Chapter 7 – Feed you to the Grievers
It had been two weeks and Newt still wasn't talking to me. I was making progress with Alby he wasn't ignoring me anymore. Gally wasn't angry anymore but he did make me promise not to put myself in danger ever again.
Minho still hadn't officially confirmed that I was going to be the next Runner but he hinted at it. He was working me extra hard during our training sessions.
We were back working in the gardens apparently the Track-Hoes needed more space to keep their supplies. I felt like all we ever did these days was build things for them. I was sick of being in the garden.
"When can we work somewhere else?" I asked Gally.
"When Zart stops asking for stupid things." He answered.
"That won't be anytime soon. I swear he's just making work for us so he can watch Allyson." Ben laughed. "He can't take his eyes off her.
I looked over to where the Keeper of the Track-Hoes was standing watching us. I shivered. Ben was right he was looking right at me.
"He has no chance." I laughed. "Not my type."
"Oh so you have a type do you?" Gally asked.
"Let me guess wouldn't happen to be the Runner type would it?" Ben questioned nudging me with his elbow.
"I just meant I don't find him particularly attractive." I said answering Gally before turning to Ben. "And you know fine well Minho is just a friend."
"I never mentioned Minho I just suggested that you might like Runners is all." He shrugged with a smile on his face.
"Nah, she prefers us." Gally said. "We're the real men of the glade."
I laughed at this rolling my eyes. He really thought a little too highly of himself.
"Actually I don't like any of you Shanks." I stated.
"Your eye twitched." Gally observed.
"So?" I questioned.
"Your eye twitches when you lie." Ben said. "Which means Allyson has a crush. Come on tell us who is it."
"I do not."
"Eye twitched again." Gally pointed.
"Is it a keeper?" Ben asked.
"No." I said.
"Another eye twitch." Gally laughed.
"It's Zart right?" Ben joked.
"Eww." I answered truthfully.
"Clint?" Gally asked.
"No. Will you give it up already! You're acting like a pair of twelve year olds."
" I know, it's Gally?" Ben laughed.
"No!" I stated.
Ben's jaw dropped. "I was kidding but did you see that twitch. Gally it's you."
"Shut up Ben!" I elbowed him. He was drawing attention.
"Don't worry Allyson no one can resist this." Gally said pointing at himself. "You were bound to fall for me sooner or later."
"Great. Now look what you've done it's going to take me weeks to deflate that head of his!" I growled.
Ben and Gally just laughed.
They continued to joke while I opted to ignore them and got on with my work. I loved them but sometimes I felt like feeding them to the Grievers. Especially when they ganged up on me.
It was almost lunch so I quickly finished up the part I was working on. I was Starving.
I walked ahead of Gally and Ben. They were still teasing me. Somehow they still managed to get to our table before I did. Probably because I stopped to talk to a few people. I sat across from them and ate my lunch. I tried to ignore them but it was impossible.
I looked over at my old table to see Alby and Newt sitting alone deep in conversation. They were laughing at something. I missed them. Every time I looked at them it hurt. I just wished I could find a way to make it up to them.
After lunch we headed back to the gardens.
"Your admirer is still watching you." Ben said nodding towards Zart.
This time I didn't even bother looking. I didn't want Zart to think I was interested.
"If he's making you uncomfortable I can say something." Gally offered.
"Don't. He's not doing any harm." I warned knowing exactly the kinds of things he would say.
"Whatever but if he tries anything with you let me know." He said.
"If he tries anything I'm sure you'll hear his screams from the other side of the glade." I said.
Ben laughed at this.
"He's annoying me." Gally grumbled.
"Just ignore him." I advised.
"I can't. At first it was funny but the Slinthead is really pushing it too far. He's always making excuses to get us to work here just so he can watch you." He growled. "Don't you think it's a little creepy?"
I just rolled my eyes at him.
"You should do something about it. Can't have him eyeing up your woman like this on a daily basis." Ben joked.
"I'm not anyone's woman!" I pointed out.
"You're right Ben I should." Gally answered.
"Don't you dare do anything." I warned him. "Ben tell him you were joking."
Neither of them were listening to me. Gally was drawing daggers at Zart and Ben looked amused. I gently slapped Bens arm indicating that it wasn't funny. I didn't want Gally causing trouble.
"I mean it Gally just ignore him."
Gally looked at me with an amused smirk on his face.
