okay."
Then there was a knock at the door. Thomas put his computer on the coffee table and opened the door. "Oh, hey Chuck."
"Frypan wants to invite you guys over for dinner."
"If he's invited the rest of the Glade, I'm not coming. Your apartment's gonna be way too full." Minho called over.
"No, just you guys. And Teresa, Newt, Alby, and Gally."
"Why Gally?" groaned Minho.
"He and Frypan are friends," Chuck shrugged. "I guess."
"Ew." Minho said simply.
"Do you want to come? The smells from the kitchen seem promising. At least, I think they do." Chuck said.
"I sat with Gally in the car- I am reserving the seat farthest from him!" Minho announced.
Thomas rolled his eyes. "I'm not even sure if we can all fit at the kitchen table."
"No. I think some people are gonna sit on the couch." Chuck shrugged again.
"Classy establishment your roommate's running." Minho laughed.
"Oh well." Chuck didn't seem to know how to respond to Minho.
"Don't even try to respond to Minho's comebacks, it's pointless." Thomas whispered to Chuck, who let out a laugh.
The two followed Chuck to his and Frypan's apartment, and upon opening the door, they were all hit with a slew of smells.
"Not the whole Glade, Fry!" Minho groaned, but he had a grin on his face, telling Thomas that he was eager for this dinner.
Frypan observed all the things he had cooking. "If we have leftovers, we have leftovers." he said dismissively, shaking a pot of something over the stove.
"Are you sure you don't need any help? You seem to have about five different things in heated areas and you've got two hands." Newt said from the couch.
"Like I said before, I've got this under control, Newt!" Frypan insisted, pressing a button on the oven. "I've dealt with more than this before!"
Newt rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm warnin' ya right now, I'm not eating anything that's been burnt to a bloody crisp."
"We're not going to have that problem!" Frypan started humming cheerfully.
Alby was staring at Frypan with intense fascination. "I've never seen a cooking master at work before!"
"You're a sad, sad leader." Minho rolled his eyes. "Why have you never visited the kitchen?"
"I've visited it, but I've never stayed for long. And Frypan always had people helping him. I've never seen him working alone before..." Alby's eyes trailed after the cook as he opened the microwave and took a bowl of rice out of it, quickly inserting another bowl, which was full of peas.
There was a knock on the door, and Minho opened the door to face Gally. "Ugh." he opened the door wider.
"Yeah, well, it's not pleasant seeing your face, either." Gally stepped inside, purposely and forcefully bumping Minho's shoulder as he got past him.
"What are you talking about? His face is naturally model-status! And have you checked out his hair lately?" Teresa defended Minho cheerfully. "He can run all day and that hair stays perfectly coiffed!"
"Aw... that's cute..." Thomas nudged Minho. "And you said she likes me..."
"Just because she likes my face and my hair doesn't mean she likes me in general." Minho retorted.
"You just don't want any karma. Well, you know what? Karma's just come back to bite you in the butt, shank!" Thomas taunted him.
Minho rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "You tried, dear boy."
"Well, no. I don't really check out his face. Or his hair. In case you didn't notice, I don't like him." Gally sank down into an armchair.
"Then who do you like, you sad sack?" Teresa asked teasingly, her chin on the armrest of the couch, her legs sprawled across Newt's lap, who did not look very enthusiastic about the setup.
"None of you people. Except for Frypan."
"Oh, well, I won't judge..." Teresa smirked at him.
Gally turned red. "You know very well what I meant!"
"Sure I did." Teresa winked at him.
"Could you get your buggin' legs offa me?" Newt asked her.
"But I'm comfy..." Teresa twisted her head around and grinned at him.
Newt pushed her legs off him and she fell of the couch with a thud. "Newt! Rude!" she huffed, standing up and brushing herself off. "This is a new outfit!"
"Everyone's outfits are new." Minho told her.
"I didn't go shopping!" Chuck said. "This is still my outfit from the Glade!"
"Are you implying that you want Teresa to take you shopping?" Minho asked Chuck, eyes wide. "Because dude, you don't wanna go shopping with her. That, along with driving, is a nightmare."
"I think Thomas was worse. We probably would've taken a lot less time in the Apple store if he could just make up his mind!" Teresa retorted.
"I had to make sure I was getting the best one!" Thomas replied defensively.
"I'm not sure if 'Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Moe' is a sure-fire way to be getting the best product that you're looking for. Pretty sure it's supposed to be a random selection thing." Teresa sat back down on the couch.
Thomas could see this conversation going nowhere fast. "Oh, whatever. Let's just be done here."
"Dinner's ready!" Frypan announced, setting an array of different foods down on the table.
There was an instant battle for the four chairs around the table. Gally and Minho sat down at the same seat at the same time, and then they started giving each other death glares.
"I sat down first." Minho said quickly.
"We sat down at the same time!" Gally attempted to shoulder check him, but Minho tried to do the same thing.
"Ow!" they both said at the same time. It was an instant shoving match for the seat. Gally got knocked to the ground, and Minho stared down at him triumphantly. Gally stood up and stomped back over to the seat he had been in originally.
Frypan handed out plates and everyone got their food, which was a choice of steak or pork, with side dishes of peas, rice, and cauliflower.
"Cauliflower?" Minho dished some peas onto his plate. "Why cauliflower?"
"Because I could." Frypan said proudly.
"Well, that's always a good answer." Minho admitted, moving onto the rice.
The food was great. Frypan always knew what to do when he was given food. Despite going through something like cooking withdrawal for about a week and having to operate on his own without his team of cooks by his side and having to get used to new brands of cooking devices, he did well.
However, Thomas couldn't really be judging. He felt like he would be the kind of guy who would somehow manage to make the sink catch fire while the water was running, if that was even possible.
Teresa, Minho, Alby, and Frypan sat at the table, and Newt, Thomas, Chuck, and Gally sat in the living room. No matter where they were sitting, they all enjoyed Frypan's skill with cooking instruments.
After dinner, Teresa propped her elbows on the table, hooking her fingers in between each other and resting her chin there. "So... how was everyone's day...?"
"Leave it to Teresa to make things weird." Gally shoved his final bite of steak in his mouth.
"How's that weird?" Teresa said. "I'm just trying to make conversation..."
"Even my cooking can't make him more cheerful, you should just ignore him." Frypan nudged Teresa cheerfully.
"Fry!" Gally complained.
Frypan winked at him, and Gally rolled his eyes, however, something on his face making Thomas think he was smiling slightly.
"Well, Thomas had maybe three girls make a move on him..." Minho said.
"And Minho danced to "Uptown Funk" earlier." Thomas frowned as soon as he said that. "That didn't come out very good, retaliation-wise."
"It's admittedly kinda stupid, but no, it really isn't." Minho twisted around in his seat and grinned at him.
"We met neighbors in Victoria's Secret." Newt offered.
"Oh, who?" Teresa asked.
"Well, the neighbor closest to our age is Brenda and she lives on the same floor as Thomas and Minho," Newt started. "Then she's got a little brother, Alex, and her mom. Probably her dad, too."
"Oh, we should invite Brenda to join in on one of our adventures sometime! I need some girlfriends, as nice as it is hanging out with all you lovely... gentlemen." Teresa grinned widely. "I need some friends of my own gender."
"Adventures?" Thomas echoed. "What we do are considered 'adventures'?"
"I thought today was an adventure. A lot of different things happened." Teresa shrugged. "I mean, we lost Alby, we went shopping for multiple different things, Minho discovered fashion, Gally got kicked out of a store, you people learned about grocery stores for the first time for some reason, and we got a great dinner."
"Not to mention we nearly lost our lives and sanity in the car with you," Minho threw in.
Teresa rolled her eyes. "Would we be able to invite Brenda around or not? Is she nice?"
"Yeah, she seems nice enough." Newt said.
"Okay! So maybe we can invite her to hang out with us tomorrow?"
"No." Minho said.
"Why not?" Teresa looked at him, confused. Thomas wasn't sure why Minho had said that, either. And based on the looks of everyone else, they didn't, either.
"We need to buy TVs first. That's top priority, and if anyone says otherwise, we're going to have a problem." Minho said determinedly.
They all burst out laughing, except for Gally, who just rolled his eyes at how stupid Minho sounded with his TV stubbornness, but he was smiling at little, too.
"The grumpy Gally? Smiling?" Thomas built up courage to poke his rival in the shoulder.
"And I'm done. See you tomorrow, Fry. Thanks for dinner." Gally stood up and headed for the door.
"But dessert's still coming...!" Frypan said, but the door had already shut.
"You scared him away." Minho laughed at Thomas. "Gallys have big, fragile egos, you should know they bolt quickly."
Everyone laughed, except for Frypan, who only looked the slightest bit amused. "You know, Gally's got feelings, too. That's a little rude."
"But it's also funny. Gally's rude, we can do a little bashing once in awhile."
Frypan rolled his eyes. "Minho... do you remember about five months before we escaped the Glade, when people randomly started discussing a rumor that you-"
"DON'T BRING IT UP!" shouted Minho. "There are people who don't know about that here! Don't share it!"
Chuck, Teresa, and Thomas all shared a look.
"What?" asked Thomas.
"DON'T SHARE!" Minho shouted.
"Well, anyways, Gally was the creative one who came up with that." Frypan laughed.
Newt did, as well.
"I hate him. I always have." Minho shook his head.
Chuck, Teresa, and Thomas exchanged another look.
"What?" Thomas asked again.
Minho stood up. "You ask too many questions, Greenbean. I'm going home."
"What about dessert?" Frypan asked.
"You're right, I'll stay." Minho sat back down. "As long as we drop this conversation immediately," he added, glaring at Frypan and Newt.
"Fine." Newt shrugged.
"As long as you stop trashing my man Gally we're good." Frypan nodded.
"Fine. Just bring out dessert." Minho said dismissively.
So they all enjoyed brownies and cookies and then it was time to go back to their respective apartments.
As Thomas and Minho got ready for bed, Thomas tried one more time. "What did Gally start?"
"You're delusional if you think I'm ever telling you, shank." Minho shook his head. "That's actually something you could put over me."
Of course, those words made Thomas's desire to find out what Gally had said about Minho so much stronger.