"Either I go over there and make sure he never looks at you again or you can make it clear to him you aren't interested."
"You don't own me Gally, he can look wherever he wants." I narrowed my eyes at him. "And I'm clearly ignoring him. I think it's pretty clear I'm not interested."
"I never said I did. I just don't like the way he looks at you and he doesn't seem to be getting your message." Gally pointed out.
"Well I can't be any clearer." I said. "If he doesn't get it then that's his problem."
"Yes you can."
"I can what?" I questioned him.
"Make it clearer." He said with a mischievous smile.
"What are you planning?" I asked cautiously.
He never answered me but I could tell he had an idea and by the look on his face I had a feeling I wouldn't like it.
"Gally whatever you're thinking about don't do it." I said.
He looked up at Zart again then smiled at me and grabbed my arm. He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. I was shocked. I hadn't expected him to do that. Sure he had come close to doing it before but then we were alone. Now I could feel the eyes of every Glader nearby. I heard a few whistles and some rude comments.
I slowly pulled away.
"You ever do something like that again and I swear I'll feed you to the Grievers." I whispered trying to hide a smile.
He raised an eyebrow at me. "I won't if you can honestly say you didn't like it."
"I didn't." I lied.
Be bent down and whispered in my ear. "Your eye twitched."
That stupid eye always gives everything away. I frowned at him but he just smiled.
"It worked." Ben chimed in. "He stopped staring at you."
I looked over to where Zart had been watching me and Ben was right. He was looking anywhere but at me.
I ignored Gally for the rest of the day pretending to be mad at him. He wasn't making it easy for me. Every so often he would lean into me and whisper in my ear. I pretended he wasn't having any effect on me but he knew it was an act.
...
By dinner time rumours had circled all around the Glade. Could these boys not keep anything to themselves?
"I'm not sitting with you. I'm still mad." I told Gally. "I'm not happy with you either Ben you've been encouraging him all day."
"How long do you think her little huff will last?" Ben jokingly asked Gally.
"She'll be in my room begging for more by tonight." Gally answered.
"In your dreams maybe." I said.
He started to say something but I walked away. I wanted to have the last word. I looked around for Minho and found him arguing with one of the Runners at a table in the corner. I waited until the boy left then made my way over to him. He didn't look happy.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Anthony quit." He told me. "I'm down two runners now."
"Then you'd better announce Alex's replacement soon." I said smiling.
I was confident that it was me. He had been dropping plenty of hints since getting rid of Alex.
"I know. Can you wait here for five minutes while I speak to Nick?" He asked.
"Sure." I smiled.
He got up and left me alone. I started eating my dinner but ended up playing with it more than anything. I was excited and anxious.
He didn't take long.
"he's calling a gathering once everyone has finished eating." He told me.
"Have you go any ideas who to replace Anthony with?" I asked.
"I'm not sure yet but I have a few ideas."
"Like who?"
"You'll know when I decide." He laughed. "You're way to nosey for your own good."
"I am not." I defended. "I just like to know what's going on."
He laughed at me and continued eating his dinner. After eating in silence he looked over at me.
"Why aren't you sitting with Gally and Ben today?" He asked.
"Why aren't you sitting with Alby and Newt?" I answered him with his own question.
"I had to speak to Anthony then you sat down. Couldn't exactly just walk away from you could I? So why did you sit with me."
"If you don't want to sit with me you could have just said."
"I didn't say that did I?" He defended. "Now stop avoiding the question."
"They were bugging me." I shrugged.
He didn't get a chance to reply because Nick chose that moment to announce the gathering. Minho left after making me promise to wait here so I would be easy to find once he was done.
It didn't take long for Ben to join me.
"What do you think that's about?" He asked.
"I know what it's about." I bragged.
"What?"
"None of your business."
"Come on Allyson just tell me."
I just stuck my tongue out at him.
He spent the next half an hour trying to get me to tell him what was going on. I didn't cave. I loved winding him up.
I wondered why it was taking so long. Surely half an hour was plenty of time to announce a new Runner.
"You have to come with me." I heard Newt's voice from behind me.
It's the first time he has spoken to me since I shouted at him.
I quickly stood up and followed him out waving goodbye to Ben.
"I'm sorry." I apologized as we walked together.
"I'm not interested Allyson."
"I was angry that night, we both were and it's not like I knew what had happened to you. If I had known I would have never said those things."
"You still don't know what happened to me so stop pretending you do." He snapped.
"You hurt yourself in the Maze. I know that. Minho told me you were a Runner. I know you don't want me to be a Runner because you don't want a Griever to attack me as well."
"Like I said you don't know anything."
"Then tell me."
"Why should I? It's none of your business."
"I hate not talking to you. I'll do anything to make it up to you." I begged.
"We don't have time for this." He said as he pushed open the door and held it open for me.
I walked in and waited.
Nick told me to take a seat beside Alby. I quickly sat down my heart racing.
"Minho would you like to explain to Allyson why she was called in?" Nick asked.
Minho stood up.
"You have been called in because you have been chosen as a Runner. Your training will begin first thing in the morning." He announced before sitting down.
I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face. I looked around the room no one looked shocked at this announcement but since they had been here for half an hour I suspected that they had all known already.
"If that is everything we have to discuss tonight then you are all free to go." Nick said standing up and exiting the room.
Everyone filed out after him.
"You finally got what you wanted. I hope you're happy." Newt said before brushing past me.
He didn't seem happy about the news but that was to be expected since he never wanted me to become a Runner.
Soon it was only Minho, Gally and I left in the room. I threw my arms around Minho's neck and pulled him into a hug.
"Thank you." I squealed.
"You actually wanted this?" Gally snapped. "I fought to keep you with us. I thought you were happy with us."
"I was happy but that doesn't mean I want to spend the rest of my life trapped here."
"Neither do I but you don't see me running around in that death trap." He walked out not giving me a chance to answer.
"A few people were against it." Minho told me as we left the room together.
"Let me guess. Gally, Newt and Alby?" I said.
"Actually Alby wasn't. Clint, Winston and Zart were against." He told me.
I was surprised at that. I hadn't expected Alby to like the idea.
Minho told me he was going to skip the training that night since I would get plenty in the morning and he didn't want me to be tired so he walked me to my room before disappearing into his.
It was still early and I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep without going for a run first so I decided to go alone.
I was just about to leave the Homestead when Ben came running up to me.
"I heard they made you a Runner."
"Word does travel fast around here." I laughed.
"What's Gally think about it?"
"You haven't seen him?"
"No I thought he was with you until I saw you come out alone."
"He's not happy." I sighed.
"Didn't think he would be. Where you going?" he asked.
"I was going to take a run around the Glade. You can come if you want."
"Uh sure." He shrugged.
He wasn't as fast as I had become so I slowed my pace for him. He was slightly out of breath by the time we were done our laps.
"You're not too bad. Maybe one day you can be a Runner." I joked.
"Like that's ever going to happen." he laughed.
"You never know." I said. "I think I'm going to head up to bed now. I'll see you at dinner tomorrow."
We said our goodbyes and I made my way to me room.
"When I said I was going to skip training I didn't mean you had to do it yourself." I heard Minho say as I stepped in.
He was lying on my bed.
"Why are you in my room?" I asked.
"I saw you leaving and I followed you because I didn't want you out alone but I saw you running with Ben so thought I'd just wait for you here." He explained. "How was he?"
"You do know I will eventually have to run alone in the Maze?" I laughed. "And he was alright why?"
"You can't hurt any Gladers in the Maze." He joked.
"Why were you asking about Ben?"
"No reason just curious." He smiled at me.
"You're thinking about it aren't you." I smiled.
"Thinking about what?" He faked innocence.
"Making him a Runner."
"He seemed to keep up with you no problem." He smiled.
"So you are thinking about it?"
"key word there is thinking Al." He pointed out. " Doesn't mean I'm going to pick him so don't say anything to anyone."
" I won't."
"You should get some sleep. We're up early." He said getting up off my bed.
"Goodnight Minho."
"Night Al."
With that he left me alone.
I changed into a pair of shorts and a loose top and quickly climbed into bad. I was excited to start my training in the morning and hoped I would fall asleep quickly.
A/N Thank you to everyone who had read this story.
Thanks to all the Guests, author-fan2012, amillipede, Amelie Williams, Greenie, WICKED and leigh for Reviewing.
So far we have
Newt - 13
Gally - 11
Minho - 7
Thomas - 2
Thomas has been voted in and Newt has over taken Gally.
A few things have still to happen before Thomas arrives but what do you think Allyson will think about him when he does?
Let me know what you think. Your reviews make my day.
